We agree on something!
:up:
toldailytopic: Who is to blame when we do hurtful things to each other? Ourself? God?
- Thread starter Nathon Detroit
- Start date
- Status
:up:
Thunder's Muse
Well-known member
God isn't to blame for suicide.
He doesn't want anyone to suicide.
Suicide is hatred turned inwards. It's a combination of outside factors (abuse etc) and internal factors (unhealthy mind). If you start looking for someone to blame, you'd never stop.
Buzzword
New member
Thunder's Muse said:
Exactly.
This is apparently an answer too complex for Knight and co. who seem to be reduced to bleating soundbites, rather than recognizing that reality isn't so cut and dry it can be boiled down to a series of simple cliches.
It shows that the OP question is not adequate to contain all possible situations, because it implies that every time a person does something hurtful there is a single entity who is finally and most definitely to blame, instead of recognizing that there are always many factors which influence our actions.
1Ti 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
Though Paul wrote this specifically in reference to himself, it has been valuable to me to apply it to myself.
I am responsible when I hurt others, unless it was unintentional and misperceived by the one hurt. It still is incumbent upon me to try to make it right and alleviate the hurt.
It is possible that in some situations I've been exposed to the mental influence of the deceiver, but I still am a freewill agent and I am accountable for my actions.
GOD is always present to help,,,,,, and to forgive.
Though Paul wrote this specifically in reference to himself, it has been valuable to me to apply it to myself.
I am responsible when I hurt others, unless it was unintentional and misperceived by the one hurt. It still is incumbent upon me to try to make it right and alleviate the hurt.
It is possible that in some situations I've been exposed to the mental influence of the deceiver, but I still am a freewill agent and I am accountable for my actions.
GOD is always present to help,,,,,, and to forgive.
The Graphite
New member
Our Lord is the ultimate and perfect example of a loving Father -- He will take away our possessions, make us ill, maim us, rip our limbs off, and kill our loved ones... all in order to teach us to rely on Him more, to trust Him, and all ultimately for His greater glory.
So, when your friend is ripped in half in a car accident and bleeds to death as his intestines spill out onto the hot asphalt, and he has never come to know Jesus Christ, rejoice! Our God intended for this to happen, because this glorifies the Lord! Thank Him for doing that to your friend, and for not allowing him to know His grace. After all, His ways our higher than our ways. Praise our loving and merciful God!
I, for one, can't wait to meet Him face to face. :sigh:
Zeke
Well-known member
Thunder's Muse
Well-known member
The Graphite
New member
I'll give you three guesses, and the first two don't count.
We are.
:rotfl: I knew it! 'Fess up. You're a closet Calvinist!
Genesis 3:9-19 (KJV) The account of how God sorted through the problem of personal responsibility and blame.
Ask Mr. Religion
☞☞☞☞Presbyterian (PCA) 	
Gold Subscriber
LIFETIME MEMBER
Hall of Fame
Knight,
You must know some odd Calvinists. The ones I know get the difference between first and second causes and where to properly assign blame.
The Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter V
Of Providence
II. Although, in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first Cause, all things come to pass immutably, and infallibly;[8] yet, by the same providence, he ordereth them to fall out, according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.[9]
8. Acts 2:23; see Isa. 14:24, 27
9. Gen 8:22; Jer. 31:35; Isa. 10:6,7; Exod. 21:13; Deut. 19:5; I Kings 22:28-34
Second causes are the means by which these decrees are executed (i.e. will of man, natural phenomena, etc.) Responsibility lies in second causes.
The Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter III
Of God's Eternal Decree
I. God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass:[1] yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin,[2] nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.[3]
1. Psa. 33:11: Eph. 1:11: Heb. 6:17
2. Psa. 5:4; James 1:13-14; I John 1:5; Hab. 1:13
3. Acts 2:23; 4:27-28: Matt. 17:12; John 19:11; Prov. 16:33
AMR
toldailytopic: Who is to blame when we do hurtful things to each other? Ourself? God? The Devil? (generally speaking of course) |
Our self? Yes, and most times willfully. The "I'll show you" tactic.
God? No, noting Ephesians 4:31-32. "And be kind to one another."
The Devil? The devil and his minions only will give a person the notion by showing and planting the idea of to be hurtful and use hurtful tactics, and when that person carries it out the hurtful deed is done. The Devil seeks those who are weak in areas of be hurtful, and will wait for opportune times to bring it up. We need to stand firm in our, "NO! I'll not be party to this hurtful unkindness." So much for Flip Wilson's "The Devil made me do it."
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
God? No, noting Ephesians 4:31-32. "And be kind to one another."
The Devil? The devil and his minions only will give a person the notion by showing and planting the idea of to be hurtful and use hurtful tactics, and when that person carries it out the hurtful deed is done. The Devil seeks those who are weak in areas of be hurtful, and will wait for opportune times to bring it up. We need to stand firm in our, "NO! I'll not be party to this hurtful unkindness." So much for Flip Wilson's "The Devil made me do it."
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Last edited:
lain: Reality is cut and dry....the problem is that our eysight is so clouded by the Sin which pervades this world that we have a hard time seeing anything but shades of grey by ourselves.:think: It most certainly does contain all possible situations.....we are indeed responsible for our actions and will be judged according to them (unless another has already taken our penalty; therein lies another Judgement).
Where you run afoul and stumble is in that you are not taking into account that the Righteous Judge takes all circumstances into account.....including the very depths of our own hearts.
You state you are a Christian, and I have no reason to doubt this; but I ask you: How can you Trust HIS Salvation if you will not Trust HIS Judgement?
1960s version: "The devil made me do it!"
2010 version: "Oprah said I should do it!"
:dead:
Both seem like pretty sad excuses to me for our actions.
Memento Mori
New member
I don't mean to derail this but question is sort of the doppelganger. What about the good things we do? Can we take responsibility for our actions then or do we have to thank God for it?
I mean if you're going to blame the devil for your evil actions then can you not take responsibility when you do good or if you take responsibility for your evil do you take the thanks for your good?
I mean if you're going to blame the devil for your evil actions then can you not take responsibility when you do good or if you take responsibility for your evil do you take the thanks for your good?
Who is we? (No, LH, read it again)...there is no good absent God, only action and permissibility or prohibition. Now with God...to borrow a bit from Chris Rock, you're supposed to do good. The reward is in the doing and expecting recognition and/or a pat on the back is like the fellow bragging that he takes care of his kids.
:e4e:
- Status