My parents have a friend who could only be described as a thoroughly poisonous, mean old man.
Long story. But he's overbearing, rude to women (my mother included) and not someone I like. I'm sure he has some good qualities. Well, actually I'm not sure he does. But doesn't everyone have at least one good thing about them?
He fell down a flight of stairs at his house last week or the week before.
Injured badly, punctured lung, broken ribs, concussion. Bruises and contusions.
It wasn't a good thing.
While I was chatting with my mom on FB tonight, she said, "The good Lord was sure looking out for him!"
"I don't think so," I told her. "If he'd been paying attention, perhaps Chuck wouldn't have fallen."
I do not understand how she can look at the injuries and the other things going on (Chuck's wife is in bad shape, confined to a wheelchair now) and say that anyone who actually gives a shit for Chuck was 'looking out for him'.
I don't make it a secret that I'm not a believer, but even when I was I thought stuff like that was utter bullshit.
I saw something the other night, God was saying to a person, "Sorry, can't help right now, a spoiled Mormon girl has lost the keys to her Jetta."
We make jokes from time to time when there is a natural disaster... "God forgot to pay attention, he was looking for my mom's earrings."
But think about this.
Suppose Kenzie came to me and said, "I can't find my earrings!"
And I was focused on helping her with that, but Billy was climbing up the stairs. And because I wasn't paying attention, ("Billy! Get down from there!") he fell down that same flight of stairs. Puncturing a lung, getting a concussion, losing blood... having to be transported to the hospital in an ambulance.
Would someone then say, "Wow, Susan was sure looking out for him!"
Aggravates me.
Yeah - have a friend who is what I call Uber-Christian (New-Earth Creationist, etc.) For a time we were in a food co'op together and often she'd exclaim in praise of the Big Guy for sending her a gallon of milk for her boys....I always (silently) commented on how her getting expired, excess milk meant the local grocery lost revenue...and with all the wars etc going on did she really think her getting milk was a priority for any deity? She also praised him for her surviving a horrific car crash that almost killed her - why did he let her get mangled to begin with?
ReplyDeleteIF there is a higher being, I figure to him/her/it Earth is like a giant ant farm, or science experiment. Maybe at some point the almighty will take Earth to an intergalactic show and tell, show off the experience to all the other little godlings in Universe Middle School. Unfortunately, the rate humans are mucking up the planet, I think he/she/it is not going to get a very good grade. :-)
experiment, not experience. Well, elsewhere I am know as Queen of hte typos...;-)
DeleteTami always says 'all the credit, none of the blame.'
Deleteyep.
I am one of those believers. Hope we can still be friends, 'cause I don't bite!
ReplyDeleteI have many friends. Many different religions, many more without religion. Everyone should be able to choose their own. It's when you (generic you) think I need to share the belief system that I start having a big problem. And when some of the more obvious platitudes are tossed out there, too.
DeleteI know that my mom's particular brand of religion brings her a great deal of comfort. I would not take that from her.
I still think it's crazy to look at the guy who fell down the stairs as a miracle, however.
I'll never force my beliefs on you or anyone...everyone deserves their beliefs!
ReplyDeleteCan't explain the "steps guy". But that's above my pay grade! ;)