What is God responsible for?

[Willum]

Many things were done in God's name:
But what is he responsible for?

When the Catholic Nazi Germany attempts a genocide, a man is blamed.
When Hebrews commit genocide on the Canaan, it is his will.

We have plagues, on Catholic countries, for example. The Dark Ages were committed in Yahweh's name. Were they?

Why would Yahweh plunge the civilization of Rome, with health, farming and sanitation, back into the primitive squalor of ancient Jerusalem, if so?

If not, why did he not stop such a terror? It seems to be in His purview.

How does one determine if an act is done in God's will, or men's will?
Does the Bible tell us?

Understanding that free will is a constraint - we can also understand that mob's and large numbers of people lose free will, does this fall into God's purview, then?

In short, how does one know what God is responsible for;
Any group decision?
A decision influenced by prayer?

The position is that presented by Romans 13:

Obey the rulers who have authority over you. Only God can give authority to anyone, and he puts these rulers in their places of power. 2 People who oppose the authorities are opposing what God has done, and they will be punished. 3 Rulers are a threat to evil people, not to good people. There is no need to be afraid of the authorities. Just do right, and they will praise you for it. 4 After all, they are God’s servants, and it is their duty to help you.

The position of the OP is: those atrocities committed by governments, God's will, and he is responsible for them.

[ttruscott]

[Replying to post 6 by ttruscott]
On what basis do you have this opinion?

I accept this as my opinion because since I experienced the Spiritual side of things I have looked for the least blasphemous and most logical expression of Christianity and this pov is part of the interpretation of reality and the Bible that fits my criteria.

[Willum]

[Replying to ttruscott]

Your opinion, does not address the OP.
Indeed your opinion does not define God's behavior: See the issue?

[onewithhim]

God is responsible for about 95% of what is done n his name. God's passion is completed in the sympathy of men. God and Man together do it.

How can you make such a statement?

[onewithhim]

[Replying to onewithhim]
Thank you for the reply, but it did not help me understand what terrestrial things God is responsible for. Why is one genocide empowered by God good, and another bad? How does one know which is which?

[Replying to post 9 by dio9]

Is there some scripture that helps us determine when acts are in God's area of responsibility, and those that are man's?

God is responsible for how he guides and protects his worshipers on Earth. Jesus was appointed by Jehovah to rule over the earth, and Jesus is now readying his followers to enter Paradise on Earth. He guides the preaching work about the Kingdom government of God, and soon this government will get rid of human rulerships and be the only government that will exist over the earth. (Rev.7:15-17; Isaiah 61:1,2; Luke 1:31-33; Daniel 2:44; Matthew 24:14)

Right now the most important thing in the history of mankind is putting faith in that coming Kingdom and do all we can to tell all people about it. God's own government by Christ is the answer to all of our problems.

I thought I answered your questions in my previous post. Would you mind reading it again and then tell me what you don't understand?

[marco]

God is responsible for about 95% of what is done n his name. God's passion is completed in the sympathy of men. God and Man together do it.

Well, if one accepts that God made man then he's responsible for everything, good and bad. Parents may escape the charge of being responsible for their children's behaviour, but God knew everything in advance, and went ahead.

If we accept he deliberately had his son sacrificed, then he is responsible for stigmatizing Jews as "God-killers". Somebody had to kill Christ, if that was God's plan. That eventually led to the Holocaust, where his people were massacred.

That's a lot of responsibility.

[Willum]

[Replying to onewithhim]

They seem to be observations and interpretations, not anything one could use to determine what God was dictating or not.

For example, was Cortes or God responsible for the elimination of the South American Indians?
Cortes said he acted in Gods name, and certainly it seems God should have an interest in this kind of event, did God take part? Command it?

Is God responsible for Cortes' actions?

[onewithhim]

[Replying to onewithhim]

They seem to be observations and interpretations, not anything one could use to determine what God was dictating or not.

For example, was Cortes or God responsible for the elimination of the South American Indians?
Cortes said he acted in Gods name, and certainly it seems God should have an interest in this kind of event, did God take part? Command it?

Is God responsible for Cortes' actions?

I explained that whatever goes against God's commands in the Bible (particularly the New Testament), those things would not involve God. I think that pretty well covers it. (JehovahsWitness explains it even better in her post #46 on the thread "Love Our Enemies").

God was in no way responsible for Cortez eliminating the indigenous peoples of South America. He SAID he acted in God's name, but does that make it so? A man can say anything.


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[Willum]

[Replying to post 17 by onewithhim]

Ah, now you have reached the topic.
What is God responsible for?
How can we know?

Cortes eliminated millions in the name of God. He invoked God's power and prayed to him to do so.
God sent no premonitions, and didn't stop him, therefore did God help or indeed direct him to do so? Surely a good Catholic like Cortes acted only in accordance with God's will.

So, back to question, what happens on Earth that is in God's realm of responsibility? What does he do here? What doesn't he allow himself to do?

How do you know?

[onewithhim]

[Replying to post 17 by onewithhim]

Ah, now you have reached the topic.
What is God responsible for?
How can we know?

Cortes eliminated millions in the name of God. He invoked God's power and prayed to him to do so.
God sent no premonitions, and didn't stop him, therefore did God help or indeed direct him to do so? Surely a good Catholic like Cortes acted only in accordance with God's will.

So, back to question, what happens on Earth that is in God's realm of responsibility? What does he do here? What doesn't he allow himself to do?

How do you know?

No....a "good Catholic" like Cortez would not be interested in how he treated the native people. His royal backers, like Columbus's King & Queen of Spain (good Catholics), were interested only in what would make them more wealthy. I don't see Cortez or Columbus or any of those treasure-seekers as men who would truly pray to God and ask His guidance---guidance for what? Ways to kill off the natives? That certainly wouldn't be within God's will, so Jehovah wouldn't even listen to that. "Good Catholics" doesn't make them true followers of God and His laws.

I thought I had explained somewhere why God doesn't get involved with the wars of the nations. I'll have to see if I can find my post. Why would God get involved? It is Satan's world, and Satan is running it. (I John 5:19; Revelation 12:9) Jehovah is concerned with guiding and protecting His relatively small group of people on Earth who are looking to Him for guidance in enduring this crazy world.


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[Willum]

[Replying to onewithhim]

So, well I am glad you think so. Cortes, on the other hand would never have reached his position were he not Catholic.

And in going down the rabbit hole of examples, you are failing to address the topic:
What does God do on Earth?

What is he responsible for on Earth?

What can be pointed at that he does?

The Flood. OK,that's what the Bible says. But what about modern events?
Does he do nothing at all?

How do you know that he is responsible for the Canaan, but not the American Indians?
That he didn't endorse Catholic Germany, but did endorse Stalin?

The Bible must tell us, or else we are blind.