God's answers sometimes take a long time coming

Perhaps one shoud pray that God's WILL BE DONE instead of HEAL ME NOW.

"All of my years of seminary education and a lifetime of faith do not answer the question: Why hasn’t God healed me?"

Perhaps, Mr. Swift, you should consider that there is no god. At least not one that is waiting around to do favors for individuals who "talk" to him (her) in the exact proper way.

As my nonsensical catholic upbringing used to tell us kiddies when their authorities couldn't answer a question, often this very one you posed: It is mystery!

I wish you well with your disease, and am so sorry you, or any person has to be so afflicted.

I had 6 separate family members who were seriously ill, in fact eventually died from their cancer/illness. They all believed "god" would heal them, put their trust in god, well he let them down, they only got worse and worse until they died, they were all members of the Assembly of God church. Two of them thought they could buy their way into heaven. One gave half her income to church, Oral Roberts and Jimmy Swaggart, said "god would provide" for her, well, my father did! She thanked god!

He's not real good about healing amputees either, for some reason.

I've said several times on here that my mother died a year ago last April of ALS. She never lost faith that she would get better, but we all knew that that was not likely to happen. Belittling someone because they choose to believe in something not scientific only makes you look like an a-hole, Ghost Dog and Answer. You choose not to believe, others do. Neither makes you or I any better than the other, only different. Perhaps I think you're stupid for NOT believing. Would that change your mind? Of course not- just as your not believing doesnt sway me from believing.

My point was that it didn't work for any of them, not even the money squandered on crooks like Roberts and Swaggart. Told my mother that she had paid for the mercedes Roberts got out of when he was telling newsmen to leave when they were camped out at his mansion. That was when he said god would take him if he didn't get $8 million, god still doesn't want him polluting heaven! Thing is, mostly it is the believers that look down their noses on those that don't, think they have found the answer to something!

Ghost Dog wrote:

My point was that it didn't work for any of them, not even the money squandered on crooks like Roberts and Swaggart. Told my mother that she had paid for the mercedes Roberts got out of when he was telling newsmen to leave when they were camped out at his mansion. That was when he said god would take him if he didn't get $8 million, god still doesn't want him polluting heaven! Thing is, mostly it is the believers that look down their noses on those that don't, think they have found the answer to something!

You're right that some people who are believers do look down on those who dont, I'm not one of those people. I'm just saying that belittling people for their beliefs only serves to remove you from any decent conversation.

You're right that Swaggart and Bakker, et all are crooks. I fully agree with that and I remember the days of PTL when Bakker had no problem putting people in the poor house while they lived like kings. I'd imagine a lot of people lost their faith because of these nuts. Its an unfortunate reality. Its also a good lesson not to follow blindly one person but instead look at the entire religion and decide if it is something that you choose to follow.

Medicine has found positive power of faith and prayer. our immune systems and capacity to heal gets stronger when we're at peace and weaker when we're in distress. IMO (for orginal poster and anyone else interested) with faith of any kind we're more open for whatever CAN improve to happen, and to be in less pain, fear or distress. Occasionally a miraculous healing does take place but if it doesn't, to me it's not "proof" that the person didn't have enough faith or that there is no higher power. I hope and pray for the poster to feel better and more at peace.

WNCNATIVE wrote:

Belittling someone because they choose to believe in something not scientific only makes you look like an a-hole, Ghost Dog and Answer.

And where WAS the belittlement in my comment Mr. Potty-Mouth? I called no one names, only asked the writer to consider that, perchance, there is no god, and backed up my opinion with a bit of my personal history. You are the nasty, name calling one in this otherwise civilized debate.

Perhaps the points raised by me and others is making your beliefs a little shaky, so you feel the need to attack.

god wants me to win the lotto. as long as i have faith (and money), he will eventually send me the winning ticket! isn't that the argument?

religion, by it's design, is based on falsehood & ignorance. the zealots would have you believe that god will guide my hand to pick the winning numbers. or that his divine breath will push the ball into the hole. or that my lack of complete faith is preventing me from knowing his true message. etc.

science tells me that my odds are 1:146,107,962. same as everyone elses, regardless of religious affiliation.

so who's lying, god or science?

Answer wrote:

<quoted text>
And where WAS the belittlement in my comment Mr. Potty-Mouth? I called no one names, only asked the writer to consider that, perchance, there is no god, and backed up my opinion with a bit of my personal history. You are the nasty, name calling one in this otherwise civilized debate.
Perhaps the points raised by me and others is making your beliefs a little shaky, so you feel the need to attack.

Lol..come back when you know something. I didnt call anyone names. I said it makes you two look like an a-hole. There is a distinct difference. And it does. And apparently you are.

WNCNATIVE wrote:

<quoted text> Lol..come back when you know something. I didnt call anyone names. I said it makes you two look like an a-hole. There is a distinct difference. And it does. And apparently you are.

Reminds me of the two sailors who opened a shop in downtown Pensacola..... <chukcle>

Ooops, that's Marines, not Sailors!

IF god exists (and the is a great big "IF") then based on the state of this world I can only assume that he is one sick sadistic b@$tard. Reminds me of a kid frying ants on a hot sidewalk with a magnifying glass.

Perhaps the healing isn't that of removing a disease, but rather recognition of the love and concern others have for you that may ultimately soothe your bitterness and despair and move you toward acceptance.

unit1073 wrote:

Perhaps the healing isn't that of removing a disease, but rather recognition of the love and concern others have for you that may ultimately soothe your bitterness and despair and move you toward acceptance.

I'd really rather take a cure for cancer over being granted the miracle of being able to say, "Well, f*** it then, I guess."

unit1073 wrote:

Perhaps the healing isn't that of removing a disease, but rather recognition of the love and concern others have for you that may ultimately soothe your bitterness and despair and move you toward acceptance.

Couldn't of stated it in a better way! Kudos!

Some people LOSE faith because God didn't help them ...God didn't cure them ....God didn't save them ....

Maybe it is because the things you want God to help you with are the very same things you NEED TO LEARN while here on earth....

There is a REASON for everything .....QUIT asking WHY ME .....

WHY NOT ME?

Most of you people DO NOT even know what faith really is........

Old Rose wrote:

<quoted text>
Reminds me of the two sailors who opened a shop in downtown Pensacola..... <chukcle>

LMAO!

Whenever I question why I have it so rough when I try my damndest to do my best, I see it as it being God's way of testing my faith in the Almighty. I have noticed over the years that God has not put no more than I can handle onto me. Whenever I feel like I have no hope, the Almighty comes to my rescue. I don't no why. I do not deserve the Almighty's love for I constantly fail the Almighty's glory.

WNCNATIVE wrote:

I've said several times on here that my mother died a year ago last April of ALS. She never lost faith that she would get better, but we all knew that that was not likely to happen. Belittling someone because they choose to believe in something not scientific only makes you look like an a-hole, Ghost Dog and Answer. You choose not to believe, others do. Neither makes you or I any better than the other, only different. Perhaps I think you're stupid for NOT believing. Would that change your mind? Of course not- just as your not believing doesnt sway me from believing.

All of us are going to die one way or the other. Some young in age, some old in age. When it is your turn to go home, God will bring you. If it is not your time, God gives human beings the ability to treat certain dieases to keep them alive and even heal them to live on a little longer. In cases of accidents such as vehicle or in cases of natural desasters, the Almighty steps in to keep you alive at times and at times don't. Mind you that this is IMO. In my case, it is way beyond me why I am alive today. I should of been dead 9 times over by now at just 51 years in age. Why God is letting me live is beyond me. As far as being a little overweight, high blood pressure and low thyroid, which I am taking meds. for, I have no other physical problems. I just can't explain all of the physical violence that my body has been through that why I survived.