Why did god set us up to fail?

[_Who Knows]

Assuming there is a god, why would he set us up to fail? Why would he make it next to impossible to figure out which of his churches are the ONE true church? The term 'many or called but few are chosen' comes to mind. Why is that?

As a father of 3, I want all my kids to succeed. Yes, I can't directly control their lives - i have to let them make choices, learn from mistakes, fall down and get back up, etc. But I can help guide them down the path that's best for them. I can be there for them. I can lay the groundwork that best sets them up to succeed. (and I must note here that i will treat each child differently based on their needs - 1 path that's right for one child, might be wrong for another).

Why can a person pray all their lives, but not get an answer, while another gets an answer immediately? Why do 2 different people get different answers? How can one person get different answers at different times throughout their life?

It all just seems so difficult - like we're set up to fail. Why is that? Or how do believers explain this? Why are only a 'few' going to the C-kingdom?

[_Runtu]

Assuming there is a god, why would he set us up to fail? Why would he make it next to impossible to figure out which of his churches are the ONE true church? The term 'many or called but few are chosen' comes to mind. Why is that?

As a father of 3, I want all my kids to succeed. Yes, I can't directly control their lives - I have to let them make choices, learn from mistakes, fall down and get back up, etc. But I can help guide them down the path that's best for them. I can be there for them. I can lay the groundwork that best sets them up to succeed. (and I must note here that I will treat each child differently based on their needs - 1 path that's right for one child, might be wrong for another).

Why can a person pray all their lives, but not get an answer, while another gets an answer immediately? Why do 2 different people get different answers? How can one person get different answers at different times throughout their life?

It all just seems so difficult - like we're set up to fail. Why is that? Or how do believers explain this? Why are only a 'few' going to the C-kingdom?

Dude, don't you know it's only the complainers and proud who fail? If you were just humble, you wouldn't have failed.

[_Who Knows]

Dude, don't you know it's only the complainers and proud who fail? If you were just humble, you wouldn't have failed.

Well, by 'fail', i mean those that don't go to the c-kingdom - which will only be a 'few' (many are called but few are chosen). In other words, everyone who doesn't accept the LDS gospel, get baptized, get their endowments, get sealed, etc - or less than 1% of everyone.

[_mormonmistress]

I'm not a believer, so you probably don't want my opinion, but here it is anyway!

Why can a person pray all their lives, but not get an answer, while another gets an answer immediately?

Because these answers don't come from God, they come from their own imaginations. I think it's similar to pathological lying. They actually end up believing their own lies after telling them so often.

Why do 2 different people get different answers?

Your imagination is influenced by your own personal experiences, wants and beliefs. I've read threads on here where people have claimed that they KNOW God is true because they had an inkling not to do something like catch a plane somewhere. The plane then crashes killing everyone on board. To them, it is a sign that God is true. To others, it is just a coincidence, or intuition and nothing to do with God. (by the way I couldn't be bothered looking for the thread so the plane example is just that, an example). I surely wonder about the Christians who never got that sign from God not to catch that plane!! Were they less deserving of being saved?

How can one person get different answers at different times throughout their life?

Because they have had different experiences which contribute to the 'new' revelations.

When my house was burning down I had an awful feeling about fire I couldn't shake. The whole way home I was looking towards where we lived looking for smoke. Was that God warning me? Was it just a coincidence? I had no reason to think it was burning down, but I just knew. What would I think of that if I was religious? Perhaps it too would have been a sign from God, For what purpose I have no idea though, as it was hardly helpful in stopping it happening.

[_moksha]

Would you assign a meaning of success or failure to the thoughts and behaviors of you children or would you love them anyway and refrain from being judgmental?

If you did the later, would that not be considered a mark of good parenting skills as well as a generative outlook on life?

[_KimberlyAnn]

Who Knows, He only set some of us up to fail. He foreordained our failure. Somehow, it brings Him glory to make people like you and me vessels of wrath.

And I'm not saying that mockingly. If there is a God, He knows I've looked for Him. He either doesn't exist or doesn't want me to know He does. I don't understand it.

I don't know why it can't be easier.

KA

[_Runtu]

Who Knows, He only set some of us up to fail. He foreordained our failure. Somehow, it brings Him glory to make people like you and me vessels of wrath.

And I'm not saying that mockingly. If there is a God, He knows I've looked for Him. He either doesn't exist or doesn't want me to know He does. I don't understand it.

I don't know why it can't be easier.

KA

What I can't figure out is why He made His true church look like a transparent and clumsy fraud.

[_Who Knows]

If there is a God, He knows I've looked for Him. He either doesn't exist or doesn't want me to know He does. I don't understand it.

I don't know why it can't be easier.

Ditto.

What I can't figure out is why He made His true church look like a transparent and clumsy fraud.

Exactly. That's my point. He made it (assuming the LDS church is true) so that only a select teensy tiny few would recognize his church. Why? I don't get it.

[_Who Knows]

Would you assign a meaning of success or failure to the thoughts and behaviors of you children or would you love them anyway and refrain from being judgmental?

If you did the later, would that not be considered a mark of good parenting skills as well as a generative outlook on life?

Sorry moksha, i'm not really following you. Can you clarify please?

And ditto mormonmistress. That's my view as well. I'm interested in hearing what believers have to say about it, or what you've heard believers say.

[_silentkid]

Somehow, it brings Him glory to make people like you and me vessels of wrath.

KA, I think you should change your title from Cupcake Queen to Vessel of Wrath. It's so much more ominous. Also, Vessels of Wrath would be a great name for a metal band. Can I steal it?

WK: I agree that the whole Plan of Salvation doesn't make logical sense, especially for those who believe in a benevolent creator. The old rationale that I remember being taught was that we will all be happy in our respective kingdoms. As a believing member, I always thought it would be better to live in the Terrestrial or the Telestial (after all, that's where all the rock 'n roll shows will be) than the boring Celestial (where the MoTab will sing incessantly). After all, isn't the celestialized earth just going to be a big glass marble. Lame.