An irrelevant objection since Christian piety doesn't require us to pray for natural evils, but to prayerfully accept what God brings our way, whether good or bad, so that we may learn from it.
In addition, I'm the one who asked Evan to post this, and I'm a cancer survivor, so if you're going to use the dumb objection that no one who hasn't had the same experience as x has a right to comment on x, you're barking up the wrong tree.
Steve: "An irrelevant objection since Christian piety doesn't require us to pray for natural evils, but to prayerfully accept what God brings our way, whether good or bad, so that we may learn from it."
Don't you pray for good things? Aren't blessings good? If cancer has "unexpected blessings," and blessings are "good," then why not pray for cancer?
Steve: "In addition, I'm the one who asked Evan to post this, and I'm a cancer survivor, so if you're going to use the dumb objection that no one who hasn't had the same experience as x has a right to comment on x, you're barking up the wrong tree."
Uh, wrong. Never said that.
So has Evan started praying that he'll get cancer? I'm betting he won't, in spite of its "hidden blessings." Perhaps Evan doesn't want blessings?
First of all, you're assuming an awful lot from the mere posting of a link. Evan didn't give any commentary whether he agreed with Snow or not--he provided information for everyone.
Secondly, it's obvious you're not asking genuine questions. You're just being bombastic hoping to score points with other atheists in your little universe. But it's so transparent it's pathetic.
It's not worth responding to you except insofar as other people might be interested (you obviously are unconcerned about any response already). You write: --- Don't you pray for good things? Aren't blessings good? If cancer has "unexpected blessings," and blessings are "good," then why not pray for cancer? ---
This shows your ignorance of the purpose of prayer. Prayer is not designed for you to get stuff. God is not a cosmic Santa Claus or a genie freed from a bottle to grant you three wishes. He is God, and prayer is primarily an act of worship.
Besides, the "benefits" of cancer have nothing to do with cancer qua cancer. Cancer was merely a tool used to deliever the spiritual blessing for Tony Snow. God could have used any other instrument. He was not limited to cancer. Snow recognized, however, that God was behind what happened when it wsa cancer. That is what the "unexpected benefit" is.
Cancer qua cancer is no benefit, but cancer bringing you closer to God is a benefit. And in that light, I do pray that God uses whatever it takes to get me closer to Him. If cancer is what will cause it, then so be it. But insofar as cancer is not the only method by which God can act, there is no reason to pray specifically for cancer. One ought, instead, to pray for whatever brings us closer to God.
This is so obvious as to be trivial; but since you're trivial, a trivial response is warranted.
When you pray to be stricken with cancer, Evan, I'll start to listen. But not until then.
ReplyDeleteAn irrelevant objection since Christian piety doesn't require us to pray for natural evils, but to prayerfully accept what God brings our way, whether good or bad, so that we may learn from it.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, I'm the one who asked Evan to post this, and I'm a cancer survivor, so if you're going to use the dumb objection that no one who hasn't had the same experience as x has a right to comment on x, you're barking up the wrong tree.
Steve: "An irrelevant objection since Christian piety doesn't require us to pray for natural evils, but to prayerfully accept what God brings our way, whether good or bad, so that we may learn from it."
ReplyDeleteDon't you pray for good things? Aren't blessings good? If cancer has "unexpected blessings," and blessings are "good," then why not pray for cancer?
Steve: "In addition, I'm the one who asked Evan to post this, and I'm a cancer survivor, so if you're going to use the dumb objection that no one who hasn't had the same experience as x has a right to comment on x, you're barking up the wrong tree."
Uh, wrong. Never said that.
So has Evan started praying that he'll get cancer? I'm betting he won't, in spite of its "hidden blessings." Perhaps Evan doesn't want blessings?
Arnold,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, you're assuming an awful lot from the mere posting of a link. Evan didn't give any commentary whether he agreed with Snow or not--he provided information for everyone.
Secondly, it's obvious you're not asking genuine questions. You're just being bombastic hoping to score points with other atheists in your little universe. But it's so transparent it's pathetic.
It's not worth responding to you except insofar as other people might be interested (you obviously are unconcerned about any response already). You write:
---
Don't you pray for good things? Aren't blessings good? If cancer has "unexpected blessings," and blessings are "good," then why not pray for cancer?
---
This shows your ignorance of the purpose of prayer. Prayer is not designed for you to get stuff. God is not a cosmic Santa Claus or a genie freed from a bottle to grant you three wishes. He is God, and prayer is primarily an act of worship.
Besides, the "benefits" of cancer have nothing to do with cancer qua cancer. Cancer was merely a tool used to deliever the spiritual blessing for Tony Snow. God could have used any other instrument. He was not limited to cancer. Snow recognized, however, that God was behind what happened when it wsa cancer. That is what the "unexpected benefit" is.
Cancer qua cancer is no benefit, but cancer bringing you closer to God is a benefit. And in that light, I do pray that God uses whatever it takes to get me closer to Him. If cancer is what will cause it, then so be it. But insofar as cancer is not the only method by which God can act, there is no reason to pray specifically for cancer. One ought, instead, to pray for whatever brings us closer to God.
This is so obvious as to be trivial; but since you're trivial, a trivial response is warranted.