Act of God - Part 1

God on trial. Is he innocent or guilty?

Part 1 - The Trial


What if humans could put God on trial? Imagine a court case, held before all the world, where we get an opportunity to question the Almighty Creator of the universe on all his dealings, both creative and destructive.

What criteria could be used to judge God? Who would he swear to tell the truth by? What evidence would be used in the prosecution, and who would be his prosecutors? In contrast, who would act in his defence, and what witnesses could they call? What rights does God have, according to human justice? Is he innocent until proven guilty, as men are also judged?

And finally, what would the verdict of such a trial mean for God, and for mankind? What would be the implications for all?

It might sound like a bizarre concept yet, every day on earth, millions of people accuse God of various crimes against humanity. They range from hypocrisy, lies, and gross negligence, to murder and genocide. Every day, millions of legal documents – such as insurance claims – are filled out - listing disasters, such as floods, earthquakes, and other events as “Acts of God.” So, God takes the blame for all disasters – whether He caused them or not. Since God is not here on earth, and does not speak directly for himself, is it fair to judge him in his absence? Is it justice to pronounce a guilty verdict, as many have, without considering all of the evidence? And where would such evidence be found?

Therefore, our “trial” would consist of various stages;

The Charges
The Accuser/s
The Jury Selection
The reputation of the accused
The evidence
The witnesses for the prosecution
The witnesses for the defence
The statement of the accused
The Verdict

In this most high profile case of legal investigation, we must assume that we are obligated to apply the same standard of justice to the creator of the universe as we would to any individual with recognised legal rights. But to begin our investigation, to gather the evidence, so to speak, we must ask why so many already judge God as guilty.

The Accusers, and The Charges

Many people today are turning away from religion, for various reasons. When they look at the history, teachings and behaviour of the organized religions of the world, they are often disturbed and repulsed by what they see. It is undeniable that, throughout history, religion has been a cause of great suffering, deprivation and injustice. Today we cannot consider the religions of the world without acknowledging the conflicts, hypocrisies, and scandals that we so often witness, or learn of. Offensive behaviour - like the savage terrorism of the Jihadists, the gross child sex scandals and cover-ups by the main churches of Christendom, and the lavish self-indulgence of most religions, at the expense of the poor and the needy - are offensive to most civilized people. Many religious doctrines also offend people, like the teaching of eternal burning in Helllfire, the condemnation of simple pleasures, or the approval and support for the nations wars and atrocities.

In Asia, part of the religious and traditional mindset handed down through centuries, was the “Caste” system - the belief that all people are born into their proper and intended status in life. They also believed that - if someone were born into poverty, they deserved it, due to sins committed in a previous life. For those born into a privileged rich life, they had obviously lived a pious and righteous life previously. This was the teaching of “Karma” - a doctrine that has also been adopted by the fashionable western world today. This idea was woven deeply into the psyche of the Hindu and Buddhist populations. Few dared to question this “divine” truth, readily accepting their lot in life, no matter how desperate and poverty stricken. The general result of this was – is, that the very poor, or disabled, or diseased, were convinced that they had been wicked previously. So, not only did they have to endure malnutrition and deprivation, struggling to find the necessities of life for themselves and their families, but they were also burdened with the added shame of believing that they had done evil, selfish deeds in their previous life and had to make amends for those acts, in their current existence. This was made more difficult because the bad deeds supposedly committed in previous life were not known to them. One wonders how someone can show regret, and change their ways if they do not know what they have done wrong in the first place!

Yet, on the other side of the world, this sad mentality was also playing out among the poor workers across the so-called developed lands. They were constantly reminded to “Know your place” and that they shouldn't “Question your betters.” Religion also played a major part in this conspiracy to keep the poor under control, with religious leaders declaring that it was “God's will” that there were poor people, and that “Suffering is good for the soul.” For those who disobeyed the churches authority, there was the prospect of roasting eternally in Hell. In an age when the average life expectancy of a working man was between 45-55 years, and in a society where a large percentage of children died from preventable diseases, lack of medical care, or just plain malnutrition, the churches taught that children’s deaths were a result of “God needing more angels in Heaven.” And when the world wars erupted, and the working men offered themselves willingly, in the millions, upon the alter of war, there, in the midst of the soldiers about to step out to meet their deaths or cause someone else’s, were the clergy, the men of God, the representatives of the “Prince of Peace” - Jesus. Those ordained Ministers of God blessed the troops with prayers and the sign of the cross. They assured the trusting, faithful troops that “God is with us” and that they would be fighting “For God, King, and country.” It did not occur to those men assembled there for battle that, across the sea, in Germany, Italy and other places, enemy soldiers, mostly poor, were being told exactly the same things. And when the war between so-called “Christian” nations was ended, and millions lay dead and rotting on the fields of Europe, the lucky ones that had survived came home.

Religion, in general, has been a bad advert for God, whichever god they claim to worship and represent.

Many people today would claim that God is ultimately responsible for everything, because of the teachings that he gives, and the example that he sets. Furthermore, many sincere people would argue that God has the power to stop suffering but that, judging by the events of history and the suffering they see and experience in their own lives, he has not done so. Therefore, they reason that God, by his non-intervention, is callous and cruel.

But all of this raises some fundamental questions that we all need to ask, whether we are religious or not - Do religions really represent God, or are they acting of their own accord? Furthermore, does God behave the way religions do, and is he also responsible for hypocrisy, abuse and mass murder?