So me, of all people, had a religious experience (page 19)

just n from bethel

Glad you're giddy Sab. Let's say for sake of argument, that this hand you got, is because of some supernatural power trying to communicate with you. Even if that's the case, and the christians here are all over it like monkeys on bananas, then in my mind I say so what.. that's the best this supernatural power could do - a card trick that can pretty much be shown as an infrequent statistcal anomaly - that's how this invisible being decides to show you he exists???

If it were me I'd tell this god, the uncensored version of Cee-Lo's "forget you". I mean, you were playing cards with your brother. You weren't even at a high stakes tournament where you could've at least benefited from the hand with something useful. Or heck, maybe, this god is a card player and he's trying to tell you to board the next plane to vegas and he'll be your invisible rain man.

For me, a god that can't tell me something useful, like where the next earthquake is going to hit, or how to miraculously feed the millions of starving refugee children, or the cure for cancer ... is pretty much useless. I'd be like, 'hey thanks for playing, but next time find your own damn poker game to screw with.' At least Jesus supposedly healed a few lepers when we was here. This guy shows up and shuffles your deck, and your life has changed.

Here's what I'd do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eCCAAsLJeY

Violia

Why would God have to help him win money or do anything? Sab was asking for an acknowledgment that God ( something) existed . God could have chosen to speak to him that way. I have had experiences where God answered a prayer directly. In my case I asked for direction and it came from a very unlikely source.

just n from bethel

I didn't say this "god" that did the card trick, should have to do more than just a card trick. I just find it useless, that's all. But hey, Hank's a great guy. He can randomly place money in the road when you need it, set you up to win the lottery, and do all kinds of amazing, powerful, magical things. If that does it for you, then so be it. I'm not even saying that this god dude doesn't exist, just that, if the Big Guy's best way to reveal himself is as Mr. card trick, then who needs him?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDp7pkEcJVQ

sabastious

justn, the three amigos reference was gold! Also if it was a demonstration of God's power then I would say it is immense. My brother could be a pro poker dealer and he shuffled it very good. Plus after each hand the button moves and changes who was dealt first last hand is dealt last in a heads up game. If God did it then he would have to have immense control over many different things including my brother's shuffling somehow.

-Sab

SixofNine

Where is this spreadsheet?

You and I both know it exist in a researchers work somewhere. :)

it is the first time I have even considered assigned meaning (outside of "the demons") to what I perceived as an unexplained phenomenon.

IOW, it's been common in your life.

sabastious

I didn't say this "god" that did the card trick, should have to do more than just a card trick. I just find it useless, that's all.

That's because it is useless for you because you have deemed it so. Some from this thread might have taken something away, but you see a senseless occurance. That's what makes humanity great, imo, is the rich diversity within all of us.

I think every person in this thread has the potential to act emotionally like I did and they have the potential to dismiss it entirely. It's pure preference at this point since my life has no bearing on anyone here.

-Sab

sabastious

IOW, it's been common in your life.

To use Mad Sweeney's expression I have mad many events in my life that I have not yet explained and so do you. It's common to have uncommon experiences throughout all our lives. Until now, I have not been interested in explaining them because it was already explained for me... it was the "demons."

-Sab

just n from bethel

Not to be overly cynical but you're wrong when you say it's a preference, like some kind of choice. It's either a random coincidence or it's not. End of story. If it's not, then it just shows that this god, is pretty powerless, for a supernatural being. When I do my volunteer stint for the next natural disaster that hits Haiti or some other place that kills thousands and leaves even more homeless orphans, I'll be sure and tell everyone, 'hey, god is real - he did this card trick once that was really meaningful for this guy I know. So hang in there, buddy, 'cause someday he'll do a card trick (or something else that hits your emotional sentimentality button) for you too.'

sabastious

Not to be overly cycnical but you're wrong when you say it's a preference, like some kind of choice. It's either a random coincidence or it's not. End of story.

From an omniscient perspective, yes, but neither of us are qualifed to dictate what is truth and what is not. Therefore truth, for us, is perspective and therefore is also preference.

-Sab

just n from bethel

"but neither of us are qualifed to dictate what is truth and what is not."

Sure we are - is the earth flat or not? Does 2 + 2 = 4 or Does 2 + 2 = 5?

And here's another truth: for every poor confused former JW that needs a magic show to prove that god or something is out there, there are tens of thousands (if not more) of children that need god, you, me, somebody, something, to help get them clean water and proper nutrition.

So, tell me - what good does it do, really for humanity, right now, in this moment of truth, if some supernatural dude can make cards appear in a special order, that could just as well have happened in the normal course of shuffling and dealing?

So me, of all people, had a religious experience

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