Nothingtodo
Senior Member
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2010
- Messages
- 357
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[TD="width: 480"]10) Everything happens for a reason.
Implied in this is a very specific understanding of how God interacts with the world. Specifically, it says God directs all things. So, mass murders? God had a reason for that senseless act of violence. Stubbing your toe on the door frame?
I guess God wanted to smite your toe.
This way of seeing God turns us all into puppets. Gods little play things who really have no freewill. Do you truly think a god needs toys? If so, do you really think were the best toys God could make to play with?
9) God needed another angel.
God loves you. God loves your loved ones. God is coming for your loved ones.
You think it hurt when God smote your toe? Just wait til God rips out your heart. But its OK. They needed another angel in heaven.
See? All better!
Really? No, of course not. Now that you understand what you are saying, can we just stop it?
8) God never gives us more than we can handle.
Ever tried saying this to a person contemplating suicide? No? Well, of course not.
Why? Because it is just wrong.
Its wrong for the reason that #10 is wrong and its wrong because factual circumstances of living prove that sometimes this life does bring with it more than we can handle.
7) But for the grace of God, there go I.
Think about that for just a minute.
How about walking in the shoes youre grateful not to be in for just a minute? Are they where they are because they lack the grace of God that others receive?
Does God pick and choose whom grace lands upon, intentionally withholding it from some people?
I know that people who say this dont mean it that way, but that is what they are saying even if indirectly. Feel free to be thankful for where you are but lets stop heaping coals on other peoples shoulders even if unintentionally.
6) I must be living right.
Have you ever been riding in a car when the driver pulls into a parking space right in front of the store and proclaims, I must be living right!?
Sure, they are half joking but keep in mind its onlyhalfjoking. Statements like this have their roots in that nasty everything happens for a reason thinking.
These are the same folks who ask God to help them win sporting events. I hate to burst the bubble but God doesnt care which team wins or how close to the store entrance you get to park your car.
Plus, go back to #7.
When you say things like this, what are you saying about the folks who had to park in that very last spot next to the shopping cart return where the car doors get all dinged up? and for that matter, if you are living right, why didntyoutake that spot and leave the one up front for someone else?
5) Love the sinner, hate the sin.
The problem I have with this one is the comma. It should be a period.
After further thought, I have a problem with the comma, everything that comes after it and the sinner.
Who am I (and who are you) to be deciding for someone else what is getting between them and God? Im all for doing it in regard to our own lives but in someone elses life? Hands off. Who do we think we are? God?
Now that I think about it, the problem I have with this one is that theres not a period after love.
Love. Period.
4) Its okay to judge.
Recently, there has been a rash of Christian bloggers defending their right to judge. I guess its a thing. All the cool bloggers are doing it.
I love being cool.
And apparently its cool to judge others. So, let me judge them for trying to justify judging others. Dont worry thoughIm loving the sinner, hating the sin when I do it. So, its OK. Right?
Oh, give me just a minute though. It turns out Ive got a log in my eye. Ill need to take care of that first.
3) Because the Bible tells me so (or its in the Bible).
The King James Bible tells me there are unicorns 9 times.
Im sorry, I got distracted. What was it you were telling me about using the Bible to prove a fact?
2) Have you heard about Jesus?
Seriously?
1) There are no atheists in a foxhole.
Really? There are atheists in church and you honestly think there are no atheists in foxholes?
Look, I get that the point is supposed to be that when faced with death we all turn to God. However, not only is that simply not true for everyone when faced with death, it is really bad logic.
Let me demonstrate.
When faced with death in a foxholegrenades flying overhead and limbs being blown off the person next to meI am likely to soil my britches. It does not follow that I shouldalwayssoil my britches.
In foxholes there are a whole bunch of people trying to stay alive and they pretty much dont care what the other person believes about God. They just want to stay alive and possibly a clean pair of britches. (See what I did there?)[/TD]
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Hmmmm must be Gods will.
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[TD="width: 480"]10) Everything happens for a reason.
Implied in this is a very specific understanding of how God interacts with the world. Specifically, it says God directs all things. So, mass murders? God had a reason for that senseless act of violence. Stubbing your toe on the door frame?
I guess God wanted to smite your toe.
This way of seeing God turns us all into puppets. Gods little play things who really have no freewill. Do you truly think a god needs toys? If so, do you really think were the best toys God could make to play with?
9) God needed another angel.
God loves you. God loves your loved ones. God is coming for your loved ones.
You think it hurt when God smote your toe? Just wait til God rips out your heart. But its OK. They needed another angel in heaven.
See? All better!
Really? No, of course not. Now that you understand what you are saying, can we just stop it?
8) God never gives us more than we can handle.
Ever tried saying this to a person contemplating suicide? No? Well, of course not.
Why? Because it is just wrong.
Its wrong for the reason that #10 is wrong and its wrong because factual circumstances of living prove that sometimes this life does bring with it more than we can handle.
7) But for the grace of God, there go I.
Think about that for just a minute.
How about walking in the shoes youre grateful not to be in for just a minute? Are they where they are because they lack the grace of God that others receive?
Does God pick and choose whom grace lands upon, intentionally withholding it from some people?
I know that people who say this dont mean it that way, but that is what they are saying even if indirectly. Feel free to be thankful for where you are but lets stop heaping coals on other peoples shoulders even if unintentionally.
6) I must be living right.
Have you ever been riding in a car when the driver pulls into a parking space right in front of the store and proclaims, I must be living right!?
Sure, they are half joking but keep in mind its onlyhalfjoking. Statements like this have their roots in that nasty everything happens for a reason thinking.
These are the same folks who ask God to help them win sporting events. I hate to burst the bubble but God doesnt care which team wins or how close to the store entrance you get to park your car.
Plus, go back to #7.
When you say things like this, what are you saying about the folks who had to park in that very last spot next to the shopping cart return where the car doors get all dinged up? and for that matter, if you are living right, why didntyoutake that spot and leave the one up front for someone else?
5) Love the sinner, hate the sin.
The problem I have with this one is the comma. It should be a period.
After further thought, I have a problem with the comma, everything that comes after it and the sinner.
Who am I (and who are you) to be deciding for someone else what is getting between them and God? Im all for doing it in regard to our own lives but in someone elses life? Hands off. Who do we think we are? God?
Now that I think about it, the problem I have with this one is that theres not a period after love.
Love. Period.
4) Its okay to judge.
Recently, there has been a rash of Christian bloggers defending their right to judge. I guess its a thing. All the cool bloggers are doing it.
I love being cool.
And apparently its cool to judge others. So, let me judge them for trying to justify judging others. Dont worry thoughIm loving the sinner, hating the sin when I do it. So, its OK. Right?
Oh, give me just a minute though. It turns out Ive got a log in my eye. Ill need to take care of that first.
3) Because the Bible tells me so (or its in the Bible).
The King James Bible tells me there are unicorns 9 times.
Im sorry, I got distracted. What was it you were telling me about using the Bible to prove a fact?
2) Have you heard about Jesus?
Seriously?
1) There are no atheists in a foxhole.
Really? There are atheists in church and you honestly think there are no atheists in foxholes?
Look, I get that the point is supposed to be that when faced with death we all turn to God. However, not only is that simply not true for everyone when faced with death, it is really bad logic.
Let me demonstrate.
When faced with death in a foxholegrenades flying overhead and limbs being blown off the person next to meI am likely to soil my britches. It does not follow that I shouldalwayssoil my britches.
In foxholes there are a whole bunch of people trying to stay alive and they pretty much dont care what the other person believes about God. They just want to stay alive and possibly a clean pair of britches. (See what I did there?)[/TD]
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Hmmmm must be Gods will.
