Supposedly, sons weren't supposed to pay for the sins of their fathers (don't remember the scripture location), yet when the father is faithful, his children will be killed to test his faithfulness. So the perfection of the fathers could lead to the death of the children. Poor Job, 'he couldn't win for losing', as my grandma would say.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TESTING WITH EVIL NAD ALLOWING OTHERS TO DO IT?
by blondie 15 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
Ding
My comments about building character were made in response to the question, "Why would anyone that could prevent pain and suffering allow it?" I gave some reasons why one might do so.
I was not saying that all pain and suffering occurs for that reason. I don't claim to know why God allows what He allows.
Return of Parakeet's account of the 10-year-old niece's death describes a terrible event, and I certainly wouldn't try to minimize the anguish or offer some flippant conjecture as to some divine purpose behind such a tragedy. That said, what should we conclude that God is obliged to do in such situations? Send angels to stop children from running into streets? To stop onrushing trucks in such situations? Alter the laws of physics moment by moment to prevent all tragedies?
I agree with Blondie that the book of Job raises far more troubling issues. That wasn't a situation of God simply allowing tragic consequences to occur as the natural consequence of living in a physical world where dangerous and deadly situations can arise.
The book of Job is very strange. The opening chapters of Job go out of their way to describe Job as being blameless and a man of complete integrity. Then they describe Satan as asking for permission to attack Job and his family and God inexplicably granting permission. In Job 2:3 God Himself states that Satan incited Him to ruin Job without a cause.
I don't know about you, but if I were inventing a religion, I would never have invented a story like that one. Certainly, I would never have included such a story among my "holy books." I would have concocted a story that Job's friends would have written, one in which the righteous are protected and never suffer and in which those who do suffer only suffer in exact proportion to their evil behavior. Of course, we all know that the world doesn't function that way. God even tells Job's friends that they were wrong to defend Him by accusing Job of sin.
Not surprisingly, the word "why" appears in Job more than 20 times.
Nowhere in the book does God give Job an answer.
It seems to me that with all the rhetorical questions God asks Job at the end of the book, He is saying that the answers are beyond human understanding. Job (and we) aren't capable of understanding how or why the physical universe operates the way it does. How much more are we incapable of resolving moral issues as to how a righteous and omnipotent God could allow the evil that He allows!
The book of Habakkuk is similar. The author asks God why He allows such wickedness in the face of pleas for help. He cannot fathom how a righteous God could possibly use the wicked, barbaric, and murderous Babylonians to take His chosen people captive. In Habukkuk 1:13, the prophet challenges God: "Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?"
God never gives him an answer either.
He gives many promises, but few explanations, and leaves it to us whether to trust Him or not.
-
Hoffnung
Keep in mind it was intended as poetry
-
return of parakeet
Hoffnung:" Keep in mind it was intended as poetry "
You can set the book of Job to iambic pentameter, wrap it in pretty ribbons, and spray it with perfume. God is still a murderer of innocent children and animals by allowing, no -- encouraging, it to happen.
-
OnTheWayOut
Most jurisdictions recognize "accessory" to a crime or transference where one crime is committed and the parties are guilty for any other more serious crimes that occur as a result. (Like a participant in a break-in crime also being blamed for the death of the guard despite not being the shooter.)
God had his standard bet for one dollar with Satan and consented to the crimes that Satan committed including murder. In many jurisdictions, God would be charged with accessory before the fact and contributing to the crime.
-
ÁrbolesdeArabia
Blondie you have a way of seeing through their "smoke and mirrors" and follow the subjects to their logical conclusions. As time continues in this World, how do you think they are going to hold on to their last remaining disciples who believe the misinformation and bogus Bible knowledge they spoon feed their spiritual babes?
What a good article you wrote with Bible scriptures to back it up, if only the Organization would speak the truth instead of twisting the scriptures to control the minds of their children.