This a real question for Christians and I promise I'm not trying to be insulting..?

Question

But, why is it whenever there is a disaster , accident or something the people that lived were "spared" by god, but the ones who died was not by his choice, it just happens. I don't get it.

I have always wondered about this and would like someone to explain it to me in a calm adult conversational tone. Although I'm not a Christian I really have nothing against people that believe, I'm just curious.

And forgive the ? mark after the title. It was a typo not a question.

Thanks. Those are all very interesting answers. I see they vary, but that's to be understood. Just as atheists don't necessarily agree on anything I'm sure it's the same way with you guys. Or it could be just the difference of interpretations. I hope you guys don't mind me popping in and asking a few questions every now and then. I really do find the whole thing fascinating!

Answer 1

Don't worry about the "?" I think Yahoo just puts that on whether you want it or not.

That is an interesting tendency with us Christians. I suppose when someone survives something that seems so statistically unlikely for them to survive - it's easy to pin the title "miracle" on it. Where as when it's statistically likely they wouldn't survive, that's just seen as normal nature at work.

The truth is people's deaths could be God's work just as much as people being spared their lives for a little longer...people who have survived sometimes get that personal spiritual confirmation that is was God's work - perhaps those that have died also get similar confirmation, but we generally don't get to hear from them, so it's harder to say.

Just some educated guesses.

Thanks

Answer 2

The common misconception is that because Christians believe God CAN do anything, He necessarily SHOULD do something. Unfortunately, that isn't a logical argument. If God set natural laws in motion, including the human capacity for choice, accidents and not-so-good things are gonna happen. Some people may be "spared" simply because of coincidence, some may survive because God wanted them to. Either way, I think it "just happens" and until I get to ask personally, I'm not going to obsess much on why.

Answer 3

There are so many possible explanations for this. Mostly I think it's because we as Christians see God as Love and don't want to associate "bad" things with Him. Someone dying hurts us because we are only human, don't want to see people suffer and will miss them. We don't automatically think that they are now in a better place. I do believe we all have a purpose on earth and a time to die. I just don't think that God sits there and says, "Ok heart attack for this one and that one will die in a car accident." Some of these things happen because of actions of other people, which would bring Satan into the picture.

You do have to admit though that there are times when a disaster happens, you see the destruction, hear of the fatalities and then see the survivor who walked away. I don't see that as lucky. I see that as the will of God. I think it just wasn't that person's time to go.

I don't know if I helped at all, but I tried. It was a good question.

God Bless.

Answer 4

I will start by saying I am a christian... meaning I believe in one God... but please do not take the connotation of the word christian to think I hate anyone or am judgmental... Being spared is a human concept... people assume that death is a bad thing and so they say that when people die, no matter what the cause, oh no... but it is not oh no, death is not the worst thing in the world. I think that people try to use it to comfort or try to understand, the only truth is that if you use God and worship God correctly you can not do anything but come up with more questions, but that is not a bad thing... without questions we do not have answers... It does all happen by God, the living and the dead (in my opinion, but I am up for other interpretations...). I think that when people die in a disaster, disease or anything some people will play it to their views, into their own judgment on people (which is wrong whether you are spiritual or not)... if they believed the people to be good then who knows why it happens, and if they believe them to be bad it is God's will... they are just picking and choosing when God works for them... the truth is God does not work for us, we work for God... It is just a limited human view of death... truth is that everyone dies, not because they are bad, but because our time here is up.

Answer 5

God has nothing to do with normal occurences, these are random acts of nature, "(James 1:13) 13 When under trial, let no one say: “I am being tried by God.” For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he himself try anyone"......(Ecclesiastes 3:19-20) . . .For there is an eventuality as respects the sons of mankind and an eventuality as respects the beast, and they have the same eventuality. As the one dies, so the other dies; and they all have but one spirit, so that there is no superiority of the man over the beast, for everything is vanity. 20 All are going to one place. They have all come to be from the dust, and they are all returning to the dust. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,(Ecclesiastes 9:11) . . .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 and unforeseen occurrence befall them all.

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Answer 6

I am going 2 use 9/11 as an example there were ppl who survived and that was because God spared them butalso the ppl who did die, it's not just because "those things happen",God had a purpose and a plan y each and every one of those ppls died, and he had a purpose to let some live.God doesn't make mistakes and he knows everything he knows what would happen if they lived and if they died and maybe some were worth more dead than alive,like samson in the Bible he was worth more to God dead than his whole life alive.I hope you understand.☺

Answer 7

I would not venture to guess why one person was spared in a disaster and one was not. Jesus one day was walking with his apostles and a portion of a building had fallen on, and killed, several men. The apostles asked pretty much the same question you just did. Jesus' reply was, unless you repent, you shall also perish. Jesus point of view was always on the eternal, and not on the temporal.

I don't know why it is some die and some do not. I do know that God said it is appointed for man once to die and then judgment, so that says to me that we each have an "appointment" with our last minute on earth. As to the why of the timing behind it though, I don't know.

P.S. I also want to say thank you for the respectful way you worded that question.

Answer 8

I don't think the way that you think that I think... Sorry for that, but when a disaster happens I think its God's will if they live and God's will if they die. Everyone is here for a certain amount of time determined by Him. If it was one person's time to go then they go, end of story, literally for them. I think everyone has a purpose, even if it is very small and seemingly meaningless. I don't know why some people thank God for saving some people and lay the blame on chance for losing others, but thats not how I feel.

Answer 9

Sometimes God takes some on up to heaven because they are so good that God just wants them. He spares some because they have more to do on the earth. Some that he takes deserve heaven more than others and even God wants them to have happiness immediately and God knows that heaven is the best place for them. We miss them, but God wants the best for them. Heaven is far better than the earth and they are up there cheering us on. Some near death experiences, the people have said that they didn't want to come back after what they saw and heard. Trust God, because He always does what is right and good for us.

Answer 10

I believe that God wants us to be comfortable and happy. But we make choices everyday that keep us from those goals. When a catastrophe happens, i.e, hurricane, tornado, etc, it is not God's will that we suffer, however, sometime we do. Sometimes God allows us to suffer to strengthen us, or to teach us a lesson. That doesn't mean he causes it to happen, it just means that if it does happen, he allows it to happen to us. I know this may sound like double-talk, but the devil is behind a lot of the bad things that happen to us. He encourages bad decisions and rejoices when we are unhappy, because if we are unhappy we will come near listening to him. God, on the other hand, only wants the best for us.