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Roddy
New Member
Panama
48 Posts |
 Posted - 08/05/2007 : 02:16:43
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Sure he does. I'll give you a few examples:
Someone who lives a lonely life, goes to work every morning has a car accident on his way to work. His car burst into flames. He is trapped inside. Next thing he knows, he is at a hospital, disfigured, crippled, scarred, unemployed, and with hospital bills skyrocketing. His life is ruined.
On the other side of the world, there's Amin Bubu Rahal, dictator. He has led the people of Urugasir with an iron fist, killing 300,000 people to preserve his power, and enjoying all the women and all the wines he wants.
But now Amin Bubu is dying of cancer. He is 83, and he doesn't care because he enjoyed life, and his legacy will prevail, for he shall always be the man who led Urugasir with an iron fist.
How do you explain that a ditator enjoyed life, and another man's life is ruined?
The Lord works in mysterious ways.
How do you explain a tsunami killing 300,000 people?
The Lord works in mysterious ways.
But wait, there's more. Maybe our burned patient will get a visit from Doctor Jesus of Nazareth. He will touch him in the chest, and his scarred, noseless, earless, hairless face will return to normal. He will sit on the bed, stand up, and run to work. "Thank you, Dr. Jesus of Nazareth."
Doesn't happen.
See, God only helps those who help themselves. Our burned patient may have to adapt to his new looks. And of course pay the bills. Maybe he can get a job in a horror movie. Then and only then, God will give him a hand, and I don't mean that literally (keep in mind he probably lost his fingers).
See, in this chaotic universe, where things are not supposed to happen, but they do, and things that are supposed to happen do not happen, Christians, and Muslims, and other theists, out of fear maybe, try to find reasons why God doesn't make things better. An atheist has it all figured out: there's no God. But a theist needs two premises to explain the chaos:
(1) God works in mysterious ways.
(2) God helps those who help themselves.
Number 2 is stupid. If I can help myself, I don't need someone else's help. What if someone shoots me in the face. Am I supposed to dodge the bullets Matrix-style for God to help me? What if a shark is chasing me? Should I practice a few Karate moves under water? I need help when I can't help myself. But Christians know nothing will happen if you don't help yourself.
The idiocy behind theism lies in those two statements.
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2007 : 02:54:29 [Permalink]
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Welcome to SFN, Roddy!
Nicely stated. But the theist would tell you that it's not meant for mortals to understand these mysterious ways. And an atheist might reply, "How can we believe that which we cannot understand?" The discussion could go around in such circles indefinitely. In fact, it has, and does.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2007 : 04:30:15 [Permalink]
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I'd rather say: Welcome back Roddy!
It's been a while since we saw you last.
(Roddy joined about a year ago)
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Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2007 : 04:49:21 [Permalink]
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Then welcome back, Roddy!
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
 Posted - 08/05/2007 : 05:13:54 [Permalink]
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Hi again, Roddy! Good to see ya back.
Yes, God, if such a creature exists, does indeed work in mysterious ways, and there are several regulars here that can testify in support of that.
An example of mine: George W. Bush is squatting in the Oval Office like some sort of malignent growth and God has apparently seen to it that our Congress is too candy-assed to excise him with Articles of Impeachment before he can finish wrecking the country.
And again, Fred Phelps and his twisted little corps of perverts live to desecrate the memories of far better men than they with impunity.
Mysterious indeed, mysterious indeed; I could go on all morning in this vein, but I'll leave a little room for someone else.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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Roddy
New Member
Panama
48 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2007 : 05:22:41 [Permalink]
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I posted this like two hours ago. Now I am back. I should be sleeping. Instead I am here. See, I work in mysterious ways.
I am going to bed. Take a sleeping pill. Get some sleep. Only then will God help me sleep. After I help myself fall asleep. |
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God works in mysterious ways
