text: should there be an age requirement for this category? i'm tired of hearing such answers as "god works in mysterious ways". why should just blindly follow what is said to be gods word. that's not an acceptable answer for why people suffer. how can you explain away things like why some people in third world countries have a horrible existence, while those who claim to be those preaching god's word turn a blind eye and focus on moral issues such as why i shouldnt be able to marry the man i love. what about people who lived on remote areas that had never heard of jesus or god. were they simple put on earth to go to hell without a chance of heaven? not even purgatory would be possible for them, because the church decided to abolish it. which in itself isn't that just saying it never existed? why don't those who claim that all you must do to be saved is accept god devote their lives to doing good and do every single thing possible to spread the word? go tell people suffering that this is simply the work of god. how is any of that justifiable? i had an arguement with a christian friend of mine.  when i asked her, "why doesn't god just make everyone happy" i got a bunch of canned responses (god works in mysterious ways, god wants to give us choice...as if anyone could comprehend what god wants (if there is a god)).  finally she just said, "i don't know...i'm not god".  that's an honest answer!  i agree, i would rather hear an honest, thought-out response than lines that have been fed to you