1) Chance
Yes I agree. I don't dismiss chance. My own thoughts are a scenario that seems possible to me is all. They by no means represent anyone else or make for an unmovable position. Quite the opposite would be my aim.

2) Cotton Candy World (wasn't that a Madonna song? lol )
I think to want no suffering is a natural human desire. That doesn't fit what we've got. I'm just happy with what we've got. To turn this around: I thought this was something a lot of atheists believed too? If you want to have a full life and appreciate our universe for what it is, don't you have to turn a blind eye to the atrocities natural laws have caused as ell as the good stuff? I think if you can answer that question then you've also answered the reasoning with God in the equation too.

Thanks for the questions

(April 6, 2009 at 4:07 pm)fr0d0 Wrote: It's just being grateful. Internalising or externalising I don't see much difference.

It's one thing to being grateful and say "I'm very happy to be alive" then thanking God for being alive. Then it would mean that God would chose who would live or die. Which would mean that does who died desverved it.

(April 12, 2009 at 7:04 am)Giff Wrote:

(April 6, 2009 at 4:07 pm)fr0d0 Wrote: It's just being grateful. Internalising or externalising I don't see much difference.

It's one thing to being grateful and say "I'm very happy to be alive" then thanking God for being alive. Then it would mean that God would chose who would live or die. Which would mean that does who died desverved it.

I don't think you could reasonably conclude that this person meant that. If she's indeed religious at all. Kyu would think to himself how lucky he was. This woman is trying to express the same thing, IMO.

(April 12, 2009 at 7:06 am)fr0d0 Wrote:

(April 12, 2009 at 7:04 am)Giff Wrote:

(April 6, 2009 at 4:07 pm)fr0d0 Wrote: It's just being grateful. Internalising or externalising I don't see much difference.

It's one thing to being grateful and say "I'm very happy to be alive" then thanking God for being alive. Then it would mean that God would chose who would live or die. Which would mean that does who died desverved it.

I don't think you could reasonably conclude that this person meant that. If she's indeed religious at all. Kyu would think to himself how lucky he was. This woman is trying to express the same thing, IMO.

Then why thanking God?

Do you think this person really meant "thankyou God for killing everybody"? IMO all she was trying to say was that she was glad to be alive. Being 'thankful'; 'grateful' etc is what people say to express that. It's pretty meaningless.

(April 12, 2009 at 7:39 am)fr0d0 Wrote: Do you think this person really meant "thankyou God for killing everybody"? IMO all she was trying to say was that she was glad to be alive. Being 'thankful'; 'grateful' etc is what people say to express that. It's pretty meaningless.

They may not think like that but indirectly that's what it mean by thanking God for saving them. That would mean that he delibrity let some people die.

It means nothing of the sort. Your logic is over simplistic.

Then why do they thank God?

I already explained. Twice.

I have to go now. Forgive me for not replying soon.

You said that they where being grateful. Why putting God into the equation? They can be grateful without mentioning god