#87. Throwing the G Card.
Mar 28th by JonThis one is probably as old as the Crusades, but this move is where to win an argument you throw the God Card. You say, “Yeah, well that’s what God told me.” That’s a hard one to argue with. What can I say when you say that? “No he didn’t. I know God and he does not want you moving your family to Guam.” It’s a really dangerous move to make in the context of a marriage too because it stops the conversation and forces your spouse to either give up their point or willingly choose to be on the opposite side of God.
It’s also one of those phrases we Christians use to punctuate or amplify our sentences. For instance, my friend Leo had a guy at his church proclaim in front of the entire congregation that God had told him in a dream that he and his wife were having a baby boy. Why did he do it? So that what he was saying would seem big and holy. It’s like italicizing and bolding your words. But a few months later they had a girl. Which is why you have to be really, really, really careful with the God Card.
Comments
Aren’t you supposed to kill people who prophesy and get it wrong? Just sayin’…!
Or they can be certain it was God that said those things and not their pride or self-righteousness. Technically, it would lying if the latter.
You’re truthful, I would hope to think God would say something more profound then your example “He said you shouldn’t go to Guam”
You are killing me with this site! I lOVE it!
And this. #87. This is my all-time biggest Christian pet peeve. I was hoping it would show up soon.
As soon as I hear “God told me” sirens and whistles start going off in my head and I become glassy eyed and want to jump out of a window.
Keep it coming!
You are a writing genius!!
LOVE this site.
I play the Jesus card a lot while teaching Sunday School to 4 and 5 yr. olds.
In between serving snack.
I had a girl dump me without warning after almost two years, citing a revelation from God. I’m not calling her a liar, but the timing did seem a bit odd. This “revelation” came while visiting a college, hanging out all weekend with the guy she left me for.
I was upset with her, not God.
….or, Daniel, maybe after “almost two years” of dating she was tired of your not proposing and decided not to wait, who knows, the four years it would take you to do so. So she moved on. But poor form on the G-card. Poor form.
I lived in Guam. It’s a nice place! What’s with all the picking on Guam?
Totally sympathize with this post, and its slightly less sinister-looking but equally dangerous little sister “God laid it on my heart”. I often find those words preceding some heavy meddling where the person doesn’t belong relationally or authoritatively.
Maybe we should start stoning false G-carders, metaphorically, just to teach them a lesson? How about a plaque in the church lobby: “On January 27, 2008 John Doe revealed God’s word to him that he was going to have a baby boy.”….
My favorite use of the God card is in a relational context, like when a friend of mine was told by a close male friend of hers, “I’ve done a lot of praying about it and I think God means for us to be together.” She ranted about it to me for quite some time, saying things like, “So what if God told me that we’d be a train wreck? Who’s right, here?” She ended up marrying him within about a year of that conversation, so apparently he was right. But it’s still a low blow card to play, and casts a lot of doubt on the other person’s “in-tuneness” with God.
At least you’re not throwing the V card. You could lose it and that would be bad.
Yup, definitely had a boyfriend break up with me in college because “God told him” that I wasn’t fit to be his wife. Nice.
It’s ironic to me that everything God tells that person on staff at church has to do with putting a bigger chunk of the budget into his/her ministry.
(I know I’m a little late to the commenting party on this post, but I’ve only recently discovered your blog, which I love, so I’m trying to catch myself up!)
I went to a small Baptist University in Texas, so the God card was used equally as a pick-up line, and a break up excuse!
My favorite story was when a guy I knew was dropping a girl off at her dorm from an event. She turned to him and said, “God told me you are the one I am supposed to marry!” Withouse missing a beat, he turned to her and said, “That’s funny…He hasn’t said a word to me yet!”
Coming late, but loving this blog…
If someone plays the G-card and it’s something they really, completely don’t want to do (“God told me to admit to the IRS I’ve been lying on my taxes…” “God told me to move to Egypt but I hate hot weather!”… “God told me I had to forgive you even though nursing this grudge feels sooo good…”), I believe them.
When someone plays the G-card about something that benefits them, or about something they really want to do, or about something that makes them look good… Not so much.
“God wants me to go to Vegas and told me you should pay for the trip.” Yeah, baby. That’s gonna happen.
Sooo good! Haha…ahh
Eugh, the God card is disgusting. Short story: a young couple I know told the touchy set of parents that they wanted to get married and asked for parental blessing, which was granted that night. The next morning, God had "given the parents emotions" that caused them to be incensed at the idea of these this couple making decisions like that "on their own". Because God doesn't trust 20-somethings. Apparently.
"God told me that I should ask you out." Ummm…. what? I do believe the very same guy who told me that also said those very same words to at least 2 of my other friends. I think he got God confused with his hormones just a bit.
"When someone plays the G-card about something that benefits them, or about something they really want to do, or about something that makes them look good… Not so much."
EXACTLY. Can you believe my husband used this one about getting a vasectomy? Completely against my wishes? A complete 180 from telling me the name he had picked out for his future son the first night we met? Yeah…'cause the ZILLION places in the Bible (which he admits to not having read all the way through, but is very proficient at twisting to get/get out of whatever he currently wants) that mention Godly children and children are a blessing and all that stuff are just, y'know, for other people. Bleargh!!
I took a Rhetoric and Persuasion class in college talking about the different techniques people use in arguments, etc. Our textbook actually listed using God in an argument in the same category as utter stupidity..lol.
Love it! Great point!
Throwing the G Card is extremely effective as an excuse for your actions given the person you are throwing it at is perceived to believe as you do. It's impossible to debate unless you are willing to give in to doubt in your own faith. Unfortunately this allows justification for anything you want and begs the questions: Did God create man or did man create God? Why does it seem that what someone's personal God wants often coincides with that person's own desires (be it based in true desire [what they really want {i.e. God told me to break up/to stay with you.}] or false desire [what they think they should want according to 'x' religion's teachings {i.e. God wants me to spread His word and do missionary work. God wants me to be heterosexual.])?
This type of logic is destructive. Christian's see that it is destructive but they are, for the most part, enabling it because their very own faith hinges on the same argument. Christians 'know' what God wants and if they don't know (which none really do) it is scary for them to admit or even think about it as it means the strength of their faith is at stake. In hind site Christians use the G Card to explain things for which the true explanation is either unknown (i.e. the cause of the plane crash is still being investigated) or unfathomable (i.e. dropping a bomb on a civilian building with the knowledge that non-violent men, women and children were there), or sometimes in place of reasonable explanation for emphasis. It takes personal accountability away from the person using the G Card (in their mind and the mind of other fervent believers).
To non-Christians the G Card is ineffective as their faith or lack thereof is not hinged on the basis of the existence of the Christian God and His will. For the Christians reading this imagine someone who practices Islam making the claim that "Allah told me to take the infidel's life. Allah's will be done." Chances are you will call bull$h*t as you don't believe in Islam. The reasoning that Allah is the cause of a murder not only doesn't make sense since Allah doesn't exist but it looks as if that person is delusional as well.
The best outcome of using such empty justification would be giving a good person a bad reason to do something good where a good reason is actually available (i.e. God wants me to help the poor. God stopped my hand from striking her). The only problem with having positive outcomes due to the G Card is that people become dependent on God (which is what organized religion in general wants to achieve) and attribute more and more experiences to God's will. "Use me God. I can't do this without you. I surrender my will to you." Associating things that you do with a motivation stemming from your God isn't just irresponsible; it's more addictive than the most addictive drugs on earth. Viewing God as 'on your side' is self-serving, naive and not to mention rude (as non-believers are held in contempt by default).
It seems like many people who commented experienced the G Card in a similar context by someone else using it to justify a decision without having to think of real justification. It makes me wonder if laziness, ignorance or fear is the most common instigator of the G Card; or for that matter the organized side of spirituality?
I went to a private baptist university here in Texas and that was the first time I saw people use the G card.. it was crazy!! Guys would tell girls they had no chance of landing that "God had told them they were to date!" HAHAHAHA Ohwell cant argue with God
This is so true! Here's what I say when I feel that God is telling me something… "I'm not sure if its God or me, but I really felt that God impressed this on me…" Maybe its no better than "God Told Me", but at least there is room for mistakes.
I had a youth pastor that would start dating a girl "because God told him to" and then break up with her "because God told him to." It became a big joke.
Boy meets Girl: Hi there. I'm will. God's will.
Where there's a "will," there's a way….
Yes, absolutely, you have to be extremely careful with this one. It is overused and abused.