Hi Tracy. I have no idea what others have said in response - I am so busy these days I barely have time to come online! - but I wanted to give my own answer.

I do firmly believe that a God exists. To my way of thinking, God is a scientific necessity. My reason for this view is cause and effect. In Science, there always has to be cause and effect. For example. Paper comes from trees, trees come from a forest, a forest comes from a country, a country comes from the world, the world comes from the solar system, the solar system comes from the universe, the universe comes from "big bang", big bang comes from???? Scientifically, there could not have been nothing before big-bang. As it was an effect (a bang) it needed a trigger, a cause.

The chain of cause and effect has to have a beginning, which is the uncaused cause, which we will call "X" i.e. From X we have something, something, something, something, something, something, something to me typing this. As this X did not have a cause ( but is both cause and effect) it must always have existed. It must, therefore, have been eternal - always existed, not created, been forever. We can call this uncaused cause "X" or we can call it God.

Now, if this X was eternal, for there suddently to be a chain of events leading to the existence of humans, this sudden spark must have been intentional - something that exists forever by itself must consciously at some point set off a chain of events to result in existence of humans.

Therefore, to cap, we have this X as eternally alive and conscious. At some point this X decided to set off chain of events to result in humans. If we call it God, then we have an eternal and conscious God. We have creation deliberately created by X at some point during eternity. This is consistent with Christianity, which says God is alpha and omega - the beginning and the end - eternal, infinite.

Now, as to the personality of this X (God) we move out of the realm of science to religion. Various religions and sub-religions see God differently. If uncaused X (God) is the most scientifically logical explanation for universe (as uncaused cause) that does not follow through that this X (God) has to care a jot about us or help us etc. However, it is unlikely that this God would not care about his/her own creation, therefore it is reasonable that God does care about those he created.

My personal view of God is that while God does care about us greatly, he is limited to the extent he can intervene in our lives. Not by limited power, God has to have infinite power, but through respect of our free-will. If God controlled our minds and actions, we would be puppets. My belief is God gives the human race free will, which means the freedom to do what we want, but with that comes responsiibility and consequence. Again we are back to cause and effect. A sin is something that is damaging to individuals and society. If people sin, there are consequences i.e. people sleep around, steal, lie etc there are consequences. Not always, for when people do wrong things, some get away with it and others don't.

So, I believe that humans are responsible for much of the suffering in the world, not God. By not following God's moral code, they hurt themselves and others. Examples:

children are hurt if a marriage breaks up because one partner was unfaithful - this isn't God's fault, it's the adulterer's - God says adultery is wrong, people do it anyway.

People have their home robbed - not God's fault, God says not to steal, people do it anyway.

Someone is murdered - not God's fault, God says do not murder - people do it anyway.

Pornography, prostitution, unwanted baby, STD, abortion - none of these would happen if people followed God's sexual morals, which is to have sex only in a marriage that will welcome children People have sex with who they want to, regardless of what God says.

So, I think God is blamed for a lot of things that God actually tells people not to do - which is kind of like blaming a teacher for a child falling in a muddy pool and dirtying their clothes on a school trip, even though the teacher said don't go near the pool! Whose fault? Teacher or Pupil?

I don't meant to imply that everyone is responsible for the bad things that happen in their life. That is not true. People suffer through no fault of their own. But that doesn't mean responsibility doesn't lie somewhere i.e. if someone is killed in a car-crash caused by an intoxicated-driver, the drunk is responsible. Things can be complicated further i.e. drunk was a minor. Who is then responsible? The parents? Those who supplied alcohol to someone below age?

I do believe there is a God who cares for us, is hurt by human selfishness, but ultimately leaves this world in our hands. I kind of think this is harder to do than to just wave a wand and have us all disappear as though we never existed (certainly I believe within God's power). So, I see it like a situation all of us have been in at some point - can see people engaging in self-harmful behaviour, but nothing we can really do about it because it's their choice.

I have suffered a lot in my life, healthwise and otherwise, but I have always tried to be a responsible, caring, person. I have always followed God's sexual code (no sex out of marriage), not been drunk, am pro-life, and care for animals and our planet. Yet I have had to go to the doctor many times with femal health problems, had scans, tests, faced infertility and all the emotional pain of that, while those who sleep around have babies out of wedlock with different fathers etc. They have relationship after relationship, but I couldn't even get a date, even though for a time I wanted so badly to be married with a family of my own.

It is so easy to think when we are hurting that it's God's fault or that he cares more for them than us who are trying to do the right thing, but the way I see it now is back to cause and effect. I know now that I suffered so much because dentists put amalgam in my teeth as a child. Others had fillings too. but they didn't have the same problems. Why me? I don't know, but I don't blame God. Those who put poison in my teeth are responsible - when there is wrong-doing, there are victims. I was a victim, through not fault of my own, and I thank God that I finally know what caused it.

I do think that we can seek God in times of trial or we can reject God - sometimes we do that not because we don't believe but because we are angry at God. There have been times I have closed God out because I felt he didn't care about me. But I do believe God cares for all of us, had a plan for all of us, and can be a comfort to all of us, especially if we see God as the source of all that is good - love, hope, loyalty. I think we can get angry at God because we know God is all powerful and doesn't help, but if God did intervene all the time ( I do believe he does intervene sometimes) then humans would never have to take responsibility for their actions.