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!

PunkrockerGirl

No your faith doesn't affect me, but I don't know you. If I did I would not criticize you for your faith, but you have to realise that sometimes one person's faith can and does have an impact on others.

My mother passed away at New Year, I was affected by all the praying that went on because it was a complete and utter waste of time and effort.

People who offered to pray for her, me, the family might have said, "I'll write a letter to Santa for you".

If I was on your ward, or wherever you work, as a professional and a patient asked for a priest, rabbi or whatever I would smile and nod and make the arrangements because as a professional I leave my beliefs at the door.

Incidentally if it is a relative that is asking I might not, having been admitted to hospital as an on a number of occasions they only time I was not happy with staff was when an RC priest had me on his 'list' and gave me a telling off not going to mass.

One of my relatives thought I'd be comforted. I was too ill to tell him to F off.

"And if they or their relatives express a wish for chaplaincy or spiritual support I'll tell them they're being twats, shall I ?"

Oh, of course not, don't be silly!

Bob Mortimer has just thanked the medical staff for his op

www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-34654642

What perplexes me, and I say this as an ex Christian, don't they realise that the healing they're thanking God for is all about statistics. If the healed individual wasn't in the UK with access to good healthcare God was less likely to have healed them. If you live in Malawi where it's believed around 30% of the population have aids and infant mortality is at 1 in 10 then gods not as likely to heal you. Either God is racist or not real. All apologetic explanations require you to suspend the use of your usual moral judgement.

Yes, sashh I read that. Good to see!

Yes, Alan, very true. As someone said earlier in the thread, the western world seems to keep God very busy with driving tests and finding parking spaces. DH also often points out what a coincidence it is that God is answering more and more prayers for recovery from illness in line with advances in medicine.

True bumble - still, I am glad he/she has the time and inclination to help wee Mary pass her driving test at the 20th attempt rather than stopping his priests from buggering children or helping starving children and any of the numerous other horrific occurrences that happen every minute of every day.

It's one of the things I can't get my head around myother. I don't know how people can be happy and thankful that their prayers for things like passing driving tests are answered while other people's prayers for survival/escape from abuse are seemingly ignored .

well, we know that the prayers are neither answered or ignored, but obviously that's not what they believe, so as you say how they justify that in their heads I'll never fathom. I have teenagers that I left to make up their own mind and they came to the same conclusion. So, it is indoctrination pure and simple. Christianity is effectively a cult - as are all religions. That's the reason that the churches run so many kids clubs etc for free or token contribution as it's easier to indoctrinate the young and the vulnerable. Some of them wont even be consciously aware that they are doing it. Individually yes, they aren't doing anyone any harm, but essentially they are allowing the cult to continue and are effectively promoting it just like any other marketing ploy.

We have quite religious members of our family on either side and DH used to be quite involved with his parents' church when he was younger. We've had several comments about how we really should get our children involved in church as early as possible or we'll find it really hard to get them to go as teenagers. DH just smiles and nods and mutters under his breath about religious indoctrination.

As I've said before, if someone came along with the idea now, we'd all think they were insane.