Catherine, thanks for that. If all believers were as lovely as you, the world would be a better place. It seems your faith is a positive thing in your life, though I suspect you were already a good person before you had your personal epiphany. Enjoy life, and smell the roses along the way.

frank, sydney,

Frank,
I realise your conviction to lead a life with out faith in God or the after life is as strong as mine is the opposite and so for this I admire you.Finally, Whatever or whoever was responsible for my vision ,that glorious day ,I only wish I could share it. My only way of sharing it is through telling it as it was.
You may choose to believe it was a neurological happening ,or you may choose to believe it was a holy apparition. The wonder of God means we do have the choice. Frank,you choose the former explanation. I have no doubt in my mind ,I choose the latter.I hope you do not mind me adding cheers and........
may God bless you Frank, it has been a pleasure to talk to you.

Catherine, west lothian,

and the absense of any feeling when we just say 'Lord help me' from the bottom of our being, Frank of Sydney?

Father Bryan Storey, Tintagel, UK

Catherine, it seems that visions, dream appearances, near death experiences, out of body experiences, episodes of heightened spiritual awareness, or oneness with nature or something perceived beyond our normal lives, of exultation and immense joy and peace, are not uncommon throughout the population generally and throughout history.
Interestingly, the type of vision tends to be consistent with one's upbringing, with Christians sometimes seeing Mary-like figures, saints or Christ, whereas Muslims may see Muhammad, and Hindus see their Gods etc. Much of this difference obviously stems from our memory, upbringing and experience.
Out of body experiences likely stem from temporal lobe activity. Near death experiences also likely have a physical basis, sometimes associated with cerebral hypoxia, sometimes just from extreme stress causing extreme activation of certain areas. They tend to have similar descriptions, with tunnels, bright lights, life review, meeting other beings, feelings of positive emotions, etc. Some mystical experiences are drug induced (eg: by LSD and other mind-effecting drugs), and due to increase in neurotransmitter activity, and can be just as profound.
A visual brain area activated may react essentially the same way during conscious and subconscious activation, dreaming, lucid dreams, hallucinations and fantasies. During an altered state of consciousness, such a vision can be a powerful experience.
These mystical experiences can be life changing for people. The basis for them, however, is still likely explained by purely physical neuronal processes.

frank, sydney,

Frank, If you had explained the processes involved in my brain in order for me to have witnessed such an apparition I may have given it consideration.Much as I respect freedom of choice and the views of an atheist ,nothing would seperate the faithful from the love of God. Many scientists who previously found it hard to believe in the benefits of religiosity, are now accepting that some scientific studies now prove the presence of evolutionary advantages within the human genome relating to faith and religion .e.g morality hard-wired into the brain(new scientist edition 2619 1st sept 07) evolving through faith and religion which has played a crucial role in this process.Ultimately faith and religion makes us less selfish and promotes a think of others before yourself attitude. Regarding war in the name of religion.Human leaders have always found ways to prosecute their political ambitions whilst hiding behind something else.
This is far removed from the love of God.
Catherine .

Catherine, west lothian,

Alan, look to Jesus about your life here and later. He tells all. He calls for repentance and baptism. I just want you and all the opponents of God to tell me how you can live with the most flowery unreality of all, the idea that particles can be the ultimate explanation of particles. Why is it that God deniers keep dodging this question?

Father Bryan Storey, Tintagel, UK

Catherine, mystical for me does certainly does not imply supernatural, as you should have guessed.....Just because something appears superficially or initially beyond normal sensory explanation, or even remains for now to be explained, doesn't mean it is ultimately without explanation within our worldly realm.
I do not see any reason to invoke the supernatural in your "apparition", or in other people's similar experiences. The vision was created within and by your brain.

frank, sydney,

Frank, You speak about mystical experiences and things not being worthy of being labled as supernatural. Have I now to presume you accept the existence of the supernatural which has no decisive explanation, yet cannot comprehend the existence of God. Interesting.

Catherine, west lothian,

Catherine, mystical experiences, or profound self-insights, may be perceived as a gift, or blessing, or life changing, yet still have a neuro-scientific basis. That doesn't necessarily devalue them, it merely puts them in context, and perhaps stops them being misinterpreted, or over-interpreted as having a supernatural significance they may not deserve.

frank, sydney,

More flowery language from Bryan:- "The saving death of Jesus blossoming into Resurrection is a real gem" - yes Bryan, that is certainly "a real gem". - And Bryan, I hate to remind you, but I did ask you what, in your view, would happen to us atheists when we die. Does it make a difference whether or not we were baptised as infants? How about a reply? (Tell us the truth now, we can take it.)

alan, cologne,

On this matter Frank I think we should agree to differ.
I do not have a choice on whether to believe as I was given the gift of a vision from God which was very like the visions described in the past ,of a lady in white, head bent in pity for our human race. There was nothing spoken ,other than it was an amazing experience which took me two years to talk about.
I described the vision as like taking the moon at its brightest and transforming it into the shape of a lady filled with radiance ,beauty and pity all rolled into one.I was not under the influence of any substances and and I have no history of of anything psychological. I am just an ordinary person in my 40s , (not a religious fanatic) who trained as a nurse and is married with 2 children one a newly qualified doctor. So you see Frank having had this experience albeit only once ,I can never doubt the existence of something else other than this life. I know you will see it as a neurological phenomina,to me it was a blessing.

Catherine, west lothian,

Sounds daft if you do not see the value of Heaven, Bill. The saving death of Jesus blossoming into Resurrection is a real gem. Worth a lot of trouble to apply oneself to follow Him and find out more for this life as well as afterwards, Bill of Towoomba. I know you think it's cadswollop but it isnot so. Towoomba sounds almost as provactive as you.

Father Bryan Storey, Tintagel, UK

Frank, you materialise everything. No wonder you have these problems. We need to see beyond particles.

Father Bryan Storey, Tintagel, UK

God didn't just "allow" Jesus to die, for JC we are led to believe freely chose to die, and God the father planned it that way?
JC could supposedly do miracles, and was supposedly divine, so it was apparently his decision to die or not?
(It all sounds daft to me)

bill, towoomba,

Catherine, an admirable answer in a spiritual sense from I suspect an admirable person.....but it is a "cop out" answer as well. Nothing explains how a soul and brain interact. Our thoughts, emotions, feelings, memory, personality and identity come about by neuronal processes. The balance of brain areas active at any one time cause what is going on in our minds at that time. If a soul and divine grace have any role, they must be able to change neurone thresholds, activity and firing, neurotransmitter formation, release, uptake, etc, to change the balance of activity in various brain areas. If not, then one's "soul" would be separate and irrelevant to how we feel, think and behave. Grace would have no mechanism by which it could inspire a person to change in any way.
If the spiritual realm can't change the way atoms, molecules and cells move, interact and react, then the concepts of a soul and grace become meaningless. Then everything we are is purely a physical process. I believe this to be the case, and your admirable spiritual side is just another neuronal process.
There is no point anyone having anger at a god that I don't believe exists.

frank, sydney,

Do children get exempt their metaphysical black spot of "original sin" when they die? Does it matter whether they are baptised or not, or do they get a bee-line to eternal bliss?? Should they??

bill , towoomba,

Jesus was innocent and only did Good healing people and teaching them the right way to live to be free in mind and spirit.Yet the evil men of that age killed him most cruelly, and God allowed it for unfathomable reasons, except that through death there was ressurection and the promise of eternal life for all of us. We cant understand why things happen we can only pray that we are not put to the test and trust that one day the purpose for all of this will be revealed and we will be peaceful about it. In the meantime The Mccanns will benefit from our prayers especially in those times when their grief means they cannot pray themselves.

heatherh, SOUTHAMPTON, HAMPSHIRE

Your questions Frank serve to remind me why faith in God even when there are no answers, is what counts.There are no explanations to everything on earth or in heaven until we meet with God.It takes humility to admit this and courage to believe it. Finally does it really matter where, what, why or when.? There is nothing wrong with questioning, there is nothing wrong with doubting, there is nothing wrong with being angry if you cannot feel the love of God.God never leaves us. We leave him. Only through prayer and trying hard to search for what is being asked of us ,can we return to that feeing of his love and the spiritual connection which is open to us all.This is one answer we do have.

Catherine, west lothian,

If grace isn't supposed to act on the spiritual side of a brain, it acts on what? Is the spiritual brain linked to a "soul", or separate and unlinked? It gets very messy when you go beyond feel-good axioms.

frank, sydney,

Frank, as my final comment on this subject ,I would like to say I never inferred that I believe God himself acts on the spiriual side of our brain. My belief is we are all born with a spiritual side ,which is more developed in some people ,due to personal life experiences and their own ultimate faith in god no matter what life has thrown at them.God sent Jesus to tell the world about the kingdom of heaven and how we have to pass through this earth with all its joys and pain to reach our final destination.
Everyone has a cross to bear just as jesus himself carried his own cross to his untimely death.My beleif is ,if we can carry our cross with patience, humility and above all faith ,those who believe in God will reach their final destination with a sense of peace ,no matter what they have suffered before hand. Heartbreakingly, chidren who who experience an untimely death due to whatever reason, then we can be reassured theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

Catherine, west lothian,

Thank you for the insight, Frank of Sydney, and very perceptive it is too. "God loves you" is the best slogan ever devised, whichn puts the apostles way ahead of Saatchi & Saatchi. And didn't that religion sell!

elizabeth schumann, Paris, France

The mystery of suffering is every day a dynamic opportunity to find enormous help, strength, peace joy and love abundant in recalling the outstanding message of Him who lived the greatest love, eventually giving His life for us all. St. Teresa of Liseaux, St. Padre Pio and thousands of others, following in His footsteps have shown us just what is every day on offer for us through prayer and union with God in Jesus Christ Our Lord.

Father Bryan Storey, Tintagel, UK

Sounds like a happy extension of battered person syndrome. "God lets all these terrible things happen to me and others (and by implication, design or neglect causes them) but I must love him as I have nothing else to fall back on or believe in, and I'm desperate to feel loved."
Only God's non-existence can excuse him.

frank, sydney,

I don't think anyone who has a faith or love for God should be referring to the people commenting on here as 'ignorant fools', who are merely questioning the existence of an all-powerful and benevolent deity when confronted with such evil?
How can you put your faith in something, draw close to it and trust it when that 'thing' doesn't make you exempt from suffering?
OR should all christians be immune to suffering - would that be fairer?
OR should none of us suffer at all, whether we believe in God or not?
People talk about God with such strong emotions but are so reluctant to make any mention of the devil. If you can consent to the existence of God surely you may as well go in for the whole shibang.
If God allows such things to happen (which we must concede if we buy into his all-encompassing attributes) then maybe it's ok to be angry with him.
But as Kate McCann in her great pain seems to indicate, there's only so much room for anger. There's a far greater need for hope & love

Sylvia, Oxford,

So this holy spirit acts within people's brains to effect their limbic system, frontal and pre-frontal and other cortical areas, to conjure up outpourings of sympathy and condolences, but doesn't act in any useful way to act on other peoples' synapses to help prevent innocent children being brutalised, terrorised, tortured, murdered? Seems a pretty limited, selective, hopeless spirit to me.

frank, sydney,

I do not have the answers to your questions Frank from sydney,all I can tell you is what I beleive and I am sure people around the world believe.Personal pain and suffering in whatever capacity is not only felt by the people suffering. God takes on board everyones suffering and through the holy spirit tries to help in the most unlikely ways again even if we do not realise it at the time. There will always be situations as you describe on this earth. Life here with all its beauty and pain ,is what I believe is part of the path of life which leads to a better place and yes etarnal life with no suffering or pain. This I know is hard to comprehend. If you open your mind and your brain to its spiritual side ,which we all have , albeit more developed in some than in others, you may just begin to understand.

Catherine, west lothian,

So Catherine, does your God/Spirit ever intervene to change the course of events in this world?
Does he ever change the course of meteorological, seismic, natural disasters? Here but not there?
Does he ever influence people directly to change their behaviour? Sometimes?
Does he ever change metabolic processes and work miracles? For some?
Does he help some people's immune systems cure cancer? Surely changing the balance of brain neurotransmitters to modify behaviour is no harder for such a being?
Does he ever do that? Does he do it selectively, curing, helping, influencing, saving this person, while idly letting others suffer horribly, die, be orphaned, abducted, tortured, raped, mutilated, murdered..............
How does a loving being choose? Can a loving being choose not to act?

frank, sydney,

In relation to 'faith', God (Jesus Christ).

Jesus Christ was goodness itself and died for our sins that we may choose to confess our wrong doings and in so doing, LIVE. Choosing to believe should highlight the SIN in all humans.

Pain and suffering (by any means), no matter how abhornet the deed committed - is in itself evil and much of the time handed down by our own upbringing and through the generations.

Innocent people suffer and die from disease or are killed by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, illness etc;

I constantly grapple with the above but there comes a time when you have to submit. Human beings will never know all the answers.

But lying there in all of us is the power of LOVE, waiting to be ignited. I amongst many, choose the positive and not the negative ie; hate.

Alison Clegg, Wallingford, Oxfordshire

Gods love surpasses all evil. God is speaking through everyone who is extending their thoughts and prayers to madeleine and the mcCann family.This I beleive is what God is. Pure and simple. God is love. Where recenly has there been such an outpouring of love around the world until this terrible event.We should not question the love of God. The holy spirit is working amongst us to provide answers. We have to accept God is not like a magician who conjures up tricks of good or evil and chooses who or what situation should be filled with joy or sadness.The holy spirit is a power far greater than we can comprehend and is there with us even when we do not realise it ourselves. Ours is not to question Gods will or reason why. There will be answers, of this I am sure.

Catherine, west lothian,

Michael - here's a reply from one of your "ignorant fools". So you want to exonerate your god by putting the blame on human beings because of the free will he so generously gave us. Could you then please explain why innocent people suffer and die from disease or are killed by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, illnesses, accidents, etc.? For example, why does a little girl die of leukemia? ----- And apart from that, Michael, why did the "loving and caring" god give nasty people the choice of doing awful things to other innocent people in the first place? That wasn't very caring of him, I think you'll have to agree.

alan, cologne,

Surely, observing 18 made up beds in a hospital ward and two unmade would inspire lack of logic in the conclusion that there's no bedmaker here? Surely a more balanced reply would be that there's some unknown reason why the bedmaker has left these two beds like that.

Father Bryan Storey, Tintagel, UK

With all due respect Michael, of course people choose, and some choose to be bad, for multiple reasons.
But...... God supposedly has the power to influence that choice and outcome. If you believe in miracles and divine intervention, he sometimes does intervene to change outcomes, but apparently usually doesn't.
How do you explain that as anything other than capricious, selective favouritism, endemic neglect, carelessness or malevolence?

frank, sydney,

I knwo this has been said over and over again... but if there truly was a God why would any of this happen?

linda, perth, australia

Ignorant fools, he gave us the choice. WE CHOOSE WHETHER TO DO GOOD OR EVIL

Micheal, london, uk

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

Epicurus

Tim, bath,

I'm not a theologian (thank god, ha ha). But as I understand it, the old testament god was wrathful. In contrast, the new testament god is composed entirely of love - so it's no good trying to blame him for anything. Even if he sits back and watches yobs beating up pensioners, paedophiles abusing little boys, thousands of mothers and children dying of hunger and disease, bullying at school, rape, robbery and war. And now little Maddy. Or have I misunderstood something? (Now watch out for the excuses from the theologians!)

alan, cologne,

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?
[ Epicurus]

If God exists, I hope he has a good excuse.
[Woody Allen]

frank, sydney,

Does God ever intervene to change events in this world? Do any true divine miracles ever occur? If they do, then he is selective in what he chooses to do, so is arbitrary, selective, cruel, and therefore evil.
This story is a tragedy. Her parents need all the help and sympathy people can offer.
It highlights starkly that God does not exist, and evil people are the sole culprits. Mat they be caught and brought to justice.

steve, brighton,

I am just reading the latest updates on Madeleine and I too, have a hard time believing she was murdered in the apt. since someone did see her being carried out and it was not like they were carrying a lifeless body. I think the police just want to have a "solution" and get this over with. LIke so many of these very "weird" crimes it seems they go unresolved for so long and then all of a sudden there is this explanation or that that should have been looked into right from the beginning. Why do things that seem so obvious to readers like us don't seem obvious to the experts. It does make you wonder what is behind all this, or it makes you suspicious of everything. I still pray for Madeleine, her dear parents, who I think are totally innoncent of any crime, and that this little girl will be returned very soon, un harmed to her family. I know there are thousands of others like Madeleine being ripped from the arms and love of their families and to me Madeleine represents them too.

Vicki DeArmey, Columbus, Ohio

Evil is not God's Will. Jesus said that the world is in the power of the evil one. So yes, evil is going to happen in this world. The Bible also teaches that one day, God's rule will prevail and none of these horrific things will happen anymore. We may not like having to wait, but apparently we have Original Sin to thank for this, not to mention our own contributions. In the meantime, we can hope for Maddy, pray for His help and not give up on her.

Desiree, North Ferriby, England

For the family this must be sheer hell. I would have thought that goes without saying.
Religious folk, though, seem to think that they have some sort of extra guard against the ravages of nature and the failures of humans. Like anyone they will be victims, perpetrators, sympathisers and blamers.
The best insurance against these terrible crimes is to support the various authorities charged with our welfare, to recognise that our security comes from our own organisation, not a god.

Martin H, Oxford, UK

There was a Christian family in America who lost their beautiful daughter to cancer at the age of 6. They were devastated .The mother and father asked God the same questions . Why did she have to go? Why are we feeling like this as they also had a strong faith in God.?
The mother was so devastated that she almost lost the will to live. She wanted to be with her daughter in heaven until one day she got a life changing thought in her mind. She was sure God , her loving father put that thought there. The thought was"your daughter is no longer living in your past but she is living in your future." This encouraged them so much that they know every day is a day nearer to them being reunited with their daughter in heaven. This fact keeps them going when they feel how much they miss her.
I hope this will help the McCann family as they seek to know what has happened with their beautiful daughter, Madeleine.

D Gallacher, Aberdeen, UK

We get tremendous help and strength remaining close to God in all these mysterious situations.

Father Bryan Storey, Tintagel, uk

There's God's will and ours. The workings out are mysterious. One thing is certain, by living in greater union with God we get peace, joy, love, strength and all the inner qualities we long for in abundance. Out of union with Him, we continue in despondency and despair. We have the choice. In times of great stress, there are great opportunities to find His magnificent love. The cynics call this sophistry but hundreds of thousands testify to it's reality.

Father Bryan Storey, Tintagel, UK

I cant even fathom what you may be going through I have your ad on my myspace page in hope someone will recognise her photo, and may know something, I live in a small town in Idaho, and have 3 girls myself, and cling onto every day I have with them, I want Madeleines family to know that my, and alot of others prayers, and thoughts are with you, and we are all hoping for the best turn out in this whole situation. I cannot find the words, or thoughts to help bring you comfort in this situation all I know is that this little girls parents, and family must feel like they are missing a huge part of them selves, and would do anything, and everything in their power if they could to bring their bundle of light back into their lives at any available moment given to them, and I know that anyone that is given the chance of helping in any way in your situation will most definetely do the same for you if they were to be given the chance to bring her home healthy, and safe. Keep your eyes peeled

Sarah Stovall, Moscow , Idaho

I feel the same, everyday i check the net for new's on Madeleine, none of us are perfect, we have eyes and things happen right under your nose, and you don't notice and we all ask why, If we had all the perfect answer's, we would have the perfect world,but we Don't ! Law's in every land should be to protect our chrildren , and i mean hard strong law's, I think the McCann family have suffered enough,, through the press, media ect... They are in their own jail of torment, i hope and pray someone can unlock it, no matter what the outcome may be... everyone needs to look into their own heart..... we all have one.. have you ?

June, Dublin, Ireland

It doesn't matter where do you live.What ethnic group you are.We all humans.This is a very sad story i have evr followed.Madeline little angel,I remembre about you every time i see my doughter and i pray god please keep her safe.Don't give her anymore tears.

Inoka Malalagama, Stoke-on-trent, staffordshire

It seems there is good & evil in this world. I hope all that read this will try to help create more good and help fight the evil. I'm praying for Madeleine.

J, New York, USA

quote "The Question should perhaps be why are they guilty of leaving a young children alone or even worse killing one"

Marty, Bracknell,

no marty, the question should be why there are evil people in the world that do these things to children and families, and then secondly, why there are cruel ,judgemental people that seek to play judge and jury from afar,and twist the knife of hurt even further into a family whose only crime was lack of judgement.....!!!

marty, who obviously is perfect and never suffered from lack of judgement, please enlighten us on your recipe for perfection???
you obviously have never given life to a much loved child, let alone nursed it in the earliest hours of the morning, so you could not possibly know how it would rip your heart out to not only lose your child to a sick ,opportunist pervert, but to know that you made an error of judgement that facilitated that... every parent makes mistakes, so lay off... ye who is perfect, cast the first stone...

katrina, london, uk

I cannot remember anything that has happened in this world that has affected me as much as Madeleine's abduction. Perhaps because of the media coverage. God does not allow bad things to happen, because we humans have free will, but He is always there even though in the darkest hours in our lives, it may not seem so. I check the Net every day, hoping for good news, and I have shed many tears just thinking of the agony of Kate and Gerry Mccann. I pray every day that this beautiful child will be returned to her loving family. May the loving God I believe in give them solace.

Mary Botha, Christchurch, New Zealand

Does seem odd that Madeleine would be killed in the apt and then someone took her body w/ them... what about how a week before in the nearby area there were people getting busted for child pornography?? Are they looking into those people? i also don't think Madeleine's abductors would take her out in public w/ all this publicity..but then people are dumb and it could happen.
That happened here in my city but the abductors dressed the little girl up as a boy.
You know she's probably right near where she was abducted, held up in someone's home. Couldn't they use the sniffer dogs to comb the areas surrounding?
Her mother doesn't want to leave Portugal w/out her...a mother has a sense when it comes to her children..maybe w/out even knowing it Kate feels that she is still there.

debbie diamond, Los Angeles, CA

Madeleine has brought nations of people together in prayer and hope. Her parent's strength through this ordeal has been inspiring. We must give her to God and let him take the full lead during this time of darkness and seeming hopelessness. I pray daily that whoever has her will make a mistake and that the right people will be there to witness it and get help. Everything in my heart tells me that this beautiful creature is still alive. Keep the faith...Maddie will come home!!!!!

Sarah, Charlotte, NC, USA

I think the police saying that Madeleine may have died in the apartment is very silly indeed, despite what the DNA test results might indicate. What about the child psycologist who said the she was a hundred percent sure she has had seen Madeleine with a suspicious couple and their volvo car still has not been traced, This is a professional abduction. And ther abductors are making a mockery of the police. I would have like to have seen a phot fit of the woman who was with the man and the child. The photo fit made public of the man, was seen by a man in pria de luz. before Madeleine was taken. The child in Belgium may still have been madeleine. I hope boarders into other countries are controlled properly.

lisa, clacton on sea, u.k

I really hope You Find Madeleine. You and your Family will be in my prayers. Im going to help by posting pictures and asking for help aswell... best of luck to your family.

Alexis, Adrain,

I check back frequently in hopes that Madeleine has been found. My heart, my hope, and my prayers are with the Madeleine and all who miss her and hope for her safe return! I have never followed such a sad story for so long and I have never kept hope alive for a happy ending!

Kerri, Mechanicsburg, PA (USA)

My heart goes out to the parents, as a Mother I cannot imagine the pain and heartache they must be suffering. My prayer goes out to Madeleine - may she be found safe and well and returned to her family very soon.
Someone out there know something, please, PLEASE leave her in a place of safety so she may be returned to her family. God Bless Madeleine

Carol, Cornwall, UK

I really hope You Find Madeleine. You and your Family will be in my prayers. Im going to help by posting pictures and asking for help aswell... best of luck to your family.

Alexis, Adrain,

Why didn't the pope tell them what had happened to their daughter?
He's supposed to be God's representative on Earth, if anyone knew what had happened he should.

If anything proves there is no god this event does
Or that God really doesn't care about his subjects.

How can people with religious beliefs blind themselves so?

Martin, Cambridge,

God had allowed a lot more than this to happen, you have to be blind not to see that.

I am a Christian. For me it is quite a simple answer.

The problem.

Holiness against sin.

Answer.

Christ and God's love.

When will people open their eyes. Read Romans 1. ( Bible )

David, Cardiff, Wales

My own faith has been totally shaken by the abduction of this little girl and reading about similar abductions since. It becomes very difficult to believe in the power of light and divinity when innocent children undergo so much suffering. It is something I have been grappling with a lot. What is the use of prayer when so many strangers around the world are praying for Madeleine and still no sign? In the book, 'Dearest Holly' written by Kevin Wells, he writes poignantly about his faith after his daughter's murder. It gives him great comfort and strength and focus but his wife, Nicola says 'Why don't you ask God why he allowed somebody to murder your daughter?" It is very hard to believe when terrible things happen and I do admire the McCanns for their great faith but I am sadly lacking. I also, could never forgive the abductors of Madeleine and so my Catholic upbringing is in shatters.

JL, Sydney, Australia

Madeleine is an exceptional child. The world watches as this story unfolds, and we pray for her safe return.

LadyHawk, Las Vegas, USA

Madeleine is an exceptional child. The world watches as this story unfolds, and we pray for her safe return.

LadyHawk, Las Vegas, USA

The answer is simple. We are passing shadows in a godless universe. It is up to us to put the world right, and not a fictitious spiritual entity.

Malcolm Boyd, bournemouth, Dorset

its amazing when evil happens how many people start questionoing God or blaming God.........humans are to blame for
all the evil in the world.
We live in a fallen world full pornography, violence, drugs and alcohol and thats just at the schools!!

Paul Houghton, johannesburg, south africa

Islam has a fantastic solution to any tragic solutions like these that may destroy a person's mental peace. This is called "Qadaa wal Qadar" i.e.

1- Everything that happen or will has been willed by God
2- Everything that happenshas been recorded by God before the creation of the universe

So as muslims whatever happens to us, we think that God already ordained these set of events for us. If the events are good, we thank God and if we the events are bad, we try to be patient. God has created this world to test us to see, who remains thankful to him during good times and who remains patient during bad times. If a person succeeds in pleasing God by his actions, he gets the ultimate reward in the hereafter i.e. Jannah or paradise. Hope maddy's parents would read this.

When one develops this mindset, his/her life becomes very peaceful no matter what the situation is.

Ammar Khalid, Kingston Upon Thames, UK

Reading madeleines story made my eyes full of tears,i pray to allah(muslim god)that she return to you safely,and keep her safe were she is at the moment.If thre in anyway i can halp let me know.

Fatima , London, England

We live a life of "free will" and have the ability to do good or
evil. God does not control us like puppets on a string.

Jerry Scroggin, Phoenix, Arizona/USA