The Problem with Christians

[athrock]

Let's consider the 4-year old for a moment.

In your home, there are certain things that are for adults only. The liquor cabinet. The gun safe. 

The 4-year old in your home is in the same "realm" as you are, but the rules for him are different. You get to stay up late; he is in bed by eight. He has his toys, you have yours.

You may decide that He can stay up past his bedtime on special occasions and you may even give him a sip of your beer now and then. More of that when he gets older. But some things are always going to be off-limits for him.

At the same time, there may be rules that are applied equally to everyone regardless of age. We will treat one another respectfully. We will not use the "F" word. (Okay, that rule doesn't exist in your house, but this is hypothetical.)

Now, in the physical universe, there are certain laws concerning gravity, thermodynamics and so forth. God normatively obeys these laws, but he is not absolutely bound by them; he can ignore them on special occasions. We commonly refer to these events as "miracles". The definition of the word is "a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency."

In case that seems confusing, here is an example: in the US, we normatively drive on the right hand side of the road, but if a child were to dart out into our path, it would be permissable for us to swerve into the left lane to avoid hitting the child. It is not absolutely necessary to drive on the right at all times without exception.

All that having been said, there may be absolutes which apply even to God, and I would put his respect for our free will in that category, for example.

But in sum, no, God doesn't have to follow all the rules. We do. We are not God.

Unfortunately, this is a failed analogy at its core.  In fact, I will venture to say that no analogy can be logically applied to God.  By theist's own definition God exists outside of time and space, therefore we cannot compare anything in this world to him, nor can we compare him to anything which is bound by the laws of this world.  Ya know...because he isn't real.

Can you prove this? You know...prove a negative?

And btw...how are miracles not a direct violation of human free will?

How does parting the Red Sea violate anyone's free will? Or leaving an image on the Shroud of Turin?

These are signs of God's action, but people still reject them. No one is forced to believe because of miracles.