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"God doesn't make mistakes."

TimCallahan

Philosopher
T
Joined
Mar 11, 2009
Messages
6,293
The title of this thread is rendered in quotes because I've heard said thus many times by evangelical Christians. Along with this bit dogma is another: "There are no accidents." The ideas that God doesn't make mistakes and that there are no accidents are often used to attack not only abortion, but birth control as well. So, if you find out early in the pregnancy that the embryo / fetus / child has Tay-Sachs syndrome, you aren't allowed to abort. God doesn't make mistakes, You were meant to care for that child, not abort it before its brain synapses connect up.

As terrible as this example is - since infants afflicted with Tay-Sachs live only a short while, apparently in intense pain - the idea that there are no accidents even means that God intends to happen to you whatever does. Thus, on a TV series on fundamentalism, I saw a minister, relating how his little girl was severely burned, scarred and crippled for life, preaching how hard he found it to deal with God doing that to his family, yet knowing there was a purpose to it. All the while he's doing this, the kid is sitting there listening to this. Thus, she must believe in a God who wanted here scarred, deformed and crippled for life.

It appears to me that those Christians who follow the theology that prohibits either mistakes of accidents have painted themselves into a corner and must accept absolutely horrible things about God, just to make God perfect. of course, it goes without saying that free will depends on there not being a perfect God. This is where pagans might have an edge on monotheists. Their gods are often less than perfect, thus allowing for accidents, mistakes and the existence of evil. Those worshipping God, however, are stuck with all sorts of conundrums, not the least of which is the existence of evil in a world made by a perfect God.
 
And those who worship no gods, who strive to have no superstitions, who are atheists, are in the best position of all.
 
What about conjoined twins, or an anencephalic baby? God would have to be pretty messed up to consider those successes.

Steve S
 
steve s said:
What about conjoined twins, or an anencephalic baby? God would have to be pretty messed up to consider those successes.

Steve S
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God isn't judgable on our human levels though. Children born to live in absolute agony for a few years with no hope of growing older might be glowing successes to him!

:rolleyes:

It's a sick attitude.
 
steve s said:
What about conjoined twins, or an anencephalic baby? God would have to be pretty messed up to consider those successes.

Steve S
Click to expand...

Their answer is: it's to teach the parents a lesson. I grew up with a brother who is autistic and schizophrenic, so I'm not sure what lesson I need to learn by having a disabled child myself, but that's what I've been told by religious people.
 
Lisa Simpson said:
Their answer is: it's to teach the parents a lesson. I grew up with a brother who is autistic and schizophrenic, so I'm not sure what lesson I need to learn by having a disabled child myself, but that's what I've been told by religious people.
Click to expand...


I find it best to have as little to do with religious people as possible.
 
It doesn't really answer the question about the Tay-Sachs baby, but my response to the quote in the thread title would be to refer to the Noachian flood, which occurred because Yahweh apparently "repented himself" of having created humanity, if I remember the wording correctly. Sounds like a mistake to me.
 
Some fools create a 'god' and we're stuck with the consequences of their nasty delusions for millenia.
 
Jon. said:
It doesn't really answer the question about the Tay-Sachs baby, but my response to the quote in the thread title would be to refer to the Noachian flood, which occurred because Yahweh apparently "repented himself" of having created humanity, if I remember the wording correctly. Sounds like a mistake to me.
Click to expand...

Or he changed his mind.
 
Definition of REPENT
intransitive verb
1
: to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life
2
a : to feel regret or contrition b : to change one's mind
 
Jon. said:
It doesn't really answer the question about the Tay-Sachs baby, but my response to the quote in the thread title would be to refer to the Noachian flood, which occurred because Yahweh apparently "repented himself" of having created humanity, if I remember the wording correctly. Sounds like a mistake to me.
Click to expand...

We're up to three reboots of the rules in this perfect system by a perfect God.

1. Eden
2. Kicked out of Eden
3. Noah
4. Jesus


Wait, I guess that's 4, and that's just the major reboots.
 
I really do not like these conversations because you are validating God belief in a round about way. I knew I'd come in and see the conjoined twins and other "mistakes." And to point out that "God made them, and they are a mistake" is just underscoring that goddit.

Stop doing that. Not even for the purpose of a hypothetical situation. Would you spend time debating how Santa could really know for sure who was naughty and who was nice?
 
truethat said:
I really do not like these conversations because you are validating God belief in a round about way. I knew I'd come in and see the conjoined twins and other "mistakes." And to point out that "God made them, and they are a mistake" is just underscoring that goddit.

Stop doing that. Not even for the purpose of a hypothetical situation. Would you spend time debating how Santa could really know for sure who was naughty and who was nice?
Click to expand...

Only if Santa happened to be a hot girl dressed in red, carrying a whip to punish those who have been very very naughty.
 
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