Question for Theists: The Proble with Thanking God

[brewer]

So why do you want to stiff your needy relatives?

Have you forgotten that charity begins at home?

1 Timothy 5:8 = https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?se...CV;NET;CEV

1 Timothy 5:16 = https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?se...CV;NET;CEV

What the hell makes you think I have needy relatives? I can assure you that all of my family and extended family's needs are met.

[John V]

Prove it!!

Read the OP!! Particularly the part, "Even if I were a believer"!!! Happens in every freakin' thread anymore.

Who says we don't?

You say it yourselves. You're wasting time on this forum which could be helping the needy. Plenty of you speak of buying frivolities like booze, drugs and video games, which money could have been given to the poor.

How do you know we don't care about those people?

See above. You pay lip service to caring, but your actions say otherwise.

[drfuzzy]

Prove it!!

Read the OP!! Particularly the part, "Even if I were a believer"!!! Happens in every freakin' thread anymore.

Who says we don't?

You say it yourselves. You're wasting time on this forum which could be helping the needy. Plenty of you speak of buying frivolities like booze, drugs and video games, which money could have been given to the poor.

How do you know we don't care about those people?

See above. You pay lip service to caring, but your actions say otherwise.

So, "alpha" - - lkingpinl - one of your fellow xtians, has posted in this thread what he and his family will be doing to help the poor this Thanksgiving.  I have done the same.   You haven't shared your outreach yet.  

You say:  "If you cared that much about starving people you'd be doing something about it instead of posting on this forum."  This could also be applied to you.  I give of my time, usually, because I don't have much money.  How do you witness by your actions, other than wasting your time criticizing atheists on their discussion forum?

[John V]

So, "alpha" - - lkingpinl - one of your fellow xtians, has posted in this thread what he and his family will be doing to help the poor this Thanksgiving.  I have done the same.   You haven't shared your outreach yet.  

You say:  "If you cared that much about starving people you'd be doing something about it instead of posting on this forum."  This could also be applied to you.  I give of my time, usually, because I don't have much money.  How do you witness by your actions, other than wasting your time criticizing atheists on their discussion forum?

It doesn't matter what I do, as I'm not criticizing God for allowing suffering to exist. I really don't care what charitable acts anyone here does - I just care about the hypocrisy.

That said, I organize a food drive at my church and have a recurring monthly donation to a local shelter set up. Pretty standard stuff. I could do a lot more if I were to sacrifice some pleasures.

[drfuzzy]

So, "alpha" - - lkingpinl - one of your fellow xtians, has posted in this thread what he and his family will be doing to help the poor this Thanksgiving.  I have done the same.   You haven't shared your outreach yet.  

You say:  "If you cared that much about starving people you'd be doing something about it instead of posting on this forum."  This could also be applied to you.  I give of my time, usually, because I don't have much money.  How do you witness by your actions, other than wasting your time criticizing atheists on their discussion forum?

It doesn't matter what I do, as I'm not criticizing God for allowing suffering to exist. I really don't care what charitable acts anyone here does - I just care about the hypocrisy.

That said, I organize a food drive at my church and have a recurring monthly donation to a local shelter set up. Pretty standard stuff. I could do a lot more if I were to sacrifice some pleasures.

That's great that you organize a food drive.  It's more than most people do.

We read these posts through the filter of our own worldview and experience.  As atheists, even the act of thanking god over dinner is kind of incomprehensible, even though many of us, like myself, grew up doing just that.  You need to remember that we don't believe there is anyone listening.  And it can be hard to be grateful for bounty when others are suffering.  Belief in god is not necessary to care.  

So we see people all the time who have SO MUCH, thanking god for "blessing" them.  I have actually heard christians dismiss the poor by saying that "if they were real christians, they would be blessed too".  Thankfully most people would disagree with that, but actions speak louder than words.  Yes, we see hypocrisy too.  Rather than sniping at each other, we need to be talking about how to help people to see the needy in their midst.

[John V]

That's great that you organize a food drive.  It's more than most people do.

We read these posts through the filter of our own worldview and experience.  As atheists, even the act of thanking god over dinner is kind of incomprehensible, even though many of us, like myself, grew up doing just that.  You need to remember that we don't believe there is anyone listening.

No, when the OP says "Even if I were a believer..." I don't - or shouldn't - need to remember that.

And it can be hard to be grateful for bounty when others are suffering.

Seems to me it's easier to be thankful when others are suffering. Heck, if no one ever suffered, we wouldn't even think to be thankful.

[drfuzzy]

That's great that you organize a food drive.  It's more than most people do.

We read these posts through the filter of our own worldview and experience.  As atheists, even the act of thanking god over dinner is kind of incomprehensible, even though many of us, like myself, grew up doing just that.  You need to remember that we don't believe there is anyone listening.

No, when the OP says "Even if I were a believer..." I don't - or shouldn't - need to remember that.

And it can be hard to be grateful for bounty when others are suffering.

Seems to me it's easier to be thankful when others are suffering. Heck, if no one ever suffered, we wouldn't even think to be thankful.

"Even if I were a believer".   Oh.  I did miss that part.  So, you're objecting to ex-christians who are objecting to christian practices?  Hmm.  Ok.  BUT, it's an atheist forum, most of us are ex-christians, so fussing about christian practices is pretty normal 'round here.  I'm sure you understand that.

Easier to be thankful when others are suffering?  Yes, I know - we wouldn't be grateful for health if we were never sick, etc.  It's the bad things that make us appreciate the good.  But it's clear that someone who runs a food drive also understands the need to try to alleviate that suffering.   In most ways except the belief that a deity exists, we're on the same page.

[vorlon13]

God already knew we were either going to thank him or not, so what's the point ??

[Wyrd of Gawd]

So why do you want to stiff your needy relatives?

Have you forgotten that charity begins at home?

1 Timothy 5:8 = https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?se...CV;NET;CEV

1 Timothy 5:16 = https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?se...CV;NET;CEV

What the hell makes you think I have needy relatives? I can assure you that all of my family and extended family's needs are met.

Rich people always have poor relatives.  If you don't have any poor relatives then you are probably the only person on the planet who doesn't.

[Edwardo Piet]

The problem with thanking God?

He never ever says "You're welcome". Ungrateful cunt.

(Well he never says anything TBH. Ignorant bastard).