Napal, and the absurd word "Miracle".

[Brian37]

No one pays attention that that word is stupidly used all over the world by every religion. A lucky guy who was buried under the rubble was found 5 days after. Yes a bright moment in a dark situation, no one should argue that. But that word is a bullshit word which is born out of human ignorance amounting to selection bias and sample rate error. What about all the people who died? And what about the 50 million humans worldwide who die from everything on average per year. This lucky guy didn't survive because of anything divine, he survived because conditions played out that way. No magic or divine hand involved.

[robvalue]

Has someone being saying "it's a miracle" then? If so, especially if it's the media, it's thoroughly disgusting. I totally agree. Praising God for only killing almost everyone is perverse in the extreme.

If God actually was real, and visible, and we watched him cause an earthquake (or sit idly by without stopping it), watched him twiddle his thumbs for 5 days then watched him shine a light where a survivor could be found... would that be a miracle? Would you praise him for that? He can get fucked.

That being said, of course I'm really happy for any survivors to be found. But let's credit the people who found them. And accept that it's a tragedy overall.

[Brian37]

Well even in the more earthy "atheistic" religions of the world the concept of "divine" does not have to involve a god, but it is still magical thinking. If one survives any natural disaster or plane or car crash, none of that is magic. You either die or you don't and either way the result is because of the factors that lead to either outcome. Humans simply don't like life being a crap shoot, which it is. They'd do better in avoiding these things by scraping bullshit words and actually studying these events to find ways to avoid these outcomes.

---

More people would have survived with better building codes.

[Brian37]

Has someone being saying "it's a miracle" then? If so, especially if it's the media, it's thoroughly disgusting. I totally agree. Praising God for only killing almost everyone is perverse in the extreme.

If God actually was real, and visible, and we watched him cause an earthquake (or sit idly by without stopping it), watched him twiddle his thumbs for 5 days then watched him shine a light where a survivor could be found... would that be a miracle? Would you praise him for that? He can get fucked.

That being said, of course I'm really happy for any survivors to be found. But let's credit the people who found them. And accept that it's a tragedy overall.

I really hate it when someone survives an injury or an illness and they thank god when the doctors did the work. 

My mom had a heart doctor a while back, ended up sending her to a specialist, but on our first visit I saw that stupid famous painting of Jebus standing behind the doctor guiding his hands, and all I could think was "If you open my mom up the last fucking thing I want you doing is getting distracted by praying or talking to yourself". Don't ask me to chose between your unfounded superstition and my own mother. 

[abaris]

Yes, that's human speech for you. If you want to walk around policing every word being said, you have quite a job at your hands. Personally I don't even notice. The word miracle is used every now and then, I say thank god every now and then. It has the same meaning - nothing.

[Brian37]

Yes, that's human speech for you. If you want to walk around policing every word being said, you have quite a job at your hands. Personally I don't even notice. The word miracle is used every now and then, I say thank god every now and then. It has the same meaning - nothing.

I wish it was as hollow as you would like it to be, sure some use it in a meaningless gesture, but there still are far too many who really still believe in a magic cause. Maybe someday it will get to a majority of being watered down but I don't see that right now. I still see that gap filling in our species. 

[robvalue]

Being generous I suppose, people could mean "lucky considering you'd expect no survivors".

I think it's the intent of the word that is most important.

[Brian37]

Don't get me wrong about that doctor, no I can't stop humans from believing things I don't, but when you are doing something with someone's body, especially their ticker, you leave that shit at the door. I loved Sully's response when he landed the plane on the Hudson when a reporter asked him if he said a prayer "I didn't have time". NO SHIT, now while I don't know what Sully's beliefs are, he did the right thing.

I hate that particular painting, not because people believe, but because that doctor, and the painting implies it is ok to get distracted. No, if this doctor believes in a god, I cant stop that, but do your attributing before or after, NOT DURING. Like I said, I don't give one shit about your God I care about my mother.