Jake49 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I was sent this video by a Christian friend saying, "What do you make of this?".... and I'm going to watch it with a fresh head tomorrow.. just interested in what anyone thought?...Aside from the angle of, "If that's what works for someone, I can respect that..... if that's what gets a person through something, I'm not going to stand here and criticise or judge that... when I am in no position to judge".... aside from that (which I'm not wording quite right)...What are the real flaws with this? At the moment, I'm just in bed with my laptop and I'm not in full analysing mode on something like this... but I know that, other than respecting other peoples journey and the positive energy, hope etc.... my gut tells me when I'm watching this, I'm looking at a veil, and there's some really obvious things behind it.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPW3EB5U0bo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HymenaeusAlexander Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I’m not sure what sort of flaws you’re looking for other than the fact that every reference to “God” could be replaced by “the universe” and “look up” could be replaced with “look within.” This is probably what Oprah is thinking anyway, given what I know of her theology. Personally, I’m not at the point yet where I’m ready to go around yanking Dumbo’s magic feather out of his trunk, pushing him off a building and yelling, “It was you all along! Now fly motherfucker!” It’s only when Dumbo tells me that if I don’t buy his brand of feather I’m going to be tortured forever or when he starts poking me in the eye with the quill that I might feel compelled to rip that shit out of his trunk and beat him with the rubber mallet of reality. My metaphor is starting to unravel, but you get the point (pun intended). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted January 16, 2013 Super Moderator Share Posted January 16, 2013 The references to a god are irrelevant to the story and message. People are motivated rise above their circumstances all the time. Others just take what advantages they have and piss them away. Believers always attribute good things to their god and bad things to their devil. A rather simplistic view of reality, IMO, but that's how many people have to frame it. To see a dramatically poor hand played to its best advantage and then attributed to the work of a god is powerful, but misleading. I give credit to the people who resolve to overcome adversity, not imaginary beings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymistake Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Internal motivation can accomplish a lot. However using God in the traditional sense is external motivation. That sabotages the internal motivation. To make God internal motivation recognise that God is part of your mind. I find it ironic how that speaker talks about how many of the things he was told are lies and then he jumps right to God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RipVanWinkle Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 No body can help but admire this man. "God" worked for him But what about the millions of people who have lived and died as well as those still alive whose lives were/are miserable beyond description and who never got any help from "god". It's similar to the Xtian who suffers a fire or other disaster and survives in which hundreds or thousands are killed or maimed, children and adults alike, and received or receives no help or support from "god". It's the same principle. It is inconsistent with a loving god looking out for mankind. bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebatman Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Very powerful. I have seen Christianity work for some people, I can't lie. I say good for them! But I know that in my personal experience, Christianity just doesn't vibe with me. It didn't work no matter how hard I tried. But I really wish it did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RipVanWinkle Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 thebateman: Do you really? Not if it was the same Xtianity I lived with. I would never get over the torture of billions of people just because they didn't believe the "right" way and I bet you wouldn't either. bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annier Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 I've seen videos of this young man before. One thing that really stands out is his praise for his parents. He was extremely fortunate, imo, to have loving caring parents who were able to accept him with his limited body. Many children throughout history have been rejected from birth by parents who cannot cope with a child with differences that need extra care. So, number one, he did have a very good start in life. Nurture the seedling, and the plant will grow strong and fruitful. Number two, as other posters have noted, everything he attributes to the god, can be found in himself. Many others have found the inner strength and power to overcome the limits life places on them. But he indicates that you can only do that if you take the god route. As with my previous viewing of this man, I feel 'offended' by his performance, and I really do not know why. I am pleased for him that he has found a way to beat his physical limitations. It seems to be that common message of "only the god will fix it for you" which infers, by default, that if trying the god route has not worked out for you, then its your fault. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebatman Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 thebateman: Do you really? Not if it was the same Xtianity I lived with. I would never get over the torture of billions of people just because they didn't believe the "right" way and I bet you wouldn't either. bill Well, theological issues aside, I think the story of Jesus can be quite comforting. It is of course a load of crock, but still. I can understand how people can derive a false sense of security from the holy texts. There are many uplifting and motivational passages in the bible. These are overshadowed by the lesser mentioned stories of genocide and gross misconduct by "God". We know the bible is corrupt from Genesis to Revelation. But if someone gets some hope out of the damn thing, I say good for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RipVanWinkle Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Well, your right. If you pick and choose, it can be inspiring. I don't care what anyone believes as long as it doesn't hurt them or someone else. bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
par4dcourse Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Confirmational bias. We tend to conclude, then look for affirmation. God didit, and every good thing that happens will confirm it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deva Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Ideas are powerful. I am glad the guy found meaning for his life. He found it in Bible God, but as others have said, it was really within himself. He was able to pick out certain things in the Bible that inspired him, while not being troubled by other things. I have heard many, many testimonies like this. The only difference here is this guy's unusual physical condition. I never felt motivated to do anything by Christianity or ideas of "God the father." I always felt guilty because I was so shy I couldn't participate in soul winning and therefore had the blood of people on my hands. If you believe in him, God is your heavenly father who loves you, but if you don't you are going to hell. I can't get past that. I read Jonathan Edwards sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God". It seemed to be an accurate picture of how God views humanity based on the Bible. Like a loathsome spider God is dangling over the fire. I was taught that the end times are near and the rapture could occur at any second. If you believe this, why achieve anything on this earth? Why have a career or a family? Evidently this guy truly believes he is saved and God loves him. I wasn't ever able to achieve this level of certainty. I have the kind of mind that wonders stuff like how much belief is enough and why is this really good person who is not a believer going to hell? This idea that God is "holding all the cards" and is going to fix everything in the end just doesn't seem persuasive to me while I have to live in fear and with a mind full of turmoil right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asanerman Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Ideas are powerful. I am glad the guy found meaning for his life. He found it in Bible God, but as others have said, it was really within himself. He was able to pick out certain things in the Bible that inspired him, while not being troubled by other things. I have heard many, many testimonies like this. The only difference here is this guy's unusual physical condition. I never felt motivated to do anything by Christianity or ideas of "God the father." I always felt guilty because I was so shy I couldn't participate in soul winning and therefore had the blood of people on my hands. If you believe in him, God is your heavenly father who loves you, but if you don't you are going to hell. I can't get past that. I read Jonathan Edwards sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God". It seemed to be an accurate picture of how God views humanity based on the Bible. Like a loathsome spider God is dangling over the fire. I was taught that the end times are near and the rapture could occur at any second. If you believe this, why achieve anything on this earth? Why have a career or a family? Evidently this guy truly believes he is saved and God loves him. I wasn't ever able to achieve this level of certainty. I have the kind of mind that wonders stuff like how much belief is enough and why is this really good person who is not a believer going to hell? This idea that God is "holding all the cards" and is going to fix everything in the end just doesn't seem persuasive to me while I have to live in fear and with a mind full of turmoil right now. You knocked the ball out of the park with this one Deva! +10 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebatman Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 I might like to add that perhaps this guy is just milking Christianity for what it's worth. I have met people who figured out the game and found out they could get rich off of it. Let's face it, Christians are pretty gullible. This guy must be quite rich now, travels all over the world. It's a lucrative business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annier Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I might like to add that perhaps this guy is just milking Christianity for what it's worth. I have met people who figured out the game and found out they could get rich off of it. Let's face it, Christians are pretty gullible. This guy must be quite rich now, travels all over the world. It's a lucrative business. Well, he certainly knows how to "sell" xtianity. I wasn't that impressed with him getting up the steps, but he made a big deal about it. I have seen TV programs with other people similarly affected doing incredible physical things, without using their abilities to proselytise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExCBooster Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 And, sometimes, no matter what you choose, chance drops two nukes on you, just because. I don't know if this guy was the luckiest or unluckiest person, ever... There's plenty of people who, despite making the best decisions they could, got messed over by blind chance. I'm sure that shortcut looked like a good idea to the Donner Party at the time... Anyway. I agree that god has nothing to do with the message. I know it from the proverb: "it's not the hand you're dealt, it's how you play the cards." God has nothing to do with that, and it's pretty standard advice, really. Anytime God comes into this sort of question, I just think of all the things that went wrong just because. And there are a LOT. Also, here's a horrible parasite, for the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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