As to the nature of God: my question to you is--Is s/he omnipotent? My bottom line is that if the answer is YES, s/he is monstrous for allowing evil. I don't buy the insipid free will bit--that aside, consider suffering due to "Acts of God," famine, illness, pain. How do you reconcile the preceding with a God of love--unless you believe s/he is NOT omnipotent.
Excellent question better theologians than me have wrestled with for centuries. I do buy the free will bit; without it we’d just be God’s puppets, unable to make our own choices, including the choice to love and be loved. I also blame our free will (and poor choices) for most of what is wrong in the world. I don’t believe it’s all part of some master plan of God’s that we humans can’t comprehend. I think God can and does bring good out of tragic events, and is still active in the world today, but I don’t believe God causes suffering in order to bring something good out of it (or test our faith).
I know that’s not a fully satisfactory answer. I’m happy to discuss this further, and welcome others to share their thoughts too.
Point taken. Merton was a remarkable person and his message as to process vs results is spot-on. Nevertheless, it galls me that anyone credits God with love. I think he's monstrous. I'm intrigued as to the reasons you left the ministry.
The exclusively male, wrathful God who condemns sinners and non-believers to eternal torment in hell that some Christians (and religious extremists of other faiths) worship is indeed monstrous. The God I worship loves everyone unconditionally and calls us to do the same, and lives in and works through people of all faiths and no faith to bring hope and healing.
I left the ministry during the pandemic, in part because I was appalled by the selfishness of some Christians who refused to wear masks, get vaccinated, or follow CDC guidelines. The congregation I was serving then resumed in-person worship in a sanctuary with stained glass windows that couldn’t be opened in July 2020. They did require masks and make some effort to practice social distancing, but insisted on congregational singing despite CDC recommendations against it.
The primary reason I don’t plan to serve as a pastor again at this point is that I am not willing to remain silent about the racism, sexism, homophobia, lies, illegal acts, and violence now embraced by many Christians. Even in supposedly liberal denominations like mine (the ELCA), white supremacy, sexism, and the refusal to fully accept people who identify as LGBTQ+ as God’s good creations and beloved children are present, and some members don’t hesitate to express those views, along with their support for Trump.
I feel called by God to publicly challenge those views and the harm they are causing, and the sad truth is that most congregations now have members who embrace them and would not allow me to do that.
Your eloquent response merits publication.
As to the nature of God: my question to you is--Is s/he omnipotent? My bottom line is that if the answer is YES, s/he is monstrous for allowing evil. I don't buy the insipid free will bit--that aside, consider suffering due to "Acts of God," famine, illness, pain. How do you reconcile the preceding with a God of love--unless you believe s/he is NOT omnipotent.
Excellent question better theologians than me have wrestled with for centuries. I do buy the free will bit; without it we’d just be God’s puppets, unable to make our own choices, including the choice to love and be loved. I also blame our free will (and poor choices) for most of what is wrong in the world. I don’t believe it’s all part of some master plan of God’s that we humans can’t comprehend. I think God can and does bring good out of tragic events, and is still active in the world today, but I don’t believe God causes suffering in order to bring something good out of it (or test our faith).
I know that’s not a fully satisfactory answer. I’m happy to discuss this further, and welcome others to share their thoughts too.
Point taken. Merton was a remarkable person and his message as to process vs results is spot-on. Nevertheless, it galls me that anyone credits God with love. I think he's monstrous. I'm intrigued as to the reasons you left the ministry.
The exclusively male, wrathful God who condemns sinners and non-believers to eternal torment in hell that some Christians (and religious extremists of other faiths) worship is indeed monstrous. The God I worship loves everyone unconditionally and calls us to do the same, and lives in and works through people of all faiths and no faith to bring hope and healing.
I left the ministry during the pandemic, in part because I was appalled by the selfishness of some Christians who refused to wear masks, get vaccinated, or follow CDC guidelines. The congregation I was serving then resumed in-person worship in a sanctuary with stained glass windows that couldn’t be opened in July 2020. They did require masks and make some effort to practice social distancing, but insisted on congregational singing despite CDC recommendations against it.
The primary reason I don’t plan to serve as a pastor again at this point is that I am not willing to remain silent about the racism, sexism, homophobia, lies, illegal acts, and violence now embraced by many Christians. Even in supposedly liberal denominations like mine (the ELCA), white supremacy, sexism, and the refusal to fully accept people who identify as LGBTQ+ as God’s good creations and beloved children are present, and some members don’t hesitate to express those views, along with their support for Trump.
I feel called by God to publicly challenge those views and the harm they are causing, and the sad truth is that most congregations now have members who embrace them and would not allow me to do that.