Divine Deflections
When Faith Dodges the Question
When beliefs are threatened, many retreat not into answers;but into mystery. Below are some of the more common “Hail Mary” defenses used to avoid further examination of the question. Along with suggested translations of what could really be happening behind the words.
Escape Phrases and Their Hidden Functions
"It's all part of God's plan!"
Mystery Defense : Absolving Accountability.
Mystery Defense : Absolving Accountability.
→ If God’s plan includes child cancer, genocide, and starvation, what does that say about the planner?
"We can’t understand god's ways."
Moral Deflection: Avoids engaging with harm or contradiction.
Moral Deflection: Avoids engaging with harm or contradiction.
→ “Then why do people spend centuries trying to explain him?”
"Who are we to question god?"
Self-Disempowerment: Surrenders autonomy and accountability.
Self-Disempowerment: Surrenders autonomy and accountability.
→ “We question leaders, laws, even science;shouldn’t god withstand the same?”
"It’s not meant to be understood, just believed."
Anti-Inquiry Doctrine: Prioritizes obedience over comprehension.
Anti-Inquiry Doctrine: Prioritizes obedience over comprehension.
→ “Then belief is no longer faith and it’s compliance.”
"The Devil wants you to ask that."
Doubt Demonization: Recasts curiosity as corruption.
Doubt Demonization: Recasts curiosity as corruption.
→ “Then your god is threatened by questions. That’s not divine;that’s fragile.”
"You're just overthinking it."
Anti-Intellectualism: Trivializes critical thought.
Anti-Intellectualism: Trivializes critical thought.
→ “If god didn’t want thought, why gift us with minds?”
"Everything happens for a reason."
Sanctifying Suffering: Excuses pain to preserve divine benevolence.
Sanctifying Suffering: Excuses pain to preserve divine benevolence.
→ “Even genocide? Even rape? Childhood diseases? Where does it end?”
"We’re only human."
Inferiority Shield: Appeals to unworthiness to justify blind trust.
Inferiority Shield: Appeals to unworthiness to justify blind trust.
→ “Yet we are expected to discern, repent, and believe;all very human actions.”
"god doesn’t owe us an explanation."
Authoritarian Appeal: Asserts power without accountability.
Authoritarian Appeal: Asserts power without accountability.
→ “If that were human behavior, we’d call it abuse.”
"One day it will all make sense."
Postponed Understanding: Kicks the can into eternity.
Postponed Understanding: Kicks the can into eternity.
→ “Then why demand faith now, without clarity?”
"You need to pray on it."
Spiritual Delay Tactic: Converts disagreement into spiritual failure.
Spiritual Delay Tactic: Converts disagreement into spiritual failure.
→ “If I need silence to agree with you, maybe you’ve run out of arguments.”
Suggested Use
These deflections aren’t arguments, they’re exits for when things get too tough or too close to the heart. Consider when to use them. A person can only see what they've experienced enough to see.
When you point out the dodge, you put the question back on the table. Your goal isn’t to win, it’s to refuse the silence. Stay calm, stay clear, and stay grounded in the light of reason.