Morning news: god devastates OK town, spares dog.

[Warren Stupidity]

TV survived, just barely.

[DetlefK]

1. Kill them all, let dog sort them out.

[bowens43]

2. I was amazed at the 'pray for the people, pray to god to save etc tweets yesterday

why don't these true believers pray to their petty, tyrannical little tinhorn god not to send his fucking tornadoes in the first place?

they thank him because an occasional person is spared????? Seriously?

[pangaia]

4. Because they are only capable

of using the lower parts of the lower brains.

[Bad Thoughts]

5. Maybe they don't believe in a "creator god"

Perhaps they believe in some other spirit. Did you ask all of them?

[Act_of_Reparation]

11. Because Oklahoma is booming center of New Age thought...

... or not.

[Bad Thoughts]

13. I know many Native Americans from Oklahoma

They are almost 10% of the population.

[Act_of_Reparation]

17. Which means...

...if the areas hit are in any representative of overall demographics, then 90% of those affected are not Native Americans. It is, therefore far likelier the storm destroyed the home of, say, an Evangelical Christian, than a Native American shaman.

[aquart]

3. Because God knows dogs have souls.

[LostOne4Ever]

6. Shouldn't a thread like this

Be in the atheist forum?

No offense but I imagine this post will insult many theists here. Especially the one about brains.

[Goblinmonger]

7. This is an OK place for this post.

Interfaith would not be a good place since that is a safe haven group. This is not a safe haven group.

[LostOne4Ever]

8. Okay, just was worried (nt)

[Warren Stupidity]

9. No really I think it is in the entirely right forum.

Can any theists explain why god spared the dog, wrecked the town?

[hrmjustin]

20. God did not send the tornado. God does not make the weather.

I do not believe that God decides who lives or dies.

[Warren Stupidity]

21. Hmmm.. So an omnipotent deity chooses not to intercede?

And does so knowingly being omniscient?

[hrmjustin]

22. I do not pretend to know the nature of God, but I firmly believe he does not decide the faith of

this world.

And while I am at it give the people of the town a break. If they choose to talk about God in a time like this than let them. They lost everything and all they have are the people who survived and their faith.

[Warren Stupidity]

23. Omnipotent, yes or no? Omniscient, yes or no?

Your waffling on this point is tedious. The creator of the universe, omnipotent or just real powerful?

[hrmjustin]

24. I gave you my answer! I do not know the ways of God. I never met him.

[Warren Stupidity]

26. But the other day you announced here that god helped you.

So when it suits you your god is intercessionary, other times, when it isn't convenient, not so much.

But indeed you can always fall back to "ineffable". .

[hrmjustin]

27. Yes God gives me strength. That is all I said.

I prayed for strength the other day when my mother almost died in surgery. God gave me the strength to get through it. Her doctor saved her, not God IMO. I believe God was with us all. I do not know the extent of God's powers are.

[Warren Stupidity]

28. So god acts in the world.

But chooses to let horrible suffering occur for no good reason.

[hrmjustin]

29. That is the question of the ages. Why do bad things happen to good people?

Why is there war, disease, famine, and crime? I can not read the mind of God, but I do not believe God decides what happens here.

[Warren Stupidity]

30. No it is only a question for people who believe in a supernatural force that created

and controls the universe by design. The rest of us are pretty clear on the basic indifference of the universe, on the insignificance of each of us, on the fact that shit happens without a plan. It is a question that long ago ceased to be interesting.

[hrmjustin]

31. Yes it is a question asked by many.

So what exactly do you believe? here we are going on about my boring thoughts lets here your thoughts?

[EvilAL]

33. If one does not know the extent

of god's power, how does one know if god has any power at all?

[hrmjustin]

34. That is a good question.

I don't think we really can know the extent of God's powers. In the end it is what you choose to believe.

[EvilAL]

35. That's what it always is in the end though.

Either god has a plan or he doesn't, either god can intervene in our world or he can't. You can ask for strength to deal with grief or pain or whatever but when you work through it yourself you have to give the credit to yourself. I can understand how people believe in a god, I just can't see how they give him credit for what they did themselves. I find it easier to talk to people to get through tough shit, maybe people that have been through the same thing. I would even say that by praying for help to get through something is just a way to give yourself the strength to do it.

[hrmjustin]

36. Well I personally don't give God the credit for something I or someone else does.

[EvilAL]

37. I was referring to your statement upthread

about god giving you the strength to deal with a family member's illness. I say you gave yourself the strength. The strength may have come from your belief in god, but it's your belief, you gave yourself the strength.

[hrmjustin]

38. Yes there is that inner strength every human has but I think God also gives strength.

[EvilAL]

39. When you pray for strength

what are you hoping to get from god?
Humans can deal with all kinds of stress, some do it on a daily basis without asking god for help, some feel the need to ask god for help. In the end they did it themselves, either through the belief that god is helping them or just being a human dealing with life.

[goldent]

41. I'm with you on this

I am not bothered by how much power God does or doesn't have. If there is a God, does it really matter?

[hrmjustin]

42. God is what he is and that is all I can say. I just have no idea what he can do.

I have my beliefs but they are just my best guess.

[okasha]

12. The OP doesn't insult theists.

It's just incredibly crass.

[Warren Stupidity]

14. thank you, I though exactly the same thing about the am news

that babbled that idiocy at me this morning.

[Heddi]

10. My beloved Uncle & his family live in Moore, OK, and were affected by the tornado

For most of yesterday, no one heard from him or his (adult) kids.

My mom, on facebook is "OH GOD HEAR MY PRAYERS LET MIKE AND HIS FAMILY BE SAFE".

Around midnight he poppped in facebook and said everyone's accounted for, my cousin (his daughter)'s house was damaged but not destroyed, tons of devestation and he's going back out to search wreckage for survivors.

My mom's like OH THANK YOU JESUS FOR ANSWERING OUR PRAYERS!!!

And as I'm reading this, in the background on the news is a story about those 7 kids that drowned at the school, and I'm jjust really offended like oh, so my mom's prayers about a brother she hasn't seen in person in ~~ 10 years are more answered than the moms & dads of kindergartners who just saw their babies that morning and want them to be safe?

God was watching over Uncle Mike & his family, because they're okay.

That means that god was NOT watching over the people who died. He did NOT answer those families prayers.

She says I'm "hateful" to make these comments

But it's just the inverse logic.....If uncle mike is alive, it's because God answered mom's prayers. Therfore, if someone is dead it's because god did not answer those prayers. If God was watching over his famil and that's why they're okay, therefore, god was NOT watching over the people who died.

seems logical to me.

Oh, let me guess
"god answers all prayers, sometimes the answer is 'no'".

"No, your 7 year old will not live to see another day...."

[Warren Stupidity]

15. I'm not hateful, just "crass" upthread.

[cleanhippie]

16. Coming from someone that routinely makes false allegations and refuses to apologize when caught...

I'd wear it as a badge of honor. That one is not only a hypocrite, but a proven liar.

[dimbear]

18. Experimental evidence of the mercy of the powers that be...

People often recall that the great San Francisco earthquake destroyed a large number of churches, but left intact wineries and bordellos. It will be interesting to see a survey of the Oklahoma toll. It's understandable why the schools would go, what with science and all, but I'm not clear on the 7-11 store.

[rug]

19. Yes, that is the heart of the story, isn't it?

I bet you'd complain more about the music the band played on the Titanic than you would the iceberg.

[Warren Stupidity]

25. It did seem to be a theme with the media today.

Wolf Blitzer Asks Atheist Tornado Survivor, "Do You Thank The Lord?"

[rug]

32. Yes, I posted that earlier.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/121880652

“We are here and you know, I don’t blame anybody for thanking the lord.”

I defer to her.

[goldent]

40. That kind statement stood out to me also

She was very gracious, particularly given the circumstances.

[LostOne4Ever]

43. That is my position as well!

I was so glad she said that! It showed that we can be loving caring parents just as much as anyone

I realize that many believers get comfort from their religion. I do not begrudge them that. So long as they aren't blaming homosexuals, preacher something hateful, or trying to exploit the tragedy to try and infringe on my rights then let them pray all they want. Power to you.

But I do think its important for atheists/agnostics/ and other believers to make it clear that pray alone does nothing. Donations and volunteering are greatly needed from those who can provide them as well.

Also, while I do respect your beliefs; I would like to ask that you understand and respect my belief that this event is confirmation that if there is an all powerful god he is either malicious or indifferent to our suffering. I can not accept that someone with the ability to prevent something like would not intervene otherwise.

Again, I mean no dis-respect. Just stating my opinion on the matter.