Why do Christians say "God caused everything", but deny God did it if it causes death, destruction, or pain?

Answer 1

cause its the double standard god cant do evil yet it made evil

Answer 2

When reading some of the answers here, many people will say that it is humans that are responsible for the bad things, or the devil etc. Yet, the bible clearly shows times when God did kill people, yet he tells us not to kill others. Sounds like a double standard? No its not. God is sovereign. We aren't.

Let me illustrate this with an example. its a really stupid example, but it will get my point across. Lets say you are the CEO of a huge company. You have a rule: If someone is absent and it is unannounced and unapproved for more than 3 days, you will be fired. One day, Bob is absent for a month. You are going to fire him, but he shows up one day, and he said that while he was walking on the street, a car hit him and he was put in a coma. You believe his story, and because you are the CEO, and you are "sovereign", you are able to bend the rules in his favor. This is what God is. God can't make a rule for every single situation, and compile it into a book. That would be impossible. He bends the rules at his will because he is sovereign.
Jesky Loves: How are you to say that the book of Job was not a test. God clearly states that he has made many tests throughout the bible. Maybe some of them are tests, and some of them aren't. I'm not one to say, and I'm in no position to point out which things are and aren't a test, but he's done it before, so there is no reason he can't do it again.

Answer 3

Christians are still young, their religion is not so old, so please give them a break. They don't realize that God and Devil are one and the same! God need to be cruel at times to keep nature in balance.

I mean a man who is given life will also be given death, It is just a matter of time when he will and how he will die, but mind you he will die. Sin and goodness, death and life, illness and health, all these have been given to us from the beginning.

Life follows death and death follows life, just as the night follow the day and the day follows the night. Yin and yang/positive and negative energy live side by side, throughout everything, is in pairs, otherwise it won't have a meaning or it will not survive. You can say oh god createed everything and then not believe that he wouldn't creat death as well. I think any man spouting such ideas, should first realize one thing.

GOD CREATED MAN! AND THAN MAN WENT OUT AND CREATED RELIGIONS!

Answer 4

Isaiah 45:7 says that evil and pain also come from God. If you're a Biblical literalist that is tough to contradict.

It doesn't trouble me. God is not a Big Human who does and causes things and gets pissy and is tragically needy the way people have thought and written of Him. God isn't even a Him or even an It.

To me, God is best thought of as a Way, the Tao. The Way is Love. And Love can involve pain, it's the very definition of passion, in fact. But I do not view pleasure or pain as caused by the Way. After all, time and chance happeneth to them all.

I think this problem of pain we have is the result of a very poor metaphor where God is a Father and acts like a Father but with cosmic powers to execute his emotions. So when something good happens I do not say, "praise God" but "That's great!" When something bad happens I do not say, "God didn't do this" or "curse that Satan!" but "This sucks."

Although I do get a good laugh when a gangsta rapper releases songs about violence and misogyny and then thanks God. Or when an athlete credits God with a win. A comedian I saw once said he'd love to see one of those people say, "Oh, yeah, we were winning until Jesus made me fumble...."

Answer 5

No, Christians aren't in denial about God causing earthquakes. What is wrong is to say God caused earthquakes with malicious intent. Earthquake and other disasters are the result of a universe that has become corrupted. That is, trouble, life and sorrow as we know, be it caused by mankind or through national disasters, are present as a symptom/consequence of a fallen world (a world where evil entered after the fall of man). God uses earthquakes and yes, even causes them for the purpose of judgement, grabbing our attention, or showing His power. No Christian will deny that. it is true that's unsettling to think that God allowed/ordained the major earthquakes we know of, like what happened in Japan, or in Italy. I dont' have the answers as to why these were allowed, but I can't say that every single earthquake that has ever occurred in human history was the result of punishment or God's wraith. I can't say that because that would be me assuming things about God, presuming him. Yes, God has used earthquakes as form of judgement, but that's not with ALL earthquakes. For the most part I believe, earthquakes and other disasters are the biological process of this universe, brought on, like I said, as the result of a fallen world. Now, Being that this question wasn't sincere but more of a rhetorical backlash against God, i would say that instead of venting all your anger at God based on the things you've heard on TV and in media, and based on some limited knowledge you have of the Bible, I would say you should read the Bible yourself and as God for guidance -- don't just slander him and write him off. There's more to God than what you've seen or what you perceive, and he's not some evil capricious being up there just slashing people left and right. If that's what you think, you're dead wrong. God is much more that that. He's a loving God who is also a God of justice, one that loves you so much, even if you hate him. He died for you, you know.

Answer 6

In Christian History, during the time of Jesus, they did not have a concept of Hell. Yes, they had "evil spirits" or "demons" but there is no reference in the first rendition of the bible that states that even Lucifer "satan" was in charge of the demons either. God was always justified in his decision of destruction in certain groups of people and cities in the beginning of the bible, they had to show coinsidence with other deities of their times to show that it was not the work of multi deities but of one deity that was "humanesk" in his rule over the world. As the single deity belief grew and the "message" was spread it had to change to show that they were similar but better to convert others. Hell did not exist until after Jesus' death (actually about 200 + yrs later) and the concept of Lucifer as the angel that was kicked out of heaven similar to a "Loki" type god from Norse beliegs to the modernized "evil" persona of sin and demons was the conceived notion of the church to show how the old Paganistic beliefs were evil and that Lucifer was the embodiment of all the dark deities of that time and controlled those "evil" spirits from a dark cavern of fire and brimstone that spewed from the earth (the "God" of the fire of the earth that layed a path of destruction when he arose) and that is where the "lake of fire" is brought into play as the bible was rewritten and rewritten for a fear inducer to convert or change from the Pagan beliefs. To prove God was of pure love and good as the Goddesses of Pagan beliefs there had to be an evil that caused the bad stuff - because they taught that Jesus and God only love and take care of us - similar to Gaia - and the evil ones and demons are the ones that cause the pain and suffering. At one time they even believed that the reason you were sick is because you questioned God and if you turned to the old ways and old healers you were going to die. But if they healed you it was Gods will and because he was "merciful" that he allowed you to live.
These things are still thought of in the same manner to this day by Christians. It's sad to me to think that a deity that is supposedly to be all powerful and all knowing would have to have an arch enemy like Superman to be the embodiment of his "justifiable" benevolence when it comes to the evil humans do in HIS name. Sounds a little fishy to me. (no pun intended)

Answer 7

Being a Christian, I think I can offer a bit of insight. But keep in mind, Christianity is based on faith. We do not know for absolute certain what God was thinking or why he does what he does. We have faith that he is our savior and our salvation, and follow his teachigs based on that faith. Some people can't seem to get their heads around faith. It's like trusting a stranger w/o any proof. That's just silliness to so many people out there who don't get Christianity, and we pray for those people. More on that in a bit.

Christians don't, or shouldn't, say that God doesn't cause pain. He puts many challenges in our lives. Challenges aren't always peaches and cream. They wouldn't me much of a challenge if they were now would they? He gives us these challenges to help us grow. But who can say where he's trying to help us grow? We certainly can't. Is it in our patience? Awareness of something else? Maybe a challenge we face is an opportunity to grow our leadership skills and become a better person (and hopefully Christian as well).

We may pray for patience. Or we may pray for wealth. But God does not "give" these to us. Even the most devout christian can't pray hard enough to receive a shower of $100 bills (short of a miraculous miracle) God, rather, gives us the opportunities to accomplish our prayers. We make our own paths and we sin because we're sinners. Much death, destruction and pain as you speak of is not "caused by" God, but caused by the sinful nature of humans. Just as God does not "give" us wealth, he does not "give" us a shield to hide behind to protect ourselves. Being that God is intangible, he can't appear and protect a handful of Christians. He can't push a plane out of the path of a trade center. His children are in that building, but they are also flying the plane. We are all his children, regardless of what religion we decide to call ourselves. We get ourselves into very big messes and we cause much pain and suffering. That is not God's doing, but ours. God will punish those souls as he sees fit, and we can trust, and have peace in that.

I'm not a preacher and by far am not a resource for Christian history. But I know that God wants the best for us. And what about all the other death, destruction and pain out there? I, like the Pope, can't explain to you why children get cancer, or old people are stricken with Parkinson's disease. Why wouldn't God step in and remove the disease from a sinless child? It doesn't make much sense to us. It doesn't make sense to me. But what we can rely on is that God does have a plan for us and he will take care of us here on Earth or long after we've left this place. (Notice the faith?) We will learn the answer to these questions when we meet him. It is our responsibility to understand that we cannot understand the workings of God as humans. Just as a young child can't understand why his parent will not let him swim with sharks.

I tend to think that God has a special place in heaven for those who suffered here on Earth.

Answer 8

Dunno, but you've highlighted an inconsistency and you're right: they're wrong!

There once was a bloke called Habakkuk. He complained to God because the people who claimed to follow God were pretty hypocritical and unjust (some things never change!). God said something to the effect of "Don't worry mate, I'm going to use the Babylonians to kill loads of my people, and send others into exile." Habakkuk can't believe it- the Babylonians are even worse that the Israelites!

God teaches Habakkuk that we're all guilty, that our scurrying on our way in life is all a bit pointless, and that the earth is going to be filled with the glory of God anyway. The most important thing he says is "The righteous will live by faith". We're all guilty , we're all going to die, and the only way we can have eternal life and be freed from death destruction and pain is if we have faith in Christ to save us.

Peace out, and God bless!

Answer 9

I answered a question just like this a few days ago. Here is my answer as it has not changed.


I do not, under any circumstances, think that the ill's of this world are a "test" by God.
Furthermore, I do not, under any circumstances, doubt that he could stop it if he wanted to.

God gave us free will as people, we can choose to do what we want, and when we choose to do evil, well, we do evil.
God can't take away our free will without, taking away our free will.
He wants us to choose him, to choose him above all others, the evil is just the side effect of free will.
I don't speak for all christians when I say this, I'm sure.
But God doesn't test us, God doesn't use evil, he doesn't need to test us either. He doesn't need to test us because he knows our hearts. By knowing our hearts he doesn't need to test our actions, and he can tell if we truly repent for something.

"everything works together for the good to those who believe..." That is in the Bible, although I don't know the exact location. What that says to me, is that, although we can't change other peoples actions, and God can't take away their free will without taking away ALL free will, he CAN and DOES work in people's lives to take the bad that happens and turn it into good. Sometimes the bad can shape you for something good to happen later in your life, or can put you in a position to do something good. But when you don't trust God this can never happen. It is hard to see in the moment but God will take everything and make it work out.

I think my answer follows the rules of logic.

I praise God no matter what happens, good or bad.

Feel free to email,

Jessica

I hope that helps, although I can't speak for all christians I have told you my belief, I think it is wrong to do what you are talking about.

Thanks.

Answer 10

Christians are human. They are not Saints. Sometimes we are wrong. If God "Allowed" His only Son to die a terrible death there certainly must a purpose for all things including death, destruction and pain.

Answer 11

God created everything. He gave us free will to use his creation as we will, we are the cause of destruction and pain.

God is good, and I'm thankful for all the blessings I have received. I do not blame God for anything, my sorrows are part of living.