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Goodbye Jesus

God-Given Talent


megasamurai

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I'm sure you've all heard this before. When you accomplish something, you don't get the praise, God does. God gave you your talent and he's the one whose responsible. Where in the Bible is this idea stated? Couldn't talent be the by-product of genetics and hard work? I'm just wondering how many people have low self-esteem because they don't get any recognition from family or friends while God gets all the shilling.

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I don't know what verses got that idea started...

But I've seen people afraid to go after a goal... and someone in the church usually gives them encouragement and shares a verse like this: "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." (Phil 4:13) and then they go out and do what they were afraid of doing, and to their surprise they do better than they expected they would. So of course god was helping them.... maybe it's because of self doubt. Maybe they had low self esteem to begin with, so it's easier to say god did it than take the credit? I have no idea

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     I used to believe that we were all given a unique talent, a skill or what have you, by god.  All we had to do was figure out what that thing was, go do it and we'd simply succeed.  We could try to do what we, selfishly, wanted to do but we'd never have true success even if we might excel through study and/or practice.  If we were to follow god's path and use his special gift we'd just rise to the top with little effort.  Whether you were to be the best musician or the best janitor or the best teacher or the best dirt licker didn't matter as long as you made sure to discover and use this special gift as opposed to your own will.

 

          mwc

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Some people are born with gifts… i think it's genetic mostly, a beautiful singing voice.. an eye for art, a way with words or math… but it takes hard work to develop any talent.

 

Some people are 'self-made'.. they persevere in whatever and become good at things, whatever it may be.. again hard work and practice,

 

The common denominator is the effort and commitment. That is purely human. I know plenty of people who waste their abilities or do not have the opportunity to develop them. 

 

I stated recently that the concept that god was in control held me back for a long time… because somehow that belief does not encourage confidence or courage… because one is waiting for 'god' to do something rather than going out and doing it oneself. Sad, really.

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I stated recently that the concept that god was in control held me back for a long time… because somehow that belief does not encourage confidence or courage… because one is waiting for 'god' to do something rather than going out and doing it oneself. Sad, really.

I wasted 30 years of my life waiting around for god to do something.  I had been convinced since I was a child that god had a great and mighty plan for my life--a divine destiny.  I was told that the many talents and abilities that I had were all gifts from god that he would use through me to accomplish his extra-ordinary plan.  I never prepared for my future or thought about a career that I would enjoy because I was told that god had a plan and that he would work it out in his perfect time.

 

It was all a lie.

 

As a result, I have struggled my entire adult life to make a living, working at jobs that I don't enjoy.  I have struggled to put myself on a career path that would bring me some kind of satisfaction.  I had to go back to college at the age of 35 and drag a wife and small child through years of hardship just to finally get into the career I should have started when I was in my 20s.  Many of the talents I had during my youth are so under-developed that they may as well be non-existent; while the abilities that I did develop during my youth are useless in the real world.  I am the product of childhood indoctrination.

 

Those of you who made it out of religion while you were still young, count yourselves fortunate; and make the most of the lives you have ahead of you.

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I'm sure you've all heard this before. When you accomplish something, you don't get the praise, God does. God gave you your talent and he's the one whose responsible. Where in the Bible is this idea stated? Couldn't talent be the by-product of genetics and hard work? I'm just wondering how many people have low self-esteem because they don't get any recognition from family or friends while God gets all the shilling.

 

Sometimes I think it's just a xtianizing of the evil eye idea--where people won't take credit for something to avoid envy. Somehow it's hubris to say your successes are related to your hard work, and it's deep in the culture. Every time an athlete or entertainer thanks god in public for their performance i throw up a little.

 

I'm glad I escaped what RNP went through. It's a direct result of being raised in a more liberal denomination. I dodged a bullet there, and am grateful. Oh it was damaging in its own ways, but not in terms of career.

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It's nice to believe that if you work hard for a goal, you will be rewarded for your efforts. That's a belief of many in this country. This country was built on this philosophy. It has its place, for sure. But it is not a universal truth. Indeed, in my opinion, it is not true for very many if not the majority of people. Died in the wool belief in the almost unlimited benefits of hard work and determination is at the heart of one of the major issues in the US today. The thought is that America was made into a great nation precisely  because of the people's belief in hard work and determination. So, the thought goes, people who don't work hard shouldn't get a hand out from the people at large via taxes. Good old Romney and the rest of the Republican leadership. Are they right?

 

What about the folks whose genetic inheritance was limited, like  a lot of people? Less than average is a huge disadvantage in our modern economy and it's getting harder. It is truly cruel to criticize and ridicule the under-talented. This myth is  equally as wrong as the belief that god gave you your talent(s) and if you follow him you can't fail. Everyone I know who has done well in there career believes that it was due to their hard work and determination. Many add god to the formula. A lot of these people have contempt for those whom they deem  failures since they "know" these failures were lazy. I some cases this belief may be true. But it not universally true by a long shot. It is a myth which originates in the same way as religion: Through the strong influences of family and culture. These believers don't want to hear evidence contrary to their belief, just like the true believers in religion; Like religion, this "work ethic" has caused suffering to a lot of people. It adds salt to wounds of people who are poor or near poor. jThey are called lazy and worse. The Republican Party is made up of many people with this myth. And it's just as hard to get its believers to change their minds as fundamentalists. This myth is supported by politcal leaders because it gets their party a lot of votes, just as it gets votes from the religious. Surely a fairer method of the distribution of wealth can be devised than what we have now without killing the goose that laid the golden egg.

 

So Religion and the "work ethic" and religion, together with the wish to become the world's police force through military power" are some of the primary matters impeding our national from becoming a great nation. bill

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If Christians believe God is responsible for giving people talent, do they also believe he's responsible for giving them weaknesses?

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I used to quote that verse from Philippians before lifting weights or climbing rope. Never helped me a bit. Had to just keep at it until I built muscle. I echo Ravenstar, even natural talents have to be worked on to be developed.

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false humility is annoying.  Just accept a compliment and say 'thank you.'  

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If Christians believe God is responsible for giving people talent, do they also believe he's responsible for giving them weaknesses?

     Sin gives you weaknesses.  God allows you to overcome weakness.

 

     Basically, all my silly belief system came down to was a form of fate.  Like when you see women in movies looking for Mr. Right.  They always muck about trying to make it work with the wrong guy(s) but there's always that special guy, even if he doesn't seem like "the one," sort of lurking about.  Once she figures all this out and gets with him she gets her fairy tale ending.  They were "meant to be."  She could be miserable with Mr. Wrong or accept the hand of fate and get Mr. Right and all the great things we all know that brings.  Sequals try to be clever and show things not working out but even they just fall back into some form of this same formula.

 

     The problem is that if you know this is the formula for your life you never bother with all the Mr. Wrongs and just try to get with Mr. Right.  But since you have no idea who Mr. Right is you just waste your life never getting with anyone, or in this case, never really doing anything.  Once you try anything and it doesn't come "naturally" (ie. you don't immediately excel) it's a Mr. Wrong and you move on.

 

          mwc

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I get so tired of my inlaws and wife's extended family saying how god has blessed our son with his piano talent.

 

Bull shit.

 

If god "blessed" him why did he have to spend years getting up at 4:30 to practice before school and stay up late practicing into the night.

 

Makes me want to slap them in the forehead.

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If Christians believe God is responsible for giving people talent, do they also believe he's responsible for giving them weaknesses?

"My God given Attention Deficit Disorder"... nope...never hear things like that.

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I get so tired of my inlaws and wife's extended family saying how god has blessed our son with his piano talent.

 

Bull shit.

 

If god "blessed" him why did he have to spend years getting up at 4:30 to practice before school and stay up late practicing into the night.

 

Makes me want to slap them in the forehead.

Talent is one thing. But the person deserves the praise for sticking with something and for the hard work involved.

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  • 2 weeks later...

So if God creates people and he isn't responsible for disabilities, is it "original sin" that causes people to be disabled?

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