Why is God not held to the same moral standard as man?

[Cieza]

If God knows the future, can do anything, cares about us all and loves us all (as Christians say), then why didn't he alert the folks of Haiti that there would be a massive earthquake which would kill some 200,000 people and destroy their largest city? Perhaps he could have saved thousands of lives and averted the pain and suffering a lot of loved ones had to go through?

If you were standing on a bluff 200 feet above the ocean, you knew a tsunami was coming in and saw some people on the beach, it would be your moral obligation to alert those people below that a tsunami was on it's way and would kill them if they didn't get to higher ground.

Yet God is not expected to alert the folks of Haiti that a deadly earthquake is about to occur? Seems like God doesn't follow the same moral standard that we are expected to follow.

 

[elman]

If God knows the future, can do anything, cares about us all and loves us all (as Christians say), then why didn't he alert the folks of Haiti that there would be a massive earthquake which would kill some 200,000 people and destroy their largest city? Perhaps he could have saved thousands of lives and averted the pain and suffering a lot of loved ones had to go through?

If you were standing on a bluff 200 feet above the ocean, you knew a tsunami was coming in and saw some people on the beach, it would be your moral obligation to alert those people below that a tsunami was on it's way and would kill them if they didn't get to higher ground.

Yet God is not expected to alert the folks of Haiti that a deadly earthquake is about to occur? Seems like God doesn't follow the same moral standard that we are expected to follow.

In this world everyone dies. Warning them of a tsunami would not change that. Perhaps it is not the length of our life that is ultimatly important, but the quality of it.

 

[1watchman]

Hold on, Cieza! You are presuming to judge God, and you and I don't know ANYTHING about God other than what He tells us. If we don't read His Word and see the ways and mind of our Creator, we can only guess and raise questions of the flesh (our puny understandings).

God always does the right things and seeks the good of His creation. He knows when a people are rebellious and over the years have rejected Him and began to worship devils, etc. He soon gives up on nations and peoples and disciplines them. Maybe that will awaken the nation to repent and bow to their Creator.

Let me suggest you begin reading the Gospel by John, then see the Book of Romans, and read Acts. After that you might see the need to receive God and trust Him. If one goes into their "closet" (Matt. 6:6) and speaks to God in humility, and receives His beloved Son for salvation, one will then come into the light by the Spirit of God. Look up always!

- 1 Watchman

 

[Emmy]

Dear Cieza. God is the great I AM, and if God had not made us, (in His image) we would not be here. God put order into the Chaos, and God made a beautiful world for us. God gave us brains to think and hearts to love. God also put Natur in charge of all natural things, and Man was in charge of all. God is Love, and God made everything right. Now we have an imperfect world, and why? God made it Good, there is only our selfishness and Non-Caring which brought the change. Time also played a part, and now we have Earthquakes and Tsunamis, and many other disasters. God NEVER made them, but God gave us brains and we are learning to combat and overcome many things. There is also the fact: If we love each other, and help each other, we can ease much sadnes and suffering. You ask " why does`nt God? " God does help us and lead us from many bad terrible accidents, but God wants us to ask, and pray to Him. Why?? God has given us free will to go our on way, or ask His help and guidance. Many of us do, and are being helped. And I also hasten to add: There are many Christians who help in many disasters. We are quite capable of helping to ease much suffering, and to pray is a great weapon, and that is there for all of us to use. If you would only make an effort to get to know our Great God, you would soon realise that God loves us, and He wants our Love freely given. Even now you could ask God in Prayer, and He would tell you that His Plans for us are much bigger than preventing natural disasters or other sad occurences. God gave us the power to do much Good, but we must follow His Commandments to LOVE and CARE for each other. This life is only short, but eternity with our Heavenly Father is for ever. The Bible will tell you all you want to know, wy don`t you ask God? I say this humbly and with love. Greetings from Emmy, sister in Christ.

 

[drich0150]

If God knows the future, can do anything, cares about us all and loves us all (as Christians say), then why didn't he alert the folks of Haiti that there would be a massive earthquake which would kill some 200,000 people and destroy their largest city? Perhaps he could have saved thousands of lives and averted the pain and suffering a lot of loved ones had to go through?

If you were standing on a bluff 200 feet above the ocean, you knew a tsunami was coming in and saw some people on the beach, it would be your moral obligation to alert those people below that a tsunami was on it's way and would kill them if they didn't get to higher ground.

Yet God is not expected to alert the folks of Haiti that a deadly earthquake is about to occur? Seems like God doesn't follow the same moral standard that we are expected to follow.

It sounds as if you do not have a scriptural understanding of what morality is. If we are going to speak of God and morality, know we must turn to scripture to do so accurately.

Morality is man's flawed effort to emulate God's perfect righteousness. Meaning God set's a perfect standard in which all will be judged by. "Morality" is the best you can do to achieve this level of righteousness. In short "morality" is a good attempt at righteousness, but still has a level of unintentional sin Incorporated into it.

To judge God by man's "morality" is foolishness, because Man's "morality" is flawed.

It is like saying this death camp Nazi was a "honorable" Man. Even if he was better than the other death camp Nazi's, 'he' was still a death camp Nazi.
Again outside of the fundamental flaw in you question the basic premise does hold merit in that "How can God be considered righteous and not warn people of impending disaster?"

The answer is simple. God is the creator of life. No where written or expressed that God promised any of us our next breath, let alone the 100 years popular culture has deem the "Life" in the "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" That 'we' all think we are entitled to.

Because none of us have been given this promise we must conclude that our "lives" are not ours. They belong to God, and as such He is free to take them back, any time He wish, or however He wishes to do so.

To summarize, God can remain righteous when He takes life, because He is taking what belongs to Him.

 

[drich0150]

Another complimentary question: if God knows everything, why is he constantly surprised and angry at everything that man does in the OT?

Have you ever had a puppy?

Has said puppy ever chainsawed through a nice pair of shoes or a couch? Where you surprised that a puppy would chew a leather or stinky object? Or were you simply disappointed that he did? Did this disappointment negate any angry feelings you might have had?

we are those puppies.

 

[drich0150]

How much more clear do I have to be?

Omniscience, in all senses of the word, is clearly attributed to God throughout both NT and OT.

Yet... God is constantly surprised at what his little creation is doing.

again not "surprised." Disappointed.

You were so quick to dismiss the analogy you missed the biblically backed point it was making.

If you want to address something. address the substance of the message, and not the package it is wrapped in.

 

[Lethe]

The concept of divine retribution is cruel and absurd if you start from omniscience.

God creates man ---> exactly how God intended
Fall of man----> exactly how God intended
Eternal separation of man from God ---> Exactly how God intended

...and the whole thing is a farce.

 

[singpeace]

Tragedies such as the 2010 earthquake in Haiti cause many people to question God’s goodness. It is distressing that natural disasters are often termed “acts of God” while no “credit” is given to God for all the many lives He has saved.

What I think is that events like Haiti's earthquake shake one's confidence in this life, and one is forced to think about eternity. After a disaster like that, churches are usually filled as tens of thousands of people realize how tenuous their lives really are and how life can be taken away in an instant.

What I do know is this:
1. God is good, and many amazing miracles occurred during the course of Haiti's earthquake that prevented even greater loss of life.

2. Natural disasters cause millions of people to reevaluate their priorities in life.

3. Hundreds of millions of dollars in aid is sent to help the people who are suffering.

4. Christian ministries have the opportunity to help, minister, counsel, pray, and lead people to a saving faith in Christ.

5. God can, and does, bring great good out of terrible tragedies.

Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

I wonder what sign would have been sufficient for that many people to have believed God was warning them? A booming voice? A finger writing on the sky? How many would have tossed these miracles off to a trick of the eyes and ears, an elaborate hoax, or just their imagination?

Noah worked on the ark as he warned everyone of the coming flood for a minimum of 100 years.

 

[pinkputter]

The concept of divine retribution is cruel and absurd if you start from omniscience.

God creates man ---> exactly how God intended
Fall of man----> exactly how God intended
Eternal separation of man from God ---> Exactly how God intended

...and the whole thing is a farce.

If it's a farce then why did he send his Son to die for us?

God had no say in Lucifer turning away, but he has everything to do with us having the HONOR, OPPORTUNITY, by taking that which is evil and turning it into a blessed abidance in Him and eventually eternal life in his Paradise. That's an amazing God!!!!

 

[drich0150]

Alright. Whatever term you want to use: surprised, disappointed, whatever.

How do you get disappointed with a creation (say you're a hobbyist) when you built the creation to your exact specifications and it came out exactly as you knew it would?

Where is the disappointment there?

OK this is an easy one. say your "creation is a son or daughter, and your hope for them is perfect in every way except that once they grow up they do not want for themselves what you want for them. In perspective what if they want to smoke pot all day long and waste tremendous opportunity and many benefits others would only dream of. Would you not be disappointed that your kid does not live up to the potential you could have helped them achieve?

Everything was exactly as you knew it would be. And the disappointment is where?

In the choices of your child who does not follow up on the potential you can provide for them.

(btw... it seems pretty clear that disappointment is based on deviation of expectations from outcomes. If you know the outcome ahead of time, the term "disappointment" makes no sense

Actually it can. For example even if you know the out come of a movie does it change the disappointment one feels when a beloved Autobot needlessly dies? Or when Chuck Nolan's bride to be marries his dentist when He was "cast away?"
Disappointment can come even if you know it is coming.

 

[Steve Petersen]

This OP raises a question I have often ponderered: is it possible for the creature to be more merciful than the Creator?

 

[drich0150]

This OP raises a question I have often ponderered: is it possible for the creature to be more merciful than the Creator?

As I pointed out earlier it heavily depends on your personal POV. If this life is your only point of reference then you maybe inclined to say yes. However if you can carry your gaze beyond this mortal coil, and turn yourself to the direction of eternity, "God's ways" seem to make more sense.

Why save the body only to have the soul to perish for an eternity? So the emphasis is placed on Spiritual well being rather than our physical comfort.

 

[drich0150]

...ah but God doesn't hope. He knew his creation even before he formed them in their mothers womb!
Jeremiah 1:5
God doesn't hope for his creation, he knows what's going to happen ahead of time.

Ah, AHHH! but God does hope! Luke 15 (the whole Chapter) is dedicated to God's Hope for us.

Whatever word you want to use: hope, disappointment; they're all predicated on expectations, and when there are no surprises, there can be no expectations.

yet God still somehow manages to express (And record) these emotions "predicated on expectations" and your only argument is to move to dismiss what the bible says in favor of a harden heart version of God. Why?

 

[drich0150]

What is the point of creating something you KNOW is going to disappoint you?

Why do you see (for God) that creation as a whole is/was a disappointment to God?

That you KNOW is going to fall?

Because "the fall" was all part of the plan to allow for true choice. Choice ensures that the sentient beings you have created elect to be with your for eternity. However Choice creates a side effect in sin. One that must be atoned for.

That you KNOW you are going to doom for apostasy or lack of faith?

According to whom? Either we choose to be with God or we choose the separation He offers.

 

[bling]

Please. Unmuddy the waters.

What is the point of creating something you KNOW is going to disappoint you? That you KNOW is going to fall? That you KNOW you are going to doom for apostasy or lack of faith?

First off, it is really tragic and disappointing, for God and us, that even willing humans need: to sin, tragedies of all kinds, satan to roam the earth, Christ to go to the cross, hell and evil. God has to quench (big time sacrifice) His own desires for man; to provide the very best opportunities for willing humans to fulfill their earthly objective.

As far as being all knowing, that would not mean God knows that which is not knowable, but knows all that is knowable. It might work this way: “Yesterday you made a free will moral decision that God knows about today, God then sends that information back to Himself eons earlier through a wormhole, so He does know your free will decision prior to you making it as far as you are concerned (in your time frame).

There are some things God cannot do ex. Make a being that has always existed. With man God cannot make a being already having at his creation: Godly type Love since that would be robotic type love. God cannot force his Love on a free will being since that would not be Loving on His part. Man’s earthly objective is thus to obtain this Love simple by humbly accepting God’s Charity in the form of accepting God’s forgiveness.

 

[Cieza]

In this world everyone dies. Warning them of a tsunami would not change that. Perhaps it is not the length of our life that is ultimatly important, but the quality of it.

Let's say you're the person standing on a bluff 200 feet above the beach and you know a tsunami is coming. You see people on the beach below. Are you saying you would not scream down to them to warn them of the impending tsunami because they are ultimately going to die anyway?

Just where did you get your moral values?

 

[Emmy]

Dear Lethe. You asked " why is God constantly surprised and angry, in the O.T. ?" What would you like God to do? Just laugh about it? or say to Himself: " Silly men, they don`t know what they do." and then forget about it? God loves us, Lethe, and God wants kind and loving children, but all they ever do in the O.T. is to kill each other, or do great wrongs to each other. God is Love, and God wants loving sons and daughters. It needed Jesus to come and show us God as He really is. As for the punishments in the O.T. it was God`s eternal Law of Justice which meted out: Rewards for doing Good, and fitting consequences for NOT Good. God is Love, and God`s eternal Law of Justice gives us what we need. And it is God`s way of teaching us, but as for Christians, followers of Jesus our Saviour, we do not brazenly sin and do wrong, and God gives us opportunities to learn from each other. God has given us Ten Commandments, and Jesus told us in two Commandments what God wants from us. 1) Love God with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all our minds. 2) Love our neighbour as ourselves. On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. God is Love and God wants loving sons and daughters to live with for eternity. I say this with love, Lethe. Greetings from Emmy, sister in Christ.

 

[elman]

Let's say you're the person standing on a bluff 200 feet above the beach and you know a tsunami is coming. You see people on the beach below. Are you saying you would not scream down to them to warn them of the impending tsunami because they are ultimately going to die anyway?

Just where did you get your moral values?

You are putting me in the place of God without the knowledge of God. That is not valid and you cannot reach any valid conclusions that way. I am saying I think God has set up this world in such a way that we all die. Some of us die in Tsunamis but in the big picture it becomes less important how or when we die, and more important what we do before we die. I don't know what the consequences of God screaming out to people that a Tsunami is coming would have on the way people live and the future. God probably does know these things, and perhaps wisely refrains from doing so.

 

[GrayAngel]

We and God are not on the same level. We are creation, God is the creator. It's God's job alone to choose when each man should die. And this life is not meant to be perfect or everlasting: that's what Heaven is for.

With one of us, however, it is not our job to choose when a man should die. If we see someone in danger, it is our moral responsibility to act. If we choose to let them die, then we essentially make ourselves out to be gods.