freewill I guess. I was doing wrong both times but my life was spared and my friends. I suppose God could look out for me again but the odds tell me not to tempt God.
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Was this a sign from God?
- Thread starter Kemosloby
- Start date
freewill I guess. I was doing wrong both times but my life was spared and my friends. I suppose God could look out for me again but the odds tell me not to tempt God.
So you see it more as a warning rather than just protection?
A Vestigial Mote
Well-Known Member
I find it odd when I read/hear what someone considers a "sign" and it ends up being that they had a moment of clarity in what was otherwise a situation in which they were blatantly putting themselves in harms way. Like riding on the roof of an automobile.
Others are rather mundane - and seem very "small time" for an all powerful deity. Just because they happened to "you", personally, does not make them objectively important... especially not if nothing really came from the encounter.
And all of them have one very specific detail in common - the causes/effects during the process are all invisible. You can't know who/what put the fish emblem in the road, you can't know how the cancer dissolved, you can't know what circumstance or physical reality saved your life during the car crash that "should have" been fatal, you can't know the mechanisms or processes going on inside your body while it is fighting to regain "normal" operation. Invisible, unknowable, guesswork. Claiming God had a special plan for you, specifically, seems to cheapen the memory of all those people for whom the cancer doesn't simply vanish... for whom the "should have been fatal" was instead "fatal." For every success story there are dozens of not-so-success stories... did those people, instead, deserve their fates in God's eyes, but you are somehow different? I simply can't think that way. I refuse.
Others are rather mundane - and seem very "small time" for an all powerful deity. Just because they happened to "you", personally, does not make them objectively important... especially not if nothing really came from the encounter.
And all of them have one very specific detail in common - the causes/effects during the process are all invisible. You can't know who/what put the fish emblem in the road, you can't know how the cancer dissolved, you can't know what circumstance or physical reality saved your life during the car crash that "should have" been fatal, you can't know the mechanisms or processes going on inside your body while it is fighting to regain "normal" operation. Invisible, unknowable, guesswork. Claiming God had a special plan for you, specifically, seems to cheapen the memory of all those people for whom the cancer doesn't simply vanish... for whom the "should have been fatal" was instead "fatal." For every success story there are dozens of not-so-success stories... did those people, instead, deserve their fates in God's eyes, but you are somehow different? I simply can't think that way. I refuse.
Yeah
Thanks for the responses.
Muffled
Jesus in me
I believe that qualifies as coincidence and most likely not a sign. You don't really need one to know your heart was in the right place, do you?
Muffled
Jesus in me
Oh really? I believe you should share what other source there is. It wouldn't surprise me. God has been around longer than Christianity.
Source of what? Charity?
What a great story! An excellent example of how mythos from our religious traditions weaves meaningfulness and purpose into our lives. Whether or not it is "really" a sign from your god doesn't much matter - the inspiration you derived from it is real. Follow that current! 
Thief
Rogue Theologian
BilliardsBall
Veteran Member
Jews look for signs and wonders, Gentiles for wisdom, Christians read the Bible.
Go with #3.
Can you be more specific?
lostwanderingsoul
Well-Known Member
I wonder if approaching young girls in a school yard and offering them money is a good idea? Could easily be misinterpreted and land you in jail.
talking to her dad on the phone does not mean that she was not homeless, nor does it mean that she was safe or otherwise in a good spot--who knows what her issue was: abuse, runaway, drugs or other substance abuse, just learned mom and dad were getting a divorce, just had a fight with mom or dad...the list of possibilities is very long--but clearly she wasn't in class, where she was supposed to be, and she may have needed money to help her out...
Just some thoughts for consideration...
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
It could be. I wouldn't say you're wrong. If I had my take in your point of view, I'd say it was a requirement-the request-but whether it was a girl, an animal, or a fig tree would be besides the point. So, I wouldn't say you're free from the requirement of god asking you to give something to someone at a disadvantage. Probably instead of giving money, find another way to honor god's request. That's how I would interpret it.
But the request is between you and god; so, do what's best. It's good the girl wasn't homeless.. did you find out why the girl was siting alone?
It was the weekend. She had a clear plastic guitar lying on the bleachers, the case lying next to it. It was like a childs guitar. The girl was maybe 15 and seemed sort of carefree, not scared or worried about anything. It was almost like she was living out some kind of hippie fantasy. Sitting in the park with a guitar.
No, the only clue was she had a clear plastic guitar, like a childs guitar, lying on the bleachers next to a hippie style guitar case. The girl was about 13-15.
Father Heathen
Veteran Member
Should've made toast to confirm.