Bad Things Happen, does 'God' allow them to happen, causes them, or is He NOT all-powerful?

Question

I'm talking about hurricanes, plaques, droughts, things that effect many people. Cancer, car wrecks, horrible accidents.

Or, some people would say Satan is the cause of these things.

Answer 1

from the earthly human perspective, these things are "bad"
but from the eyes of the absolute, these things are a part of the cycle of life, having a purpose whether karmic in nature or just the effect of an earlier cause that we or our ancestors participated in- ie: global warming, etc, or just the natural ecological system of the earth-mother nature taking care of herself.

I believe that God is a collective, the All of Everything, the Process of Life itself. and to some degree we are God, or cells in the body of God. God is not a human-like being overseeing all of the world, and judging whether or not "he" will step in. We allow these things to happen, with our choices and actions. Diseases are caused by many factors- environmental, emotional factors, belief systems. All of these things we have created for ourselves, whether we are aware of it or not.

Answer 2

There is a book that came out a long time ago called When Bad Things Happen to Good People By Harold S. Kushner , a rabbi whose son was born with a terminal disease and died at a young age. here is a website that summarizes the book and may answer some of what you are asking.
http://www.gurus.com/dougdeb/Courses/bestsellers/Kushner/BTmain.htm

I don't have any certain answers for all the uncertainy of life. However, I have a gut feeling there is something amiss in the cosmic makeup of things, something has disrupted intended paradise. Consider the Adam and Eve departure from Eden.

Personally, I have had to come to the point of asking the question: "Now that this has happened to me, now what?" In other words, I certainly can't change what has happened and I had no control over what happened(in some cases) and now all that is left is for me to decide what I am going to do now that it has happened. What will I become because of it? How will I treat others because of it? Etc.

Afterall, we were created with free will.

Have a good day.

Answer 3

I would say that God is not all-powerful. I used to believe that God is completely in control and makes everything happen for a reason. However, after events like Hurricane Katrina, the tsunami in Asia, and the deaths of loved ones to cancer when they lived healthy lifestyles, I can no longer accept that God is completely in control. Otherwise, He wouldn't let these horrible things happen. Many people conclude that there is no God, but I have had too many spiritual experiences and encounters to not believe in a higher power.
So I believe that there is a God but He/She/It is not all-powerful.

Answer 4

This question is exactly why i developed my understanding of Religion. The answer is that God can make things happen, but everything that works out in your favor isn't because God made it happen, because every bad thing that happens would be God's fault. God just watches over us, he doesn't keep that car from hitting you, the other driver and the brakes kept that car from hitting you. He didn't cure you, your immune system and medicine cured you. Unless we are wrong about how good God is, I can't see a reason why he would kill a quarter of a million people in a day like in the Tsunami. Or why he would allow Al Qaeda to exist and kill so many people every day.

I don't agree that it is all in God's plan. Because God doesn't control will. If he did, he would have to also take responsibility for ill-will and terrible actions.

Answer 5

God allows everything to happen everywhere.. It is the end times as quoted in Matthew chapter 24( the entire chapter)...it speaks of many natural and human disasters...since all of these things are happening it is a revelation that the Lord is soon to come. If you dont have a relationship with HIM now, i pray that you seek HIM and HIS forgiveness...God bless you!!!!

Answer 6

I believe God allows them to happen. His ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts. He has allowed Satan to rule the world for now. But the devil's rule won't last forever, for the rapture comes soon. Just have faith and enjoy the here and now, for only God knows whether you will be alive to see another day.

Answer 7

Depends. He CAN and WILL when he wants to but not always. These things come from the Garden of Edn and EVE disobeying God by giving Adam the apple...or whatever...forbidden fruit and things were meant to be perfect until EVE disobeyed God. Remember? Its all Eve's fault...I guess....but God DID intend for the world to be perfect until MAN was tempted ny the devil and thus...Original sin...??? I dunno...rally...Ive been asking myself this question for years. God has reasons and we're not supposed to understand then all right now.

Answer 8

I agree with the second post. If you believe in monotheism than God controls/causes/is the maker of all things.

Answer 9

If god gets the create for rainbows and flowers and babies and sunsets then he also must take responsibility for earthquakes and hurricanes and cancer.

Fair is fair - god can't look at the world through rose colored glasses.

Answer 10

No one can fully answer this, but if there weren't bad things in life like this..or if we did not have struggles, how would we know what is good in life. Without bad, there would be no good. I don't know if that makes sense. But thats how I cope with things.