Question: when an atheist gets mad about life’s circumstances, who does he get mad at and blame?
In the area of full disclosure: there have been times I have gotten angry with God. I’m guessing you have to. Now…ask that above question again. 🙂
When Elie Wiesel survived the Holocaust, he came out with no faith. He couldn’t grasp God’s seeming disregard and indifference toward His people, the Jews. How could the God of his childhood-who loved the Jews-allow such an atrocity? That’s a fair question. After a faith struggle, Elie eventually said, “It was because I believed in God that I was angry with Him.”Â
Again…the question. Who do they blame? “I blame God.” But you said…
Getting angry with God is not uncommon. Jeremiah. David. Job. Moses. And more. How many time in Psalms does one read about David’s anger with God? “How long, O Lord, how long?” “Where are you God?” Job accused God of being cruel. Moses often lamented God’s patience with the people of Israel. I once heard that 1/2 the time Moses wanted to wipe out the people of Israel and God said no; the other half it was God wanting to wipe them out and Moses saying no.Â
I admit I’ve been angry at God. Injustice in a courtroom, for example. (I saw a different side yesterday. 🙂 ) Ironically, it was often my own fault for the trouble. God was the convenient One to blame.Â
But you know what? I believe God is okay with me expressing my anger. His shoulders are big enough. He’s even more thrilled when my anger brings me back to His arms…even if I blame Someone others claim does not exist. Again…the question.
“Only fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’ “ (Psalm 14:1)
I’m not proud to admit that I have shaken my fists at God. I have yelled, I have screamed, I have… thrown my tantrums. Just like a teenage child to their parents, I think there are times in all of our lives where we get angry… and yes mostly because of circumstances we place ourselves in or have allowed to happen on our watch. God is not to blame, but He willingly accepted the consequences with every stripe, every thorn, and every nail that Jesus endured.
We have at least a club of two Ryan. But I love how you focus on the solution to it all. Thanks
God is most certainly big enough to take our angry outbursts and understand our flawed and finite minds, Bill. Yes, not a club I want to be in, but like Ryan and you, I have thrown my tantrums. Not proud of that, but God understands.
Blessings!
Well said Martha. And welcome to the (dubious) club.
I have read somewhere, you can ask God any question but do not question God. I don’t want to be a member of your club, but I too know that I have blamed God, when I had no right what so ever to do so. The story of JOB always perplexes me, just when I think I understand it, I still have questions and wonder why God allowed satan to push JOB until he finally broke, and became angry. I wonder do we think in our ignorance, that if we push God hard enough to make Him made will we get our way. In our stupidity do we think our anger at God, will hurt His feelings enough for Him to give us our way. The correct answer is to praise God, no matter what we face, and to realize He is still working behind the scenes, and it us that needs to learn to change not God.
You don’t want to be a pat of our club? Hmmm. I’m actually glad because it is not one to be proud of. 🙂 But you are right how we think in our ignorance that we can push God hard enough to make Him see things our way. How foolish we are. I think your answer is correct btw.