Hurt but not harm

One thing I was taught when I was in seminary was that God can't be hurt. I don't think that's quite true.  I understand the reason we were taught that, and I get and completely agree with what they meant. I just don't think that "hurt" was the right word to use there.

My wife is hurt if I just ignore her. If she says something and I dismiss it, she's going to be hurt. She won't be physically damaged, but her emotions will be distraught. In that sense, we hurt God all the time.

Damaging God, though, is beyond us, and beyond anyone. No matter what someone does, he can't make God any less God. He can only harm himself; he can't harm God.

That's a quick explanation of why it's better to say harm than hurt. It may seem nitpicky, but God deserves our precision.