When something bad happens (the holocaust, 9/11, e.t.c.), people tend to ask "Why did God allow this to happen? How could He?" But the truth is God does not "allow" anything to happen. All God does is put people on earth and give them free will and hope that they will make the right decisions. If they choose to make bad decisions there is nothing God can do. He gave people free will and therefore has no control over what people do. People on earth have to choose to make the right decisions in order to achieve eternal life in heaven. Only then can God sanctify all the suffering that they have had to endure while on earth. And in heaven they will also be free of the oppressors who tormented them on earth. So when something bad happens it is not because God "allowed" it to happen. It is because some of the people he has placed on earth have simply chosen to abuse their free will.
2007-04-13 17:36:59 · 19 answers · asked by Sarah P. 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
phyllis, try picking up a bible for once. You might actually learn something.
2007-04-13 17:47:52 · update #1
Hate to disagree with you but if you will read Job you will find a true understanding of how God does allow Satan to put suffering on righteous people. Satan cannot do anything unless God allows it. Why does he allow it? You'll have to ask God.
2007-04-13 17:42:05 · answer #1 · answered by Fish <>< 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Very well said. It's funny - people want the freedom to do what they want to do, without worry for consequence and without wishing to be told that what they are doing is right or wrong. They want to do what they please, without interference from God or anyone else for that matter. Yet when these same people face catastrophe or see bad things happen to others, they wonder why God stood by and watched. People need to make up their minds about God. Do they want Him to be involved in their lives or not? If they don't, then they really shouldn't be upset if He does nothing when bad things happen to people. If they do want God in their lives, then whether or not God does anything to stop something bad from happening, those same people will at least have a peace that only God can give, that everything will be all right in the end and will somehow work together for good. We can't have it both ways. People tend to have this vision of God as being someone who is the Creator and Almighty Genie and they get upset when He doesn't tend to our every wish. They forget that God is not a genie, but rather GOD, and He doesn't HAVE to do a thing for us. Our very existence is because God chooses to give us life. When He chooses to do something to help us, it is because it is for the best. I totally agree with your last statement, of it isn't that God "allowed" something to happen, but because some people have chosen to abuse their free will. Amen to that!!
2007-04-13 17:45:22 · answer #2 · answered by Chimichanga to go please!! 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
however if this the place the case ( i do no longer furnish that as god, in his limitless information could have chosen, of the limitless human beings available with which to populate a worldwide, to create purely people who could continuously p.c. solid) it does no longer excuse god from the undesirable issues that take place which at the instant are not brought about by human will. ailment, earthquacks, lightening strikes etc. of course all his fault if he existed. no they take place as an instantaneous effect of ways god made the worldwide. He made lightening, he made earthquakes, he made maximum cancers. He made each and every thing or he did no longer, you won't have the ability to have it the two techniques. The smart reaction is that even those undesirable issues have a powerful reason, as an occasion to allow others to have a virtouse reaction to them. That a worldwide wherein persons triumph over adversity has greater internet fee than a worldwide with neither evil nor overcomeing. In anycase, god chosen to allow those issues and he's at fault.
2016-12-29 08:52:28 · answer #3 · answered by tetreau 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God allows what His will says. Bad things are stopped and bad things are allowed..in other words, God has His reasons why He allows some things and doesn't allow other things. We all know some people survive car crashes when the damage visible indicates they should be dead..and we also see some accidents where people do not survie..we ask why...only God knows all the answers. Yes, He created all of us because He wanted our company, our love, our friendship etc..but He doesn't want to force people rto do that..so He allowed us free will in the hope that we will choose Him....but satan stepped in and is trying to make sure that people do not want God..he does this by lying about God..by falsifying things etc.
2007-04-13 17:43:50 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
People, people, please please...
Job was an excellent example of when God showed His power.
Where did God say He wanted to win a bet? Satan, if I remember correctly, came to God to test HIM, nothing about placing a bet. Although God said "Observe my servant Job" He did not say "I bet ya my ego that he won't ever curse me!" That's where people get it wrong, they believe that God was trying to win something He had already known would come true.
Now on to free will!
There's one thing I've learned about it, and it makes perfect sense. Free will is the ultimate sacrifice of Love beside dying on the cross. How? How you ask? How could letting people go about without any rule and just do what they want be love!?
Simple! Think about it... How loving did God have to be to give up his control on the world?
Let's put this to an example shall we? Politicians, Workers, High business people, normal average people, YOU the readers. How do you feel when you have control? Do you feel happy? The answer, yes, because you know that you a do whatever you wish!
Now let's put that into context, think about everything anyone has ever done... 9/11 for the example.
God gave up his control on us, the way to control our actions and make us little robots. He showed us yet another sacrifice by loving us so much that He gave up the control. Now, I'm not saying that He's not an all-powerful being, oh not at all! I'm saying that if He wants us to do something, He won't grab a hold of us and force us to do it. He still holds everything in place and controls everything else, but He let the control on us go because He loved us that much...
Think about this... everyone, Christians, Atheists, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, EVERYONE. The next time you look up at the sky and shake your fist, or the next time you stick your middle finer high in the air in defiance, the next time you utter curse words more than you utter anything else, remember... there's one who is in Heaven right now, watching you, waiting for you, showing you His ultimate love by giving you the control. The next person who curses me in fact, or says "Christians are so mean and hate us and pick on us!!!" and curse at us and spit in our faces... The true Christian, the one who is truly following Him, will kneel to the ground and humble thy selves. Take in the curses... do not fight back... let them curse you, and spit on your, and beat you to no end... just keep on loving them...
"For I say to you, anyone who bears pain and judgment in My name, great are his rewards in Heaven."
- NIV New Testament, THE one and only, Bible...
J. Linket - Your Humble Servant
2007-04-13 18:07:28 · answer #5 · answered by Jack Linket 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
God does not hope. That's something mortal people do.
The explanation you give makes God sound weak. God is omnipotent.
He is not to blame for evil that occurs. He has foretold it.
He has warned people to flee for their lives, run for cover, and seek refuge.
He said, The prudent forseeth the evil, and hideth himself.
God does permit things to come to pass.
He permits life to continue.
He punishes the evildoer on earth.
At one point, i was punished for my own blashphemy and sacrilege.
No body is getting away with any thing.
When people make bad decisions, Jesus does do something. He does rescue, deliver, and save people.
He forgives and punishes-yea, in this present life.
He isn't sitting back, and he is not helplessly watching events.
He is a King, and not a subject.
2007-04-13 18:04:36 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Why doesn't the Biblical god protect his obedient followers from the free will of those who would do bad things to them?
Look at what he did to poor Job - and Job allegedly never did anything bad. Just so he could win a bet with Satan. You can't blame THAT on "man's free will."
2007-04-13 17:43:09 · answer #7 · answered by catrionn 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If God is all-powerful, anything and everything that happens must be allowed by Him. If there is nothing He can not do, there is nothing He can not prevent.
Either He is not all-powerful, or He allows evil to happen in the world.
2007-04-13 17:42:15 · answer #8 · answered by RabidBunyip 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
May the peace, blessing and mercy of God be upon you
The correct view from Islamic theology is this
Whatever good comes to you is from God (so be thankful), and whatever bad, it is of your ownself.
[008:053] That is so because God will never change a grace which He has bestowed on a people until they change what is in their ownselves. And verily, God is All-Hearer, All-Knower.
2007-04-13 17:45:47 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
People haven't yet figured out who God is.
People think because God made the world, that he should protect it, and that he should protect all his children from all their actions and wrongdoings. But we all have free will.
People read in the bible that God loves his children and cares for them, so they automatically think that no harm will come to them. People don't realize that it's our actions and intentions that makes bad thing happen. They feel that God made bad things happen because he created the world and gave us life, and it's his responsiblity to take care of us because he is higher power .
People misinterpretated the love that God has for us. People feel that the love of God will protect them from all evildoings. People don't know that faith is faith. Things happen because of other people.
Life is of unexpected occurences. Things happen because of our own free will. People today, just don't understand that.
It's kind of like a woman having a bad child. She sees his bad ways but still loves him. When he gets in trouble, he must deal with it on his own. He eventually gets in deeper trouble but she still won't help him.
He blames her because he feels that she made his life miserable. He feels that his life is miserable because she won't help him out of trouble, but these were HIS wrongdoings; not hers. He must learn from his actions. HE needs to change his ways. He feels that she is his mother, and needs to fix his problems.
2007-04-17 10:11:06 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋