Blaming God

I'll try to make this a short story, because there are a lot of details that would make this a novel, so I'll just mention the essential parts.

I was in a car accident 10 years ago. After many surgeries and hospital stays, I managed to heal up and start living a fairly normal life again. Then, this past January, I suffered some complications that landed me back in the hospital for more surgery. Currently I am back where I was, limited by my injuries, and bored out of my mind because I can't do what I love.

For some time now I've wondered if God was punishing me in some way. My assumption was that he is in control of every detail of life and that he put me where I am now. I wondered, why does God cause horrible things to happen? This question has burdened my mind a lot recently. When I think about disasters, and how people thank God for some small miracle when it seems he cause the disaster in the first place, why thank God?

Then I had a realization. We live in a messed up world. Did God make it this way? Of course not. We did that (or some might believe that Satan did). So whenever something bad happens, we can't really blame God for our misfortune because odds are that at the root of the problem is something WE caused. So whenever God steps in and helps, it IS a miracle, because he's saving us from ourselves.

That is, at least, how I see it.

Then I had a realization. We live in a messed up world. Did God make it this way? Of course not. We did that (or some might believe that Satan did).

God gave us free will.
But God is also all-knowing (omniscient).
If God is all-knowing then God knows what we are going to do before we do it.
If God knows what we're going to do before we do it then our actions must already be known and decided.
If our actions are already decided then we cannot have free will.
Similarly God already knows what we're going to think before we think it.
If what we are going to think is already known and decided then we cannot have a choice in thinking it nor agreeing with it (since agreeing with a thought would also be pre-known).

This is a well known philosophical problem for believing in a platonic God such as the Christian God. I'll tell you now both Saint Augustine and Saint Aquinas tried to grapple with this problem and with very limited sucess - that's why it's still a problem

I'm reminded of a comic I wish I could find.

A man sits on a park bench with God and asks Him, "Why do you allow such suffering to exist in the world? Why do so many bad things happen? Why aren't evil people stopped? Why aren't the hungry fed, and the sick healed, and the poor clothed? Why do we live in a world where evil is allowed to run rampant?"

And God looks at the man and says "I was going to ask you the same thing."

Streen wrote: I'll try to make this a short story, because there are a lot of details that would make this a novel, so I'll just mention the essential parts.

I was in a car accident 10 years ago. After many surgeries and hospital stays, I managed to heal up and start living a fairly normal life again. Then, this past January, I suffered some complications that landed me back in the hospital for more surgery. Currently I am back where I was, limited by my injuries, and bored out of my mind because I can't do what I love.

I know exactly were you're at right now - for me it wasn't an accident, but some freak disease that all male members of my family have been affected by - had surgery twice some 17 years ago. Each time with a 2-3 months recovery. A few weeks ago it surfaced again and I just had surgery again last Wednesday. I'm at home now, unable to sit, unable to do anything. Will be another 2-3 months until I'm hopefully well again, with a relatively high probability of reoccurrence. It's nothing life-threatening, but it really has the potential to push you into depression.

For a long time, I too thought that this could be punishment from God for whatever it was I had done. I have since lost my Christian believes and I'm convinced it's a simple genetic flaw with big consequences - some random genetic mutation that's causing it. It's still tough to get the spiritual angle right on it and to avoid depressions and despair. I've already talked about this in another thread here. All I can say is that some people here have helped me a great deal and I'm looking at things from very different angles than I did only a few days ago.

I don't mean to sound insensitive but...

SHIT happens. Life isn't fair. Sucks doesn't it?

I live with pain everyday and just keep doing what I have to do. It could be worse and I believe I am a lucky guy because it isn't worse. These are the cards I've been delt and I'll play them the best I can. My glass is half full.

Peace

@Akkarin

i know this is sort of contradictory and i dont really present it as SOLUTION to the issue of destiny or fate but somewhere along the way i was introduced to the idea that we have multiple destinies - just like the idea of multiple realities or dimensions - and that our highest destiny comes as a result for taking responsibility for our lives and our circumstances to the fullest of our capabilities

that by fully actualizing our inner predilection we sort of enter in to our higher destiny

whereas we also have what could be called a wasted destiny which is what we experience when we fail to live up to our calling and our potential or we cling to the debilitating aspects of our character like self pity and fear and self reflection in general

still paradixical lol i know
and like i said it definitely doesnt "solve" the issue in the newtonian sense of "solving" an equation

but ive come to see paradox as a legitimate force of existence itself and so this notion is useful for my particular inventory

@Rickie
because my glass is half full, my cup runneth over!

Please do not misunderstand me Rickie, I want to ask . . . .

so I too have/had the physical stuff

A horse sat/fell on me . . . lol now it sounds funny AND
i have had cancer

yes, a series of repetitive physical pain issues

So, I would like to ask Rickie a question specifically . . all are welcome

Is there really any difference between God did it to me
And
These are the cards I am stuck with it?

Mareeka wrote: So, I would like to ask Rickie a question specifically . . all are welcome

Is there really any difference between God did it to me
And
These are the cards I am stuck with it?

Very good question.

"god did it to me" I think implies someone or thing is pulling my strings.

Thank you for call me just plain old Rickie.

"cards I've been delt" I think is random fate.

But they can be looked at under the same light. I think the real and more important issue is how you deal with the adversities life delivers no matter what you believe the source is. I can't control god or fate, just me.

When things are going well life is fair and when things are not so well we are getting screwed. It is what it is. I deal with it the best I can and go on.

Peace

I believe we are meant, or, you could say, we have the grand opportunity to learn from from the process of living. This sounds simplistic, but life has born out this truth. Every experience, as it occurs over time, is a process. Relationships, death of a loved one, loss, education, employment, parenthood, health issues...an endless, varied list for us all. Plain fact is I learn more from difficulties than I do from things going in what would seem to be the ideal way.

For me, placing the blame seems like a futile exercise unless you could alter the opinion of the blamed. For me, if God is to blame, then it doesn't matter... It has been shown that God will do what He wants to do, regardless of our asking. It would be unwise, were God extant, to go against Him. So, then the problem becomes for me: What can I do with the cards I have been dealt?

Until I can influence the dealer, then placing blame will have no use for me.