Why Thank God

[ChristineM]

Fair Summary?

No.

so the ego rant portion having been answered...

What ego is involved here, the question was not about wanting thanks but about why people choose to ignore the one who did the work an instead praise an imaginary sky fairy.

So what you seem to be saying is that belief is stronger than action, fair enough, if that's what you believe.

But not at odds with evidence (or complete lack of)

 

[halbhh]

?

Its something that cannot be known after death so is only valid while alive

I didn't write clearly enough there. I meant that while today, we feel or think that we know ourselves reasonably well....and suppose we know and say we know that we are not that afraid of death. Well, what I'm saying is that isn't such a solid knowledge as we tend to think it is. I starting laughing one time I thought might be dying even though I was gasping for air in between throwing up over and over. (that isn't one of the two times I really was close to death though) , I could not have predicted that reaction. So, I'm saying even though we know ourselves, we don't even know ourselves so well as we feel we do, in reality.

 

[ChristineM]

I didn't write clearly enough there. I meant that while today, we feel or think that we know ourselves reasonably well....and suppose we know and say we know that we are not that afraid of death. Well, what I'm saying is that isn't such a solid knowledge as we tend to think it is. I starting laughing one time I thought might be dying even though I was gasping for air in between throwing up over and over. (that isn't one of the two times I really was close to death though) , I could not have predicted that reaction. So, I'm saying even though we know ourselves, we don't even know ourselves so well as we feel we do, in reality.

That's your personal account, yet people are still scared of death, people know their own feelings

 

[Stevicus]

On the subject of thanking God, I recall a story about the assassination of Alexander II of Russia. The initial attempt failed, and someone asked if the Tsar was hurt, and he said "No, thank God, I am untouched." Then a second assassin came forth and said "Don't thank God yet" and threw a bomb which killed him.

 

[Deeje]

And you just made @ChristineM's point --- you don't think the surgeon and operating theatre professionals had anything to do with it. What, they're just tools in the "Great Surgeon's" hands?

If that were true then why would we seek the best surgeon for the procedure we are about to have? We could just ask our next door neighbor who is a bit interested in medical things to have God use him to perform surgery on us.

What we would pray for is a successful treatment and the strength to face an unsuccessful one, if that was the outcome.
There are no miracles these days. There can however, be 'placebo effect' recoveries. No one can explain those....except to attribute healing power to sheer "belief". One does not have to be religious to benefit from the placebo effect.

Thanking God for anything positive in our lives just reinforces our faith. It keeps us grateful. It doesn't mean that we can't thank the hands that saved us.

We have all found a new respect for the frontline health workers during this pandemic. Selfless, wonderful people who deserve the highest praise and thanks.