God is in control, what does that mean?

[lewisnotmiller]

To me, it means cosmic justice and goodness will always prevail even if we can't understand it from our limited perspective.

Out of interest, do you believe in an omnipotent, omnipresent, omnibenevolent being in this context?

 

[Trailblazer]

Hi,
The only thing that will make us feel better is the truth.
The truth is that until the designated time, Satan is in control of the world, not the creator.

With all due respect, I do not believe in Satan. The following quote explains what I believe about Satan.

“God is loving to all. Shall we be unjust or unkind to anyone? Is this allowable in the sight of God? God provides for all. Is it befitting for us to prevent the flow of His merciful provisions for mankind? God has created all in His image and likeness. Shall we manifest hatred for His creatures and servants? This would be contrary to the will of God and according to the will of Satan, by which we mean the natural inclinations of the lower nature. This lower nature in man is symbolized as Satan—the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside.” The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 287

I believe the the world is held firmly in the grasp of God's Will, but God has given humans free will to use as we see fit. Until humans subjugate our Satanic nature and start living according to our spiritual nature nothing on earth is going to get much better.

 

[F1fan]

It means you can't deal with the uncertainty of some outcome so pretend a God is active and making a deliberate decision. If it goes your way, God loves you and prayer was answered. If it doesn't go your way, God knows best.

 

[Trailblazer]

It means you can't deal with the uncertainty of some outcome so pretend a God is active and making a deliberate decision. If it goes your way, God loves you and prayer was answered. If it doesn't go your way, God knows best.

That's what it means to Christians but not what it means to me.

 

[F1fan]

That's what it means to Christians but not what it means to me.

It's all about you.

 

[Fallen Prophet]

Last night I heard about a road rage incident on the TV wherein a six-year old child was shot to death in the car his mother was driving.

I copied down exactly what the school pastor said:

“I try to just lay it out to them in a simple way so that they can understand that bad things happen even to a godly situation…

God’s in control, we try to make them understand what that means.”

What is that supposed to mean? Is that supposed to make people feel better? Are people who say that rather naive, or do they just have strong faith?

I believe that God is I control, but I do not understand what that means to this pastor. I only know what it means according to my Baha’i beliefs, as noted below.

“Know thou, O fruit of My Tree, that the decrees of the Sovereign Ordainer, as related to fate and predestination, are of two kinds. Both are to be obeyed and accepted. The one is irrevocable, the other is, as termed by men, impending. To the former all must unreservedly submit, inasmuch as it is fixed and settled. God, however, is able to alter or repeal it. As the harm that must result from such a change will be greater than if the decree had remained unaltered, all, therefore, should willingly acquiesce in what God hath willed and confidently abide by the same.

The decree that is impending, however, is such that prayer and entreaty can succeed in averting it.

God grant that thou who art the fruit of My Tree, and they that are associated with thee, may be shielded from its evil consequences.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 133

I believe it means that nothing is lost - not even our dead children - they are within the hand of the Almighty.

 

[George-ananda]

Out of interest, do you believe in an omnipotent, omnipresent, omnibenevolent being in this context?

I think I know where you might be trying to take this.

Personally my views are Advaita (non-dual Hindu philosophy) which means not-two=God/Brahman/Source and creation are not-two. The universe is a play where Brahman/God separates Himself from Himself in Act I and returns Himself to Himself in Act II. There is much drama in the middle of every play but a final happy ending for all.

Now I know the pastor in the OP is probably a conventional Christian but in some way there is a good ending for al the righteous in that philosophy too.

 

[RestlessSoul]

Unless a modern day Stalin or Hitler comes on the scene.

One just did. Many of his most ardent supporters were heavily armed...

 

[exchemist]

I doubt it. There’s always black market availability and criminals get guns illegally anyway.

The US death rate from guns is FAR higher than anywhere else in the world that has effective gun control. So it's nonsense to suggest gun control does not make a difference. It's a farce in the US. I struggle not to laugh when there's yet another school shooting now, because the remedy is so obviously in their own hands, yet they refuse to take it. In the end one runs out of sympathy.

 

[Koldo]

I think God is in control simply means we are not and there is nothing we can do about it. Which is often true in life, but not specially comforting.

Then why not say that instead?

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Last night I heard about a road rage incident on the TV wherein a six-year old child was shot to death in the car his mother was driving.

I copied down exactly what the school pastor said:

“I try to just lay it out to them in a simple way so that they can understand that bad things happen even to a godly situation…

God’s in control, we try to make them understand what that means.”

What is that supposed to mean? Is that supposed to make people feel better? Are people who say that rather naive, or do they just have strong faith?

I believe that God is I control, but I do not understand what that means to this pastor. I only know what it means according to my Baha’i beliefs, as noted below.

“Know thou, O fruit of My Tree, that the decrees of the Sovereign Ordainer, as related to fate and predestination, are of two kinds. Both are to be obeyed and accepted. The one is irrevocable, the other is, as termed by men, impending. To the former all must unreservedly submit, inasmuch as it is fixed and settled. God, however, is able to alter or repeal it. As the harm that must result from such a change will be greater than if the decree had remained unaltered, all, therefore, should willingly acquiesce in what God hath willed and confidently abide by the same.

The decree that is impending, however, is such that prayer and entreaty can succeed in averting it.

God grant that thou who art the fruit of My Tree, and they that are associated with thee, may be shielded from its evil consequences.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 133

Well, just 10 days ago here in my neighbourhood, two kids -- a 10 year old girl and her 4 year old brother -- were playing in their own driveway on a quiet suburban street, when a 16 year old boy lost control of a car and plowed into them. Killing them both.

Good thing "God was in control," I suppose -- because nobody else seems to have been.

Frankly, I turn to the opening of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 1:

1 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:

2 “Meaningless! Meaningless!”
says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless.”

 

[Spirit of Light]

Last night I heard about a road rage incident on the TV wherein a six-year old child was shot to death in the car his mother was driving.

I copied down exactly what the school pastor said:

“I try to just lay it out to them in a simple way so that they can understand that bad things happen even to a godly situation…

God’s in control, we try to make them understand what that means.”

What is that supposed to mean? Is that supposed to make people feel better? Are people who say that rather naive, or do they just have strong faith?

I believe that God is I control, but I do not understand what that means to this pastor. I only know what it means according to my Baha’i beliefs, as noted below.

“Know thou, O fruit of My Tree, that the decrees of the Sovereign Ordainer, as related to fate and predestination, are of two kinds. Both are to be obeyed and accepted. The one is irrevocable, the other is, as termed by men, impending. To the former all must unreservedly submit, inasmuch as it is fixed and settled. God, however, is able to alter or repeal it. As the harm that must result from such a change will be greater than if the decree had remained unaltered, all, therefore, should willingly acquiesce in what God hath willed and confidently abide by the same.

The decree that is impending, however, is such that prayer and entreaty can succeed in averting it.

God grant that thou who art the fruit of My Tree, and they that are associated with thee, may be shielded from its evil consequences.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 133

After a long time of pondering i desided to give my answer to how God "controlling" human beings

I believe everything that we experience in life, both good and less good is a part of our journey to learn about our own being, the hardships can be tests of how we doing when under pressure, and to let us learn when things does not go as we hope. And everything we go through every day is guided by God in the best interest for us to learn and understand what we need to change in our life.

If we have 3 option in front of us, the one we chose (free will) can either be the one that lead to sucess, but if we chose the one that mean we do need more time to practice, we will experiences more trails and tests.

This is only my understanding.

 

[Twilight Hue]

One just did. Many of his most ardent supporters were heavily armed...

Looks like they were waiting to cross the Delaware.

 

[Twilight Hue]

The US death rate from guns is FAR higher than anywhere else in the world that has effective gun control. So it's nonsense to suggest gun control does not make a difference. It's farce in the US. I struggle not to laugh when there's yet another school shooting now, because the remedy is so obviously in their own hands, yet they refuse to take it. In the end one runs out of sympathy.

Even the middle east?

 

[Aupmanyav]

“Know thou, .. its evil consequences.”

I can't understand what Bahaollah was trying to say. When a child is killed, God is in control. When you are mugged, God is in control. When a war happens (Israel / Palestine for the moment), God is in control. When a woman is raped, God is in Control. When 168,581,604 people get the virus and 3,501,428 people die of it, God is in control.
And who is the 'fruit of my tree'? Why is Bahaollah's prayer only for the 'fruit of his tree' and not for all humanity?
Holy sheet. Difficult to understand theists.

Great, now this will be another gun control thread. Thanks.

Saint, it is not a gun control thread. It is a 'God is in control' thread.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Recent events would suggest that heavy weaponry in the hands of civilians is as likely to be part of the problem as the solution, I would have thought.

I guess that all depends on where the heavy weaponry ends up with.

 

[PureX]

It's an act of faith: choosing to trust that existence is ultimately benevolent even if it is not consistently benevolent. Bad things will happen to good people but, ultimately, goodness will triumph. This is not an easy thing to believe, but for many of us, it is a necessary thing to believe. Our lives would just be too difficult and too sad not to.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Last night I heard about a road rage incident on the TV wherein a six-year old child was shot to death in the car his mother was driving.

I copied down exactly what the school pastor said:

“I try to just lay it out to them in a simple way so that they can understand that bad things happen even to a godly situation…

God’s in control, we try to make them understand what that means.”

What is that supposed to mean? Is that supposed to make people feel better? Are people who say that rather naive, or do they just have strong faith?

I believe that God is I control, but I do not understand what that means to this pastor. I only know what it means according to my Baha’i beliefs, as noted below.

“Know thou, O fruit of My Tree, that the decrees of the Sovereign Ordainer, as related to fate and predestination, are of two kinds. Both are to be obeyed and accepted. The one is irrevocable, the other is, as termed by men, impending. To the former all must unreservedly submit, inasmuch as it is fixed and settled. God, however, is able to alter or repeal it. As the harm that must result from such a change will be greater than if the decree had remained unaltered, all, therefore, should willingly acquiesce in what God hath willed and confidently abide by the same.

The decree that is impending, however, is such that prayer and entreaty can succeed in averting it.

God grant that thou who art the fruit of My Tree, and they that are associated with thee, may be shielded from its evil consequences.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 133

If he were being consistent, it would mean that no only is God responsible for everything we see in the world - including all the evil - but also that everything - including the evil - was God's deliberate choice.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I guess that all depends on where the heavy weaponry ends up with.

Who would you suggest?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Unless a modern day Stalin or Hitler comes on the scene.

We all found out on January 6th that - at least in the US's current political climate - an armed citizenry is as likely to support a tyrant as it is to try to overthrow one.