As my regular readers know I have openly struggled with the theodicy question on this site multiple times. I recently came across a quote attributed to Mother Teresa that sums up well what my tentative resolution to the problem is:
When a poor person dies of hunger, it has not happened because God did not take care of him or her.
It has happened because neither you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she needed.
That strikes me right in my gut, my heart and my spirit. Let us all take these words of a modern day saint seriously. They ring truer every day that passes in this increasingly globalized world. May God have mercy on us all if we ignore Mother Teresa’s admonition.
Consider this.
Man was made good by his creator. For us not to do good is contrary to our creation. On the flip side, have you ever done something good or right and gotten that sick feeling in your gut, heart or spirit?
My research leads me in the direction of thinking that doing Good is natural and not doing good is a learned behavior.
TheS8nt
Jimmy I agree with you and Mother Teresa, but sometimes I feel like this lets God off the hook in a sense. It seems to say that somehow we are responsible for God’s creation and not God. This is one more of the struggles I have with the Theodicy issue. How is it that God is Jehovah-Jireh, but he relies on people to do the providing sometimes?
Rogue,
Very valid question and one that I’m not sure there is an answer to. For me, it is less of a problem if God for some reason “can’t” provide food (or clothing or shelter or clothing) for all people than if God can and chooses for some reason not to.
Also, as far as us being responsible for creation rather than God…doesn’t God give that responsibility to us in the garden? I know that is about caring for the physical earth, but I think it is a question worth raising.
Any further thoughts?
Alan,
Interesting thoughts. I tend to generally agree with you, but I raise this question:
What about our “fallen nature”? It is a century old question, but how do we define “original sin” and its impact on humanity? How you answer these questions greatly influences whether you think humans are inherently good, evil or a mixed bag.
I tend to fall on the inherently good side of the argument as well, but then I look at the world and have to wonder…
The Christian tradition has given us both very pessimistic and very optimistic views of human nature. I think this is because we are very contradictory creatures.
Any further thoughts?
I didnt mean to say or imply that God cant provide. I have the same query as you about God choosing not to provide.
The task God gave Adam in the garden is certainly a valid point, but does that directive apply to all people now? Does it apply to only Christians? How do we take care of things in the aftermath of the fall? The instructions God gave Adam were in his pre-fallen state. What changes in light of the fall? Then what changes because of the resurrection?
I know I am have more questions than anything right now, but I just really dont know how I feel about all this.
On another note, we will be coming back to the States in 2 weeks. We fly into Los Angeles on July 4, so I guess it will be our independence day, or at least the day we are free to eat good American food that we have been missing for almost a year now.
Only more questions,
The more I study, the more knowledge I touch, the more questions come to mind.
Ok, here are some things I think.
The “christian tradition” is based on marketing and sales strageties. It, in its present form, denies the power of the word by believing that the word needs a hard sell or sell to the pain approach.
Yes, the belief that man is anything but good leads him down a path to persue a life of less than. A race to the basement.
Could it be that we are what we believe we are?
Additional ideas
1. We are made Good like all creation.
2. We are made to do good.
3. The sinful nature exists
4. We are not the sinful nature
5. Their is a choice other than the sinful nature
6. Could it be that God made us to do good on earth
incomplete thoughts
TheS8nt