Because of Nick’s provocative posts lately on Facebook LOL and me seeing/ reading comments — I realized there’s usually one common thread that I see and have continously seen (for years now) when it comes to something connected with “religious” posts. I’ve always wondered about it.
People’s need to defend “God.”
God (usually) = an all-knowing, all-powerful being in any religion but especially in Christianity.
Why do people need to defend “God” , exactly?
I’d like to retell one of the most fascinating and hardest books that i’ve ever read — in the Christian bible (full disclosure, I’m still processing it. And no, not asking for interpretation ?)
The book is the book of JOB.
What a freaking CRAZY book/story!!!
Premise: A guy named Job, supposedly “blameless” in God’s eyes AKA a “good person” most probably. He does everything right and well.
And one day, this story explains, God destroys Job’s life! Ruins it. Completely. He does it even as he recognizes that Job is one of the “good guys.”
So this book is set as a debate/conversation.
It opens with God allowing Satan to destroy Job’s life. And then Job has these conversations/debate with himself and friends and eventually with God. One person speaks, another person responds.
So, Job, when crazy things started happening to him, at first, he was very devoted and understanding…and then the terror and suffering continues, one after the other!
He then becomes terrified that he did something to deserve it… then incredibly angry because he insists and reflected that NO, he didn’t do anything…And then he came to a point of just wanting to die… and then he goes back very angry. All a roller coaster of human emotions.
But all along he insists and knows that whatever is happening, only God can do this. He had no question in his mind. (As the story shows from the very beginning, he was right).
So then comes his friends … that ended up becoming God’s defenders.
At first they were compassionate of his plight… then suspicious… then totally upset and angry when Job started blaming and “blaspheming” God.
It’s a very painful book to read, personally.
And yet I always go back to rethink and reflect on this book because it is SO out of character from what I’m taught. And it creates so much questions in me.
Especially this part. (I’m paraphrasing here unless I say otherwise)
Job: “I did nothing to deserve this. If I did, tell me. Tell me what I did. No, this is all God’s fault.”
Friends: “God is not like that and doesn’t work like that! How dare you disrespect God! You must have done something to deserve this. It cannot be God’s fault!”
And Job replies to them— this part is an exact quote:
“Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf? Will you speak deceitfully for him? Will you show him partiality? Will you argue the case for God?”
Damn. That always gets me especially the last sentence.
“Will you argue the case for God?”
How many times have we argued the case for “God?” The same being many of us believe to be all-powerful and all-knowing! Why do we do it? Do we feel that “God” needs our help?
Towards the end of the book, this God eventually joins the conversation/debate.
He doesn’t give any answers. What God does is ask Job a sh*tload of questions, dripping with what I can only describe as sarcasm. Things like,
God: “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!”
And Job couldn’t answer any of it. And Job goes, “How can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth and repent. I speak of things I don’t really understand.”
And then! After talking to Job, God speaks to Job’s friends who was defending God and says this!!!
God: “I am angry with you because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has done…”
!!!! Imagine that!!!!
And then after all this, Job prayed for his friends, and God accepted his prayer for his friends and God restored and blessed Job to more than what he ever had before.
And Job went on to live a long, full life. Yeah, it ends with a happily ever after.
Like…. WTH did I just read?!?!
I’ve thought about this story a lot lately, especially when I see people argue the case for God.
If there really is a God, and this God is really all-powerful, all-knowing and the Almighty, like most religion believes “him” to be…
then shit, “he” sure doesn’t need me to defend him and whatever his plans are.
God will make happen what God needs to make happen, with or without my help.
For my part, all I can do is know who this God is. Really understand God’s character (as much my limited brain capacity can understand ) so I can get to be on “his” side and be part of whatever it is God is doing. Because I’m a suck-up like that. If God is God, how can I lose?
And if there is no God afterall, (hard for me to even imagine this scenario), I will die believing in something that, honestly, I’ve always felt made me live a fuller and more fascinating life. (Note I didn’t say perfect)
End of my story. ?
So, just a thought…… before we leap to “God’s” defense, we’re probably better off being someone’s friend instead.
Love and peace y’all. ✌️
Have a good weekend!
