(November 29, 2014 at 3:57 pm)Castiel Wrote: I grew up in a Christian home, believing in miracles and that God proves himself in many ways each day. I no longer believe in God, but some of the stories of "miracles" I've heard are just... hard to dismiss.
A friend of a friend supposedly felt "God" telling her to pull over while she was on the highway. She ignored it several times, and then finally gave in and pulled over. She got out, looked down, and found her husband's wallet, which had apparently fallen off his truck earlier that day. My family shared her story and basically said that "God knew exactly how many times He'd have to tell her to pull over before she did it, and it was all in His perfect timing so that she'd pull over at the right place".
That is just one scenario that I have been told about by my super spiritual family. I'm just wondering what any atheists, or simply anyone who's not a Christian, believes about this.
What are the odds of that happening? Does this mean there's something like "fate" that caused this? Is it some other force of nature we've yet to understand that is responsible for these unbelievable coincidences? Or... could there be a God, after all? If so, why would any loving God take the time to find someone's wallet, but not rescue someone from disease, war, rape, hunger... etc.?
What makes disease, war, rape, hunger and more or less important that finding a wallet? Truthfully, it is the circumstances surrounding that particular person and his wallet, that make all the difference in the world. Who is he, what does this seemingly trivial thing like a found wallet mean from the eternal perspective of those sourounding not only that person but someone like you... If nothing else came of it the wallet incident gave you a pause or a last chance to explore your faith before you anandoned it completely. Even if you leave your faith for a while this story could be God leaving an candle burning for you/your way home some day.
All of the things you mentioned have to do with the very limited time we have here. In the scope of eternity, what does 100 years of hardship or luxury really mean? It is what we choose for ourselves in this life that makes all the difference in eternity.
