Ah, but the rationalization is that the purpose of fantastic events is to bring one closer to God, and that we are as close to God as the great events can draw us. Who is content with coping with the ugly side of life when beauty can be brought out of, or created from, that ugliness?
But then, I have never paid attention to, “It’s God’s will” or it’s an “unseen plan”. God is creator, and we are made in His image, meaning we are creators as well, on a much smaller scale.
Trust me I understand, its just not for me, I find religion to be a terrible coping mechanism
I understand that maybe you never have but this is the basis of Christianity
My interpretation is that faith is a factor but there’s more to it that neither of us are privy to. Since I’m not in a position to know, then my faith is that The Lord is in a position to know and He is Just. Judging heavenly and spiritual things applying an earthly standard will not answer your question. It begins with your first step, asking this of The Lord and having faith that He is all knowing and Loving. Then observe, keeping your eyes, ears and mind open. Many things happen each day that answer questions I may have? Pray my friend…lovingly and ask…“and it shall be given you”. It’s a step by step process and my faith today, far exceeds what it was years ago, even though I was a believer. You’ll grow and mature spiritually…just as you did from a child to an adult.
What belief is that? Yes, God has His own will and His own plans just as we have. But His will does not eclipse our will. In fact He has great respect for individual will.
That god has a plan for all of us and we are to follow his will and that which we do not understand is because we are incapable of fully understanding his will.
That is only a very small piece of the pie. When we have a goal of our own that is not only for our own good, but for the good of others, God is more than willing for us to become who it is we wish to be, and what it is we wish to accomplish.
Trust me I know the big piece of the pie is love
It may be the basis for non-Catholic Christians, but it seems to me in some places it veers off course.
Every religion is going to have its own flavor, especially one like Catholicism which uses the bible but also tradition and the pope is like Christ on earth
But yeah god respects individual will, all the way to the extent of going against his will…you’ll just die in eternal fire.
BTW my intent is not to put anyone down but your question in the OP intrigued me… my parents continue to be Christians and I respect their beliefs along with anyone else.
There is not a time that I leave my parents home in which my mother reminds me how much she is praying for me.
We can go back to Genesis to understand that both God and mankind had a plan. Man wanted knowledge of both good and evil, and though God seemed hesitant about this, He went along with what we wanted. In other words, from the beginning, we know that God can work with human plans.
We also know He said even though we chose this direction, He wouldn’t abandon us totally to our own direction. He would be with us.
No, I am not talking about love, but one’s prayer life.
Do you see God in the wind? Does He intervene when i trip and almost fall? How do you discern divine intervention from nature? That is why we seek the huge events, by finding the improbable we can more likely find God’s intervention.
Yes, do something. No need wasting time in prayer.
You ascribe Godly intervention with people and nature just doing their things. Not worthless at all, just not divine.
It could be Catholics are given a different view of hell. For example, there are atheists in my family. When I brought this us, I was asked, “Do you love these atheists?” I said, Of course. And the response back was, “Can you imagine God loving them any less than you do?” I could not.
You are not putting anyone down and I appreciate your input. One of my favorite saints (Teresa of Avila) noted in one of her books that if we think of our spiritual life as an Interior Castle, church can only bring us about as far as the foyer. After that, we are pretty much on our own in exploring the next seven levels. She wasn’t blaming any church, just stating a simple truth–that an institution only as the time and the facilities to introduce us to the way of faith (and barely enough time for that).
There is so much that is unexplored; what stops people from exploring further, or thinking the foyer is the only room in the castle?
Why the emphasis on the improbable? How much emphasis is given in practice to Hail Mary passes or half-court shots? Does the improbable define the game? How many games in a season are won by a Hail Mary pass or a shot from half court? If that is all a fan is looking for, aren’t they going to miss most of the game(s)?
Prayer time isn’t wasted any more than preparation time is wasted before enjoying a meal.
I suppose that depends on one’s definition of ‘divine’, which some seem to equate with miraculous, where others see a helping hand.
Where you see a helping hand I see people and nature just doing their thing. No need to invent a deity.
Your question, bolded, is answered via the bolded.
When I trip and almost fall, do you ascribe God’s intervention to me saving myself from falling?
We agree there is no need to “invent” one. Where we disagree is in acknowledging God is.
