Why would God cause painful, 'accidental' death?

Question

Some typical responses to the idea of God causing death are:

'To resolve the overpopulation problem'. Wouldn't it make more sense to not cause a population problem to begin with, unless we think humans create life.

'Nobody wants to live forever.' True, but if free will is considered valid, why is it not the individual's choice as to when to die. This happens relatively seldom.

'Humans are allowed to choose to kill each other.' But this doesn't address accidental death such as a tree falling on someone.

"Adam sinned and we're paying the price.' So, millions of years ago, some guy ate an apple when he was told not to, and ever since then, humans have been tortured to death by God. This isn't my idea of a loving God.

Is there a ligitimate answer to the above question, or do we have to accept that even death and accidents are not controlled by God, and that everything just happens?

Tammy, even I have enough compassion for those who hate and mock me to not want them to suffer needlessly. Please tell me God has as least that much love for his children.

I'm hearing that Satan is more powerful than God, having the power of life and death where God does not. That seems unfortunate.

Yes, Robin, the thought that "God is in control" is a terrifying one given the unspeakable horrors that happen daily. Did you read "Livingthe truth's" post? She is indeed living it, and it's often ugly.

Answer 1

I think that there is a misapprehension of the nature of death; Man is fearful of death and so he looks on it as a bad thing, to be avoided at all costs. It is a scourge if it comes to you or close to you, especially if you can find no reason for it (accidental). The fact that Man's perspective is limited means that, if there was a reason for it, he wouldn't necessarily know what that reason was. Plus, we as humans seem attached to the idea that everything has to have an explanation and a sort of logic to it. The first step to ordering our lives is to attribute the things we cannot explain to a higher being, who would then control these things and give mankind more stability in his everyday life. Religion gives security. That security is challenged when death comes close. Fear challenges stability, and some may fall back on God, while some may curse God and decide that he isn't good enough to avert suffering.

It is Man's perspective and self-centered nature in regards to the universe that causes him to require the hand of God in his life. The fact that death is the greatest fear of most men would dictate that he puts the responsibility for this NATURAL occurrence onto God and refuses to accept its place in the universal scheme of things...

Answer 2

I have three options for you so that you so that you may select whichever appeals to you!
1) There is no god, therefore whatever happens is due to the fact that we are mortals and must necessarily all die by one method or another; accidents are either the result of one's carelessness or inattention or one's simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
2) Qabalistically, (via Jewish mysticism, an esoteric discipline), god was impelled to create an imperfect Cosmos, the reason possibly being that evolution requires such a situation, while idealism, conversely, necessitates a static or changeless situation in which immortality would be the state of humanity.
3) A channeled "revelation": the Creator (god or AurL, his preferred name), when he contemplated creativity, discovered that he was not the original to do so and that previous attempts, though unsuccessful, had, nonetheless, produced consciousnesses who were shattered irreparably by the collapse of the cosmic systems which failed and which were incited by evil perpetrators; nevertheless, AurL felt compelled to allow those entities sanctuary within his own cosmos, aware that his compassion would inflitrate his efforts with "demons" who would interminably endeavor to undermine his own sincere endeavors to achieve the ideal state of creativity; still, being of sufficient intelligence to incite a functional cosmos, AurL is confident that ultimately goodness will triumph over evil, at which juncture he will make reparations for the sufferings of humanity, resurrecting the dead and initiating immortality for all as well as balancing the Universe, producing eternity...

Answer 3

God gave Adam instructions with consequences. Had he followed the instructions he would have endorsed God's right to rule over him and we would all live forever in a beautiful paradise. However, because Satan challenged God's right to rule and told Eve that she could make her own decisions, and because Adam chose to follow Eve rather than God, we have been allowed to view the consequences first hand.

God can and will fix things--but first, this issue must be settled once and for always. Not only are humans making their decisions but angels also are deciding if God has the absolute right to rule and if humans can rule themselves without his direction. What do you think?

Answer 4

God does not cause painful accidental deaths. He allows them to happen. When Christians die, they go to the presence of God. Some of the family members left behind may mourn, while some members may be angry and blame God. However, God may use the person's death as a way to draw the family closer to Him.

We may never know the reason behind the death until Christ returns. And just maybe it is not for us to know the reason for the death. Maybe we are just to trust God's guidance, and sovereignty in the situation. We need to know that God knows what is best, and that he is in control.

Answer 5

God doesn't necessarily cause accidental death or any suffering for that matter, but he could stop it if he wanted. Your question is essentially the same as asking why God allows good or innocent people to suffer.

God prepared this earth with the conditions necessary for our progression. This included giving people free will to make both good and bad decisions without immediate justice. As others have said, we learn from experiencing what happens when people make both good and bad choices.

God can and does communicate true principles to us, but in what sometimes appears to be an ambiguous manner. Some people won't pay attention and will make bad decisions, allowing all of us to better understand what those true principles are.

It's one thing to be told not to cross a busy street without care, but understanding occurs when you see what happens when someone is careless and is injured or killed.

Answer 6

The problem with this issue is not the answers you are getting, it is the question you are asking. The real question is this, "Are there accidental deaths with God?"

The Bible says in Hebrews 9:27 "it is appointed men once to die..." The greek word for appointed is "apokeimai" which literally means "to be reserved". Hebrews 9:27 literally reads that each man has a reserved appointment with death. There are no accidental deaths in God's eyes. We may view them as accidental but in God's eyes each of us simply come to the ordained time for us leave this world.

That is precisely why the Bible tells us "boast not thyself of tomorrow, for you know not what a day may bring." We simply do not know when the appointed time will come for us to die.

Answer 7

"Let no one say: 'I am being tried by God.' For with evil things God cannot be tried, nor does he himself try anyone." --James 1:13

Should You Be Afraid of Death? :
- What Is Your View of Death?
- - Baffled, or Alienated by Death?
- - A Subject to Ponder
> A Closer Look at Some Myths About Death
- - Myth 1: Death is the natural end of life.
- - Myth 2: God takes people in death to be with him.
- - Myth 3: God takes little children to become angels.
- - Myth 4: Some people are tormented after death.
- - Myth 5: Death means the permanent end of our existence.
- - Compare Some Common Myths with What Scriptures Say
- - Be Free From Fear http://watchtower.org/e/20020601/article_01.htm

"All that your hand finds to do, do with your very power, for there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in She′ol, the place to which you are going.
I returned to see under the sun that the swift do not have the race, nor the mighty ones the battle, nor do the wise also have the food, nor do the understanding ones also have the riches, nor do even those having knowledge have the favor; because *>TIME & UNFORSEEN OCCURENCE BEFALL them ALL<*. For man also does not know his time. Just like fishes that are being taken in an evil net, and like birds that are being taken in a trap, so the sons of men themselves are being ensnared at a calamitous time, when it falls upon them suddenly." --Ecclesiastes 9:10-12

However...
Is There a Remedy for Death? :
- Death--A Dreadful Reality!
- The Only Remedy
- - What Is Meant by “Resurrection”?
- - Who Will Be Resurrected?
- - Resurrection to Life in Heaven--For Whom?
- - Who Will Be Resurrected to Life on Earth?
http://watchtower.org/e/20060315/article_01.htm

God does not cause death. When an animal is injured, & a vet or someone else humanely ends its life, that one is not held responsible as causing that animal's death. It is thecause of the injury that led to its death, not the humanitarian. God did not introduce the cause of death to any of mankind. Nor did he creat his adversary. His adversary created himself, when he rebelled against ALL good sense...

"YOU are from YOUR father the *Devil*, and YOU wish to do the desires of YOUR father. That one was a *manslayer* when he began, and he did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks according to his own disposition, because he is ... the father of [the lie]." -John 8:44

Answer 8

The only one who can legitimately answer that is God himself. But as for my personal belief it is because it our time to return home because we finished the work he put us on Earth to do even though that is so hard to accept because we don't always understand what that person's work was. In everything that happens there is a lesson God wishes to learn or know, it doesn't mean we will understand the lesson.We are all teachers, others watch and learn from us or repeat us whether that it our intention or not.

Answer 9

God would not cause a accidental death in any manner, illness, accident and so forth. He would allow it, now for what reason I don't know. Maybe that person is living is sin. God can not protect us when e don't live under his covering. For example, you can't ask God to protect from STD' s if you are fornicating, you can't ask God to protect you from getting shot if you go and rob someone. It is the devil that comes to steal, kill and destroy, not God.

Answer 10

Yesterday I had my Mom in the emergency room due to pain from stones in both kidneys. While in there a call came in, an accident and they began speaking of what was coming. About 20 minutes later with only a divider between us and one of three people were put next to us. For four hours this lady cried in pain as the cut her close off, told her she was losing her foot because the ankle was broke into and the blood was not flowing to it . She had both legs broke and an arm, she kept saying her stomach hurt over and over... they were taking pieces of metal out of her and a large gap with metal stuck in her side. There were two girls in the back of the car both pregnant. All three had on their seat belts.
The lady told the officers there was a white car came in her lane head on and wouldn't move back over. One of the girls kept saying she couldn't breath and hollering she was on the other side of this ER area.
Today my husband had some service calls to go. The manager of the restaurant was telling me about her niece who was in a wreck yesterday died last night at nine pm during surgery they found an artery yo her heart that had been bleeding,she'd lost her baby.Come to find out while talking the she was talking about the same wreck.
The lady next to use who is 51 has internal injuries as well as broke back along with both legs and that ankle. One of the pregnant girls is paralyzed from her neck down, she is eight months , and baby is fine. And then also the other girl who lost her baby and then her own life.
The driver of the other car... died instantly. Officers said she was a cocaine abuser who miss judge her going around another vehicle.
I hope this helps to answer your ? God isn't guilty of any wrong doing. We live in a messed up world, and I can't wait for Jesus to return for His bride.<><