… Of God stopping people from doing things, especially when they thought they were doing the right thing. I already know about all the Thou Shalt Nots in the 10 Commandments, and the story about stopping Abraham from sacrificing his son. Can you suggest any others?
I’m looking for support for the concept of being a slacker in the Bible.
On a related note, I’m looking for Biblical examples of approval for taking short cuts, or choosing the easy path over the difficult one.
Balaam’s ass.
Balaam tries to… What was it again? Get out of there or something? On a donkey, anyways. God sends an angel to stop him.
It’s in Numbers 22.
Remember that God TOLD Abraham to sacrifice his son. Then told him to stop.
Thanks, I knew that God was fucking with Abraham. That actually makes it a better example for me.
Not from the Bible (I know, I know) but I just can’t help myself from mentioning that awesome moment in the Iliad when Athena stops Achilles from killing Agamemnon – by pulling Achilles’ hair.
The Greeks I tell ya, they sure knew how to tell a story.
God hardened Pharoh’s heart, preventing him from setting the Jews free in Egypt.
Is the story of Mary and Martha something like what you’re looking for?
I’d say pretty much the whole book defines God as being a slacker. 
Paul on the road to Damascus.
Can you give any context about why you’re looking for these?
The context is – God is good with slacking and slackers.
He’s not, though. Not always, anyways.
Like that one time God tells Jonah to go to Nineveh and kick some ass. Jonah, slacker that he is, does that thing where you go “babe? can’t hear you babe you’re breaking up, reception’s shit around here, look I’ll just call you when I get back mmmmmkay love you babe bye”. God gets, like, super-pissed – sends storm, giant fish, etc.
There’s also that one time Elijah’s out looking for some bright new kid to take up his mantle (hehe), i.e. succeed him as God’s prophet. Who gets the job? No slacker, no sirree – but instead, a random dude who just so happens to be plowing a field nearby, presumably shirtless and sweating like crazy and shit. Why? I like Matthew Henry’s interpretation:
That’s kind of a slackerish response, with all due respect. Can you share with us some context that might give us a clear idea of why it’s important to you to be able to support that assertion with Bible quotes?
Wait, they have Prophet schools?
Lots of slacking is regularly required. Sabbath, various religious holidays, mourning periods, sabbath years, jubilee years, etc. Letting mild bad stuff happen on a sabbath and doing nothing about it is a good thing. (Short of letting someone die and such.) In sabbath years, you’re off work if you’re a farmer. And in jubilee years, the slaves are set free which presumably allows them to slack off as much as they can afford.
I am perfectly happy to cherry pick examples of the however few times that God prefers slacking over working. I am not exactly doing a scholarly study here.
For example, I claim Jesus was a Trust Fund Baby, who didn’t have to lift a finger for the first 30 years of life because of his gold, frankensence, and myrrh endowment.
I’m not asking anyone to spin these stories for me, I just need some stories of God just not seeming to mind people chilling out.
Damn… letting people die while slacking wouldda been a good one.
Yes.
Mind you, the prophets were the teachers, not the pupils. It wasn’t Hogwarts, see.
OK, how about that one time Noah got super-drunk and passed out naked in his tent? The next day, God did mete out terrible punishment… But not to Noah! Nah, God was totally cool with that whole balls-to-the-wall falling-down-drunk thing.
Doesn’t that mean the Pharaoh had to actually do things to keep them enslaved?
If Steken will tell the stories I might go back to Sunday school. Awesome, dude (or dudette).