What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen God do?

[bluejellybelly]

If you’re a Christian, like a miracle or breakthrough, or even maybe someone encouraged you with exactly what you needed to hear and you know it was God… all those sorts of things… I wanna hear!

@bluejellybelly Just wanted to agree your responses on here have been very measured and thoughtful

It is an interesting but emotional subject that is very difficult to comprehend

Not angry at a non existent god, angry at the attitude that prevails in society that those with faith are better than those without, more deserving of praise and allowed to prevent certain freedoms based on their archaic views of morality. See sunday opening hours / pro-choice/gay marriage/assisted dying to name but a few.

The arrogance is astounding.

This thread may be lighthearted in intent but if you cannot understand why it provokes these reactions then you do live in a little bubble.

Nobody is angry at a god they don't believe in. They are frustrated at human interpretation of said god figure.

Baffling that you think anyone is angry at something they don’t believe in. Angry at the attitudes of people who do believe in a God or Gods that they are somehow superior, angry at the global atrocities committed in the name of these non existent Gods maybe.

I am not remotely angry with God. Why would I be? I am angry with the religious establishment that uses religion to keep people in their places, and the charlatans who make money out of people's grief and desperation..

Not exist 🤷‍♀️

I do have some envy for those with a strong faith whereby the impact of that faith is only positive. By that I mean someone who isn't being controlled by the underhand, immoral, oppressive or abusive behaviour I actually believe to be more associated with religious institutions than any other group.

I prefer to consider the possibility that there is much more that we don't know or understand that is potentially awe invoking. That in my view would not have any relation to a figure like God or other organised religious beliefs. Probably something more spiritual might define what I'm thinking.

Rather than attributing something to a figure I don't believe in- I do question certain coincidences that occur and wonder at those. My wonder would be more towards thinking is there something more that we don't understand or have the evolved senses to witness that is beyond us? Alternate dimension, pre destiny perhaps.

I'm not a believer in charlatans/ tarot cards/ horoscopes and all that crap but I can conceive the possibility of so much more when I ponder existence.

I don't feel I am better than those without a faith

I am pro-choice

I am in favour of assisted dying under carefully controlled circumstances to protect people

Our church supports and has a licence for same-sex marriage

It's incredible frustrating when 'all religious people' are just bundled together as one. We are just a different from each other in many ways as those of other faiths and none!

But no one on this thread that has spoken of having faith has made any such claims. I'm not saying they don't get made, but they haven't been made on this thread.

This reminds me of a thread I once started about a situation connected to my ethnicity, on a board for people from the same ethnicity, and somehow lots of people from other ethnic groups jumped on the thread and started questioning and competing with my experience. And it wasn't that I didn't think other people were allowed to have an opinion, or that I wouldn't have valued their input in a different situation, but I had specifically asked people who were already part of a group about a situation that I suspected was common among that group.

This thread was for Christians to share experiences of God intervening in certain situations in our lives. It doesn't matter if non believers don't think it was God. Go and start your own thread, or resurrect one of the many, many, many existing threads debating God's existence that are freely available on Mumsnet.

It's totally fine not to believe but the questions wasn't 'AIBU to believe that God does amazing things in people's lives.' There's a place for that, too, but this isn't it.

@WiserOlderElf Baffling

If you were of a mind you could read through the many, many posts re God on mumsnet and you will no longer be baffled by the observation that some people are very angry at something in which they don't believe exists.

@Darkdiamond yes that's a very fair observation. I did think that myself even though I am in the atheist camp.

I really enjoy philosophical discussion and would like to see more akin to my personal line of thinking in this section in general.

These posts will always draw a crowd though - including us atheists 😃.

I was basing my response on this thread, as h assumed everyone was, where I haven’t seen anyone angry at something that they don’t believe in.

I also worry about what threads like this might do to people who pray-but don't get any answers. If you're feeling low and worried and you pray and nothing happens isn't that going to make things worse? And the people who are taken in by charlatans- of whom there are many-the leg lengthening thing is a well known scam.

That poster's friend must have really been playing the long con then.

Yeah, me too. I enjoy a philosophical debate as well. My husband is as atheist as they come, actually, meanwhile I had a really powerful experience a few years ago which made me a Christian (which was very interesting!). We have been having debates for some time now, initially very heated but more good natured as time went on and he saw me change into a happier, calmer person.

None of my family is Christian. Only one of my friends from pre Christian days is in the faith. The church I went to dissolved after Covid, and many of the congregation moved away. I'm very much the minority in my faith, and am surrounded with atheistic/agnostic views all the live-long day and sometimes I just want to chat to other Christians about what God is doing in my life. Sometimes I just want to chat to people about Jesus and not debate.

The OP was literally:

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen God do?

bluejellybelly · 04/10/2024 00:12
If you’re a Christian, like a miracle or breakthrough, or even maybe someone encouraged you with exactly what you needed to hear and you know it was God… all those sorts of things… I wanna hear!

So taking things at face value, I was interested, and then quickly realised that no, I wouldn't be sharing anything, actually, as I knew a special experience would be scoffed at and pulled apart, and I just wanted to answer the OP, not debate whether God is real or not. There's a time and a place for that, but I'm the actual demographic that the OP was looking for responses from (specifically) and I couldn't be bothered getting involved because I knew how it would go. And it's not because I can't defend my faith, it's because sometimes I just couldn't be arsed.

@Darkdiamond that makes complete sense. Maybe there's a place for moderators on debate platforms sometimes when you think on it. 🤷‍♀️

The nature of MN is that we all often go off on tangents in response to many posts.

I can see the problem where one might talk about impossibilities such as growing limbs or curing terminal cancer without intervention. I know that wasn't mentioned here but I could see that popping up. Some would feel a sense of responsibility to shut that down and I'd agree with that personally on some level.

Exactly.

I know there are leg lengthening scams these days.

My personal experience is of a friend who had daily worn a built up shoe for the 3 years+ I'd known her by the point I watched her leg grow in the 90s. Her family would occasionally mention the built up shoe in passing conversations as having been a lifelong issue.

Must have been a really long con that begun when she was under 10 years old, and a lot of people were involved in. Or...

Fair enough, @Globules. It would be interesting to know what her doctor said about it, though.

I have been accused of derailing.
I simply asked a question to which no logical answer has been given (how do you know a god was involved?). It seems/seemed a logical question, both to me as an atheist now and previously as a christian, but apparently it's not a logical question to some people.
I also agree with those who have wondered what effect threads like this have on people who apparently don't have their genuine and often desperate prayers answered. It just doesn't make sense to me. I do think the act of prayer is essentially speaking therapy, and can be beneficial in altering how we feel about a situation or how we might act in relation to those feelings, but I don't think it's evoking any higher power.
Anyway, just wanted to clarify because there seemed to be some notion that I wanted to be horrible when really I just have genuine questions. Have a good week all - may you all find some joy in at least one aspect of your life!

From what I recall it was something to the effect of "i've heard of another case where similar happened." That was all.

I have been accused of derailing.

I'm sure your 30ish posts on the thread could never be interpreted so uncharitably!

If you actually read the posts you'll see they were in an attempt to get an answer and responses to comments directed at me.
Is your comment any more on topic?

That’s amazing. Good old God x

Sadly there is no one and done treatment, it’s just a condition we have to manage. He’s not in pain usually but he is more prone to back injuries so we don’t let him jump around too much.

I understand your anger, and I’ll keep my answer brief, and then withdraw because I don’t have all the answers so it would be pointless for me to hang around and stir people up unnecessarily.

i prayed that Jesus would heal my dog and He did. I have prayed for other family members and they have also been healed although more slowly. This was after mainstream medicine was unhelpful.
If I knew a kid with leukaemia I’d pray for them.

I have no idea how this whole thing is supposed to work, but it’s wise to remember that we live on earth and not Heaven, it’s a toxic place for us spiritually and we try to muddle through with one hand tied behind our back. Everyone is on a personal journey to somewhere with battles and joys unique to them. I pay attention to my own journey primarily and then how I can help those directly connected to me because I am a flawed human and I take small steps. There are people who are spiritually stronger and further along their journey than me and can fight bigger battles.

I don’t know why some people suffer and die but I will continue to follow Jesus in my own small way and pray for my small neck of woods. I wish I had more to add but that’s pretty much where I’m up to with my own understanding of things.