Comments on: Thank God That Line Drive Hit My Son http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/ Atheism with Positivity Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:24:22 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: ubi dubius http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/comment-page-1/#comment-205819 ubi dubius Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:48:43 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/#comment-205819 <blockquote>Certain theologians and apologists never tire of whining about how wrong it supposedly is to blame God for anything — that our miseries are all our fault or something like that.</blockquote> I agree with those theologians. The problem is that you if you don't blame god for the bad, you shouldn't credit him for the good. It seems that god is the silver lining, never the dark cloud.

Certain theologians and apologists never tire of whining about how wrong it supposedly is to blame God for anything — that our miseries are all our fault or something like that.

I agree with those theologians. The problem is that you if you don’t blame god for the bad, you shouldn’t credit him for the good. It seems that god is the silver lining, never the dark cloud.

]]> By: Audrey http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/comment-page-1/#comment-205802 Audrey Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:08:04 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/#comment-205802 I have a similar story within my own family lately. My cousin had a skydiving accident and was in a coma for several days. The family thanked god that she didn't die. When she came out of it, they thanked god that she woke up, even though her memory was really messed up. Every little step was a reason to give thanks to god. Nevermind that if god was so great, why didn't he steer her away from that tree? I've fairly recently come out as an atheist in my family, and her accident has been used as an attempt to re-evangelize me. "See what god can do?"It's hard to know how to react to that. What i want to do is ask them about amputees. You've probably already seen this site, but it's a good one. http://whywontgodhealamputees.com/ I have a similar story within my own family lately. My cousin had a skydiving accident and was in a coma for several days. The family thanked god that she didn’t die. When she came out of it, they thanked god that she woke up, even though her memory was really messed up. Every little step was a reason to give thanks to god. Nevermind that if god was so great, why didn’t he steer her away from that tree?

I’ve fairly recently come out as an atheist in my family, and her accident has been used as an attempt to re-evangelize me. “See what god can do?”It’s hard to know how to react to that.

What i want to do is ask them about amputees. You’ve probably already seen this site, but it’s a good one. http://whywontgodhealamputees.com/

]]> By: Jason http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/comment-page-1/#comment-205154 Jason Sun, 20 Jul 2008 09:48:20 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/#comment-205154 I was just talking about this sort of thing the other day as I was watching a program about tourette syndrome. The mother and daughter were praying that god would give her the courage and words to get through the first day of school. All I could think was if your loving god was real there wouldnt be any tourette syndrome. I was just talking about this sort of thing the other day as I was watching a program about tourette syndrome. The mother and daughter were praying that god would give her the courage and words to get through the first day of school. All I could think was if your loving god was real there wouldnt be any tourette syndrome.

]]> By: Chris http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/comment-page-1/#comment-205006 Chris Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:39:34 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/#comment-205006 Here's another God saved me story: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25363093/ As you can see, the kid says “I definitely felt that God was with me that day to keep me on that rope.” Then why did God let the gator grab you in the first place? Maybe he was busy watching a ballgame... Here’s another God saved me story:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25363093/

As you can see, the kid says “I definitely felt that God was with me that day to keep me on that rope.”

Then why did God let the gator grab you in the first place? Maybe he was busy watching a ballgame…

]]> By: Laughing Boy http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/comment-page-1/#comment-204946 Laughing Boy Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:30:37 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/#comment-204946 If God is sovereign over His creation and, as Jesus says in one or more of the Gospels, not even a two-for-a-penny sparrow falls to the ground outside of God's will, then it follows that God is equally responsible for the girl avoiding injury and the boy incurring it. If God is sovereign over His creation and, as Jesus says in one or more of the Gospels, not even a two-for-a-penny sparrow falls to the ground outside of God’s will, then it follows that God is equally responsible for the girl avoiding injury and the boy incurring it.

]]> By: Loren Petrich http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/comment-page-1/#comment-204918 Loren Petrich Sat, 19 Jul 2008 17:47:40 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/#comment-204918 Certain theologians and apologists never tire of whining about how wrong it supposedly is to blame God for anything -- that our miseries are all our fault or something like that. But an omnimax entity is necessarily omni-responsible, whether by commission or by omission. That is, responsible for allowing things to happen as well as for causing things to happen. So that counterargument does not work. Certain theologians and apologists never tire of whining about how wrong it supposedly is to blame God for anything — that our miseries are all our fault or something like that.

But an omnimax entity is necessarily omni-responsible, whether by commission or by omission. That is, responsible for allowing things to happen as well as for causing things to happen. So that counterargument does not work.

]]> By: Justin http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/comment-page-1/#comment-204917 Justin Sat, 19 Jul 2008 17:45:54 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/#comment-204917 Is there such a thing as a glass-one-trillionth-full attitude? This post and the watermelon article seem to indicate yes. Maybe it's just me, but I can't imagine how somebody can be this optimistic. Is there such a thing as a glass-one-trillionth-full attitude? This post and the watermelon article seem to indicate yes. Maybe it’s just me, but I can’t imagine how somebody can be this optimistic.

]]> By: Polly http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/comment-page-1/#comment-204899 Polly Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:30:09 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/#comment-204899 Strange, my comment didn't post. Someone should compile a list of all these stories. Maybe the unpatterned randomness of the incidents will dawn on some believers and they'll recognize the foolishness of attributing the <b>mere survival</b> of injured people to the love of god. My wife freely acknowledges that god isn't looking out for anyone. Everything gets reconciled in the afterlife. My F-I-L once noted to me that a despicable man had 3 sons - each of whom died a little young. The man himself lived to see it as he was (or is) quite old. The implication was that it was some kind of divine retribution. But, killing children for their parents' sins and letting the father live a long life? Seems like god could have done better. Even our courts in LA have a better track record on justice than that! Strange, my comment didn’t post.

Someone should compile a list of all these stories. Maybe the unpatterned randomness of the incidents will dawn on some believers and they’ll recognize the foolishness of attributing the mere survival of injured people to the love of god.

My wife freely acknowledges that god isn’t looking out for anyone. Everything gets reconciled in the afterlife.

My F-I-L once noted to me that a despicable man had 3 sons – each of whom died a little young. The man himself lived to see it as he was (or is) quite old. The implication was that it was some kind of divine retribution. But, killing children for their parents’ sins and letting the father live a long life? Seems like god could have done better. Even our courts in LA have a better track record on justice than that!

]]> By: Adrian http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/comment-page-1/#comment-204891 Adrian Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:24:21 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/#comment-204891 I was watching some horrible dreck of a movie last night thinking the same thing: God never gets blame for anything, not even natural disasters and humans rarely get credit, especially not surgeons or doctors. Blindness or hypocrisy, I can't tell, but it doesn't speak well to the reasoning powers of theists. (To be fair, newspapers gravitate to these idiotic soundbites like a fly looking for crap. In general, I hope that theists are better adjusted. I've no evidence for that, but I'd like to think it was true :) ) I was watching some horrible dreck of a movie last night thinking the same thing: God never gets blame for anything, not even natural disasters and humans rarely get credit, especially not surgeons or doctors.

Blindness or hypocrisy, I can’t tell, but it doesn’t speak well to the reasoning powers of theists.

(To be fair, newspapers gravitate to these idiotic soundbites like a fly looking for crap. In general, I hope that theists are better adjusted. I’ve no evidence for that, but I’d like to think it was true :) )

]]> By: Bruce http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/comment-page-1/#comment-204885 Bruce Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:04:16 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/19/thank-god-that-line-drive-hit-my-son/#comment-204885 <i>The neurosurgeon, on the other hand, might deserve a nice hand.</i> I don't know any surgeons, but if I did, the first question I would ask them is "Doesn't it piss you off that most of your patients keep giving God credit for your work?" The neurosurgeon, on the other hand, might deserve a nice hand.

I don’t know any surgeons, but if I did, the first question I would ask them is “Doesn’t it piss you off that most of your patients keep giving God credit for your work?”

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