A Coworker's Religious Experience

[GalileoSmith]

A few years ago a coworker of mine was shot, an innocent bystander in a crime. When he recovered and returned to work a few weeks later, he stated that he felt certain God had been watching over him since the bullet struck him in the chest yet missed his heart.
If I were the person shot and thought that God was in any way a factor, I would be annoyed with him for allowing me to be shot at all. I might think that God must be sufficiently angry at me to allow me to be shot, but not so angry as to allow me to be killed. I would not thank God. If an assailant punched me in the face, I would not thank the person for not stabbing me with a knife. I would be angry that he punched me in the face.

 

[pknopp]

A few years ago a coworker of mine was shot, an innocent bystander in a crime. When he recovered and returned to work a few weeks later, he stated that he felt certain God had been watching over him since the bullet struck him in the chest yet missed his heart.
If I were the person shot and thought that God was in any way a factor, I would be annoyed with him for allowing me to be shot at all. I might think that God must be sufficiently angry at me to allow me to be shot, but not so angry as to allow me to be killed. I would not thank God. If an assailant punched me in the face, I would not thank the person for not stabbing me with a knife. I would be angry that he punched me in the face.

You are free to feel as you wish. It's not really your business how someone else feels.

 

[noonereal]

A few years ago a coworker of mine was shot, an innocent bystander in a crime. When he recovered and returned to work a few weeks later, he stated that he felt certain God had been watching over him since the bullet struck him in the chest yet missed his heart.
If I were the person shot and thought that God was in any way a factor, I would be annoyed with him for allowing me to be shot at all. I might think that God must be sufficiently angry at me to allow me to be shot, but not so angry as to allow me to be killed. I would not thank God. If an assailant punched me in the face, I would not thank the person for not stabbing me with a knife. I would be angry that he punched me in the face.

My take away, you and your coworker look at things differently.

Thanks for the waste of time thread though!

 

[GalileoSmith]

A few years ago a coworker of mine was shot, an innocent bystander in a crime. When he recovered and returned to work a few weeks later, he stated that he felt certain God had been watching over him since the bullet struck him in the chest yet missed his heart.
If I were the person shot and thought that God was in any way a factor, I would be annoyed with him for allowing me to be shot at all. I might think that God must be sufficiently angry at me to allow me to be shot, but not so angry as to allow me to be killed. I would not thank God. If an assailant punched me in the face, I would not thank the person for not stabbing me with a knife. I would be angry that he punched me in the face.

You are free to feel as you wish. It's not really your business how someone else feels.

You are correct. I am analyzing a person's thoughts and feelings which is done by all of us everyday.

 

[GalileoSmith]

A few years ago a coworker of mine was shot, an innocent bystander in a crime. When he recovered and returned to work a few weeks later, he stated that he felt certain God had been watching over him since the bullet struck him in the chest yet missed his heart.
If I were the person shot and thought that God was in any way a factor, I would be annoyed with him for allowing me to be shot at all. I might think that God must be sufficiently angry at me to allow me to be shot, but not so angry as to allow me to be killed. I would not thank God. If an assailant punched me in the face, I would not thank the person for not stabbing me with a knife. I would be angry that he punched me in the face.

My take away, you and your coworker look at things differently.

Thanks for the waste of time thread though!

'Looking at things differently" is what this forum is all about.

 

[Meriweather]

If I were the person shot and thought that God was in any way a factor, I would be annoyed with him for allowing me to be shot at all. I might think that God must be sufficiently angry at me to allow me to be shot, but not so angry as to allow me to be killed. I would not thank God. If an assailant punched me in the face, I would not thank the person for not stabbing me with a knife. I would be angry that he punched me in the face.

Did the co-worker believe that the bullet was coming directly at his heart, and the bullet suddenly veered? Did he feel he had an inexplicable urge to move slightly one way or the other? Did he feel that the shooter had been momentarily distracted and missed a fatal shot?

Have you ever had an experience where by sheer coincidence, no intention on your part, you were simply at a place and time where you (or your skill set) were needed?

 

[GalileoSmith]

If I were the person shot and thought that God was in any way a factor, I would be annoyed with him for allowing me to be shot at all. I might think that God must be sufficiently angry at me to allow me to be shot, but not so angry as to allow me to be killed. I would not thank God. If an assailant punched me in the face, I would not thank the person for not stabbing me with a knife. I would be angry that he punched me in the face.

Did the co-worker believe that the bullet was coming directly at his heart, and the bullet suddenly veered? Did he feel he had an inexplicable urge to move slightly one way or the other? Did he feel that the shooter had been momentarily distracted and missed a fatal shot?

Have you ever had an experience where by sheer coincidence, no intention on your part, you were simply at a place and time where you (or your skill set) were needed?

Apparently my coworker believed that the bullet very likely would have killed him without the assistance of God. A few days ago I watched a video where a person had a rare form of cancer that despite medical tests, was not identified for a few weeks. Finally there was an additional symptom of double vision which added to her other symptoms allowed the doctors to identify her illness. She believed that the additional symptom of double vision was God coming to her aid. I wondered, why didn't God just rid her of the cancer or better yet, spare her of the cancer altogether.

 

[Meriweather]

Apparently my coworker believed that the bullet very likely would have killed him without the assistance of God. A few days ago I watched a video where a person had a rare form of cancer that despite medical tests, was not identified for a few weeks. Finally there was an additional symptom of double vision which added to her other symptoms allowed the doctors to identify her illness. She believed that the additional symptom of double vision was God coming to her aid. I wondered, why didn't God just rid her of the cancer or better yet, spare her of the cancer altogether.

Let's take a look at a couple of things. Is it possible that she should have credited her doctors for finding the cancer, not God? After all, God could have told her to tell the doctors where her cancer could be found. That didn't happen; the doctors found the cancer on their own due to a physical symptom. Did she, perhaps, credit God too readily?

Meanwhile, you are wondering why God didn't simply spare her (and likely everyone else in the world?) Do you think your expectations may be too high?

 

[GalileoSmith]

Apparently my coworker believed that the bullet very likely would have killed him without the assistance of God. A few days ago I watched a video where a person had a rare form of cancer that despite medical tests, was not identified for a few weeks. Finally there was an additional symptom of double vision which added to her other symptoms allowed the doctors to identify her illness. She believed that the additional symptom of double vision was God coming to her aid. I wondered, why didn't God just rid her of the cancer or better yet, spare her of the cancer altogether.

Let's take a look at a couple of things. Is it possible that she should have credited her doctors for finding the cancer, not God? After all, God could have told her to tell the doctors where her cancer could be found. That didn't happen; the doctors found the cancer on their own due to a physical symptom. Did she, perhaps, credit God too readily?

Meanwhile, you are wondering why God didn't simply spare her (and likely everyone else in the world?) Do you think your expectations may be too high?

Yes, she should have credited her doctors for diagnosing the cancer. As for my expectations of God, I am not looking at the scenario in terms of what God can do. It is an example of people putting a different standard on God then on anything, or anyone else. If God is easily capable of performing a very positive act, then why not be critical of God if he goes only halfway? If someone has a pet dog and they give the dog only enough food and water to survive, I am going to be critical of the person if they do not give the dog enough food and water to be healthy.

 

[Meriweather]

GalileoSmith, I don't know if this will help you in any way, but I have always been a strong believer in God. As a rule, I do not credit God with physical healing. Nor do I say, "It must have been God" when there other options as well.

For example, every so often (meaning very rarely) I catch a glimpse of the future. For example, one time I was going by a hospital (not one in the area I was living) and I saw myself walking the grounds, worried, waiting for news. That's it. Couldn't imagine why I ever would be walking around that particular hospital, but not quite two years later, there I was. In like episodes over the years one thing was always in common: Strong emotion, all for different reasons. I don't see any reason to credit these experiences to God. In fact I liken them more to some strange wrinkle in time where a strong emotion instead of traveling in the usual linear fashion for some reason folds in and around itself and I catch reverberations of something that has not yet happened. I see this as a more likely explanation than God wanting to show me a glimpse of some future event. He didn't seem anywhere in the picture when any of this happened (i.e. I was not praying before, during, after).

Just want you to keep in mind that while some may automatically credit God for something, it is not the habit of al people of faith. Another thing, is that even though I have had a teensie experience of God, I keep it within its small boundaries--I don't claim because I had this experience it is proof that God created the world. He may well have, probably did, but it isn't anything I, personally, can testify about. Many, many of us people of faith are very down-to-earth, and may even have more common sense than your average bear. Just because one person tells you how he/she sees God, keep in mind other people of belief, faith, and experience may have a very different perspective.

 

[presonorek]

A few years ago a coworker of mine was shot, an innocent bystander in a crime. When he recovered and returned to work a few weeks later, he stated that he felt certain God had been watching over him since the bullet struck him in the chest yet missed his heart.
If I were the person shot and thought that God was in any way a factor, I would be annoyed with him for allowing me to be shot at all. I might think that God must be sufficiently angry at me to allow me to be shot, but not so angry as to allow me to be killed. I would not thank God. If an assailant punched me in the face, I would not thank the person for not stabbing me with a knife. I would be angry that he punched me in the face.

This reminds me of a video called, “God’s Not Dead in Five Minutes” from the CultofDusty. Let me see if I can find it.

 

[presonorek]

 

[GalileoSmith]

I actually have watched Dusty videos on occasion. This one looks unfamiliar. I think I heard the voice of Mr. Bill in there.

 

[The Irish Ram]

A few years ago a coworker of mine was shot, an innocent bystander in a crime. When he recovered and returned to work a few weeks later, he stated that he felt certain God had been watching over him since the bullet struck him in the chest yet missed his heart.
If I were the person shot and thought that God was in any way a factor, I would be annoyed with him for allowing me to be shot at all. I might think that God must be sufficiently angry at me to allow me to be shot, but not so angry as to allow me to be killed. I would not thank God. If an assailant punched me in the face, I would not thank the person for not stabbing me with a knife. I would be angry that he punched me in the face.

This is earth. The rain falls on the just and the unjust. The innocent and the guilty. We live in a very dangerous world. If God needed that man for some future event, then yes, He would intervene. If he belonged to Christ and the bullet went straight through his heart, God had already intervened, paid for his sins and had him in Heaven before his body hit the ground.
It is a win win with God on your side...

 

[LittleNipper]

A few years ago a coworker of mine was shot, an innocent bystander in a crime. When he recovered and returned to work a few weeks later, he stated that he felt certain God had been watching over him since the bullet struck him in the chest yet missed his heart.
If I were the person shot and thought that God was in any way a factor, I would be annoyed with him for allowing me to be shot at all. I might think that God must be sufficiently angry at me to allow me to be shot, but not so angry as to allow me to be killed. I would not thank God. If an assailant punched me in the face, I would not thank the person for not stabbing me with a knife. I would be angry that he punched me in the face.

Perhaps you should watch the movie: It's a Wonderful Life. George Bailey is socked, and he is disgruntled to say the very least. But while the movie is fiction, it does demonstrate how GOD may work in mysterious ways. And HE does allow events to happen for various reasons. And to a Christian (or a prospective one) God may allow various events to transpire in order to gain one's undivided attention...