As a pastor and therapist working with those who have experienced trauma, I have recently come to the conclusion that “God allows,” in regards to evil and suffering, is a terrible theo(il)logical phrase that can unfortunately erode trust in a profoundly loving and trustworthy God.
Deconstructing “God Allows”
The word “allow” is poison to the sensitive, God-seeking, and traumatized soul for two reasons. First, it makes God out to be a voyeuristic monster who arbitrarily jumps into time, willfully intervening in some people’s lives to save them from harm, and willfully choosing not to intervene in others.
For example, God watches a disturbed psychopathic man begin to rape a helpless woman and says to Himself, “I planned this before the foundation of the world, I could stop this but I am going to allow and permit it to happen for a grander purpose.” God, although all-powerful, just watches and does nothing to stop it. Then, in the next moment, God watches another psychopathic man, in another region of the world, attempt to rape another helpless woman, but this time says, “Ah, I planned this before the foundation of the world, I will intervene and stop this man from raping her.” Immediately, God intervened and had a neighbor go over to her house to see how she was doing. The perpetrator became startled, frantically ran out the door, eventually getting arrested at a nearby gas station.
It is no wonder people are aghast at the above kind of arbitrary and allowing God,… [Read more…] about Rethinking the Phrase "God Allows" In Response to Evil