You can speak about these things to religious people, as I have been in the unfortunate position of doing so, on numerous occassion and they spout, 'It's God's will that I have a car', or it's God's will that I can pay my bills' or 'I don't worry about seatbelts because nothing will happen unless it is God's will'. When I say, 'isn't that fatalistic' they say NO. God is looking after THEM PERSONALLY because they are doing God's will.'
Gill,
I don't know how to respond except that I find it very shortsighted of these people to think God cares more whether they individually have a job than he does whether the millions of homeless have a place to live or whether the children in third world countries are sold into sex slavery markets. But you are spot on about the kinds of behaviors that would tend to lead to premature death. If they have thrown their life into the hands of God and dispensed with logic then they are going against what the Bible says. (Romans 12:1, 2) The Greek word for "reasonable" or "intelligent" service used here is logikos, meaning "logic." To throw that away is the ultimate in fatalism.
That doesn't mean I believe God doesn't care. I just don't believe he micro-manages the way some people envision it. I believe we have a brain so that micro-management isn't necessary. For instance, if I live in a place where a lot of people around me are starving...what is the logical choice? In the immortal words of Sam Kenneson, a degenerate turned preacher turned comedian turned degenerate preacher, "MOOOOOOVE!!! MOVE OUT OF THE DESERRRRRRRRRRT!!!"
If I live in LA...guess what? I'm going to eventually be dumped into the Pacific Ocean—just a matter of time.
If I live in New Orleans, I should be able to see that the town is built below sea level and that weather conditions in the gulf differ dramatically from weather experienced by Amsterdam. EVENTUALLY, I am going swimming. Logic dictates that I "MOOOOOOVE!!!" This wasn't a new discovery. Back in the early 80s, my grandfather explained to me what the effects would be of a hurricane (pronounced hair-ee-kin, when he said it—he taught himself to read) hitting NO and explained that the levees keeping out the water would turn huge chunks into a big swimming pool. It seemed like common sense to me. Turns out, he was right...go figure.
Tsunami's hit coastlines. Structures that seem permanent and stable become your worst nightmare when built along a coast that then experiences a tsunami. It is better to have structures that wash away, they can be easily rebuilt and they do less damage to people. Tourists want beaches, but building on the beach is risky. Forseeably risky. Logic. When people don't use it well, they suffer for the lack. But, they are rebuilding NO right where it was. They will rebuild the buildings in the recent Tsunami's swath of devastation as well, defying logic in the doing. Sometime later, another devastation will have people shaking their head going, "WHY? Why did this happen?" Because for all their smarts, humans are pretty stupid animals—that's why.
God doesn't run around saving people from their own stupidity.
Respectfully,
AuldSoul