Good one! I'll have to try that one if I ever decide to dive back into that kind of conversation. Of course you can't do it after the fact, like after a disaster. You can do it before a football game where both sides are praying because maybe god hasn't decided yet.

What a great response! Will definitely have to use it should the opportunity arise.

If God knows everything, then he already knows if you'll pray hard enough that he'll be persuaded by your prayers. But wait, since he already knows if he's going to intervene and what will happen then how could your praying help? Oh but then, wait, you can't not pray cause he knew you were going to. So then if you did refrain from praying and there weren't enough prayers for him to intervene then did you prove god wasn't omniscient? But that can't be right, so he knew you weren't going to pray. None of this shit makes any sense!!!

@lerlo Yeah, I often wondered if people on both sidelines were praying, and god was inclined to listen to the prayers of one side over the other, wouldn't that mean he was partial to that team? If so, wouldn't they win all their games forever? Or is it just which side prays more? I'm so confused.

Nice. Your suggested saying shows compassion without delusion.

very well put!!!

unless of course you don't want to ruin a friendship

@lerlo If that would ruin the friendship I have some bad news for you...

@JeffMurray I shouldnt listen to you? Did you even read my post or hurting a friend's feeling doesn't matter to you?

@lerlo I did. What I was alluding to was that if you're walking on eggshells all the time, it's already not a friendship.

@JeffMurray not sure where you got all the time out of it, she made one online post and lives 2000 miles away

@lerlo Oh this is an online-only friendship? Regardless, you are walking on eggshells so much so that you needed to vent here about censoring yourself. That doesn't seem healthy for you. I say post what you wanted to, and whatever happens, you're better off.

@JeffMurray thank you Dr.

@lerlo I'm a nurse, not a doctor. Unless you were being facetious. In which case I'm sorry I bothered, I was only trying to help.

"I've never-minded people praying, as long as they also try being helpful in other ways"

I don't mind as much when they try to be helpful in other way either.

I feel the same way because so many of them are hypocrites

no Climate Change is a Democrat hoax.

Coronavirus is the Chinese hoax.

Someone has to keep his insanity straight. Guess I drew that lot.

Of course not. They think they are getting worse because two boys kissed each other.

I know exactly how you feel. It really gets to me to hear that kind of nonsense!

well of course, which is why some people similarly fall back to god when dying

@lerlo I guess the question is -- what can we do as individuals to be the change that needs to happen, to allow others to move away from these traditional social support structures?

@sarbot zero. A person has to take the time and realize what bulshit it is. Just like we can't change racism in this country.

@lerlo our better yet when they are incarcerated and come up for parole. Ttey have found god now and read the Bible daily for forgiveness.

@Gsanders55 some have but that won't help them get a job on the outside so their choices are limited

@lerlo I think the answer isn't zero, we as individuals can at least be the change we want to see. Possibly we can reach out to others or be there for each other.

@sarbot Yes we can change ourselves but your original comment mentioned moving others away from traditional norms and for that my answer is still zero.

I've asked the same, and have had other questions when they pray BEFORE a disaster...lol

well this is a dating site...

om·nis·cient
/ämˈnisēənt,ämˈniSHənt/

adjective
knowing everything.

I've lost the trumpers, it's not about politics it's about intelligence. It used to be one side won, the other lost and you might not agree with their policies but they were qualified.

@lerlo Yes, back in the days when Rs were relatively reasonable. Those days are long gone. It's also notable to point out that when you lose the evangelicals, you lose the Trumpers at the same time. It's very efficient when you get to put out all the trash at once.

@Sgt_Spanky Thank you for that. I remember when GWB II was POTUS, I didn't really like him that much, but I couldn't muster myself to really dislike him. I voted for his father. I remember when-- and this is especially rich now-- Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority signed up millions of bible morons for the Republican Party to elect Reagan. That was the beginning of the end of the older Republican ideals.

Reason and logic are lost on such people.

I try not to debate or discuss how ridiculous my loved ones sound when they talk about how "blessed" they are but I really try to bite my tongue because you're right....their minds are CLOSED to logic.

If you believe that deadly hurricanes, hundreds of thousands of people dying in a pandemic, floods, tornadoes and anything else that destroys property and life is for the common good, then you just are bad but apparently have a big mind.

@lerlo . . . in NO way do I diminish or intend to trivialize the horrible suffering and tragedy that these people are going through, they have suffered greatly and absolutely NEED all our help to get their lives back in order and back on track, that's not the point, people's lives are upended by catastrophe and sometimes that sets them on a different pathway in life and it can definitely be for the better

What "greater good"?

@thundergod well it's nice that you backed off that All catastrophe is for the greater good. Unfortunately when you are destitute and hit by a hurricane in Louisiana the odds of your life getting better are pretty slim.

Wait, what? Am I reading stuff about intent, propose, or a "plan" for our existence? I think you're on the wrong website...

Oh, I thought you were being sarcastic. I take back my 'thumbs up'.

@lerlo . . . do you have a problem with trying to be positive? is there something wrong with trying to improve a negative situation?

@lerlo, @JeffMurray . . . maybe you are on the wrong wrong website, I'm pretty sure this isn't a god haters club, it's inclusive of everyone, and open minded individuals, not just a place for bigotry, it's a open ended narrative where people are free from bullies and violence and where people are safe to express their point of view and exchange ideas

@thundergod just a problem with saying that all bad is really good--I accept things that are reasonable and that have some empathy. Just like people saying everything happens for a reason--what's the reason that little kids are born into starvation in India? Try and find some good in that

@thundergod actually if you were to read a previous post of mine, there are many people here that are merely mad at god for some reason--they just say they don't believe--so yes, for some it is a god hater's club. Pretty sure you were allowed to express your point of view, just as I was able to express my complete disdain for it.

Nah, but I had to tell somebody