does the buck stop with the boss?

Noxot

anarchist personalist
Supporter
Aug 6, 2007
8,191
2,450
37
dallas, texas
Visit site
✟231,339.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Others
because love requires freedom and so the possibility for evils to be is a sacrifice that God is willing to make for the ultimate purpose of eternal love, wisdom, and freedom.

God can't give us our freedom but he can enlighten it. God is not sovereign over our own freedom.

our freedom is our own responsibility.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0

ViaCrucis

Confessional Lutheran
Oct 2, 2011
37,342
26,788
Pacific Northwest
✟728,246.00
Country
United States
Faith
Lutheran
Marital Status
In Relationship
Politics
US-Others
Fundamentally this boils down to "Why does God permit evil/suffering to exist?" That's the problem of Theodicy. Different people have attempted to address it differently over the years, I'm not sure that, philosophically speaking, there is a very satisfying answer.

-CryptoLutheran
 
Upvote 0

me34571

New Member
May 26, 2016
4
2
58
Canada
✟7,634.00
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Single
I got an answer I like from some Jehovah's Witnesses who had set up a portable stand on the street to hand out literature. They told me God permits the devil to confuse us because just being told the truth isn't enough. The truth has to sink in. I think that, even to a committed atheist, it's obvious that our species is not making it. We're completely failing to survive, let alone prosper. And that has been obvious to anyone who has eyes to see, for some centuries now. So maybe it is all really God being patient with us dummies until we clue in that we need Him. And when we do clue in, if ever, then there will be no more evil in the world because God will no longer permit it.

What I don't like is the JWs' inconsistency in telling people God's word because telling people stuff, as I said above, accomplishes nothing by itself. The word has to sink in and become real to us, and each of us must do that alone for himself.

What do people think?
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0

bling

Regular Member
Supporter
Feb 27, 2008
16,163
1,805
✟794,962.00
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
How is it that an omnipotent creator is not ultimately responsible for everything his creatures, including the devil, do? Doesn't the buck stop with the boss?

Your thoughts, please.

I do not think that analogy fits. Our “boss” is never used in scripture to describe God’s relationship with humans; our father would be a better description. The Father in the prodigal son story was not ultimately responsible for the young son’s poor choices. The prodigal son’s father did allow the son to make those choices as part of the father’s education of the son. The Father had hoped that the young son would eventually reach bottom come to his senses and turn to the father for pure charity and be willing to accept that charity. If the son had not wimped out and decided to be macho to the point of paying the piper/taking the full punishment he deserved and starved to death in the pigsty the father would still be glorious.
 
Upvote 0

ChetSinger

Well-Known Member
Apr 18, 2006
3,518
650
✟124,958.00
Faith
Protestant
Marital Status
Married
How is it that an omnipotent creator is not ultimately responsible for everything his creatures, including the devil, do? Doesn't the buck stop with the boss?

Your thoughts, please.
If he had made us to be automatons then I'd say "yes". But we're not, we're made to be free will creatures.

Since the Fall he's made a way for us to be redeemed and restored to eternal life. So he hasn't left us hanging; we just need to respond to his call.

My thoughts, anyway.
 
Upvote 0

Albion

Facilitator
Dec 8, 2004
111,138
33,258
✟583,842.00
Country
United States
Faith
Anglican
Marital Status
Married
I got an answer I like from some Jehovah's Witnesses who had set up a portable stand on the street to hand out literature.
What do people think?

I think we can set the Jehovah's Witnesses theory aside and continue our investigation.
 
Upvote 0

Chriliman

Everything I need to be joyful is right here
May 22, 2015
5,895
569
✟163,501.00
Country
United States
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
How is it that an omnipotent creator is not ultimately responsible for everything his creatures, including the devil, do? Doesn't the buck stop with the boss?

Your thoughts, please.

God is responsible for our freedom to choose life and death, but we are responsible for the choice we freely make. If we choose death, it's because God gave us the freedom to choose death. If we choose life through Jesus Christ, it's because God gave us the freedom to choose life through Jesus Christ. It all comes back to God and how gracious and loving He truly is for giving us the freedom to choose.
 
Upvote 0