To be annoyed with all the people on FB thanking God for 'miracle' recoveries

[bumbleymummy]

Another one tonight where a boy's church are thanking God for him being found cancer free and thanking everyone for their prayers to make this possible. Lots of comments thanking God and Jesus and praise for how wonderful and gracious He is. Not a single mention of the doctors, surgeons, nurses etc who played a much more obvious role in his recovery!

GruntledOne , are you genuinely interested in the answer? I am happy to share if it will help someone understand but not if you are planning on making a mockery of it. There was a lot of tears and healing and work that came for me to get my answer.

Actually, the Bible has a lot of truths in it that were not originally accepted by the world and then proven to be true by science. The world being round, that you need to wash your hands with running water rather than just dippng them in, etc.

Generally it's harmless and believers have the good sense to take 21st century Drs over prayer every time but there are the few crackpots who have caused the suffering and death of their children by actually thinking that prayer can make a difference. Christians generally kid themselves that they believe in a God who can help but actually rely on modern medicine over and above prayer every time.

Lougle other ancient texts also contain practices that they had worked out through trial and error. The Chinese had food storage sussed before the Middle East. It's not surprising that the bible contains good ideas, such as theft being bad for a society, but that's not particular to that religion of that time. The bible also contains utter nonsense. Why would a women be considered unclean for longer after having a girl baby than a boy baby? How is sprinkling the blood of a pigeon on a wall likely to eradicate disease?

Tiggytape, yes, I understand that people will pray for the family as well and the family and others may take comfort from that. This post was specifically thanking people for their prayers for the boy and God's mercy as a result of those prayers. Lougle, even if they'd thanked God for the incredible skill of the staff that would have been something!

Manicinsomniac, I'm glad hat your prayers and faith have brought you confer over the years and helped you, your dad and your family during that time.

Leerysquirrel,
"am I the only one noticing the irony of bumbleymummy posting about how silly people are to form their own opinions and expect the right to their own beliefs...?"

Where have I even once done this? Re read my posts. I'm not criticising anyone for having their own beliefs and I'm not calling anyone silly.

Senpai,

"It's a bit disingenuous to say "thank the doctors" when they really have no more power over the outcome than the patient's body is able to heal. "

If the doctors just did nothing in the majority of these cases then the patient would more than likely die within a short period of time. They do have some power over the outcome. We know not everyone is going to be cured by treatment.

Flambola

U2

I've never understood why Christians (or any other religious groups who believe in divine intervention) persist with conventional medical treatment if they truly believe their god will intervene and save them or their loved one?

Surely rounds and rounds of Chemotherapy etc would be an unnecessary and painful irrelevance if you believe in the power of prayer? Or maybe they are hedging their bets a bit.

As most people believe God to be omnipresent and to be something/someone you can have a personal relationship with, it makes little sense to praise him in a showy, public way. The people who do, do so because they get something from demonstrating to the outside world that they are godly people. I would expect little better of a religion that teaches that your primary relationship should be with God, above and beyond those with your fellow human beings.

I don't get annoyed, but do feel sad that people believe that such an inward-turning view point is something to be celebrated as morally superior.

It is not for you to decide who someone can or can't thank. How the hell do you know that they haven't personally thanked the doctors and nurses as well. You are being completely unreasonable but I sudpe this is yet another in a long line of threads to have a go at Christians. Hide their posts if you don't like it it is not your crisis to dictate on. Oh and for the record I do know what I am talking about seeing as my son died from surgery to remove a highly aggressive brain tumour. I am not offended by these comments, in fact I am Catholic myself, however even if I were they wouldn't bother me. I don't blame God for my sons cancer if anything is to blame its science .

Buffy, again, I'm talking about them publicly thanking God on FB and not mentioning the doctors. If you read my posts you would also see that I am not specifically targeting Christians - I have the same opinion about anyone publicly thanking their God and forgetting to mention the people who were actively involved.

Sorry to hear about your son

we all need a little bit of faith when our child is ill.19 years ago this xmas my then baby son was diagnosed with mengicocal septicemia .the doctors told my hubby he would not see out the night .this lovely doctor said to my hubby if i were you i would pray to whatever god you believe in .yes we did and all our family .my boy had a rough time but he survived .yes i know he had an excellent medical team but i honestly believe someone answered our prayers that night .so you are being unreasonable to be slagging off these people sometimes faith is all we have left in desperate situations .

But where do you draw the line? Do their FB posts have to thank the cleaners who prevented infection during treatment? The lab techs who processed their blood samples so the doctors could prescribe the correct treatment? The porters who transported the blood samples and equipment to treat them? The ward clerk who ensured the notes were available and correct?

When you thank someone for flowers, do you acknowledge the person who grew them, the florist, the postman?

When you thank someone for a lovely meal, do you acknowledge the shop assistant, the farmer, the slaughterhouse?

You don't have to acknowledge everyone who contributed to an outcome, and it shouldn't be seen as exclusionary to thank one particular person if you don't mention others who you may also be grateful to. I expect the doctors and nurses got a personal thank you.

Mermaidhair, yes, I am interested.

April, I'm not 'slagging off' anyone for their faith.

Seriously, how many times am I going to have to write that on this thread! Lots of people in my family are very religious and I've seen the comfort it brings them. I am not trying to take that away from them or criticise them for turning to a 'higher power' when they feel helpless.

I am Catholic myself, however even if I were they wouldn't bother me. I don't blame God for my sons cancer if anything is to blame its science

I have no wish to personalise this and I am very sorry for your loss but what will give children like your son a better chance of surviving cancer in the future?

More scientific research building on the strides we've made in the past 50 years or more prayer?

Are more people surviving cancer today as more people are praying better or more frequently or because of medical research?

I'm sure the medical/nursing team got thanked at the time. But if this family genuinely believe that God also took an active part in their child's recovery and that their prayers were answered, then I think it's pretty crass to call it into question on a public internet forum tbh. I expect they are thanking God every day for the medical expertise that helped their child.
You don't know how they thanked the hospital. They may have donated money, they may be fundraising for the ward, you just don't know.

"they may be fundraising for the ward"

That would be great Punk. You know where would have been a really good place to promote that? On the FB post to their thousands of followers where they were only thanking and praising God for his recovery.

an active part in their child's recovery.

That's what confuses me, how they believe got cured their child but didn't cure the one who was in the ward next to them who died. I can't like that sort of God. The same way I wouldn't like my husband who didn't act to prevent a death that he could. The fact that he sometimes acted to prevent a death wouldn't make up for the times he didn't act.

I love how people think it's ok to say how a family who happen to have a faith should be reacting after nearly losing their beloved child.
We don't know if they're fundraising at all and if they are its up to them how they do it. Some people aren't happy with the idea of asking for money on a public forum however good the cause.

Alan I don't know whether God played an active part in the child's recovery or not. What I'm saying is that if faith, prayer and belief brought this family a shred of comfort at such an awful time, then who are we to knock it?

This is for GruntledOne. , around 6 months after my gorgeous dh passed away I asked God why did you allow him to die. He answers me simply, I released him from his suffering. That made sense to me and I was thankful. The months after God explained my husbands illness. Please know that God wants us in heaven with him, that is his goal. He (just for ease/ God) told me they he doesn't give people cancer, it's not how he works. But sometimes he will stand back because he knows the greater plan. For our family, my dh turned to God when he was sick, I truly thought the cancer had gone to his brain. I saw how at peace he was, then after he passed myself and two of our children have become Christian. There is no way my husband would have in any other circumstance. So before no Christ followers, now there are 4. Earth isn't our real home, heaven is our real home, for eternity. When we look back our time on earth will be a mere split second. I would much rather have gone through this and know I have a place in heaven along with my family. It's a bit like parents having a very ill child that needs an operation. The parents make the hard decision because they know the bigger picture. To the poor child it would seem they are being harmed. I can't answer for anyone else's situation. I don't know why people's children die. That is for those people to work out with God themselves if they wish. He will never force himself upon you, but if you want him he is there. I don't know why bad things happen, I don't really feel the need to ask because I have 100% trust in him. Do you know how much you love your own children? God loves them more than you ever could, and he loves you the exact same. Please anyone reading do not disrespect our heartbreak, journey and healing by making fun of me. This is my personal experience and I know it to be true.

Mermaidhair don't ask me not to disrespect your heartbreak, journey and healing while you are disrespecting mine.

'God' doesn't love my children more than I ever could.

I will never 'work out with god' why my children died.

And no, 'god' taking the lives of my children it isn't like parents making the choice to give their child a life saving operation at all.

Can you not challenge your friends about "liking" such a status Bumbley?

For goodness sake don't!!!

I don't know much about Christianity but I thought suffering in this life was a sign of God's favour in the next?

Sorry I want directing my comment at you. I would never ever be so heartless and cruel. Whenever I have shared my story before I have received awful messages thinking I am crazy And making fun of me. That is who it was meant for. And sorry I only said if people want to, so people who are already Christians who believe in God. I wouldn't ask someone to work something out with a God that they don't believe in.

Very brave and touching post Mermaid

I think your point about our earthly life being just a split second of eternity is at the heart of the 'why doesn't healing always work?' 'didn't I pray hard enough?' debate. I know that my Dad didn't expect earthly healing. He knew from the moment his cancer reoccurred that he was going to die. Yes, lots of people prayed really hard and doctors tried some experimental drug trials but I knew he knew. He was very calm and peaceful, not depressed, and so so strong, just quietly getting everything as organised and easy as possible for my Mum, who is terrible at anything practical or financial.

If I'm honest I find it really really hard to accept and it's definitely the part of Christianity I struggle with most. But I suppose the point is that, from a Christian perspective, there is always healing and restoration - it just might not come in this part of life.