well, michael, if you knew that something bad was going to happen to your daughter you would prvent it if you had the power. so if you didn’t in a way you would be a type of cause?

“God knows the outcome and he still punishes even though he created us to sin.”
God chose to create us with a free will. Freedom to choose or to reject. I do not have to sin, I choose to sin. I choose to lie or I choose to tell the truth. I choose to obey or I choose to rebel. God will not force his will upon me or anyone else. He wants us to choose to love and serve Him, not to make us do His bidding.

“I don’t believe in a god and I don’t believe in religion anymore simply for the fact that every religion thinks that they are right and certain religions will kill those that argue with them.”
I am sorry that you no longer believe in God. I am not a fan of religion. I don’t believe God is looking for a religion, but rather a relationship with Him. Religion divides and God has no part in that. Jesus Himself blasted the Pharisees because they were “religious”. They had no true desire to love God or to obey His commands. They were just trying to make themselves look “spiritual”. It’s very unfortunate that there are religions that choose to kill those that disagree with their belief system. This however is far from the message that Jesus proclaimed while He was on the earth and is contrary to what the Bible teaches. Jesus did however say that “I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me”. Something is either the truth or it is not the truth. You cannot have two truths that contradict each other. Again, it’s not about a religion, but a relationship with Jesus Christ.

“You say that God created man knowing he would sin, but how can he punish those that sin, when it is human to sin.”
I guess the same could be said about the law. We have laws that tell us what we can and cannot do in order to protect us and others. If I were arrested for speeding, would it hold up in court if I said, “I was born with a need for speed?” I might have an inclination to speed but I have a choice on how fast I choose to drive. Nothing makes me speed other than my selfish desires. The same is true about us and God. My inclination might be to do wrong, but ultimately, it is I who chooses whether to obey God or disobey God and sin.

“I just wish that those that are religious respected the rights of those that do not believe.”
Robert, I could not agree with you more. Jesus lived and proclaimed a message of love, not hate and judgement. He came to save those that are lost and offer freedom to those that are in bondage. He came to offer hope to the hopeless, and give comfort to those that are hurting. Those that have a true relationship with God should have the same attitude of Christ…that of love. Those that have just a “religion” are more likely to condemn.

I wish you well in your search for truth. If I can be of any help in your journey, or if you have any other questions, I would be glad to talk to you.

Michael