can the Christian God intervene in our lives?

[hypermegachi]

forgive my crappy search skills if this has been discussed before...

also, might as well extend the question. i'd like you guys to leave any mention of omnipotence out of this (because once you state God can make 2+2=5 and have it simulaneously true and false then all arguments are worthless)

now, obviously God "can" intervene, if He wants...after all he's omnipotent. but is there any place in the bible that states the God doesn't do it?

[billygrippo]

obviously not. /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[HLMencken]

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now, obviously God "can" intervene, if He wants...after all he's omnipotent. but is there any place in the bible that states the God doesn't do it?

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When Jesus prayed to God in the Garden of Gethsamane, I believe God responded "Don't complain to me, beyotch, you're on your own." Many see this as God telling us that he does not intervene, nor does he want to be bothered.

[diebitter]

Trials of Job?

[billygrippo]

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Trials of Job?

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hahaha that guy got pwned.

[amirite]

I seem to recall God parting seas and throwing plagues at bitches left and right back in the day.

[JMP300z]

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I seem to recall God parting seas and throwing plagues at bitches left and right back in the day.

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God used to do this because that was the best way to take care of business then. Now he runs things differently. -Paraphrased from a religious friend.

-JP

[Marko Schmarko]

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I believe God responded "Don't complain to me, beyotch, you're on your own."

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Hah.

[PoBoy321]

God can, but he doesn't. At least that's one view. Some protestants who believe in preordination believe that everything that will ever happen has already been planned by God. Deists believe that God kind of set everything in motion then stepped back and just watches what happens.

[purnell]

I believe He can and does intervene, subtly, using the hearts of people as his instrument.

[BCPVP]

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but is there any place in the bible that states the God doesn't do it?

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What?

[Fabian]

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but is there any place in the bible that states the God doesn't do it?

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What?

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BUT IS THERE ANY PLACE IN THE BIBLE THAT STATES THE GOD DOESN'T DO IT?

[Matt R.]

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but is there any place in the bible that states the God doesn't do it?

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What?

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BUT IS THERE ANY PLACE IN THE BIBLE THAT STATES THE GOD DOESN'T DO IT?

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I'M NOT A BIBLE EXPERT SO TAKE MY POST WITH A GRAIN OF SALT... err, caps lock.

Your question is pretty general, so I'm not sure how to answer it. On the one hand, of course the Bible does not state that "God does not intervene". There are a million stories about floods, Soddom and Gomorrah, Genesis, etc. where God interacts with Earth. However, does that mean that he *always* interacts? Most likely not, and I think that's what you were getting at. You very well may be able to find specific instances in the Bible where God could interact, but instead chooses to sit on the sidelines and observe. In fact you could possibly infer that this is what he's doing in any story from the Bible if his actions aren't explicitly mentioned.

In short, the Bible pretty much implies that God interacts with the world. But this doesn't mean that he is "forced" to, or that he always does. He could very well choose not to at any time.

[hypermegachi]

the Bible clearly has God intervening with earth in the Old Testament. but in the New Testament, besides through Jesus, God never did anything (to my knowledge, correct me if i'm wrong).

what i'm trying to get to here is how free will and prayer can be affected by God intervening. if God does intervene, it's not possible for any of us to have free will. and if we have free will, all praying would be a placebo.

if we don't have free will, then we would be predetermined, so praying again would be a placebo.

make sense? or am i missing something here...

[purnell]

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the Bible clearly has God intervening with earth in the Old Testament. but in the New Testament, besides through Jesus, God never did anything (to my knowledge, correct me if i'm wrong).

what i'm trying to get to here is how free will and prayer can be affected by God intervening. if God does intervene, it's not possible for any of us to have free will. and if we have free will, all praying would be a placebo.

if we don't have free will, then we would be predetermined, so praying again would be a placebo.

make sense? or am i missing something here...

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If one freely aligns his will with God's will (asking for guidance, basically), he retains his free will even though God may alter it.

[HLMencken]

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If one freely aligns his will with God's will (asking for guidance, basically), he retains his free will even though God may alter it.

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In other words...

If one does what they are told to do, they retain their free will to do what they are told to, unless the one who tells them what to do tells them something else instead.

[purnell]

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If one freely aligns his will with God's will (asking for guidance, basically), he retains his free will even though God may alter it.

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In other words...

If one does what they are told to do, they retain their free will to do what they are told to, unless the one who tells them what to do tells them something else instead.

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Umm... No. If one asks for guidance, it will be given. He is still free to reject that guidance. You seem to be coming from an objectivist POV, implying that faith amounts to slavery, and this is correct if one puts his faith in those who call themselves men of God, and blindly obeys their commands. However, when I place my faith in the Lord, I am free.

[HLMencken]

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However, when I place my faith in the Lord, I am free.

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Wouldn't you be just as free if you didn't? Or is there a condition for freedom (which of course is a contradiction).

[purnell]

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Wouldn't you be just as free if you didn't?

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Yes. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Trantor]

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the Bible clearly has God intervening with earth in the Old Testament. but in the New Testament, besides through Jesus, God never did anything (to my knowledge, correct me if i'm wrong).make sense? or am i missing something here...

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The immaculate conception occurred before Christ existed!