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Author Topic: Why are we guilty of omission, but not God?  (Read 536 times)

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Änσnymσus

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Why are we guilty of omission, but not God?
« on: May 29, 2019, 11:41:05 PM »
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  • How would you answer this? If a non-Catholic asked me, I'd truly not have a good answer.

    If a boy is about to seriously hurt another boy and we just stand there looking and let it happen, when we could have easily stopped it, we will surely be condemned, even by the secular authorities, so how can God do the exact same thing and still be good? 


    Offline Nadir

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    Re: Why are we guilty of omission, but not God?
    « Reply #1 on: May 30, 2019, 01:00:12 AM »
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  • For the same reason that He didn't stop Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit, i.e. He gave us free will and He's not taking back his gift.
    Help of Christians, guard our land from assault or inward stain,
    Let it be what God has planned, His new Eden where You reign.


    Offline homeschoolmom

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    Re: Why are we guilty of omission, but not God?
    « Reply #2 on: May 30, 2019, 06:56:03 AM »
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  • We are asking the wrong question when we think that way. If we understand the value of suffering, instead of asking why would God let this happen, we would ask how can this suffering bring me closer to God? Try to avoid seeing only the suffering and try to see how God is offering sanctification through the suffering. 

    Why would God allow the Jєωs to crucify His Son if He wasn't going to bring a greater good from it? As Nadir said, God gave us free will and He isn't going to take it back. But He is also not going to be defeated by our abuse of free will to do evil. There is ALWAYS a greater good to be had if we look for it.  

    Offline Pax Vobis

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    Re: Why are we guilty of omission, but not God?
    « Reply #3 on: May 30, 2019, 08:40:12 AM »
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    If a boy is about to seriously hurt another boy and we just stand there looking and let it happen, when we could have easily stopped it, we will surely be condemned, even by the secular authorities, so how can God do the exact same thing and still be good? 
    1.  God allows free will, for both good and evil.
    --In your example, even if the first boy was stopped from harming the 2nd boy, the first boy sinned by anger/hate.  The sin is separate from the human act of inflicting harm.
    .
    2.  God has delegated to man to duty and authority to have dominion over the earth.  It is man's job to take care of earthly affairs, to the extent of our ability.  When things are beyond our control, then we pray for His intercession. 
    --In your example, it is the duty of any adult to step in correct the first boy for his anger/hate.  God also corrects the boy, through his conscious and by the guilt he feels for sin, and by the inspirations he receives from the Holy Ghost and his guardian angel.  God gives to all men a conscious and a guardian angel as a guide through life.  But neither God, nor angel, nor any person on earth can stop a boy from sinning because all men have free will.
    .
    It would also be the duty of any adult/supervisor to stop abuse/fighting between boys.  However, the fighting/pain inflicted is not a sin; the anger/hatred is the sin.  The pain felt by the 2nd boy who was beaten up is a penance that God allowed to happen and is not sinful.  If God allows suffering in our life, this is typically a blessing (so we can avoid purgatory) though our human nature needs spiritual education to understand this. 

    Änσnymσus

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    Re: Why are we guilty of omission, but not God?
    « Reply #4 on: May 30, 2019, 08:51:36 AM »
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  • Omission simply doesn't apply to God.  If God allows anything to happen, it's due to His (at least permissive) will, and it's calculated for a good end.  God never fails to work all things to their best end.  We human beings, on the other hand, are capable of knowing what a good end might be and failing to do it anyway.  God will not and cannot do that.


    Online Ladislaus

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    Re: Why are we guilty of omission, but not God?
    « Reply #5 on: May 30, 2019, 08:52:02 AM »
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  • Omission simply doesn't apply to God.  If God allows anything to happen, it's due to His (at least permissive) will, and it's calculated for a good end.  God never fails to work all things to their best end.  We human beings, on the other hand, are capable of knowing what a good end might be and failing to do it anyway.  God will not and cannot do that.

    This post was mine.

    So, for instance, if God fails to stop a murder, it's because it's His (at least permissive) will that the person die at that time and in that way ... because He knows the good end towards which all things work.  If we fail to stop a murder, #1) we do not have a right to determine who should live and who should die (only God has that right), and #2) we do not know the consequences (in eternity) regarding whether or not that person dies.  We are not in a position to determine the ends of that action, nor are we permitted to make that judgment even if we think it's for a good end.