Is God Responsible – Or Isn’T He?

[naomi24]

When people, especially the young, fall foul of unavoidable diseases and die, the religious often justify the loss by saying “It’s God’s will”, and yet when asked why they think a loving God would have willed that disease on the victim, they say “It’s not God’s fault”. How does that work?

[naomi24]

I specifically chose unavoidable disease because it is unavoidable – but the question could just as well relate to, say, a child born with terrible deformities. That too is unavoidable. It doesn't result from free will – it results from God’s will, or so we are told - and yet he is not responsible. I think God’s had it with this one.

[Khandro]

Hypo; I didn't "steer away from the thread" He was mentioned by me along with other things, as a riposte to, mikey 18:01 Sun; "Religions may leave us with pretty artifacts and impressive buildings, but it also leaves us knee-deep in bodies."
And as I've said many times on various threads, I don't believe in an interventionist God.

[pixie373]

No ag, i don't believe in God at all. That's what I gather from those who do.

[jomifl]

Ozymandius

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: "Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away."
Shelley

sounds familiar?

[mibn2cweus]

The responsibility lies not with a 'God' that does not exist but with those who believe and act as though 'He' does, those who feel compelled only to do 'His' bidding while relying on 'Him' to do the rest.

[mikey4444]

mibn2cweus....I wish it was in my power to give you Best Answer ! Short and to the point !

[Hypognosis]

@Khandro

//Hypo; I didn't "steer away from the thread" He was mentioned by me along with other things, as a riposte to, mikey 18:01 Sun //

Okay, fair enough. I apologise.

//And as I've said many times on various threads, I don't believe in an interventionist God.//

I don't follow every one of these threads, so wasn't aware of that.

However, if God does not intervene, why do so many put so much time and effort praying to him to do exactly that?
(that's aimed at everyone reading this, your reply is optional).

[agchristie]

Hypo,I believe Naomi asked the same question very recently regarding the power of praying and the futility of doing so.I can understand it may be comforting for believers to pray but how many prayers can said to be answered? I would suggest not many.

[Khandro]

Hypo; CUT AND PASTE WARNING!
"Prayer is a practice to awaken our inherent inner capacities of strength, compassion and wisdom rather than to petition external forces based on fear, idolizing, and worldly and/or heavenly gain. Buddhist prayer is a form of meditation; it is a practice of inner reconditioning it replaces the negative with the virtuous and points us to the blessings of Life.
For Buddhists, prayer expresses an aspiration to pull something into one's life, like some new energy or purifying influence and share it with all beings. Likewise, prayer inspires our hearts towards wisdom and compassion for others and ourselves. It allows us to turn our hearts and minds to the beneficial, rousing our thoughts and actions towards Awakening. If we believe in something enough, it will take hold of us. In other words, believing in it, we will become what we believe. Our ability to be touched like this is evidence of the working of Great Compassion within us.
What's more, it can function as a form of self-talking or self-therapy in which one mentally talks through a problem, or talks through it aloud, in the hope that some new insight will come or a better decision can be made. Prayer therefore frequently has the function of being part of a decision-making process."

[Hypognosis]

@Khandro

One of your most interesting posts, to date.

Attributed to whom?

[Khandro]

hypo; http://buddhistfaith.tripod.com/buddhistprayer/id5.html

[Hypognosis]

Author permits copying "for personal uses only". Naughty Khandro! Work on that karma. 8o)

I think the answer I was looking for was G.R. Lewis.

I would then have asked "who is that?", so you probably saved time posting the link, anyway.
;-)