bob Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 My ex-wife has found Jesus again. I guess the trauma of our divorce caused her to seek comfort where she did many years ago. I can understand that. Well, her dad died last weekend after years of fighting Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma. My ex was flying into a town several hours from her dads home and going to rent a car and drive the rest of the way. Due to a big furniture convention, there were absolutely no cars available. Hysterically, she called a long time friend for advice. The friend, after weighing the situation, got on the phone and, for the next hour or so, called every rental place in that town. In the meantime, miles above the ground, my ex turned the situation over to her God. When she landed, she had a message waiting from her friend. She had found a car, plus managed to get it for about $100 less than the normal cost. My ex attributed this to direct intervention from her God. What she doesn't realize is that her good fortune was only due to the persistence of her friend, and the sympathies of the Hertz manager, who bumped a person who already had a reservation, and gave the car to my ex at below cost because of her circumstance. Why can't she see that she got a car because people cared for her...dammit? Why, oh why, does the christian god get all the credit and none of the blame? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 If she had prayed to Zeus, and then got the rental car anyway, it would've been a sign from Zeus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Emerson Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Its very, very hard to deconvert for some people. You have to complete deprogram everything that you've been conditioned to believe. Heck, I still believe in God and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not at this point. I know that God was a taught concept for me. Going from one worldview to another is very difficult for most, especially when its much easier to believe that a loving God is there for you no matter what. Maybe your ex just needs god to live her life. Some people are like that. They need god for everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lycorth Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 It always irks me so much how the Xian god gets the credit when something goes right, but when things are tough, day by day, no one stops to question where is the Xian god then? Or when people have catastrophes and such, worse than that woman did, and there is nothing but trouble? No divine intervention, no divine handouts, nothing. Where is the Xian god, then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnosis of Disbelief Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Funny how she never asks why Gawd would let her dad die of lymphoma. Not an especially fun or merciful way to go, either. And christians accuse us of living a lie..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lycorth Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Funny how she never asks why Gawd would let her dad die of lymphoma. Not an especially fun or merciful way to go, either. And christians accuse us of living a lie..... Exactly... oh, the Lard was there to get you a rental car for $100 off, but he didn't bother to cure dear ol' dad, who probably had lots of people praying for him. Sounds like Jeezus has his priorities up his ass. All-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving god my white ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Very true. I had similar thoughts many years ago in one church I used to belong to. One member broke her arm and got to the hospital. She managed to witness for someone in the ER. Later she said that "God made her break her arm so she would go there and be a witness." And my thought was, "why didn't God just tell you to go there, it would have saved you pain?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asimov Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Very true. I had similar thoughts many years ago in one church I used to belong to. One member broke her arm and got to the hospital. She managed to witness for someone in the ER. Later she said that "God made her break her arm so she would go there and be a witness." And my thought was, "why didn't God just tell you to go there, it would have saved you pain?" Because suffering through life shows your true faith, like Job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnosis of Disbelief Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Very true. I had similar thoughts many years ago in one church I used to belong to. One member broke her arm and got to the hospital. She managed to witness for someone in the ER. Later she said that "God made her break her arm so she would go there and be a witness." And my thought was, "why didn't God just tell you to go there, it would have saved you pain?" Because Gawd is a cosmic sadist.....he likes to see his wittle beweivers suffer...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_raven23 Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 I think Job is probably the most dangerous book in the bible. Encourages women to stay with abusive husbands, encourages creative bright people to 'stick it out' in crap employment, makes people think that suffering is a virtue. Scary really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lycorth Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 I think Job is probably the most dangerous book in the bible. Encourages women to stay with abusive husbands, encourages creative bright people to 'stick it out' in crap employment, makes people think that suffering is a virtue. Scary really. Very true; I referred to the Job myth a lot when I looked for reasons to tolerate bad situations, and had I avoided such horrible advice, I'd be better off most likely - or at least out of Xianity sooner. The Job myth reinforces the lie of Yahooweh looking out for a person. Even in the myth, Yahooweh does a shit job of looking out for Job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 The story of Job is disgusting. I never really could figure out what Job learned from the story. And I'm not sure what the point was at all. Job righteous. God listens to Satan Satan kills Job's family, destroys his possesions, and make him sick God or Satan send people to discourage Job Job gets angry with them Suddenly Job is on the good side with God again God gives back everything. But did his family go to Hell or Heaven? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lycorth Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Since Job is a OT story, they either went to Yahooweh (if they were good Judaists, that is) or to oblivion, since in Judaism there is no hell. But how would a Xian answer that, I wonder? Of course, we know how they'd answer... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick5 Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 I don't think that concept was already invented back when job's story was written It is a disgusting story though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dra_Mucd_Uha Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 My ex-wife has found Jesus again. I guess the trauma of our divorce caused her to seek comfort where she did many years ago. I can understand that.Well, her dad died last weekend after years of fighting Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma. My ex was flying into a town several hours from her dads home and going to rent a car and drive the rest of the way. Due to a big furniture convention, there were absolutely no cars available. Hysterically, she called a long time friend for advice. The friend, after weighing the situation, got on the phone and, for the next hour or so, called every rental place in that town. In the meantime, miles above the ground, my ex turned the situation over to her God. When she landed, she had a message waiting from her friend. She had found a car, plus managed to get it for about $100 less than the normal cost. My ex attributed this to direct intervention from her God. What she doesn't realize is that her good fortune was only due to the persistence of her friend, and the sympathies of the Hertz manager, who bumped a person who already had a reservation, and gave the car to my ex at below cost because of her circumstance. Why can't she see that she got a car because people cared for her...dammit? Why, oh why, does the christian god get all the credit and none of the blame? I think most Christians would reply to this by saying that God worked through the people and the circumstances to help your ex. They would say the manager and the friend being nice isn't of the people themselves, but God using them. Or maybe it was because God knew what those people would do, and put them in that position where they would help your ex because he knew she would pray... or, something like that... But, that's them. Believe as you wish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RHEMtron Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Funny how she never asks why Gawd would let her dad die of lymphoma. Not an especially fun or merciful way to go, either. And christians accuse us of living a lie..... Exactly... oh, the Lard was there to get you a rental car for $100 off, but he didn't bother to cure dear ol' dad, who probably had lots of people praying for him. Sounds like Jeezus has his priorities up his ass. All-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving god my white ass. exactly. in the bible, god was the reason why events such as natural disasters happened. when hurricane katrina hit, nobody blamed god. people pointed the blame to mother nature, but were quick to thank god for any survivors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 I think some big-shot Christians did say the Katrina hurricane was a punishment from God for the gay community in NO. Don't remember who... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted April 28, 2006 Share Posted April 28, 2006 One member broke her arm and got to the hospital. She managed to witness for someone in the ER. Later she said that "God made her break her arm so she would go there and be a witness." And my thought was, "why didn't God just tell you to go there, it would have saved you pain?" My dad was in a car accident a few years ago. Some young girl hit the side of his Ford Ranger. She was doing almost 90 mph. Aside from the truck spinning around about three times before it crashed up on the sidewalk, the impact caused my dad to fly against the other side of the vehicle where his head smashed against a seatbelt anchor point. The seatbelt was anchored with a protruding bolt. The bolt was covered with a flat piece of hard plastic, but that didn't stop the bolt from popping through the plastic and puncturing the side of my dad's skull. He had an almost two inch hole punched into the side of his skull, and the bone fragments were just fractions of an inch away from damaging his brain. Luckily, the bolt didn't didn't make it in far enough to do any brain damage either. But, sure enough! To quote my dad -- "The fact that I lived through that wreck is proof that someone up there is looking out for me." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob Posted April 28, 2006 Author Share Posted April 28, 2006 I got an email from the minister of the church I attend with my girlfriend (Some how I managed to get on the list). His daughter goes to a bible college in Indianapolis. Apparently there was a very tragic vehicle accident a day or two ago in which 4 students and a teacher were killed. The minister sent a link to a christian forum so we could all see what the students are saying about it. Of course, they are all praying for the friends and families, and bible-god is getting credit for all those who are being affected in a...what...positive way(?) as a result of this tragedy. How in the freaking world could I have ever thought that way? How? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuroikaze Posted April 28, 2006 Share Posted April 28, 2006 I think some big-shot Christians did say the Katrina hurricane was a punishment from God for the gay community in NO. Don't remember who... Pat Robertson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted April 28, 2006 Share Posted April 28, 2006 Why can't she see that she got a car because people cared for her...dammit? Why, oh why, does the christian god get all the credit and none of the blame? Christians are programmed to believe it was god and not earthly intervention. This is why logic tends to escape them and they constantly use the "god did it" cliche. Very true. I had similar thoughts many years ago in one church I used to belong to. One member broke her arm and got to the hospital. She managed to witness for someone in the ER. Later she said that "God made her break her arm so she would go there and be a witness." And my thought was, "why didn't God just tell you to go there, it would have saved you pain?" Christians glorify suffering. They don't think they do, but they do. This is why any amount of suffering on earth is always justified to "make you stronger," "be part of god's plan," etc. etc. ad infinium. Just once, I would like to hear a dyed-in-the-wool Christian say "there is no reason for suffering", but they never will. I think it's part of the programming not to question god when things go wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xrayman7040 Posted April 28, 2006 Share Posted April 28, 2006 I work at a Level One Trauma center and one of my patients I was taking care of a couple of months ago was badly bloodied from a car accident. Most of his injuries were superficial so he was awake and taking to me. He took the whole time we were together to do a little witnessing. He asked me if I knew Jesus. He went on and on with the preaching. Finally I couldn' take it anymore and I aked him if Jesus is such a great kind powerful loving guy, why did he allow him to get in this car accident? He went on to say, well look at me I could have been killed but I am talking to you, this is a true miracle. I stood my ground and said if Jesus was as great powerful and loving as you say he was, this sort of thing would have never happened in the first place. I know I was crossing the line because after all I was working, but that kind of logic just gets me so irritated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted April 28, 2006 Share Posted April 28, 2006 But, sure enough! To quote my dad -- "The fact that I lived through that wreck is proof that someone up there is looking out for me." Man. That's how we heard things about our accident too. Just because the kids survived, but with major injuries, we should be thankful they survived. I would be more thankful if the accident never happened. We don't learn anything from accidents and stuff. How's your dad today? He's okay after all this? (Sorry if it's too personal.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Agent Ytnok Posted April 28, 2006 Share Posted April 28, 2006 I think some big-shot Christians did say the Katrina hurricane was a punishment from God for the gay community in NO. Don't remember who... Pat Robertson There were many others. A pastor here in Alabama said the same thing. Robertson's daughter blamed 9-11 on sin. To me this pardox is the most invidious problem (and unfortunately the biggest hook fo the Christ cult) in Christian doctrine. God is responsible for both good and bad, but the bad he does for your own good, and thus its all good. There is no intellectual merit in this whatsoever. Faith yes, but rational thought, hell no. But I guess its the only way you can get people to worship a deity that will tortue you in life and all eternity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted April 29, 2006 Share Posted April 29, 2006 How's your dad today? He's okay after all this? (Sorry if it's too personal.) He's doing alright. He gets bad headaches every now and then, but the doctors told him that those could happen for several years or the rest of his life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts