Fr. Troy's Response to the College Philosopher

I think we have all had to deal with talking to people (drunk or sober) who love to rhapsodize about not being able to believe in a God who would allow pain, suffering, and evil in the world.  Perhaps some of you are even like me and have earnestly tried to explain to such people the salvific aspects of suffering and the consequences of both original sin and free will.  Well, as usual, Fr. Troy cuts through the crap to the best answer of all: "What do you know about God?"

How could I have overlooked this one all these years? When the atheists I know and love start spouting off about God, why do I get so offended and hurt? They are not talking about my God.  They don't know my God from Zeus.  As the good Fr. pointed out, thousands of years of the best minds have been contemplating God and haven't come close to understanding His ways and His majesty, and now Joe and Jane Atheist think they can say something about Him? Please.

I always say (and have usually gotten pilloried for it) that I feel so very sorry for those in my family who have apostasized themselves, but now that is even more true.  They turned away from a God they didn't even really take the time to get to know.  How terribly sad to have the fullness of Truth in the palm of your hand and then to throw it all away, and for what? I *do* feel sorry for them.  In fact, I ache for them, and, even more, I fear for them. There's no invincible ignorance there.

Laus Deo,