Why do christians know what's "bad" for other people to do, yet when you ask them...?

Question

why god doesn't stop bad things from happening, "bad" is suddenly relative or needs to be defined.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AoL4BcJRMRyLp59Dci526VPsy6IX?qid=20070408034618AAcS5xd

Okay: famine, genocide, rape, child molestation, murder, natural disasters, animal attacks, SIDS

Are any of those ambiguous? Where's the "good" in any of that?

God doesn't stop it because there is no god.

Answer 1

God does not interfer with our free will. All of those crimes are because of choices people make.

Answer 2

The alternative to murder, genocide, rape etc. is likely equally unpalatable. In order for God to stop these things, there would be no predictable laws governing the universe. There are a few ways that He could accomplish this.

1) He could overwhelm the laws of nature and cause strange things to happen every time I went to sin against someone. For example, He could cause my computer keyboard to be a set of spikes every time I tried to type something evil. But then what should be done about my mouth? Should he morph it into something else, at least momentarily? If I went to bonk someone on the head, should he turn what I'm hitting them with into a pillow? The problem with this scenario should be obvious: there are some six billion people who frequently want to do something wrong! This would make for a completely unpredictable universe, not one in which we could ever expect things to go according to any kind of sane order.

2) Ultimately, in order for natural law to continue to apply, He could lock down the neurons in my brain so that they were incapable of forming an evil thought or plan. This would make me no better than a meaty robot - a mindless automaton! How could I ever be sure I had chosen anything? Love? Joy? Meaningless at this level of control.

In order to give what you seem to be saying you desire, that is that God control all evil, you would have to surrender your free will, which ultimately is the most precious possession you have. How, then, could you do what you seem bent on doing now? You could neither will yourself to reject God nor could you reasonably deny His existence.

Is this something you actually want?

As for the things wrong in nature, this happened as a result of the fall. How shall we ever wish to leave this place and spend eternity in a paradise if this were a paradise? Where would the need for God be?

Lastly, you chafe at the idea that God can do as He pleases with His creation. It is His to dispose of as He sees fit. You wish to call Him evil for unambiguously allowing us free will and for allowing creation to unravel as a result of our choices? This is an effective way getting people to desire something else, isn't it? In spite of the fact that you don't believe in God, you seem to be longing for some sort of paradise. Trouble is, you don't seem to be willing to have anyone other than YOU be the ruler of it.

Tom

Answer 3

Hello Hot CS. Hope all is well.

There are some Biblical explanations for this, in my opinion. I'm glad you clarified what bad means, with some folks not exposed to some of the ugly stuff listed above.

Out of the bad comes pain. From our past notes, you know I've had a sample of bad stuff, and pain. My guess is that you have as well, or at least you're sensitive to it. In your question, it also seems to me that you recognize the value of people.

I think that we are living in a world that is cursed. The natural consequence of sin is death. Not just loss of life, but loss of order, correctness, justice, righteousness, etc. The natural order of creation is tilted, and is this way because of sin.

I suggest you challenge God to show Himself to you. I am convinced that if you seek Him with all of your heart, He will be found by you (Jer 29:11). Your conclussion is one possibility. I am convinced of another conclussion to your question. 'Doubting Thomas' was given his proof. God helped him move from unbelief, to belief.

I have a sense that you might be seeking. If you are, I'll be praying for you. If you're not, and you're just trying to push peoples buttons, I'll still be praying for you.

Answer 4

God doesn't stop people from doing what people do, in general, because he is the ultimate respecter of our ability to choose. He *gave* us the ability to choose love or hatred, so why would he, then, interfere in our choices?

As far as natural disasters and animal attacks go, God created the elements, the weather, and all creatures, and imbued them with certain natures, instincts, and patterns. He generally doesn't intervene in these processes and creatures because--again--he created them as they are, to do what they will.

Where is the good in it? The only good there is, is God. Anything that isn't of God isn't good.

And "bad" isn't relative, although the perception of it can be. For example, a person with severe depression can see a bright, sunny, warm day as a bad thing. A person who is addicted to drugs can see a table filled with rock as a good thing.

The only way to determine what is good is to go to the source--i.e., God--and cultivate a firm, true relationship with him. Then you will be better able to distinguish good from bad, true from false. You will come to see that some things that your mind labels "bad" are not bad, and that some things that your mind labels "good" are not, in fact, good. You will move away from petty, self-centered thinking and behavior, and will come to see that your previous self-assuredness to determine what is good and evil was shaky at best.

Answer 5

I absolutely understand what you are saying. I am not Christian so I cant answer that, but it seems to me that lots of people jump at the chance to blame 'God' for the bad and not the good. Kinda makes you think too.

Answer 6

Well if a genocidal rapist was killed by a natural disaster, that could be construed as good.
But or course if a god existed and cared about us, he wouldn't have created a genocidal rapist in the first place.

Answer 7

According to the answer above (tebone0315) , we have a choice to starve, to watch our families, friends and acquaintances be murdered, to have an earthquake and tsunami, to get our leg bitten off by a shark or to see our babies die suddenly. Humans must be incredibly evil to make such choices. Or, more likely, they must be really simple minded to belive such rubbish. Free will is their excuse for everything.

Answer 8

No you are wrong.
God gave dominion of the earth to man..
Man in turn...gave that rulership over to satan in the garden
He is the reason for the evil you speak of
Not God

Answer 9

exactly. if he were in existence, and was as described by their religion, he wouldn't allow it to happen. that's why they always say, "We can't presume to understand God." if you did actually understand their religion, you'd see how full of lies it is.

Answer 10

Sorry, they just aren't going to make any sense to someone who uses their brain.