[video=youtube;-_1228F3YC0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_1228F3YC0

 

Thought this would go along with the theme

That's wicked!

Actually you bring up a very valid point.

 

For those - perhaps Fundamentalist is painting with too broad a brush - persons that eschew medical treatment; I guess they don't believe that God had a hand in hospitals, doctors, medical advancements, etc.

 

I'm not expressing myself well but you know what I mean.

 

Reminds me of the story of the man stranded on top of his house in a flood. A boat drove by and offered help and the man declined, saying God would save him. The water levels rose and another boat drove by and offered help, to which the man declined, once again saying God would save him. The water level rose even more, nearly engulfing the man. A third boat drove by offering assistance, to which the man one more said God would provide.

 

The man eventually drowned and upon getting to the pearly gates asked God why he didn't provide help when he needed it. To which God replied, "I sent you three boats."

Its a misinterpretation. Jesus did mention the power of snakes, tongues, healing, raising from the dead, etc. But the whole point is that Jesus was giving this power to the 11 disciples so that they could convince the jews and gentiles to join the new christian church. It was never meant for every day schmucks, like myself, to handle snakes, speak in tongues, or raise people from the dead. If you play with a snake it will bite you because you are not one of those disciples to whom Jesus gave the power to.

It just proves that God has a sense of humor .

Its a misinterpretation. Jesus did mention the power of snakes, tongues, healing, raising from the dead, etc. But the whole point is that Jesus was giving this power to the 11 disciples so that they could convince the jews and gentiles to join the new christian church. It was never meant for every day schmucks, like myself, to handle snakes, speak in tongues, or raise people from the dead. If you play with a snake it will bite you because you are not one of those disciples to whom Jesus gave the power to.

I agree. Those apostles had that power, and they had the power to pass those miraculous gifts on to others. But there are no instances in the scriptures of those people who received the powers from the apostles being able to also pass that along further. I have always been of the belief that those gifts died when the last of the people that the apostles gave that power to died.

I really believe that God puts you here (gives you a soul) and then lets you fend for yourself. I certainly don't believe that every little thing is "God's will."

If you hit a slick spot in the road, hit a tree and die, I don't believe that is God's will, but that you hit a slick spot in the road, hit a tree and were killed. When you arrive at the Pearly Gates you are probably asked why you arrived so soon???

Ditto getting sick by being a victim of your environment, etc..

 

A lifetime is a lifetime no matter how long or how short, and how you choose to spend it is up to you. How you live your life (morally, responsibly) are the things that matter to God.

 

Putting yourself in harms way by handling snakes, be it in God's name or not, is still handling snakes, and if one bites you God isn't going to intervene. He's going to ask you when you arrive what killed you, and when you tell him you were bit by a snake, he will tell you that is a bummer, and then judge your life.

 

The Gospel according to Schabell!

It's a TV show, but this quote from Numb3rs is one of my very favorite on this subject: "What kind of mindless cretins would blind themselves to the gifts of science? How else would a creator reveal himself, but through his creation? and to deny the mind of that creation is to deny the mind of god!"

This show is on right now on the national geographic channel. Of course the star of the show is dead now

Kind of funny to hear the preacher speak as if his church is succeeding in spreading the word to the community and his neighbors. Then at the end it shows a service and four people are sitting in the pews.

Also. To the point. The main prooftext they use for why they do this, isn't found in the earliest, most reliable manuscripts. They're just plain silly.