God being petty

[Catholig]

Hello everyone - latelyl I’ve been having thoughts along the lines of “God is petty”. I mean - I know that he isn’t but the fact that there is no such thing as a “white lie” and that to fib is to commit a sin is hard to truly comprehend. Also the fact that stuff such as breaking a law is a sin is also difficult. I mean jay walking would be a sin. It’s just hard to grasp.

Can anyone help me out? Please.

Catholig

 

[Smber2c]

Hello everyone - latelyl I’ve been having thoughts along the lines of “God is petty”. I mean - I know that he isn’t but the fact that there is no such thing as a “white lie” and that to fib is to commit a sin is hard to truly comprehend. Also the fact that stuff such as breaking a law is a sin is also difficult. I mean jay walking would be a sin. It’s just hard to grasp.

Can anyone help me out? Please.

I’d say there are 2 approaches I’d offer on this.

1. Don’t be overly scruplous, just because something is a sin doesn’t mean that God’s damning you. So if you catch yourself speeding, exaggerating about the size of a fish you caught, or things of that sort…well yes God notices…but no He’s not barring someone from Heaven for it.
2. To the feeling that God can be petty…I’d say that God can’t help but be petty. He’s all knowing, so any fault of ours, even the millions that we never recognise, He sees with perfect clarity.
   God not only sees our faults in the present, but is fully witness to all the failings of our past and future.

If God being petty means He recognises all the details of our life, then God absolutely is petty.

If God being petty means His punishing us for things that really shouldn’t count, His not understanding our circumstances, and His judging what He doesn’t understand…then we of course need to attempt adjusting our understanding of God becuse He should tell us what counts, He knows the circumstances better than we do, and understands everything perfectly.

 

[porthos11]

Well, let’s take lying. A small lie, or fib is a sin. However, it’s only a venial sin, and won’t keep you out of heaven. But it’s a sin nonetheless because lying is an offense against truth.

But it’s dangerous to refer to “only” venial sins. The greatest danger of venial sins is that they they dispose us to commit bigger and bigger sins by slowly callousing our consciences, until eventually they can dispose us to commit mortal sin. Hence, even venial sins are not to be dismissed lightly.

So no, it’s not pettiness, rather, it’s safeguarding us from the inclination to commit mortal sin.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

Hello everyone - latelyl I’ve been having thoughts along the lines of “God is petty”. I mean - I know that he isn’t but the fact that there is no such thing as a “white lie” and that to fib is to commit a sin is hard to truly comprehend. Also the fact that stuff such as breaking a law is a sin is also difficult. I mean jay walking would be a sin. It’s just hard to grasp.

Can anyone help me out? Please.

Catholig

A lie is a perversion of the means of communication - it turns good to evil, it is a deceit, it is extremely inappropriate from Christians especially, there is no end to what is wrong with it. The devil is the father of lies (see John 8.44). So it is a devilish thing to do. And those who do the devil’s works, are in danger of becoming like him, & of being punished with him.​

All sin is a perversion - lies pervert speech, & they make the intellect into means of perverting knowledge. So even the smallest lie is an extremely serious matter. And “lying lips are an abomination to the Lord” - liars are shut out of heaven in Rev. 22, along with idolaters, sorcerers, cowards & other evil-doers. We will be judged by our words (Matthew 12.35-37). And, “Out of the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks” - IOW, people say what is false, because they are false at heart. This is Christ’s own teaching.

Whatever else lies are, they are not trivial, & they are hateful to God. It is terribly dangerous to lie - & very stupid.

 

[thommie]

It’s not that He’s petty, but that He is holy, and wants us to be likewise (Romans 12:1-2).