Why do we blame God when things go wrong, but are so quick to take credit for things that go right?

Question

We're so good at patting ourselves on the back when good things happen in the world, but who's really to blame when things go wrong? Shouldn't it be the other way around? For example, why do so many people blame God for not ending world hunger and famine, when He has given us the means to end it ourselves?

Answer 1

God helps those who help themselves. People who have unshakable faith in God do not put blame. They pray and ask God to help in their hardship,

Answer 2

Great Q! I totally agree that we shouldn't blame God for problems that are human in origin, and that we humans can sort out.

It seems that 'bad' things in the world are used as a reason for (some) atheists to claim that a (good) God does not exist. But they totally ignore the 'good' things in people and in the world. Those could equally be used to claim that God (or a good being/creator) does exist, because otherwise there would be no good.

Answer 3

When I was growing up, I was taught that EVERY choice I made had a consequence (good or bad). My parents practiced what they preached & took responsibility for their screw-ups. They also taught me that this life is not always fair or honest and the best way to defeat/overcome such things was to always try very hard to be fair and honest. And they believed in giving credit where credit was due and they taught it was the height of idiocy, conceit, and dangerous to pat myself on the back for what God and others accomplished in this life.

Too many of my friends and their parents believe in no moral absolutes and seek to blame anything or anyone other than themselves for the consequences of their choices/behaviors (good or bad).

But you are right, we DO have the answers to most things, but like Katrina, many people blamed God for it, but the simple truth is that area of the coast is naturally below sea level & sinking and has no natural barriers to protect it from flooding, hurricanes, and tornadoes. The fact that pumping stations MUST run 24/7 to keep the cities above water, should have insured city planners would avoid building homes/apartment complexes anywhere near the levee, but to protect their citizens & safely build on higher ground. They did not. The same goes for certain area coasts in California & Florida. Tsunamis, erosion, hurricanes, mudslides, water and wind channel/flow charts should have discouraged building, much less rebuilding every few years when their homes/businesses are destroyed, but people continue to rebuild year after year.

God made us human beings with minds, hearts, and souls and the innate ability to pick and choose...God did not create robots, so ultimately peoples' "poor choices" are responsible for most of the devestation, famine, and poverty we see and face today.

Answer 4

REMEMBER THIS. Everything, I MEAN EVERYTHING, is all planned out by God. You might a brand new car one day and get in a car crash the next. It sucks, but it's still God's plan. Take for instance, I spent my whole winter studying for the SAT thinking I would break 2000 for a great score, but i was crushed with a 1830. I knew it was God's plan for me to get up and not let this affect me, so i studied again and broke 2000 in the next SAT.
Yes, it's really easy to forget about God when we acheive something satisfying, but we always think about Him when something goes awry. God has everything planned for you, but that doesn't mean you don't have to study. As long as you try your hardest, what you get is what God wants you to get and if that's not what you wanted, God has something better planned.
Your question about faminie. Isn't that sort of questioning God's power? I think God uses those topics to bring the best of people. Back when the idea of a Man on the Moon was controversial, I'm sure God had those NASA people planned out to land Mr. Armstrong on the moon. I'm certain that through the process of ending famine and hunger, great people will come up with solutions. "God loves us UNCONDISIONALLY. AND HE WILL DO WHATEVER TO BRING YOU TO HIM!"

Answer 5

Our nature is selfish - if it's good I'll take the credit, if it's bad I need to blame someone because it's not my fault.
Fact is, it is all through God's hand - "all things work together for good for those who love God" - Romans 8:28. The good is from him, and the trials are meant for our good - always.
Rick Warren said life is not peaks and valleys it is more like the two rails of a train track - one rail is the good things and one rail is the bad but we are always riding on both.
And,yes, I like your example of famine - we are responsible and are stewards of what God provides to us. Could we do better on world hunger and needs? Of course.
God is good all the time.
Just trust God in all of it - because we can!

Answer 6

i think that the reason that we are so quick to blame god is because most people believe that we can only do good and some of it is the devil telling us that god is to blame for all of the wrong. and sometimes we feel better when the stuff that goes wrong is not our fault. But when stuuf goes good i think that we are so quick to say that we did it because we feel good when good things happen and we sometimes forget that we owe the thanks to someone above for without him we could do nothing.

Answer 7

I don't believe god exists, how could I blame him for anything? I will say, on occasion, IF your god exists, why does he allow these things to happen? It's a rhetorical question, though, because he so obviously doesn't. And btw, we wouldn't have to end world hunger if he hadn't created it in the first place.

Answer 8

All good things come from God. Bad things are of the Devil! God looks for people to stand in the Gap. He knows whats happening, and He is very concerned. He says: '"YOU HAVE NOT, BECAUSE YOU ASK NOT"!

Answer 9

Human nature

Answer 10

Pride - ego..
think on this the first Man Adam said to God "it was the woman you gave me" he kinda blamed God too.
all he needed to do was repent, men still passing the buck when things don't go their way.