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The people in the Midwest In states like Kansas, Ohio, Nebraska, and Oklahoma could sure use some right now. This has really been a rough stretch of weather for them.
I don’t know how you feel about prayer but...
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Amen to that
Saintman2884
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It's strange but while initially reading this thread, Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" sung by the late, great Buckley popped in my mind. His cover version, like Joe Cocker's cover of Beatles "With a Little Help From My Friends" is the classic version most everyone associates when hearing or discussing these songs.
I'm gonna headline this post that I don't hate anyone and I'm not judging anyone. We all have sinned, to quote the Bible. To me it's common sense that if you don't obey God, God can't bless you. With that said......
I'm not sure God will hear prayers when the nation have turned their backs on all things Holy. It seems America wants to do everything, but seek God of the Holy Bible. Maybe you can get the atheist to meditate over it?
In my opinion, God is judging America for not keeping HIS law. Maybe LGBTQ can set up gay pride parades in the affected areas?
What is the value of life, when the most innocent of life is killed in the mother's womb? Maybe open up more family planning centers in the states that are effected by the disasters.
Do farmers give the land it's rest like the Bible commands? What is the result, if you ignore what God says?
Leviticus 25:2-4 New International Version (NIV)
2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the Lord.3 For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. 4 But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards.
Leviticus 26:33-35 New International Version (NIV)
33 I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out my sword and pursue you. Your land will be laid waste, and your cities will lie in ruins.34 Then the land will enjoy its sabbath years all the time that it lies desolate and you are in the country of your enemies; then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. 35 All the time that it lies desolate, the land will have the rest it did not have during the sabbaths you lived in it.
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I hope this post comes across as a message of love, because God is love. God wants to bless you and prosper you, but you have to want to know God first. God wants to be first in your life, not the last resort when things are bad.
God bless!
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It doesn’t come across as love
It comes across as poorly constructed judgments
God throws tornados at the Midwest bc women want autonomy over their bodies and gay people want to be free to love whom they choose?
Even though god says nothing about abortion and seems angrier about shellfish consumption than gay sex
Which is to say nothing about Jesus coming along with ‘judge not lest he be judged’ and even more importantly ‘there are just 2 commandments- live god, love each other’
The vengeful god narrative is just something people like to use to keep other people under heel
We had to wade through this same nonsense after Katrina
It’s just not cool
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a simple "no prayers for you" would have been sufficient
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Sure, prayers for them.
I do prefer prayers with action.
We have the resources to do better flood mitigation, plant more trees, have smarter shelters (or any at all), perhaps even a "community" storm shelter near the town center, or natural high foot traffic areas.
I do prefer prayers with action.
We have the resources to do better flood mitigation, plant more trees, have smarter shelters (or any at all), perhaps even a "community" storm shelter near the town center, or natural high foot traffic areas.
I don't have to say that this post is stupid, but I will anyway.
If there's anywhere in the country who would be "safe" from the fundamentalist Christian God's wrath, it's the ****ing midwest. Missouri? Kansas? Solid red states. If anything, God's showing us the Bible thumpers are wrong and could use a little more LGBT tolerance.
Saintman2884
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Guido, the vengeful God narrative is very much an Old Testament theological interpretation. It's filled with many examples and stories of humans not interacting well with each other, leaders, kings, nationalities acting arrogantly, snide, contemptous, behaving in this high-and-mighty elitist sinful attitude that we, meaning humans, can do whatever the hell we want to do, irrespective of what God's laws are or frankly if he even exists, or they even believe in him. There are countless examples from the end of Exodus all the way up to Books of Judges, I and II Kings where Yawhweh or God punishes Israelites for not living up to the Mosaic Law of commandments and rituals, for tolerating the worship of other gods or participating in them, adopting foreign customs or religious rituals like ancient Phoenicians practice of sacrificing children or babies in times of social and political unrest to appease their chief deities, Baal or Asheroth.
It's also been theorized by numerous Near Eastern historians that some rural, indigenous Israelite communities didnt completely follow or worship monotheism, there are signs that 100 years or so before the Babylonian Conquest, some Isrealites worshipped a mother companion goddess, in essence God had a wife.
Some early 20th century theologians used the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl crop failures as examples of God's wrath and punishment for some of the excesses of the Roaring 1920's---loosening of social mores, the rise of organized crime during Prohibition and the extreme violence associated with it, many Americans living beyond their means taking out huge loans on their farms and their crops unwisely at large credit rates thinking the bustling economy would continue to grow and prosper and agricultural prices wouldn't collapse. Guido, don't think this is some recent phenomenon that began in the mid-1970s, it goes back much further then that and it's not just right-wing fundamentals either. You had cases where early civil rights activists saying they hoped God would start a nuclear Armageddon to punish USA for its horrible history of slavery, racism, and discrimination. Malcolm X allegedly told an FBI undercover informant in the mid-50's he was a Communist and was huge friends with Castro regime, including Che Guevera, who he invited once to speak to audience at his Harlem mosque. Many Nation of Islam hardliners opposed MLK's Civil Rights Movement because they wanted a separate black homeland or complete racial separatism from white Americans. Others opposed Dr. King for being seemingly being too moderate or modest in his demands, like Stockley Carmicheal or the founders of Black Panthers, who coopted most of Malcolm X's ideas and platform into a secular, self-reliant socialist US government.
As far as abortion, pro-choice advocates have been wise to frame this issue as a women's rights issue, it gives them a convenient angle that prevents some moderate pro-choice groups to broaden their argumemts to include a more female-centric discussions. Still, most pro-lifers I've talked to over the years don't necessarily view the issue as women exercising full autonomy over their bodies, they know it's their decision, they just want them to ask themselves: Am I making the right one? Am I being selfish and self-centered thinking this fetus at 27 weeks is an obstacle I've got to remove or one I don't want. I don't oppose abortions done for medical reasons, in cases of rape or incest, even abortions done before 22 or so weeks afterwards. I'd like to think of myself as a realist on the issue. Even even if they put restrictions on abortion in some states, women from these states will still find ways to get one, it's not going to stop the practice, even if some women travel overseas to get abortions done like pre Roe vs. Wade or undergo more dangerous procedures like back-alley abortions.
It's also been theorized by numerous Near Eastern historians that some rural, indigenous Israelite communities didnt completely follow or worship monotheism, there are signs that 100 years or so before the Babylonian Conquest, some Isrealites worshipped a mother companion goddess, in essence God had a wife.
Some early 20th century theologians used the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl crop failures as examples of God's wrath and punishment for some of the excesses of the Roaring 1920's---loosening of social mores, the rise of organized crime during Prohibition and the extreme violence associated with it, many Americans living beyond their means taking out huge loans on their farms and their crops unwisely at large credit rates thinking the bustling economy would continue to grow and prosper and agricultural prices wouldn't collapse. Guido, don't think this is some recent phenomenon that began in the mid-1970s, it goes back much further then that and it's not just right-wing fundamentals either. You had cases where early civil rights activists saying they hoped God would start a nuclear Armageddon to punish USA for its horrible history of slavery, racism, and discrimination. Malcolm X allegedly told an FBI undercover informant in the mid-50's he was a Communist and was huge friends with Castro regime, including Che Guevera, who he invited once to speak to audience at his Harlem mosque. Many Nation of Islam hardliners opposed MLK's Civil Rights Movement because they wanted a separate black homeland or complete racial separatism from white Americans. Others opposed Dr. King for being seemingly being too moderate or modest in his demands, like Stockley Carmicheal or the founders of Black Panthers, who coopted most of Malcolm X's ideas and platform into a secular, self-reliant socialist US government.
As far as abortion, pro-choice advocates have been wise to frame this issue as a women's rights issue, it gives them a convenient angle that prevents some moderate pro-choice groups to broaden their argumemts to include a more female-centric discussions. Still, most pro-lifers I've talked to over the years don't necessarily view the issue as women exercising full autonomy over their bodies, they know it's their decision, they just want them to ask themselves: Am I making the right one? Am I being selfish and self-centered thinking this fetus at 27 weeks is an obstacle I've got to remove or one I don't want. I don't oppose abortions done for medical reasons, in cases of rape or incest, even abortions done before 22 or so weeks afterwards. I'd like to think of myself as a realist on the issue. Even even if they put restrictions on abortion in some states, women from these states will still find ways to get one, it's not going to stop the practice, even if some women travel overseas to get abortions done like pre Roe vs. Wade or undergo more dangerous procedures like back-alley abortions.
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sure, well aware of all that (except the too narrow lens on abortion)
i realize it's an easy tool for all religions to use - hard to pull off crusades or the inquisition without convenient scapegoats
it's why it's very important that jesus comes along an pretty much rewrites the OT and substitutes love for vengeance - or rebukes those horny for punishment saying they can stone the prostitute if they themselves are pure
just like every portrait is a self-portrait, anyone speaking for god is just admitting what they would do if they had the gavel
Lurkquacious
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Thanks for posting this. I often have difficulties discerning when we're being punished, and when we're just being tested, a la Job. So this one's a punishment - got it!
But maybe we're not being punished because we don't do enough in regards to LGBTQ or abortion...maybe it's because we've been too focused on those issues to the exclusion of proposing and passing legislation to do away with adultery and coveting.
Or...maybe tragedies and hardships are opportunities to practice compassion and gratitude. Just a thought.
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I was living in Jackson, MS at the time and had my boss tell me "It was God's Judgement on New Orleans".
The man was always good to me so I just shook my head and walked off.
He was Pentecostal. Surprised?
I'm responding to another religious thread. When will I learn?
nolaswede
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