Is your God ever wrong?

[naomi24]

Some of the religious here claim that Atheism a religion and that Richard Dawkins is its God. I disagree with some of what Richard Dawkins says, so how do they conclude that he's my God?

Do you, the religious, ever disagree with your God?

[sandyRoe]

The mocking prayers of the unGodly don't carry as much weight as those of the faithful
You can rest assured you're 99.9% safe from thunderbolts.

[birdie1971]

Sandy - “...You must remember the Bishop of Durham, (was it David Jenkins?) who angered the Almighty by voicing his doubts about the Immaculate Conception. A thunderbolt set the cathedral on fire. Surely more than a coincidence?”

No. Just a coincidence. Nothing more.

If you doubt this, think of the multitude of religious people over the ages who have 'angered the Almighty' and who have not had their homes or places of work struck by lightening; let alone themselves. Are we now to believe that God, angered by a specific individual, punishes that person by setting fire to York Minster; a place of worship specifically constructed in His honour? An indiscriminate act that put many innocent lives at risk – not least of all, the fire-fighters who extinguished the blaze?

What you are espousing is 'confirmation bias' – a simple coincidence given false significance because it corresponds to your existing suppositions.

[RATTER15]

Well the builders of churches never trusted this so called God, that's probably why they always put lightening conductors on churches and steeples.

[beso]

Actually Birdie, the Bible shows God to be rather petulant. He probably could do that in one of His fits of rage.

[naomi24]

Sandy, I can't help thinking God was a bit haphazard with his thunderbolts. Take poor old Uzzah, for example, presumably an obedient follower of his Lord. God decreed that no man should touch the Ark of the Covenant, but upon seeing it about to tumble from the cart it was being transported on, Uzzah stretched out his hand to steady it - and zapppp. Struck dead! There's gratitude for you! Some friend God turned out to be!

[jomifl]

^ perhaps he should have used a stick or a gloved hand or perhaps a layer of dust on his hand even a film of perspiration might have saved him. A layer of dead epidermal cells?

[venator]

The only deity which all loyal Answerbankers should recognise is Ab Editor

Click on the red letters and join us in the First church of Answerbank

It's a new movement - get in on the ground floor. if it worked for L Ron Hubbard, we must have a good chance of fame & fortune <[:-)>

[beso]

God made it fall off the cart just so He wold have an excuse to zapp someone.

[sandyRoe]

I've often said it could be a grave mistake to anthropomorphise God. Uzzah's misfortune clearly shows that he isn't our friend. He sets the rules and we obey, or else.
That's as it should be.

[naomi24]

Ha ha! Well said Sandy. :o)

[jomifl]

Sandy, if god made us in his image doesn't that mean that it is reasonable for humans to anthropomorphise him just a little? or did he say that to all the creatures of his creation just to make them feel that little bit 'special'.

[sandyRoe]

Birdie, I don't think we should dismiss God's treatment of the Bishop of Durham so lightly. I certainly don't think what happened was a coincidence or that my view is only 'confirmation bias'.
To unleash a thunderbolt at the chair when Jenkins spouted his heresy shows that God might even have a sense of humour. Though having said earlier that we shouldn't anthropomorphise him, maybe that would have been better left unsaid.
Jomifl, if we are made in Gods image he certainly isn't made in ours.

[naomi24]

Sandy, the problem is, he is.

[LazyGun]

@Sandy - were your conjecture right, and David Jenkins was punished by God with a lightning bolt, what does that actually say about your God?

It says god has terrible aim, and cares far more about possible blasphemy than his representatives abusing children - seems pretty unpleasant and selfish behaviour to me...............

[sandyRoe]

I don't see God as the NT 'Gentle Jesu, meek and mild...' In my minds eye he's Old Testament, playing with us for his own amusement, indifferent to our pain, as we wend our weary way through this vale of tears.

[birdie1971]

Sandy - “... To unleash a thunderbolt at the chair when Jenkins spouted his heresy shows that God might even have a sense of humour...”

Correct me if I'm wrong here but are you suggesting that the lightening strike happened whilst Jenkins was actually giving one of his sermons? If so, you are misinformed. York Minster was stuck in the early hours of 9th July 1984. The alarm was raised at approximately two o'clock in the morning – no one was in the church at the time.

You then state, “... we shouldn't anthropomorphise him [God]...”. But the Catholic church and the Bible do this constantly. It specifically states in Genesis 1:27 that, “... So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them...”. That is an overt example of anthropomorphism, sanctioned and approved by the Christian faith.

You further state, “... if we are made in Gods image he certainly isn't made in ours.”. Have you read George Orwell's novel, '1984'? If not, you should as this statement is a wonderful example of 'doublethink'. A word that defines a state of mind whereby you can hold two contradictory statements and believe both of them to be absolutely true.

If God made man in His own image then by definition, mankind resembles God. To then suggest that He does not resemble man is a perversion of logic and hence, 'doublethink'.

[birdie1971]

^ “... contradictory statements...” should have read, “... contradictory ideas...”.

[sandyRoe]

I was using 'chair' in the 'cathedra' sense, the Bishop's seat of authority. I was not trying to suggest that the bishop was there when the thunderbolt was dispatched.
On re-reading my 14:29 post I see a typo. "To unleash a thunderbolt at the chair WHEN", should read "WHERE".
It's ironic that Jenkins, in the role of Doubting Thomas, should have provoked such strong evidence of Gods dreadful power.
God works in mysterious ways...

[Ankou]

not really if all he's got is thunderbolts. why didn't he send a plague of locusts down upon jenkins, they are still available for plaguing on demand aint they ? i mean if apollo can send plagues and famine, can't this other bloke ?

[sandyRoe]

If anyone was visited by a plague of locusts these days the media might just put it down to a gardening problem. A thunderbolt leaves little room for doubt.