Thank God?

[AVG-JOE]

This weekend I had the interesting task of informing family and friends that AVG-WIFE, AVG-DOG and I survived a near miss by Hurricane Matthew....

Many responded with the simple phrase, 'Thank God'.

​

Thank God? Why?!?

What about the hundreds of Haitians killed by the same storm that God somehow made go around me and mine? Is this proof of a vengeful God who hates Caribbean Catholics who speak broken French?

What about the 5 Floridians killed by Matthew? Was God mad at them?

Does 'God' really have anything to do with anything?

Do I feel lucky? Yup. I do feel lucky. I just took a walk around the block and most of my neighbors are still without electric power while I'm back on line and contemplating my first good nights sleep in a few days.

I'll go so far as to say that I lead a truly charmed life. If not for my utter rejection of the 3 most popular ancient Arab stories that claim to be the one and only pathway to God, I'd say I was 'blessed'.

Ass-u-me-ing God, what if you can tell those He favors not by what ancient Arab tales they tell their children, but by how lucky they are in life?

Do you feel lucky?

 

[MaryL]

Random chance and happenstance. I have been there, done that, and as an agnostic, it makes me think twice About God and fate. Sometimes things don't end so well. And what then? We curse the darkness and light another candle?

 

[Coyote]

I'm not an athiest...but I struggle with any definition of religion and god.

I'm lucky. I know that. Perhaps someone watches out for me. If so...why don't they for others like the Haitians? I'm no better and far less of a believer.

 

[Onyx]

Daily contribution to the wall of wisdom

 

[Vandalshandle]

Welcome to the club, Joe. I lived in New Orleans in August of 2005.

 

[Kosh]

Even though you are one of those evil mods, I am glad you are safe and sound!

 

[MaryL]

I am agnostic. I still pray to god. Sometimes it works. I always light a candle for the dead and the past. Because we all end up in the graveyard and in the past. Perhaps it's superstition, perhaps it isn't. Life goes on.

 

[Vandalshandle]

Pat Robertson asked viewers to pray that a hurricane would be diverted back in the 1980's, because it has headed for his broadcast tower. It did change course, and Pat praised god for a couple of weeks about it. He didn't mention anything about the 9 people who were killed in the hurricane's new course.

 

[MaryL]

I am agnostic. I still pray to god. Sometimes it works. I always light a candle for the dead and the past. Because we all end up in the graveyard and in the past. Perhaps it's superstition, perhaps it isn't. Life goes on.

 

[Indeependent]

Haitians = Voodoo.

 

[AVG-JOE]

Voodoo can't be worse in God's eyes than my own brand of raging against the ancient Arab stories.

If God is, He seems unconcerned with the daily struggles of the life forms calling this wet rock in space home.

Either that or He's a fickle prick who is more unpredictable than the storms He's credited with creating and chasing us with.

 

[Onyx]

Voodoo can't be worse in God's eyes than my own brand of raging against the ancient Arab stories.

If God is, He seems unconcerned with the daily struggles of the life forms calling this wet rock in space home.

Either that or He's a fickle prick who is more unpredictable than the storms He's credited with creating and chasing us with.

Have you ever considered Deism as a viable answer?

 

[Manonthestreet]

Random chance and happenstance. I have been there, done that, and as an agnostic, it makes me think twice About God and fate. Sometimes things don't end so well. And what then? We curse the darkness and light another candle?

The good and the bad happen to the just and unjust.......its called life......

 

[AVG-JOE]

Voodoo can't be worse in God's eyes than my own brand of raging against the ancient Arab stories.

If God is, He seems unconcerned with the daily struggles of the life forms calling this wet rock in space home.

Either that or He's a fickle prick who is more unpredictable than the storms He's credited with creating and chasing us with.

Have you ever considered Deism as a viable answer?

Possibly... depends on how one defines 'Deism'.

 

[Treeshepherd]

Would it have been less irksome if they had said, "Thank goodness!" ?

The same dilemma would be there, one person's fortune is another's disaster. The disaster bypassed you, which means it hit someone else.

What about a simple, "Oh, I'm so relieved!"
Same dilemma applies. You're relieved that someone else's house got smashed instead of mine?

Maybe it's just the word 'God' that you're having an issue with.

 

[AVG-JOE]

It's not the word 'God'... my problem is with the idea that a God, any God, would do me any favors while destroying the lives of so many others at the same time.

I just don't think that good luck is a thankable thing. Nor is bad luck a cursable thing. Good luck or bad luck, luck just is.

Even the phrase "we dodged a bullet" implies that someone or something has control of the situation, when the only conclusion that one can draw from God deserving my thanks or the thanks of my family for the near miss in South Florida is that those who did suffer the wrath of Matthew somehow deserved what they got.

That's my issue with thanking God for sparing my town... it implies that Haiti, The Bahamas, North Florida, Georgia and The Carolina's somehow deserved the hammering that they just took, and I don't buy that for a New York Minute.

The sooner humanity gives up on the concepts of Divine providence and Divine punishment, the sooner we can learn to share this planet in peace.

Ass-u-me-ing God is, our history proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that He's little concerned with the day-to-day struggles of humanity.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

The OP reminds me of the story of the ten lepers. All of them received a blessing from the LORD but only one came back to thank Him. About that hurricane. I heard many people who certainly were not turning down any prayers while the storm was approaching but only one or two who thanked God afterward. You can be sure others were praying underneath their breath, please God don't let me perish in this storm, protect my home, my vehicle, etc. Oh! The hypocrisy!

God keeps a record of all of this. You can be sure He's got a record of every idle word that has been spoken or written. He's keeping a record of every single person that never gave glory to God but just took Jesus Christ for granted. If you are reading this, don't take God for granted. He deserves all the glory and if you don't give it to Him you will one day regret it.

Luke 17:11-19 King James Version (KJV)
11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:

13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain

 

[Alt_Ascendant]

This weekend I had the interesting task of informing family and friends that AVG-WIFE, AVG-DOG and I survived a near miss by Hurricane Matthew....

Many responded with the simple phrase, 'Thank God'.

​

Thank God? Why?!?

What about the hundreds of Haitians killed by the same storm that God somehow made go around me and mine? Is this proof of a vengeful God who hates Caribbean Catholics who speak broken French?

What about the 5 Floridians killed by Matthew? Was God mad at them?

Does 'God' really have anything to do with anything?

Do I feel lucky? Yup. I do feel lucky. I just took a walk around the block and most of my neighbors are still without electric power while I'm back on line and contemplating my first good nights sleep in a few days.

I'll go so far as to say that I lead a truly charmed life. If not for my utter rejection of the 3 most popular ancient Arab stories that claim to be the one and only pathway to God, I'd say I was 'blessed'.

Ass-u-me-ing God, what if you can tell those He favors not by what ancient Arab tales they tell their children, but by how lucky they are in life?

Do you feel lucky?

I feel like God takes a mostly hands-off approach to the world. Weather happens because it does. People live because people get lucky. Imagine a world where God stopped all ills and terrors. Sure, it'd be great and like paradise. But think about how that would impact belief. If you just knew you would always be safe, would you ever turn to God? Give him a place in your life? Bad things are there to remind us of our mortality and our need to have faith in God so that we may survive past the destruction of our bodies.

Horrible events like this happen to try the faith every person has in God. They are supposed to be difficult. However, they allow every human to grow in a deeper relationship with our Lord.

 

[TNHarley]

This weekend I had the interesting task of informing family and friends that AVG-WIFE, AVG-DOG and I survived a near miss by Hurricane Matthew....

Many responded with the simple phrase, 'Thank God'.

​

Thank God? Why?!?

What about the hundreds of Haitians killed by the same storm that God somehow made go around me and mine? Is this proof of a vengeful God who hates Caribbean Catholics who speak broken French?

What about the 5 Floridians killed by Matthew? Was God mad at them?

Does 'God' really have anything to do with anything?

Do I feel lucky? Yup. I do feel lucky. I just took a walk around the block and most of my neighbors are still without electric power while I'm back on line and contemplating my first good nights sleep in a few days.

I'll go so far as to say that I lead a truly charmed life. If not for my utter rejection of the 3 most popular ancient Arab stories that claim to be the one and only pathway to God, I'd say I was 'blessed'.

Ass-u-me-ing God, what if you can tell those He favors not by what ancient Arab tales they tell their children, but by how lucky they are in life?

Do you feel lucky?

Amen lol
Thank you for that.
You know, I am as agnostic as they come. Hell, I think is being an advanced alien experiment is just as likely as the man made God. Regardless, I say it. Perhaps because of local culture, but I do. Crazy lol

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

This weekend I had the interesting task of informing family and friends that AVG-WIFE, AVG-DOG and I survived a near miss by Hurricane Matthew....

Many responded with the simple phrase, 'Thank God'.

​

Thank God? Why?!?

What about the hundreds of Haitians killed by the same storm that God somehow made go around me and mine? Is this proof of a vengeful God who hates Caribbean Catholics who speak broken French?

What about the 5 Floridians killed by Matthew? Was God mad at them?

Does 'God' really have anything to do with anything?

Do I feel lucky? Yup. I do feel lucky. I just took a walk around the block and most of my neighbors are still without electric power while I'm back on line and contemplating my first good nights sleep in a few days.

I'll go so far as to say that I lead a truly charmed life. If not for my utter rejection of the 3 most popular ancient Arab stories that claim to be the one and only pathway to God, I'd say I was 'blessed'.

Ass-u-me-ing God, what if you can tell those He favors not by what ancient Arab tales they tell their children, but by how lucky they are in life?

Do you feel lucky?

I feel like God takes a mostly hands-off approach to the world. Weather happens because it does. People live because people get lucky. Imagine a world where God stopped all ills and terrors. Sure, it'd be great and like paradise. But think about how that would impact belief. If you just knew you would always be safe, would you ever turn to God? Give him a place in your life? Bad things are there to remind us of our mortality and our need to have faith in God so that we may survive past the destruction of our bodies.

Horrible events like this happen to try the faith every person has in God. They are supposed to be difficult. However, they allow every human to grow in a deeper relationship with our Lord.

Not exactly. God is definitely in control of everything that is happening including hurricanes, earthquakes and wars... there are no coincidences or random events with God. God doesn't punish His Own children who are obedient to His Word. They may be persecuted by the world but not by Him. On the other hand...

Origin of the evils that afflict us


Volcanoes terrify with their eruptions, and submerge towns or cities beneath their streams of lava!

Earthquake's convulsive throes bury a population beneath the ruins of their own abodes!

Hurricanes carry desolation through a country!

Famine whitens the valleys with the bones of the thousands who have perished beneath its reign!

Pestilence stalks through a land, hurrying multitudes to the tomb, and filling all that remain with unutterable terrors!

Wars have been agents in the unparalleled scenes of bloodshed and misery!

Scripture proclaims that these are to be regarded as a fearful exposition of the evil nature of sin, written by the finger of God upon the tablet of the earth's history!

Visit, in imagination, my countrymen, the spots where many of these cities once stood, and you shall see nothing but desolation stalking like a specter across the plain, lifting its eye to heaven, and exclaiming, amidst the silence that reigns around, “The kingdom and the nation that will not serve You, shall utterly perish!” As you stand amidst the moldering fragments of departed grandeur, does not every breeze, as it sighs through the ruins, seem to say, as a voice from the sepulcher, “See, therefore, and know that it is an evil and a bitter thing to sin against the Lord!”

Let us devoutly acknowledge both the source and the justice of our calamities. The origin of the evils that afflict us, is often to be found in the sins which disgrace us.

“From the day it was built until now, this city has so aroused My anger and wrath that I must remove it from My sight!”