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Qoeleth
Guest
It is a deceptively simple question, which invites a simple answer. But it is important, because it says a lot about our understanding of God’s relationship to our lives.
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zro_x
Guest
This is a great question. I choose the first option with some conditions. I do not think that God chooses everything. As moral agents, we are free to choose a life of virtue or vice, and God sometimes has to work around us. However, I do believe that God completely controls nature and “chance”
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JDaniel
Guest
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MidnightSun12
Guest
Don’t forget that God’s Will works in one of two ways: He actively wills something to happen, or He passively wills it by allowing it to happen (ie. allowing us to commit sin)… so at the very least God is consciously allowing a person to win the lottery.
I don’t think that we can say that God actively wills every person to win the lottery, however… Afterall, it’s easier for a camel to jump through the eye of a needle then it is for a rich man to get into heaven… I just can’t see God actively willing somebody’s path to heaven to become more difficult (as would be the case for many of us if we were to win the lottery).
That said, in the case of Mother Teresa being given that 1964 Lincoln, that might have been an example of God’s active Will seeing as how she used it to start a leprosy hospital!
I don’t think that we can say that God actively wills every person to win the lottery, however… Afterall, it’s easier for a camel to jump through the eye of a needle then it is for a rich man to get into heaven… I just can’t see God actively willing somebody’s path to heaven to become more difficult (as would be the case for many of us if we were to win the lottery).
That said, in the case of Mother Teresa being given that 1964 Lincoln, that might have been an example of God’s active Will seeing as how she used it to start a leprosy hospital!
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Bezant
Guest
Hamman played chance against God, and look what happened to him…
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Qoeleth
Guest
Does that mean God has a reason for selecting the winner?
Yet, the prize does not necessarily go to those in most need, or most ‘deserving’, or anything which seems to be other than random.
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wcknight
Guest
reminds me of a joke…
A guy is in desparate straits and goes to church praying for deliverance from his financial problems. He prays that he wins the lottery… he suddenly hears a voice from nowhere, 'Go buy a ticket".
I know of one lottery winner who was in exactly that situation… he did pray and he won… not a huge sum (3 million) but enough to solve his immediate problems.
I think God answers that prayer sometimes… and sometimes, He just lets chance take its course…
We like to think that most or all lottery winners are poor and really need the money, but sometimes, they are not that desparate. I have no desire to be super wealthy, so I rarely if ever buy a ticket.
A guy is in desparate straits and goes to church praying for deliverance from his financial problems. He prays that he wins the lottery… he suddenly hears a voice from nowhere, 'Go buy a ticket".
I know of one lottery winner who was in exactly that situation… he did pray and he won… not a huge sum (3 million) but enough to solve his immediate problems.
I think God answers that prayer sometimes… and sometimes, He just lets chance take its course…
We like to think that most or all lottery winners are poor and really need the money, but sometimes, they are not that desparate. I have no desire to be super wealthy, so I rarely if ever buy a ticket.
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tafan
Guest
Strange answer choices for this question, this being a Catholic forum. It seems to me that most Catholics would want to select both of the choices.
Answer 1 is definitely correct, see 1st paragraph of post 4
Answer 2 is HIGHLY likely to be correct, since it qualifies it by saying “at least not by direct intervention”.
Well, I picked 2: the reason 1 is correct is rather subtle and I am guessing that was not intended.
Answer 1 is definitely correct, see 1st paragraph of post 4
Answer 2 is HIGHLY likely to be correct, since it qualifies it by saying “at least not by direct intervention”.
Well, I picked 2: the reason 1 is correct is rather subtle and I am guessing that was not intended.
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zro_x
Guest
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Skye_Ariel
Guest
I don’t think God bothers with the lottery at all, I think it’s just random chance.
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BrunoMaria
Guest
God - Jesus Christ - so often said, that worldly treasures and divine treasures are two very much different things and have nothing to do with each other.
So, why should God make anyone rich, when He said, that a rich will hardly enter heaven.
We all know, that money and fortune changes people completely TO THE WORSE.
So, why should God make anyone worse than he is already.
Money is responsible for the fact, that only a minority believes in Jesus’ resurrection - match Matt 28,12-15.
So, why should God move money about?
Money led to Jesus’ conviction and crucifixion - match Mark 14,11
So, why should God give money to anyone?
Of course we do need money, but never in abundance. Of course we can do a lot of good with money, but few do. Of course there are many tragedies because of lack of money. But which tragedy is greater, than loosing God. Death for one, is not really a tragedy, but the door to God.
Never mind the source and well of any money-flow. But it must be earned by work - match Gen 3,19 - and he, who avoided labor, also should not eat - match 2Thess 3,10
So, why should God give money to anyone for doing nothing for it.
No. Definitely God never decides as to who will win the lottery.
Yours
Bruno
So, why should God make anyone rich, when He said, that a rich will hardly enter heaven.
We all know, that money and fortune changes people completely TO THE WORSE.
So, why should God make anyone worse than he is already.
Money is responsible for the fact, that only a minority believes in Jesus’ resurrection - match Matt 28,12-15.
So, why should God move money about?
Money led to Jesus’ conviction and crucifixion - match Mark 14,11
So, why should God give money to anyone?
Of course we do need money, but never in abundance. Of course we can do a lot of good with money, but few do. Of course there are many tragedies because of lack of money. But which tragedy is greater, than loosing God. Death for one, is not really a tragedy, but the door to God.
Never mind the source and well of any money-flow. But it must be earned by work - match Gen 3,19 - and he, who avoided labor, also should not eat - match 2Thess 3,10
So, why should God give money to anyone for doing nothing for it.
No. Definitely God never decides as to who will win the lottery.
Yours
Bruno
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Skye_Ariel
Guest
Good post Bruno! Money is like food, we need enough of it but not too much, too much food makes people sick and too much money makes people’s lives more complicated not happy. 
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Tingo
Guest
If God does intervene in lotteries, there should be evidence of non-randomness in the results. This has never been identified, at least in a way which does not allow correction to random. We can therefore safely conclude that if there is a god(s), s/he does not rig lotteries.
Of course, were non-random, non-correctable trends be identified, it would not show it was God, or any particular god intervening. It could be any being with an ability to interfere with lotteries.
Of course, were non-random, non-correctable trends be identified, it would not show it was God, or any particular god intervening. It could be any being with an ability to interfere with lotteries.
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