A kid gets trained to look both ways before crossing a street. The kid crosses a street without looking and gets hit by a car. Was it the parent’s fault the kid didn’t look or the kid’s fault? We, for the most part, have been told what to and what not to do. As a self and free willed people, when we go against what we are taught, crap happens. God doesn’t have to “spank” anyone and the devil doesn’t have to lure us. We do most of the damage on our own and quite well it seems.
Yeah, I can sort of see that but it does open up a sort of dialog that has plagued mankind for a very long time. As an example: When hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans it was touted by some as being a thing done by a vengeful God. The thing is though, the major portion of the damage done wasn’t in the French Quarter where all the partying is going on but in the 9th Ward which is heavily populated by yup, Catholic Christians. The simple truth of the matter is that folks were not prepared for the inevitable. Everyone knew that the pumps could go out at any time because they have done so in the past. All it takes is a large and long downpour to flood the streets if even one pump goes out. Everyone also knew that at some point the levees were not sufficient for a large storm. The point I’m trying to make is that people know what to do and what not to do but still, knowing just isn’t the same as knowing and doing. Moses handed us all 10 things to do and Jesus whittled them down to 2 and very simply put they are to Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. Of course, other translations say, with all your heart, mind and strength but it’s the same principle. And the 2nd commandment He gave was to love our brothers as we love ourselves. (The exact reading is in Matthew 22:37-40. ) Even if a person is an Atheist, the second commandment should still be appropriate behavior but still, we all seem to miss the mark no matter what our beliefs are hence, we suffer the consequences.
Yes everyone lives in their little bubble and when something happens they seem to be lost. You see this with all natural/manmade disasters people wandering lost not knowing what to do. The more you rely on the system to keep you safe and secure the more you are hurt. Living in a third world country is a boon as when we have a natural/manmade disaster people come together faster especially in the countryside. If the electricity goes out for a day no one even talks about because it is expected. When a hurricane goes through people are looking after one another no one complains they just chip in and get back to normal. Even in this plandemic we have now we play the game of putting on a mask to go into a store but when you walk out the mask comes off and you always shake the hand of a friend. The only need for discomfort is relying on a government or authority who care more about money than you. When you become independent the discomfort goes away.
I believe that it is not God who is causing all of the discomfort and dissention that we are presently experiencing, but rather, a lack of God in people’s hearts, and hatred of other people being fostered by evil-minded people.
Do you not understand the context nor the full ideology behind what C. S. Lewis wrote? It’s not a matter of Jesus forcing people to come together or anything else. As an example: Before I quit battling and surrendered to Christ, I hated just about everyone around me especially those I fought against in the Nam. In short, I was an extremely angry person. Afterward though, I found that among other changes in my life, I could no longer hate another human being. The inability to hate someone is a factor in coming together with others instead of being so divided.