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Extraordinary Claims => Religion General Discussion => Topic started by: Hydra009 on August 23, 2016, 05:44:39 PM

Title: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: Hydra009 on August 23, 2016, 05:44:39 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noKwAwPAgkE

Boy, it sure is weird that decades after abortion has been legal and a couple years after gay marriage has effectively been legal, God hasn't just annihilated the USA.  Or any other countries with similar laws.

So, does that mean all the apocalyptic rhetoric coming from the religious right is bullshit?  Heavens, no.  It just means God is staying his hand.  For now.  He can't stay it forever, though.  A 100 years from now (or 200 or 300 or 3234.7 years from now just to throw us off), God's going to get us good.  You better believe it.  Cause if you don't, this just seems like an empty threat by a pathetic, waning ideologue whose refusal to live in reality both spurred on his ideology and led to its inevitable demise.

Here's the rightwing fundamentalist logic:

Disaster?  It's God's wrath for X (where X is whatever you don't like).  Repent!
No disaster?  God's staying his hand for now.  Praise Jeezus!

God's so amazing that literally anything can be proof of God's wrath and/or mercy.  Incredible!
Title: Re: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: Baruch on August 23, 2016, 06:24:24 PM
Even a right wing broken clock is right twice a day.  Watch out at noon and midnight!
Title: Re: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: PickelledEggs on August 23, 2016, 06:25:50 PM
Yeah. It's almost like he doesn't exist.
Title: Re: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: Gawdzilla Sama on August 23, 2016, 06:40:19 PM
Quote from: Baruch on August 23, 2016, 06:24:24 PM
Even a right wing broken clock is right twice a day.  Watch out at noon and midnight!
With these guys the hands have fallen off the face. Must be the holes in the hands, I think.
Title: Re: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: stromboli on August 23, 2016, 08:16:37 PM
Well there was my dose of stupid for the day.
Title: Re: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: Blackleaf on August 23, 2016, 11:05:18 PM
Something bad is bound to happen eventually, and when it does, there will always be someone there to say, "See! God's brought his judgement upon this evil nation!" Apparently, God has never taken a class on the psychology of learning, where he might have learned that associations between unpleasant stimuli and undesirable behaviors are only made if the unpleasant stimuli closely follows the behavior. If you activate an electrical floor five days after a bar is pressed, the rat will not learn that pressing the bar leads to being shocked. Either God is incredibly ignorant of his own creation, or his lack of immediate judgement is proof that he doesn't exist.
Title: Re: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: widdershins on August 24, 2016, 10:35:00 AM
Yeah, God is really unpredictable that way.  There's not rhyme or reason to who he punishes and who he doesn't.  To the untrained eye, non-Christians not trained to see God's finger EVERYWHERE, it would look almost like random chance...
Title: Re: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: SGOS on August 24, 2016, 11:01:40 AM
For a god that is supposed to be beyond our comprehension, there are sure a lot of insiders that know exactly what his attentions are and why he does or doesn't do all of the stuff he does.
Title: Re: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: Gawdzilla Sama on August 24, 2016, 11:29:33 AM
Quote from: SGOS on August 24, 2016, 11:01:40 AM
For a god that is supposed to be beyond our comprehension, there are sure a lot of insiders that know exactly what his attentions are and why he does or doesn't do all of the stuff he does.
And, curiously, it's exact what they approve of.
Title: Re: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: Hydra009 on August 24, 2016, 11:34:06 AM
Quote from: SGOS on August 24, 2016, 11:01:40 AMFor a god that is supposed to be beyond our comprehension, there are sure a lot of insiders that know exactly what his attentions are and why he does or doesn't do all of the stuff he does.
It's kinda like the Illuminati.  It's controlling everything from the shadows with no one the wiser yet every illiterate fruitcake in town has figured out the grand plan.
Title: Re: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: Cavebear on October 15, 2016, 11:47:57 AM
What on Earth IS"שלום:, anyway?
Title: Re: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: Baruch on October 15, 2016, 01:07:25 PM
Quote from: Cavebear on October 15, 2016, 11:47:57 AM
What on Earth IS"שלום:, anyway?

G-d's own language of course ;-)  Hebrew "Shalom" aka Peace.  A concept alien to most Gentiles ;-))
Title: Re: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: GSOgymrat on October 15, 2016, 09:42:12 PM
Several of my Facebook friends really liked this article and found it comforting. This is so different from how I view the world.

Max Lucado: My prediction for November 9

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2016/10/13/max-lucado-my-prediction-for-november-9.html

We are really ready for this presidential election to be over. We’re ready for an end to the rancor and tackiness.

Voters on both sides feel frustrated, even embarrassed by it all. There is a visceral fear, an angst about the result. What if so and so wins?

When we wake up to November 9, post-election, when the confetti is swept away and the election is finally over, what will we see?

I have a prediction. I know exactly what November 9 will bring. Another day of God’s perfect sovereignty.

He will still be in charge. His throne will still be occupied. He will still manage the affairs of the world. Never before has His providence depended on a king, president, or ruler. And it won’t on November 9, 2016. “The LORD can control a king’s mind as he controls a river; he can direct it as he pleases” (Proverbs 21:1 NCV).

On one occasion the Lord turned the heart of the King of Assyria so that he aided them in the construction of the Temple.  On another occasion, he stirred the heart of Cyrus to release the Jews to return to Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar was considered to be the mightiest king of his generation. But God humbled and put him in “detention” for seven years.  “The kingdom is the Lord’s, and He rules over the nations” (Psalms 22:28).

Understanding God’s sovereignty over the nations opens the door to peace. When we realize that God influences the hearts of all rulers, we can then choose to pray for them rather than fret about them. Rather than wring our hands we bend our knees, we select prayer over despair.             

Jeremiah did this. He was the prophet to Israel during one of her darkest periods of rebellion. He was called “the weeping prophet” because he was one. He wept at the condition of the people and the depravity of their faith. He was so distraught that one of his books was entitled Lamentations. But then he considered the work of God. Note the intentionality of his words:

This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.
The LORD’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
(Lam. 3:21-23)

Imitate Jeremiah. Lift up your eyes. Dare to believe that good things will happen. Dare to believe that God was speaking to us when he said: “In everything God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28).

Many years ago, I spent a week visiting the interior of Brazil with a long-time missionary pilot. He flew a circuit of remote towns in a small plane that threatened to come undone at the slightest gust of wind. Wilbur and Orville had a sturdier aircraft.

I could not get comfortable. I kept thinking that the plane was going to crash in some Brazilian jungle and I’d be gobbled up by piranhas or swallowed by an anaconda.

I kept shifting around, looking down, and gripping my seat. (As if that would help.) Finally, the pilot had had enough of my squirming. He looked at me and shouted over the airplane noise. “We won’t face anything I can’t handle. You might as well trust me to fly the plane.”

Is God saying the same to you? If so, make this your prayer:

Dear Lord,
You are perfect. You could not be better than you are.
You are self-created. You exist because you choose to exist.
You are self-sustaining. No one helps you. No one gives you strength.
You are self-governing. Who can question your deeds? Who dares advise you?
You are correct. In every way. In every choice. You regret no decision.
You have never failed. Never! You cannot fail! You are God! You will accomplish your plan.
You are happy. Eternally joyful. Endlessly content.
You are the king, supreme ruler, absolute monarch, overlord, and rajah of all history.
An arch of your eyebrow and a million angels will pivot and salute. Every throne is a footstool to yours. Every crown is papierâ€"mâché to yours. No limitations, hesitations, questions, second thoughts, or backward glances. You consult no clock. You keep no calendar. You report to no one. You are in charge.

And I trust you.

Circle November 9 on your calendar and write upon it the words: Our good God rules the world.
Title: Re: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: Baruch on October 15, 2016, 10:21:45 PM
I couldn't disagree with Max Lucado more ... so I am with you.  He has circular reasoning, like Paul of old.  Anything that happens, is G-d's judgment ... and G-d is never thwarted in G-d's will (except for Eve, Adam etc).  It is an ideological position, most helpful to people like Constantine (who was the vicar of G-d himself).
Title: Re: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: Cavebear on October 19, 2016, 07:53:28 AM
Suppose there was nodeity (just for laughs), and the 2016 US election turned out to be exctly as it will be.  Where would a deity show up in the run of things?

Decided the election?

Was it at the last minute or a plan all along? 

If so, was there a point?  I mean after all, if it was decided beforehand, was there a reason to cause us all so much grief and waste all that campaign money that could have been put to better purposes (roads, education)?

Is a deity trying to make us waste money?  Why?

Intelligent humans want to know...  ;)
Title: Re: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: PopeyesPappy on October 19, 2016, 07:58:17 AM
Quote from: Cavebear on October 19, 2016, 07:53:28 AM
Suppose there was nodeity (just for laughs), and the 2016 US election turned out to be exctly as it will be.  Where would a deity show up in the run of things?

Decided the election?

Was it at the last minute or a plan all along? 

If so, was there a point?  I mean after all, if it was decided beforehand, was there a reason to cause us all so much grief and waste all that campaign money that could have been put to better purposes (roads, education)?

Is a deity trying to make us waste money?  Why?

Intelligent humans want to know...  ;)

The plan all along of course. If your candidate wins we're being saved. If your candidate loses we're being punished for our impure thoughts. It's a win-win for the goddidit crowd.
Title: Re: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: Cavebear on October 22, 2016, 11:01:19 AM
Ah, of course.  Everything turns out the way the theists knew it would.  After the fact, of course...  ;)
Title: Re: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: Sal1981 on October 22, 2016, 02:34:21 PM
I could only stand 27 seconds of the vid in OP. Holy shit, I sometimes wonder how I ever was a believer.
Title: Re: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: SGOS on October 22, 2016, 04:18:43 PM
Quote from: Sal1981 on October 22, 2016, 02:34:21 PM
I could only stand 27 seconds of the vid in OP. Holy shit, I sometimes wonder how I ever was a believer.

I experience that same wonder all the time now.  When I first confessed to myself I was an atheist, it was just a new insight that I had to adjust to, but after several years, I look back at my Christian days and wonder how I could have ever believed in such silly things.
Title: Re: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: trdsf on October 22, 2016, 05:10:27 PM
Quote from: Cavebear on October 22, 2016, 11:01:19 AM
Ah, of course.  Everything turns out the way the theists knew it would.  After the fact, of course...  ;)
Yup, pretty much.  That's the same way Hurricane Katrina killing hundreds of Baptists in the Bible Belt was punishment for Massachusetts allowing equal marriage.  You'd think an all-powerful cosmic being would have better aim.
Title: Re: "It's amazing that God hasn't judged America"
Post by: Gawdzilla Sama on October 22, 2016, 05:30:58 PM
Quote from: trdsf on October 22, 2016, 05:10:27 PM
Yup, pretty much.  That's the same way Hurricane Katrina killing hundreds of Baptists in the Bible Belt was punishment for Massachusetts allowing equal marriage.  You'd think an all-powerful cosmic being would have better aim.
Obama did Katrina!