My cousin's best friend died in a car accident...?

Question

He was alone coming home from a party... drunk. He went head-on into a tree. Police say that he probably died on impact but the car also exploded. The only way he could be identified was from the licence plate; they are still waiting for his dental records. That's how burned he was. My cousin says that he no longer believes in God and never will because God would not have let this happen. How would you argue this? Is it in some way true to an extent?

Answer 1

God lets everyone die. Why would this guy be an exception?

Love and blessings
don

Answer 2

It is a little thing called "consequences". That is the reason why sin is so bad and God spends so much time warning people not to do it, and telling them that it can kill them and all. If the friend was driving drunk, then it is not God's fault. Was it God who poured the alcohal down his throat? Was it God who shoved him into the car and turned the key? Was it God who aimed it at the tree?

If God were to suddenly just remove all the consequences for sin (and drunk driving is a sin) that what would happen? Sin would run rampage. Think of all the damage they would do if they never had to pay a penalty for their sin?

I am sorry about the friend, and do not want to sound heartless or condemning, but he was the one who decided to drive drunk. He has to take the blame for that decision, not God.

Was God involved in the accident? Did he do anything to save your friend? Probably, but he was too drunk or too stubborn to listen. But at least he only hit a tree and took out himself. It could have been a carload of innocences. So it appears God had his hand in there somewhere protecting the people who would let him.

Answer 3

This is a classic example of the problem of evil. It goes like this:

"If God were all-powerful, he could prevent all evil. If he were all-good, he would want to prevent all evil. Yet there is evil. So one of three things must be true: either God is not all-powerful, or God is not all-good, or God does not exist."

There's no answer to this argument. It's a correct argument. So take your choice. People will argue that your friend decided to get drunk, and it was his fault. But why couldn't God have made us so we didn't want to do dangerous, stupid things? Why couldn't he have made your friend's life different so he didn't decide to get drunk that night?

For myself, it's obvious that God isn't all-powerful. Things and people in the world have their own reality and do their own thing. God leads the world towards what's good, but what actually happens depends on the processes of the natural world and the decisions people make, and God can't override any of those things.

You should read a book by pastor Greg Boyd called "Is God to Blame?" You can find it on Amazon. It's not a heavy theological read.

Answer 4

Ecclesiastes 9:11 says: "Time and unforseen occurence befall them all." What happened to your cousin's friend was a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It can happen to anyone, whether that person believes in God or not. God had nothing to do with it. Would your cousin still believe in God if he did not know the person that died?

Answer 5

He has defined what God is and what he would do. So when God does not do what he would expect God to, he uses this as proof that there is no God. Usually people who never intended on believing in God will use an event to support there decision not to. Seems like your cousin has found that. All you can do is let him know how much pain and suffering sin has caused the world since the beginning, and belief in God is what supports us as we endure it. God never said pain and suffering would not exist, but his promise is tht it will not exist forever but for a short time

Answer 6

First off, man's problems are caused by man and Satan. NOT GOD. The saying goes, "Created By Humanity, Against Humanity." Did God get your cousin's best friend drunk? That was your cousin's best friend's choice to get drunk and be stupid enough to drive himself home. So many tv commericals, newspaper articles, and so forth are promoting having a designated driver. Your cousin's best friend was sure enough warned not get behind the wheel you have even ONE alcoholic beverage by soceities view on drunk driving. The people at the party should have done the same thing as well. Plain and simple.

Its not God's fault, God didn't do anything to this boy. Yes he could of sent an angel to stop it from happening, but thats life. Why does man blame God for every little problem that has happened to them? Why do people blame God for all the poverty and hungry children out there that are dying everyday? Hmmmm, well there is enough food in the world to feed everyone, but its man and governments who withhold food from people. People are too worried about themselves that they don't give to the poor. They blame God for diseases that kill people. When sin entered into the world and man, our bodies gradually became genetically impure. Thus diseases are caused by sin. God did not create sin or evil.

I also blamed God for how my body looked and the excessive fat I had around my upper body. Weighing in at 186, I am down to 145-150. Ummm it was me against me, I turned it around and did something about it with God's help. God showed me that it takes hard work and dedication towards something. You can't just sit around and be lazy and expect God to burn the fat away. I'm sorry thats not how life works.

I am sorry that happened to your cousin's best friend, but that is life. It is a tragic and horrific situation, but it should draw your friend closer to God and where he will spend eternity. A very close friend of mine died back in March 2005. She was only 3 months older than me. I do ask why her? She had so much going for her and well life is not certain, but death is. It was that tragic enough that lead me to question my place in eternity. I was a backsliden Christian and it was God drawing me back to Him. I wish He would of done it another way.

Your cousin's friend knew what he was doing. I'm sorry this happened and I am not trying to be brutal about this. The only one to blame is your cousin's best friend and the people who were at the party. They should of stepped in and told him NO, don't drive, stay the night, call a taxi, call someone to come and pick him up.

Answer 7

Why in the world would you want to argue with someone who is grieving the death of their best friend? Isn't that a little self-serving, trying to convince someone that there is a God to assuage your own doubt?

Just let her know how difficult this is, and if she asks if you agree, say you don't know. If she gets mad at you for not agreeing, take her hand and tell her it's the best you can do right now. Then go make some food for the family. They have a funeral to prepare for.

Answer 8

I am truly sorry. If you will go back and read Luke 16:19-31, you will see that after pleading with Abraham for personal reasons, the Rich Man in end asked for someone to go back and save his brothers that they may not come to this place. This is an excellent example of being ready to die.

Answer 9

God is allowing this time of Satan's rulership of the earth to prove to men and angels that they need God's direction and guidance. If, instead, people turn away from God because of the bad consequences of Satan's rulership, how sad is that?? Soon, Jesus will turn his attention to the earth and all will see how good rulership by God's Kingdom can be. The closing of all false religions is the beginning of Armegeddon. Watch for it!!

Answer 10

I would tell your cousin that God doesn't let this happen. He didn't let your friend suffer. Your friend's spirit left the body before he knew what happened. I hope this helps in some way.

Answer 11

Why would you blame God? oh, yeah, i forgot, God took him to the party, the God poured the beer down his throat, then God forced him to drive home, then God slammed his car to a tree. God let's us make our choices, and we will receive the consequences. "wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise"