Do you believe that God does everything deliberately?

Question

You see, this is one of the main reasons I don't believe in God. For me to believe in any kind of intelligent, omniescent deity, I would have to believe that a child who dies painfully and miserably, hours after being born, was made that way for a reason. I would have to believe that people with AIDS are tortured and killed by God because they committed the sin of unprotected sex. I would have to believe that my girlfriend has eczema (developed at 2 months old, at which point she nearly died), allergies to everything imagineable, and a broken family for a reason.

I know that not all theists believe that God is active and has a hand in everything. But, I'd like to hear from you if it so happens that you do believe this.

I want to know why. I want to know why you think that a benevolent God would torture and kill people for no reason, none at all, while still sparing people who commit horrible crimes in his name.

Okay Steve N, maybe we don't understand each other here.

God in the Protestant sense (that is, the God who is everywhere and pays attention to all of us) does not just kill. He tortures newborns with birth defects, not to mention AIDS victims, before killing them. If we're talking Christianity here, he also wipes people out by the tens of millions without ever giving them even the slightest chance to so much as hear about Christ. He makes people miserable and gives them unimaginable pain for no reason. These are people who could not possibly be sinners-- newborns in particular-- but still God doesn't just take their lives away, he tortures them.

Every time Amnesty International tells you about how much suffering and horror there is in the world, Steve N, remind yourself: God did this. God is the cause of all this suffering. And he does nothing to fix it.

Dammit Chazna, not another brainwashed Christian.

I'm not talking about crime. I'm not talking about oppression. I'm talking about newborns who have lives that are 3 hours long and filled with pain that you and I probably can't imagine. Blameless children whose only sin was existing.

All right, I'd like to sincerely apologize for the angry tone of this post (though I must hold that there are a LOT of morons posting in here.) I was writing this to vent. And I think I'm justified in that I have something to vent on (see the question I posted right before this one, in my profile).

The question, however, still stands. If you believe that God knows all, cares for everyone, and has the ability to change everything, why do you believe that such suffering exists? I see many good answers. Please feel free to add more.

Answer 1

I believe the One True God of Heaven is completely and totally Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, and Omnipathic. Meaning, He is an all-powerful, all-present, all-knowing, and all-feeling God.

I am currently 50+ years of age. I have suffered with a moderate-to-severe case of Psoriasis for 40+ years of my life. As if that wasn't enough, I had to watch while my 18-year-old youngest son died of cancer in just 10 months -- from the time of diagnosis to the time of his death. Yet, in spite of these things (and, oh, so many much more pains I won't tell you about) I still have faith in and love and trust my Creator God.

What too many people overlook, or discount, is that there is a Great Controversy going on between the devil and God -- primarily over the Character of God, but secondarily over the rulership of this earth. You see, the devil has already lost his bid for Heaven and he wants somewhere else to abide. If he can't retain rulership of this earth, then he knows he will be completely destroyed, in the end, by God.

Thus, there is a force working in this earth that, though nowhere near as powerful as God, it seeks to have its dominion over this earth's peoples. That force, unlike God, does not have our best interests at heart. Yet, because God stands for free will of choice, He must allow not only each person on this earth their choice, but he must also allow the devil his choices, too. The only limit He allows Himself to place upon the devil's activities is where the devil's power would override the free will choice of the individual whom has chosen or is likely to chose to surrender themselves to God's Will.

Thus, it is sometimes the case that bad things happen to good people. Hey, look at Job. Job is a great example for us. God saw to it that Job's story was passed on to us for that very purpose -- our enlightenment and encouragement. So, I'm touched with the equivalent of Job's boils and my son was taken from me as Job's children were taken from him. But, who touched Job? ...and, who took Job's children? It was not God!

Job will be in Heaven. As for Job's children... They were either unrepentant sinners (and perhaps why Job continually was praying for them and offering sacrifices for them) or they had already made their choice for God's Will and God knew they would not change that choice. Thus, yes, He does sometimes allow saved people to be removed from this life before their time. Ultimately, God does know the best way to work out all things.

Answer 2

There are certain things God does deliberately. Those who commit horrible crimes in his name have a chance in life to ask for forgiveness. And the more crimes they commit, the chances of them suffering in a fate worse than anything they could have ever committed or imagined grow greater.
I do beleive God plays some part in a lot that happens. For those who suffer from sexually transmitted diseases God sends them scientists to study them and find a cure so future victims shall not suffer. The same is said for that poor child that dies painfully hours after it is born. Sometimes, people must suffer in order to do something for the greater good in the world.

Your girlfriend suffers from a terrible disease. Yet who do you think has saved her from death? Who has guided her to you, knowing that both you and her would love each other? Who do you think has given the strength to live and survive in a broken family?

God has.

I pray for your girlfriend's health and hope one day God shall heal her. God does not torture and kill. There is a difference between torture and suffering. Torture is done out of dark intent and leaves a person withered and broken. Suffering is done so that one person's sacrifice can do good in the world. As i said before, for those who commit horrible crimes in his name, their life is spared but sins always accounted for because one day, they will be so utterly destroyed that if they do not sincerely repent they shall the worst of fates....burning for an eternity in hell.

God bless you and your loved ones. And you are never forced to beleive in anything. Beleive in what you want.

Answer 3

I understand you. All everyone wants in the first place is to end misery and all just be unconditionally loved. Because we believe we are separate from God, we do not believe this is possible. We still sense that something is there, but we create our own misery by believing God as a seperate entity. And Atheists have it worst because they deny the very little bit of God they sense which is denying themselves. Thats why they aren't fulfilled. But once we realize that we are one with God and have no other purpous on this earth but to love unconditionally, we are enlightened (http://www.geocities.com/nitin_trasi/bangalore.html?200711)
and we see the same world but in a different light. Instead of an opportunuty to blame or even deny God, we see this earthly experience as an opportunity to practice unconditional love- which will bridge the percieved seperation from God.

Answer 4

Not at all! i dont believe that! what i believe is that God wishes the best for everyone. However, he gives free will to everyone as well. say someone gets run over by a car. it is a terrible tragety, but God does not stop it because it would deprive the killer of free will. however, God takes that evil from the killing and turns it into something good. perhaps the death will lead to reforms, or perhaps the driver will repent. God will make it all fair in the end. =)

Answer 5

+PAX

God knows the number of hairs on your head... he knew them as he formed you in your mother's womb. He knows how many days you have on this earth- He knew that before he made you as well.

In our wounded human natures, we all ask "why?" It certainly doesn't appear fair when a two year old child is tortured and killed does it? It actually makes me cry and pray for the Lord to come get us out of this mess.

The Lord does have a hand in everything. Those whom God loves the most he tests the hardest, including sometimes removing His presence from them... Read up on the Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross. It is a test given by God. Your girlfriend must be loved so very greatly by Him.

I have experienced one night of aridity (Dark Night)...and I have begged my Lord to never leave me again. I continued to love Him even though I could no longer feel His comforting love. It was terrifying.

I know its not the answer you're looking for and I know that you can't get your head around it. None of us can. We simply trust and believe. He knows what he's doing. We cannot presume to know the mind of God and say that he is punishing people with AIDS etc.

Remember to trust in Him, cling to Him... be as Peter walking on the water, trusting the Lord. As soon as he stopped trusting he faltered and began to sink.

Don't sink....trust.

Jesus, I trust in you!
j

Answer 6

I BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING HAS A PURPOSE. I ALSO BELIEVE IN DIVINE PROVINCE. DO NOT QUESTION THE WAYS OF THE LORD?

I HAVE HAD TWO CHILDREN OF MINE DIE BEFORE BIRTH AND ASKED WHY? HOW DO YOU HAVE A FAMILY? THEN FOUND OUT THE FIRST CHILD HAD A HEART DISORDER AND THE SECOND WAS DEFORMED. GOD SPARED ME AND MY WIFE THE PAIN THAT WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO SUFFER THROUGH WITH THOSE TWO CHILDREN. MY OTHER SIX ARE ALL HEALTHY AND MY 13 GRAND CHILDREN ARE ALL HEALTHY. MY ONE GREAT GRANDCHILD DIED AT 5 MO OLD ON THE 17TH AND WAS FOUND TO HAVE HAD A BRAIN DISORDER? GOD HAS BEN BAD TO TAKE AWAY THREE CHILDREN FROM ME YOU SAY?

Answer 7

God does not torture or kill people. He may allow some of these things to happen, but he never causes them. All things he does are for the greater good. Non christians think that if they pray for somthing, that they will be just given it. God does not just give things to us, he gives us opprotunities to get these things we pray for. They treat a prayer like a blank check. Now, he doesnt spare the guilty, and damn the inoccent. He lets these things happen because it will cause man to somthing that is needed to happen. And he isnt causing it, he already knows what will happen. We control our own destiny, but god already knows what we will do, he does not control fate or destiny, he just knows what will happen. These things he lets happens are ment to test the faithful.
I hope this puts a little christian insight on your view.

Answer 8

Don't blame God for preventable diseases that He tried to keep from us by giving us the hygiene and food laws in the book of Leviticus. These laws and instructions were God's advanced disease prevention plan for all humans to follow to live a longer healthier disease free life on Earth. We Christians have made the mistake of thinking Jesus abolished these food laws which did nothing but open the door for food born diseases to once again enter our bodies. We are fools for not going back to following these advanced not ancient recommendations by our God Yahweh.

Answer 9

I respectfully disagree with your premise, stating that God has His hands on everything.

God looks at life, this life, planet earth, from an eternal perspective whereas we finite beings look at it from the temporal. What happens on a daily basis in this, our spiritual boot camp if you will, is our makings, our decisions not His. He told us in His word what was, what is, and what shall be. It is not His fault if, and I do not mean to be condescending in any regard, if you nor anyone else cannot grasp this.

Horrible things happen and they will continue to happen but laying them at the feet of God because you have been mislead to believe He Has his hands on the controls of life, and will step in and violate man's 'free will', is not theologically sound thinking. If this offends you. Sorry.

Answer 10

Sin brought on curses of death and illnes so just because you cant fathom or belive does not make His existance any less of a truth. He loves you and sent His son to die for you but you still have the choice to not belive.

God can see the end from the beginning we can not..even if we could we would not be able to comprehend it all.