Topic: Food for thought.

[sangyo soichiro]

From http://realevang.wordpress.com/2007/08/28/how-god-really-works/

How God really “works”
August 28, 2007 — Deacon Duncan
A blogger at passionateamerica.com has a bit of Monday Morning “humor” that (perhaps without meaning to) gives us a good hard look at how God really “works”:

A United States Marine was attending some college courses between assignments. He had completed missions in Iraq and Afghanistan . One of the courses had a professor who was a vowed atheist and a member of the ACLU.

One day the professor shocked the class when he came in. He looked to the ceiling and flatly stated, “God, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform. I’ll give you exactly 15 minutes.” The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop.

Ten minutes went by and the professor proclaimed, “Here I am God. I’m still waiting.” It got down to the last couple of minutes when the Marine got out of his chair, went up to the professor, and cold-cocked him; knocking him off the platform.

The professor was out cold. The Marine went back to his seat and sat there, silently. The other students were shocked and stunned and sat there looking on in silence. The professor eventually came to, noticeably shaken, looked at the Marine and asked, “What the hell is the matter with you? Why did you do that?”

The Marine calmly replied, “God was too busy today protecting America ’s soldiers who are protecting your right to say stupid stuff and act like an a$$. So, He sent me.”

Funny stuff, eh? I mean, what’s not to love? The assault victim was not only a college professor (i.e. educated and thus automatically evil), he was also a “vowed atheist” (gasp!) and if that weren’t bad enough, he was even a member of the ACLU (swoon!). The author left out “Darwinist,” but that was probably just an oversight. Wouldn’t every passionate American just love to go around punching out liberals, atheists, and educated people? This isn’t just a joke, it’s a wish-fulfillment fantasy.

Like all good fantasy, this one draws its power from making the setting seem as realistic as possible. What makes the joke really work, especially on the wish-fulfillment level, is the faithfulness with which it reproduces the way God behaves in the real world. Notice, for example, that at no point does God ever actually show up anywhere in the real world. He does not show up in response to the professor’s challenge, nor does He show up to tell the Marine, in the sight and hearing of the other students, to go up and punch out the professor.

Nor, in fact, does He show up in the war zone to genuinely protect the soldiers. If God did show up in Iraq, for example, to point out where the insurgents were hiding and where the IED’s were planted, not only would our troops be in a lot less danger, but the Marine would be able to point to God’s visible and verifiable activity in Iraq as a satisfactory answer to the professor’s challenge.

But God does not, in fact, show up in the real world, an absence that the Marine finds frustrating and infuriating. He seethes with inner rage and helplessness, because God consistently fails to behave as though He believed the same things the Marine does, and yet the Marine cannot confront God about this nor can he admit, even to himself, that there’s anything wrong with God’s behavior. To do so would be to cast doubts on his own faith and his own personal sense of salvation.

This frustrated and impotent inner tension is what drives the joke, of course. The author, and his intended readers, all know first-hand how the Marine feels. God’s behavior is clearly inconsistent with what they believe about Him, and there’s not a damn thing they can do about it. They can’t even complain about it, because to complain about it, they’d first have to admit that it’s true, and that would be a denial of their faith. So they’ve got all this anger and frustration building up, and nowhere for it to go. What are they to do?

The Marine, in the story, takes the only available outlet: he makes the poor professor the scapegoat for his own inner turmoil, and lashes out violently against him. Many Christians feel the same way, though most of them (fortunately) are more self-restrained than the Marine in this story, contenting themselves with name-calling and nasty jokes (like this one) directed against whoever they decide should be the scapegoat this week. Ironically, after violently assaulting the professor for what he said, the Marine then self-righteously admits that the professor has a legitimate right to free speech, which his fellow troops are fighting to protect even as he, the Marine, is busy violating it.

But I digress. The main point is that the professor gets knocked off his platform–but notice, it took a real person do actually do it. Had the Marine not acted, the “work” (knocking off the professor) would not have gotten done. The real person did the work, and then tried to claim that God deserved credit for what was done.

This is the secret. This is how God really “works” in the real world: somebody thinks they know what God ought to be doing, then they sit there stewing about it because God’s obviously not taking care of the matter, then they jump up and do it themselves, then they claim that God ought to be given credit for having gotten the job done. A classic case of sock-puppet deity. Rather pitiful, really, but so long as God persists in failing to show up in the real world it’s the best Christians have to offer.

Mr. Anonymous And Probably Fictitious Marine, I salute you. You may have acted violently, ignorantly, and unjustly, but you at least gave us a clear demonstration of how Christians perpetuate the delusion that God actually does things in the real world.

[Gordon]

Let's see, what thought does this story inspire in me?


- When two idiots collide don't expect much from the outcome.

- Where was this god when the 7 US soldiers were killed this weekend?  Was it too busy?  Were the soldiers not christian so god didn't care about them?  Does this god need to let some soldiers die in order to leave at least a little bit of doubt? 

- Not that this story is true, but if it were, after this student had been thrown out of school, been through the legal crap, has a criminal record, and also gone through punishment back on base, how did he feel about his decision?

- While in court, I wonder how his defense of "I was doing the lord's work" went over with the judge.   

[Kframe]

First, the story is probably fiction.

That said, within the story, the teacher was the instigator, he was the first to disrespect the beliefs of another. 
Believe in a god or not, that's fine, but don't be a dick and taunt someone else's god demanding proof of existence in 15 minutes. 
That's just stupid.
The Marine in the story also was dumb, the momentary satisfaction of knocking out the teacher would be followed by expulsion and criminal charges and possibly military charges (if still active). 

Why is everyone getting so upset about this?  Chill out, and go riding.
 
-K

[traveler]

When someone takes a college class, they go in with the expectation that the SUBJECT will be taught, nothing else.

~Joe

For 1....where does freedom of speech fit in there Joe,  and 2,  if i was the teacher i would have wrapped a base ball bat around that small minded Marines head..... and 3...it never happened....

Mick

Since when do people have freedom of speech at work?

Work is where you do what you are told for money.


~Joe

[traveler]

First, the story is probably fiction.

That said, within the story, the teacher was the instigator, he was the first to disrespect the beliefs of another. 
Believe in a god or not, that's fine, but don't be a dick and taunt someone else's god demanding proof of existence in 15 minutes. 
That's just stupid.
The Marine in the story also was dumb, the momentary satisfaction of knocking out the teacher would be followed by expulsion and criminal charges and possibly military charges (if still active). 

Why is everyone getting so upset about this?  Chill out, and go riding.
 
-K

Good idea!  When things like this happen in the future, the BEST way to handle it, is to borrow a page from the Liberal play book.  Sue them for discrimination.  Why not?  Muslims are starting to do it.

~Joe

[Skunk Stripe]

So then why post it in the first place? Once again being the hypocrite there joe.

[Gordon]

So then why post it in the first place? Once again being the hypocrite there joe.

Because he thinks he's going to convert us heathens.

[BeSeeingYou]

I would like an answer to Gordon's question.  With 4500+ dead in Iraq, 32,000 wounded and 1180 killed in Afghanistan and 7600 wounded, God is NOT doing a very good job.  I know it's a big world with lot's of problems that take up God's time but we're Americans and our wars are special.

[Retro Rocket]

When someone takes a college class, they go in with the expectation that the SUBJECT will be taught, nothing else.

~Joe

For 1....where does freedom of speech fit in there Joe,  and 2,  if i was the teacher i would have wrapped a base ball bat around that small minded Marines head..... and 3...it never happened....

Mick

Since when do people have freedom of speech at work?

Work is where you do what you are told for money.


~Joe

Yes Joe , we all know you are in the Armed forces, at my work i am free to say what i like when i like, all my teachers had the same privilege. I am paid to work, i am not paid to shut up.......

Mick

[Kframe]

First, the story is probably fiction.

That said, within the story, the teacher was the instigator, he was the first to disrespect the beliefs of another. 
Believe in a god or not, that's fine, but don't be a dick and taunt someone else's god demanding proof of existence in 15 minutes. 
That's just stupid.
The Marine in the story also was dumb, the momentary satisfaction of knocking out the teacher would be followed by expulsion and criminal charges and possibly military charges (if still active). 

Why is everyone getting so upset about this?  Chill out, and go riding.
 
-K

Good idea!  When things like this happen in the future, the BEST way to handle it, is to borrow a page from the Liberal play book.  Sue them for discrimination.  Why not?  Muslims are starting to do it.

~Joe

How does what you posted relate to what I posted?
 
You are not making sense, dude.
-K

[Damfino]

One of these days, we'll all come to the realization that Joe is only here to egg us on, and when we get wise to that fact we'll all learn to ignore his post's and stop feeding the troll. He only seems to want to fight with anyone who's opinion isn't in line with his, all the while posting garbage about what 'true friendship' means. Joe is nothing but a walking, talking, ball of contradictions....

[traveler]

I still like you, though.

[rhos1355]

Well, the general consensus from the posts in response to your thread is that people don't like you.
Furthermore your story smells of a load of bullsh*t.

[Duke McDukiedook]

Ah yes, the old dropped chalk tale, the eeevil atheist teacher gets his comuppance not by gahd but by a jarhead with anger issues.

http://www.snopes.com/religion/einstein.asp

Leaves me very hungry for real thought.

[SD750F]

When someone takes a college class, they go in with the expectation that the SUBJECT will be taught, nothing else.

~Joe

Really? Well, I would think that one would go to college to expand one's mind. To open one's eyes and get a rounded education. Not an education mired in myopic hypocrisy...

[Frankencake]

Joe, What is wrong with Muslims (or anybody) suing for discrimination as you implied?  Discrimination is illegal and was made illegal by the very document that you protect when protecting this great country.  Reality check, Holmes.  Figure it out. 

[traveler]

Never said I had a problems with suits....

LEGALLY they have the right to build the mosque there.....same as the Japanese have the right to build a memorial at Pearl Harbor if they so wish.

Legal right doesn't mean it's the morally correct thing to do though.

I am utterly amazed that some of you on here see no problem with professors ignoring the course work and veering off into politics.

If I hire you to do a job, and catch you doing something other than what I hired you for......you're getting pink slipped.

~Joe

[traveler]

Who said I was in the ARMY?

There you go again, trying to take it to the personal level.

(Liberal playbook...rule #3.....when in a debate take it to the personal level and smear them)

~Joe

[Gordon]

I am utterly amazed that some of you on here see no problem with professors ignoring the course work and veering off into politics.

Would you care to show us where, in this farcical story you posted, that it states what the subject matter of this particular class is supposed to be? 

Not only are you arguing points of a fake story, but you're arguing points from it that don't exist.   

[traveler]

Because it was mentioned that it would broaden your mind.....

[xfactor]

I wonder what the class subject was. Could have been a religion class for all we know, nothing was every mentioned. SO technically what he was saying could have been worked into his class material.

[Frankencake]

Who said I was in the ARMY?

There you go again, trying to take it to the personal level.

(Liberal playbook...rule #3.....when in a debate take it to the personal level and smear them)

~Joe

I took that you were employed by the Government from another post.  I'm sorry if that was incorrect.

Don't call me liberal, chief.

[traveler]

I'm in the Air Force, not the Army.

I thought you were a Lib.

when did I become a Chief?  I'm not even Native American!

~Joe

[Skunk Stripe]

What is wrong with the japanese building a memorial at pearl? Considering a lot of japanese and american servicemen from that time have come together in friendship.
It is like you saying that vietnam vets have no clue about todays farcical war. They know all about the surprise attacks. They also did not have all the tech to help keep them safe. It is more like you have no clue what they went through.

[johnyvilla]

Joe
This is like the third subject I've seen of yours, where you post something just to piss people off, (in this case the story wasn't even real) and then act surprised at peoples reactions.

Food for thought:


A morbidly obese republican senator once refused a prostitute payment, (a college student forced to walk the streets in shame for tuition) after becoming aware of her pro-choice leanings. An argument ensued and the greedy senator used his girth to quiet the girl, as to not disturb the other guests at the motel six. The senator fell fast asleep on the muffled grad student, only to awake from a bout of fierce gas an hour later. The girl was dead! The senator made slow progress dragging the body out to his luxury auto. By the time he got to the trunk he was sweating profusely. In the process of moving half of the cash in this trunk to his back seat, to make room for the prostitute, the senator's heart arrested, swiftly dropping him dead.
 The senator was a locally loved, "good ol' boy" and was painted as the victim. Fox news reported that the cash belonged to the hooker- payment in a Marxist plot to assassinate an honest Republican senator, who fought his whole life, for 'real' Americans.

This story is just a stupid and fake as yours, and aside from passing my time, serves only to piss people off.

Why don't you post something about Hondas Joe?