I guess this relates to The Problem Of Evil but it came up originally in a discussion about the efficacy of prayer.
In an earlier thread it was argued that certain events occur because it is God’s will. The case in point was the killing of the Amelikites which God ordered (whether you believe this actually took place is not relevant but I assume that there wouldn’t be an argument that God actually has, does and will cause specific events to occur).
A point was made that said that either it didn’t happen or God ordered something that was evil. The counter argument to that was that, as we are not omniscient, we cannot know what the ultimate reason for the deaths were. All we can see, with our limited appreciation of events, is something that appears to be wrong but which, as was argued, must be ultimately good. God cannot order something that is evil.
Fair enough. But a more recent discussion talked about prayers for a sick child. Now this is not a matter about free will - whether we decide to kill or not, or whether it was a free will choice that resulted in harm. The child is sick through no-ones fault.
Now God could obviously decide on whether the child lives or dies. So whatever the outcome, is it valid to say that it is God’s will? Because I have heard arguments that say that it obviously is and although we cannot see any good coming from the death of a child, an omniscient God can. That it’s no good railing against God for what we, with our limited understanding, see as a meaningless and cruel death but which must have a greater meaning.
Things just don’t go how we want them to, do they? Why is that? I think because we are limited in our ability to affect our existences.
Everything goes exactly how God wants it to go, doesn’t it? Why is that? I think because he is unlimited in his ability to affect existence.
I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God: I will strengthen you although you have not known Me. In order that they know from the shining of the sun and from the west that there is no one besides Me; I am the Lord and there is no other. Who forms light and creates darkness, Who makes peace and creates evil; I am the Lord, Who makes all these. Cause the heavens above to drip, and let the skies pour down righteousness; let the earth open, and let salvation and righteousness be fruitful; let it cause them to sprout together; I, the Lord, have created it. Woe to him who contends with his Creator, a potsherd among the potsherds of the earth, shall the clay say to its potter, “What do you make? And your work has no place.” Woe to him who says to a father, “What do you beget?” and to a woman, “Why do you experience birth pangs?” So said the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Creator, "Ask Me about the signs; concerning My children and the work of My hands do you command Me? I made the earth, and I created man upon it; as for Me-My hands stretched out the heavens, and I ordained their host.
So many evil, horrendous, and disgusting things have happened. Understatement of the millenium. How can this be, if God is good?
Only God knows. This is the only honest answer we have.
Why should we pray, if everything goes exactly how God wants it to go?
Our prayers make up a part of the fabric of existence. But, we don’t know how our prayers are going to be answered, and we don’t even know what we should pray for. How can we know better than God? How can we ask him to change his mind? Should we try to use him to make things happen the way we want? That all seems silly and empty to me.
We don’t know if it is God’s will for her to die of cancer or not. We can see his will only looking backward. Do you want her to die? Of course not! So, we pray that she does not die. But, she dies anyway. This is evil. This is horrible. There is no justification, there is no answer. Only God knows why this happened. But, we should not conclude that he is evil and hateful, and that we know better how the world should be.
Here is some good news: life is not 100% unmitigated suffering and evil. Most human beings are having a good time most of the time. It’s true! Some of us get the short stick. Why? Only God knows. But, most of us are doing OK most of the time. Isn’t that amazing? There are a lot of good things to enjoy and be happy about. There are a lot of reasons to praise God.
Are you going to feel this way if you lose a child to cancer? Of course not, nor should you! Those Westboro Baptist people who thank God for atrocities are ridiculous. We can rejoice in God’s will, but we can also mourn it.
What we can’t do, is pretend good things are his doing but that bad ones…well his hands are tied I guess.
In reality, we and God are co-responsible for all of it. We cooperate in the creation of our existences. In a mysterious way, prayer is part of our responsibility too. Do I know how that works? Of course not. Hope this helps, these are just my opinions that I have for now…
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