What an interesting conversation! What's fascinating is that hardcore believers (not naming names) start throwing tantrums and calling names and then accuse the other person for getting defensive! Hahaha! Classic. I love how so many religious folk can't answer a question so they totally go off topic to try to rationalize their view. I think the OP had a very legitimate question. If god doesn't answer the prayers of completely innocent and helpless beings, why would he answer anyone elses? Seriously. Why would anyone else deserve to have their prayers answered if not the innocent? Well, there are major flaws in any organized religion, aren't there?

My view is this - the true god/creator/great spirit, whatever you want to call it is NOTHING like what mainstream religion leads you to believe. No god looking down, pulling the strings making the world go round. We make our own choices, there is no vengeful god that will punish us for utilizing the free will he gave us and making a mistake. What kind of asshole would give everyone only one shot at life, and cause some to be born mentally retarded, and some to die as infants? That's pretty fucked up! They didn't even get a chance to experience what being alive is. I think that the purpose of life is to experience. Life, after life, after life. (You don't have to believe me but if you chose to look, there is strong, untainted evidence for reincarnation.) You know what the Tao Te Ching says, you can't know or appreciate anything without knowing and experiencing the opposite or lack there of. Every experience we have, positive or negative impacts us, makes us grow, builds who we are as a being. We chose to experience the hardships before we enter this life. We can not be a complete being by only experiencing the positive. Is that an excuse for turning a blind eye to those in need of help, because they chose that for themselves? Of course not. Our reaction or non-action to such a scenario determines who WE are. That's what it all boils down to, ourselves. We are each a different aspect of the source, which in turn means that we can never be separated from the source like religious leaders would like you to believe. They of course want you to feel separated so you need them to bring you back to god. How else can you control such a huge population?

The fact is that no human knows how it really is. What is important is thinking for yourself, figuring things out yourself instead of just mindlessly believing something because some guy in robes tells you so. This is YOUR journey, spiritual or not. There are hundreds of religions out there. Nobody can rightfully claim that the one they believe in is THE right one. There is beauty in truth in EVERY religion. I personally believe in a higher power or energy if you will, but I'm not going to get my panties in a twist if someone else doesn't.

Oh,

Quote Originally Posted by Trip06
Here are my points on the matter.

If God suddenly started feeding millions of starving children, people would catch on to the fact these foodless kids arent dying. Thus there would be no concept of faith, (faith in something)-the very thing that drives man.
I completely disagree. If people saw that kids without food were miraculously not dying, that most certainly would give people faith. Miracle=higher power=something bigger than you=worship. You hear stories all the time about people who's faith is restored because they believe to have experienced a miracle...

Over and out....