Do not open unless you remember human beings were involved.

[rug]

Large boulder falls on car carrying religious pilgrims in Vietnam, killing 6, injuring 2



By Associated Press, Updated: Monday, May 7, 6:43 AM

HANOI, Vietnam — An official says a boulder the size of a house has fallen from a mountain in Vietnam, smashing a car and killing six people who were on a religious pilgrimage.

Village official Keo Khon says five people including the driver died at the scene Saturday in southern An Giang province. Another passenger died while being evacuated and two others remain hospitalized.

Khon said Monday that the eight pilgrims were heading home after visiting mountaintop pagodas when the large boulder broke loose and tumbled toward the road. Photographs from the scene show that their silver car was utterly mangled.

Local authorities are investigating the incident.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/large-boulder-falls-on-car-carrying-religious-pilgrims-in-vietnam-killing-6-injuring-2/2012/05/07/gIQADpWZ7T_story.html

[cleanhippie]

1. All part of gods plan.

[rug]

3. Sigh.

[Thats my opinion]

6. No one I have ever seen post here believes this was "part of God's plan."

Why mock something nobody here holds?

The car just happened to be where the rock fell.

[trotsky]

36. Helpful hint: that's not what he's mocking.

Just something to consider, if you're up for it.

[cbayer]

2. What a tragedy. That is a huge rock.

Support your subject line here. That some will use this as an opportunity to mock is shameful but not unexpected.

[Lionessa]

4. You find it to be mocking when the questioned of what is and isn't God's hand in events?

How is it mocking when the answer to all negative events is "humans have free will" and all positive events as "God's grace"??? It isn't mocking, it's pointing out a valid hypocrisy embraced by most religions.

[cbayer]

5. When a non-believer makes a statement like "It's god's will", that is mocking by definition.

While there may be those that attribute all good to god and all negative to free will, you don't see much of that around these parts. In fact, I would put out the challenge to find it said anywhere here.

It's just taking a tragedy and mocking it because they were believers. And that's just crappy.

[Lionessa]

8. I'm so going to have a shorter tongue for biting it. I'll stop there.

Out of attempt to respect under the circumstances, but oh it's really tough. The hypocrisy makes us atheists respond much like we Dems, Progs, and Libs respond when a right wing, homophobic pol is arrested for "wide stance," or "diapers", etc.

[cbayer]

12. Comparing believers to right wing, homophobic pols is pretty offensive.

People with religious beliefs or lack of religious beliefs are not only welcome on this site but they are also protected from bigotry by the TOS.

If you see hypocrisy by believers here, then you certainly have the right to challenge that. But mocking all religious believers is quite a different thing.

[rug]

7. Nobody in this article said that.

Since they were killed returning from visiting pagodas, I hazard nobody there will say that.

[Lionessa]

9. In a round about way, I did say that, so I guess someone already did, but

I have chosen to now back away and keep my thoughts to myself rather than let this turn into the flame war that the OP may have intended.

[trotsky]

15. I think so far it's played out exactly as the OP has intended.

That's his game.

[rug]

17. You're good. What am I thinking right this minute?

[onager]

29. Yep. The master baiter strikes again.

n/t

[rug]

32. You do yourself a disservice.

[SCantiGOP]

16. agree. Lionessa

I've never seen an athlete blame God for his team losing.

[Goblinmonger]

10. So why post this to the religion group

if you don't want comments about religion?

[darkstar3]

28. Because aggression is hidden, but obvious passive-aggression is passable. ;)

[rug]

31. QED

[darkstar3]

34. As long as you entertain yourself I guess that's all that matters.

[dmallind]

11. of course human beings were involved. ONLY human beings were involved!

What's the alternative?

Rocks fall. They hit whatever happens to be in their path and miss whatever happens not to be.

Is it too much to presume you'll be consistent and quick to remind us of the merely human nature of an event the next time a rock narrowly misses someone, or other such "miracles" occur?

[cbayer]

13. Have you ever seen the OP speak of miracles in such a case? I haven't.

[dmallind]

19. I've nwever seen him criticize claims of them like this. Have you?

[cbayer]

20. I am not sure what you are asking here. Could you rephrase?

[dmallind]

22. Which word gives you problems?

The typo I hope is obvious. Really - what do you THINK it means?

[cbayer]

24. Never mind.

[dmallind]

25. Glad you worked it out - now what's your answer? Here's mine

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=214&topic_id=270140#270154

Where then is Rug's "Don't open unless you remember only humans did the good stuff" passive-aggressive criticism of miracle-pushers?

[cbayer]

26. I don't read that as endorsing the event as a miracle.

Actually, his post points out that the patient may not have had the disease to begin with.

[rug]

14. Now that you mention it, I might have been waiting for a miracle in this thread.

Didn't happen.

[Blue Owl]

18. Really puts the "grim" in "pilgrimage"

Ouch.

[ZombieHorde]

21. Seemingly random deaths demonstrate to me how pointless and meaningless life is.

Perhaps this is just because I cling to the human notion of life, and differentiate it from not life.

[mr blur]

23. A tragic but meaningless event. Your point? nt

[EvolveOrConvolve]

27. "Village official Keo Khon says five people including the driver died at the scene Saturday"

This line makes it sounds like the five were alive and hanging on for life, and rescue measures were unsuccessful. Looking at the boulder and car, I'd say that death was probably instantaneous. I'd least I hope it was instantaneous - surviving something like that isn't a pain that I'd wish on anyone.

I'm not going to comment on the religious aspects of the story. It looks like a pretty shitty way to go, no matter what religious persuasion one happens to be.

(One other thing: the story says "Local authorities are investigating the incident." My guess is gravity had something to do with the boulder falling and crushing the car, killing all its inhabitants. How much "investigating" does that take?)

[cbayer]

30. Apparently it's a heavily traveled road. Maybe someone was supposed to

check for loose or moving boulders?

[mr blur]

37. "Gravity"? Surely you mean "Intelligent Falling"? nt

[Odin2005]

33. OMG! That is a huge rock!

I wonder how fast that sucker was rolling down the mountain!

[dimbear]

35. Luke explains these tragedies; they carry a single message: repent!

Recalling the events which killed 18 folks at the Tower of Siloam, Jesus was questioned whether they were especial sinners:

(Luke 13:5 )
"I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."


Sounds fair to me.