A common idea held by many believers is, “everything happens for a reason.” Of course, this is another way of saying “God” is in control.
This seems to me to be a most unhealthy way to view reality. Are we really to think that there is a “reason” that a child is diagnosed with cancer, that a wife is beaten to death by a husband, or terrorists fly planes into buildings?
Everything happens as a result of a natural cause, not for a mysterious, supernatural reason. For example, the wind causes a kite to fly. The kite doesn't soar for a reason.
The only reason—or meaning—in life, is that which we personally give it.
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5 comments:
John -- finally decided that big topics can be discussed in little conversations, and this one seemed least like a boxing ring!
I completely agree with you here! I bristle at the idea when comments like that are made, because yes...it implies that crappy events like you named, were somehow orchestrated, or at least "allowed" by God (blessing it in some way).
I give natural causes, chance, and free will much more room in this world. Things happen because people are stupid, evil, and sadly, unfortunate. This is a scary idea for many, but God doesn't promise a charmed life. Yes, some Christians even starve to death. (which leaves a discrepancy with the lilies/birds passage that I haven't reconciled yet)
This means a more desperate dependence on God and a sincere, faithful prayer life (cringe if you must, but I believe it's a good thing). This also implies I believe that God can change his mind, and that at times, he does intervene. All this throws me out of Calvinist and other circles and into something else I'm sure theologians have named.
People are just trying to make sense of their struggles though, and give it meaning. It's a way to cope. I can hardly blame them for that, but I also think it makes people confused, angry, and hurt by God.
Another problem with that view is that it's narcisstic, which I think is part of American culture, and therefore American Christianity. 'God (via circumstances) revolves around me.' The superstar athlete who says God blessed him with winning the championship game probably hasn't thought through the fact that God loves the other guy too.
A bad part about my view is that there are likely times God has intervened/blessed people/me and I don't attribute it to him, making me ungrateful.
So I guess we agree in some ways, but part ways signficantly when it comes to God's actual existence, which makes some of these conversations a little wierd when we have such different assumptions. There it is anyway!
I'm gonna go fly a kite!
Hi Christine! So honored to have your thoughts grace my little blog!
I’m in agreement with you through the first 3 paragraphs though just for clarity (and you probably meant this) I would say things happen because people DO stupid things not because they ARE stupid or evil.
Though I certainly appreciate your rejection of Calvinism, you lose me at paragraph 4. We’ve established that things happen —both good things and bad— because of human actions and natural events. So why do you say we must embrace this “God” thing to the point of “desperate dependence”? Please elaborate.
On to par.5. I agree that it’s natural for people to try to make sense of their struggles, to find meaning in them. It also seems we are in agreement that the downside of embracing the idea of a personal God is that this leads to wondering why God let me get cancer or let the church youth bus go off the bridge and can lead to all manner of misplaced emotions including fear that God is punishing us, guilt that we haven’t been praying properly, anger that God could have intervened but didn’t, and so on.
Par.6 Agree. Here is a great article that speaks to the whole God/sports thing:
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/superbowlxx/2009/05/god-doesnt-care-who-won-that-s.php#comments
Par. 7 I think this is an example of the unhealthiness of thinking there is some invisible puppeteer pulling strings sometimes but not other times leaving you to wonder what is natural cause and effect and what is supernatural. The person that embraces the natural rather than the supernatural never has to wonder such a thing and there is a great clarity and peace that comes with that.
I probably should go fly a kite too--sounds like a great idea.
Yes, people do stupid and/or evil things. Repeatedly.
Par. 4 - We diverge here because that statement assumes one does depend on God. My point is that if a Christian believes 'everything happens for a reason' and 'God is in control', it naturally leads to a perspective of predestination and fatalism. Everything is already worked out. "I can't affect what happens." On the contrary, I believe that one can, since chance plays a bigger role. Therefore, one who believes in God would be compelled to pray more, ask for intervention and guidance. Their relationship with God would be much more fluid.
Par. 5 - No - we don't agree about the 'downside of a personal God'. I think there's a major downside to the idea that "everything happens for a reason". Again I believe chance plays a huge role in circumstances. My view is that God values humanity's free will. What is love if it is forced? Free will is a higher value to God than controlled, or stamped out evil.
Par. 7 - Choosing the natural might simplify things, but the problem is – “it is what it is”. Something either is natural or it isn't. It's supernatural or it isn't. Whether someone believes one or the other, is right or wrong, doesn't change what it is...or isn't. (You can be right or wrong, I can be right or wrong, etc.) This is true of so many things. In this PC world, it doesn't really work to say something is "your truth" or "my truth" if you are referring to reality. Reality can accommodate many truths, but it can't accommodate all “truths” -- and when some truths are in direct contradiction with each other, either one is correct or they are both incorrect to some degree.
Just to clarify -- are you implying that I believe there is an invisible puppeteer who sometimes pulls strings and sometimes doesn't? "Invisible puppeteer" is really loaded, and doesn't describe my whole position of 'free will' and 'chance' that I had hoped I was defending all this time. I don't even think calvinist Christians would identify with the puppeteer analogy.
That's it for tonight...on to the weekend.
Hi Christine,
I agree with your statements about predestination and now understand better what you meant by needing to rely on God. I just have come to the place of thinking “God” is all in our heads. But even if that is the case, that fact obviously doesn’t matter to people. Because it doesn’t matter which God is prayed to, the follower of that God is usually quite sure the God is real and listening.
Par. 7. Agree whole heartedly about reality not caring what we think! I hate the idea that you have your truth and I have my truth. Arrggghhh! You may think you have your own truth and I may think I have my own truth but unless our ideas align with reality we are both deluded and our so called truth is not truth at all. I personally think we are all deluded about far more than we can imagine and even the few things we are close to viewing accurately are always only partially grasped.
Perhaps my “invisible puppeteer” phrasing wasn’t the best choice --I certainly apologize if I offended you! But I am not sure it is too far off the mark. If this invisible thing called “God” sometimes intervenes, I think it is fair to say he is “pulling strings”. For example, let’s say I ask “God” for a job and “he” decides to change the natural course of history which was going to leave me homeless and penniless. “He” then somehow makes Mr Smith and I change our plans for the day so that we bump into each other and begin talking about work which leads me to getting hired by Mr Smith. It seems in such a scenario we were—at least to some degree— been made to act like puppets. It seems to me even if you say “God” might just kind of whisper suggestions in our ears or telepathically send ideas but people must act on them of their own free will, “he” is still manipulating or “pulling the strings” of nature/people.
The really unhealthy thing I see with the idea of an intervening, personal God that answers prayer requests is that I can be thrilled and grateful when I run into Mr Smith and get that job and give all glory to God and then wonder why I was hit by a truck on my to my first day of work and paralyzed. What do I think then? If “God” knows all and can manipulate things so that I run into Mr Smith why did he not manipulate things so I did nor get hit by the truck?
That reminds me...Saw Benjamin Button last night. A bit hard to take seriously and very long. Not one I would ever watch again but there was one 60 second or so sequence showing different people all doing things that led to an accident and how if just one of those many people did just one thing differently the accident would not have happened. That little snippet made the movie worth while.
Did 60 miles today and I stink! Better go do something about that. Hope your weekend is a great one!
Sorry it's been awhile. I just think we're coming at this from extremely different frameworks. The idea of saying "yes!" "no!" "yes!" "no!" back and forth seemed a little silly.
I'm sending you an email in a minute.
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