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Posts Tagged ‘free will’

Can We Stop Saying “God Takes Us In God’s Own Time”!

Posted in christian living, Love of God, religion, tagged , , , , , , , on April 1, 2023|

By Mike Edwards

When a death happens because of a tragedy, often well-meaning God folks will say “God took them in God’s time.” Does this mean that God caused or allowed one but not another to be killed by a drunk driver? I cringed when I read “by the grace of God there was a doctor running by at that exact moment and started CPR and the guy survived.” Was God ungraceful when there was no Doctor in other situations to save a life?

Does everything really happen for a reason?

Well-meaning people passionate about God often say things like “it’s all part of God’s plan” or “everything happens for a reason.” It implies evil is some grand scheme by God. How is a God, who supposedly can prevent evil, any different than a parent who stands by and watches their child being physically or sexually abused? Evil and suffering in the world may be because God cannot intervene single-handedly. God can’t interfere in evil without human help. See here.

What bother to pray then?

See here.

God’s uncontrolling love can be freeing 

Can there be true freedom if everyone’s future is determined or known? Even God can’t know a unknowable future. God isn’t hiding a “known” future for important decisions. God joins us in an open future. God wants us to feel free to pursue our own dreams without strings attached, unlike some earthly parents. God only desires to influence us to do all the good we can, in all the places we can, at all the times we can, to all the people we can, as long as we can. The future is open to God as well. God joins us in a true friendship by sharing our joys and sorrows in our journey. 

Please stop rationalizations 

Are you dissatisfied with answers to your questions such as: “God wants to make you stronger;” “God’s ways are not our ways;” “You didn’t have enough faith.” If evil is some grand scheme God can control, why then does the Bible says God hates evil so much? Does God hate God sometimes? See Thomas Oord’s book GOD CAN’T for further insight about God, evil, and suffering.

Imagine the perfect friend – that is God! 

God loves like how you wished you loved others. God hates when prayers can’t be answered. God feels the same pain you are experiencing. God shares the dreams you have for your future.  Conventional thinkers don’t like to suggest God has feelings of vulnerability, but they don’t mind talking about God’s wrath. If a God can be angry, a God can be sad. God hates when we are suffering. A truly loving God, like a friend, hurts when you hurt. We may wish God would just intervene but there may be legitimate reasons why God can’t. But God is with you each step of the way as we reach out to others for help as well.

Can We Stop Saying Our Rights As A Nation Come From God? 

Can We Stop Saying “Biblical Worldview”?

Can We Stop Saying “Everything Happens For A Reason”!

Can We Stop Saying “Love The Sinner, Hate The Sin”!

MikeEdwardsprofilepic125

Mike Edwards has been writing for Done with Religion for some time and has been a great addition to the site. Mike also has his own site where he writes that can be found at What God May Really Be Like  He can be contacted by email at: medwar2@gmail.com

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God Is Not All-Powerful Or In Total Control

Posted in christian living, Love of God, tagged , , , , , , on October 23, 2022|

By Mike Edwards

It is popular in religious circles to insist God is all-powerful and all-controlling. I suppose this is to protect God’s reputation or one’s understanding of biblical claims. But if God’s power can be all-controlling, this seems to make God responsible for evils such as rape, sexual abuse, starvation, etc. by doing nothing to intervene. There are certain things even an all-loving God can’t do. 

Is everything that happens really a part of God’s plan? 

It is said “everything that happens is part of God’s plan” to supposedly protect God’s almightiness. But love cannot insist on its own way. (I Cor 13:5) A perfect God’s love must be uncontrolling. Perfect power is uncontrolling. Ask older kids about their parents! A God who supposedly can prevent evil but doesn’t is no different than a parent who stands by and watches their child suffer. Evil and suffering in the world may be because God cannot intervene single-handedly. It isn’t that God has the power to do something and doesn’t. God can’t change people or circumstances without individual or plural human cooperation.

Is lack of healing really due to lack of faith or bad behavior? 

Lots of prayers asking for healing are obviously not answered. If God can control disease and other evils, we are left to assume God’s love is infrequent. Miracles don’t happen because some people are less sinful or beg better at the feet of an arbitrary God. Conditions in our body may not always be right. Various biological and environmental factors are involved such as cells, organs, etc. If God doesn’t deny human freedom, it may not be a stretch to say God has to account for natural freedom as well. Miracles can happen when God’s uncontrolling love aligns with countless factors known and not known. God surely intervenes by all means when circumstances will allow.

Can we make sense why God allows freedom? 

It is not logically possible for God to create freedom without the possibility of moral evil. God clearly values ongoing freedom because of all the suffering allowed in the world. I don’t know of any human parent who brings children into the world not desiring their children freely reciprocate their love as opposed to being forced. Without freedom we could accuse God of not creating the very best world where only true, authentic relationships can develop. Freedom allows human to develop qualities of moral character that cannot be created initially. The guarantee of a pain free universe cannot involve freedom.

Is God interfering the most compassionate?

God not interfering in suffering on earth may be compassionate. If I force my rebellious son somehow to do right presently, he may further rebel or stay away forever. If I am patience and allow time for possible moral development (time on earth), then he may freely choose to trust I have his best interest in mind. God didn’t create suffering to foster dependency; God created freedom in the beginning because they love us. Controlling love may have consequences.  

I do not wish to suggest physical evils such as disasters of nature, diseases, or accidents can always be traced directly to a human’s freedom to inflict pain upon themselves or others. It does seem human accumulated mismanagement of the earth over thousands of years has brought some destruction through hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, droughts, and earthquakes. Does our current divide among our political leaders keep solutions from developing that allows the most human flourishing? Human mismanagement hardly explains all the causes of natural disasters. Claiming natural disasters are always God’s judgment is nonsense.

What good is God then?

God seeks to influence us to do all the good we can, in all the places we can, at all the times we can, to all the people we can, as long as we can. It matters what you believe a loving God is like (see here), but God’s influence in our lives can lead to making wiser choices by having a moral compass in life. God is tireless in working through individual lives to change the world. It isn’t that you didn’t beg enough or behave enough. God through their influence has made me a better man, husband, father, and friend or at least better than if on my own. All we have to lose is selfishness and a lousy legacy.

MikeEdwardsprofilepic125

Mike Edwards has been writing for Done with Religion for some time and has been a great addition to the site. Mike also has his own site where he writes that can be found at What God May Really Be Like  He can be contacted by email at: medwar2@gmail.com

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