Question:
For those that believe in God, do you believe disease is inflicted upon certain people as punishment for wrongdoings/sins?

I think I remember disease being used as punishment in the Bible, as well as being used for testing of one's faith.

In any event, I was a very healthy woman. I have great genes, great body, great health, and I ate only organic food and I drank only water. I also was with my sex partner for 8 years. I was very careful about avoiding disease.

Yet, I got late-stage Lyme disease and then as soon as I was able to walk around and run- I got type 1 herpes from my bfs cold sore. It seems very unfair. I know a lot of unhealthy people- who eat trans fat, are chunky, who have bad genes, and so on- and they are all better off then me now. It is very unfair. I always knew abotu Lyme disease and PURPOSELY avoided tall grass. Yet, I got it from walking my parents' dog. I ALWAYS knew about cold sores and avoided people when they had one. YET, I get ghsv1.

I feel I made all the right decisions. I was very prudent, yet I suffered the same cosnequence as people who make poor choices. It is very unfair. I don't think I should have nerve and joint problems due to Lyme- people who camp and hike should! I do not feel I should have ghsv1- people who have sex outside of a monogamus relationship should.

So, I think God is punishing me. It all makes sense. I think I am being punished for being prideful or something. :| Or maybe God is doing this so my life isn't as great. At one point, things were going exceedingly well for me. I think this is a way of making me low. I have lost many things due to diseases I was at low-risk for. I lost a graduate degree (had to drop out after being told I had MS or cancer), high-paying job, many fun travel opportunities, lots of $$, and so on. I know I should be grateful at least the MS and cancer was negative and it ended up being Lyme, but I just feel like I have had enough lately. I was also assaulted by four african american women at the mall because I accidently dropped ketchup on one of their shoes. This was at a very expensive mall in a very nice area where politicans live. The girls were not from the area. Anyway, the list just goes on and on of bad things that have happened to me that are very odd and rare. I mean these things are exceedingly rare, yet they happen to me. The security guards said something like that NEVER happened at that location before. Also, my risk for Lyme was very low. Also, I find it odd that I am in a monogamous, faithful relationship , where neither of us EVER had any type of std (not even hpv!) and I end up with cold sores down below. I got a std from someone that doesnt have a std! Argh. That is why I do not even consider hsv1 a std.

ANYWAY-

Do u think you are being punished by your disease? I do. I hope God stops throwing the lightening at me because I am becoming worn out. :)

Answer:
My personal view is sometimes, shit happens and god ain't got crap to do with it.

Answer:
My personal view is sometimes, shit happens and god ain't got crap to do with it. Agreed, but I also don't believe in god...

I told myself I would always avoid this forum area just because..religion when you don't believe in it, can spark many many heated debates.

In my opinion, if there was a 'god', he wouldn't have these 'tests' and 'obsicals' for us to get around...I'm not talking about day to day life. I'm talking about kids with cancer, and people whom decive others but their lives are never effected by their lies.

I've become a stronger person, because of the way I was;
A; Raised
B; Experiences with bad or good people
C; Because I forced myself to go on.

Nothing has ever been accomplished or not accomplished without me having a choice in the matter.

Yes when I first got the disease, I liked to think that there was someone watching over me and protecting me. I realized I was just looking for something to have faith in other than myself anymore because I was disgusted with myself for catching something from someone whom I thought I could trust.


Bottomline, shit happens.

Answer:
Ticks are nondiscriminatory and opportunistic. They see food passing by and they go for it. They really couldn't care less whether you're camping or walking your parents' dog. Food is food. And if it happens to be you passing by... you're it.

Herpes is much the same. Whether you're in a monogamous relationship or not, if the opportunity arises for the virus to spread, it will. And happy to do it, too. If you're partner gets cold sores, it should come as no surprise that you got the virus. The law of averages says that eventually you would. Cold sores or genital ob's, it's all the same to them. The little buggers don't care what neighborhood they move into, as long as they move.

Don't feel as if you're being punished. If there is a God, he's not that interested in us as individuals. Shit happens to everyone, and you're no exception. We all have our stories. Mine would curl your hair. ;) Look at it this way... if it wasn't for the roller coaster, the amusement park would seem pretty damn dull, now wouldn't it?

Answer:
I guess I have a daoist view of God according to a friend. I'm not sure what that means but here goes:

In our human capacity we have our mind, body and soul. We are able to feel all kinds of emotions and think all manner of thoughts.

Why would we be isolated to only experiencing happiness or sadness when we can feel so much more? I think God experiences humanity through our experiences. Sometimes our experiences are good and sometime not but they are all as unique as each one of us.

If God created all living things why would he descrimate against any one in favor of another? the virus, the bacteria, the plant, the animal, the different genders, the different races, the different religions?

I don't believe anyone is being punished I think we are here to live our lives and in this we glorify the creator, regardless of the name you put on them or the way you address them. I also believe that if God loves all of his creations, it means he loves "ALL" of us exactly as we are.

Live your life to the fullest. Make your dreams come true. Be brave and don't let anyone talk you out of following your heart.

Answer:
Caliope, you have a way of getting to the heart of things. That was a wise and lovely response. Thank you.

Answer:
i agree what a great post calliope

Answer:
once again Caliope, excellent!!

And Anon, I don't believe you are being punished for something via herpes, nor lyme disease. Sometimes we just roll the dice and come up with snake eyes. But I truly truly TRULY do not believe that this is some sort of punishment meted out by a higher power. Although, when in the midst of the illness or herpes outbreak, I know it feels like it!!

Continure taking care of yourself and eating well. Your immune system will kick in and fight the herpes virus. I am more concerned about the Lyme disease. I have had friends who have had this and I know how debilitating it can be. Is there anything that you can take or do that helps you with the lyme disease??

Answer:
I don't believe any of us are being punished for anything with this. We're not God's experiment or ant farm. We have our freewill and things happen, as someone said above.
Being punished by God through herpes (to me) holds about as much water as a football team having a prayer for victory before the game. Ok, weird analogy but someone out there might get it.