Family dies holding hands, praying

[_Hoops]

You mean like it gives people an opportunity to do charity work? Or making people want to go back to church?

If it does so much good, perhaps you should volunteer to participate in God's next display of his "omnibenevolence."

No, that's not what I mean at all. Interesting thought that that is your assumption.

As tornadoes are a part of large, intense thunderstorms that, in turn, do some good. Of course, your question would be why couldn't God make thunderstorms without tornadoes. I have no answer to that.

[_Chap]

You mean like it gives people an opportunity to do charity work? Or making people want to go back to church?

If it does so much good, perhaps you should volunteer to participate in God's next display of his "omnibenevolence."

No, that's not what I mean at all. Interesting thought that that is your assumption.

As tornadoes are a part of large, intense thunderstorms that, in turn, do some good. Of course, your question would be why couldn't God make thunderstorms without tornadoes. I have no answer to that.

If I pray to the right deity in the right manner, is there any way he she or it can intervene to stop Hoops boring the last remaining brain cells out of my skull?

As I hope I have already shown, I am prepared to trust to omnipotence to do the job effectively, and so that nobody notices the joins or is deprived of whatever benefits are to be gained from thunderstorms, tsunamis, rains of frogs, plagues of lice, or Death of All the Firstborn for that matter.

I don't presume to dictate how that could be done ... just please do it.

And please, don't ANYBODY refer to the OP ever again, in any thread.

[_Sethbag]

Hoops, why do these people bother praying for God's help at all? Do they believe that he can help them? I would posit that these people did either believe it, or at least hope it. I don't know what you're trying to get out of us here. Are you trying to demonstrate that the idea that God should have done something to save these people is unfair, or unjustifiable, or all a huge misunderstanding of what God is about? What is your point?

In the Bible, God stopped the rotation of the Earth to give the Israelites more time in the day to finish the slaughter of their enemies. God caused the waters of the Red Sea to part so that the Israelites could cross over it on dry land. God caused the walls of the city of Jericho to collapse catastrophically after the Israelites shouted and blew their shofar in unison.

Are you saying God could do all this crap, but couldn't divert the path of a tornado by, say, 100 meters so that it missed this particular mobile home and thus spared this faithful family, and that we're all being unreasonable to expect that he do it?

[_Hoops]

If I pray to the right deity in the right manner, is there any way he she or it can intervene to stop Hoops boring the last remaining brain cells out of my skull?

Well, since there's only one, chances are you'll get the ear of the right one. As for Him saving you of this unfortunate circumstance? I can't help you there. He does perform miracles though.

As I hope I have already shown,

Yeah. Right.

I am prepared to trust to omnipotence to do the job effectively, and so that nobody notices the joins or is deprived of whatever benefits are to be gained from thunderstorms, tsunamis, rains of frogs, plagues of lice, or Death of All the Firstborn for that matter.

Except that's not what the op is about. Wanna stick with one topic? Or are you a free-range arrogant?

I don't presume to dictate how that could be done ... just please do it.

So you are a person of faith? Good for you!!

And please, don't ANYBODY refer to the OP ever again, in any thread.

I'm quite sure this subject won't be broached again.

[_Hoops]

Hoops, why do these people bother praying for God's help at all?

That is a good question isn't it? What is prayer for? I can tell you this: God is not held to the whim (or the cries of despair) of us. Prayer doesn't change Him, it changes us.

Do they believe that he can help them?

I don't know what they believe. I only know what I believe. And "yes"

I would posit that these people did either believe it, or at least hope it.

It would seem so.

I don't know what you're trying to get out of us here.

I have been quite direct. at the point that one is staring down a tornado and one prays for God to save one from it, what would you have God do?

Are you trying to demonstrate that the idea that God should have done something to save these people is unfair, or unjustifiable

No more or less fair or unjustified than I should be saved.

or all a huge misunderstanding of what God is about?

Yes.

In the Bible, God stopped the rotation of the Earth to give the Israelites more time in the day to finish the slaughter of their enemies. God caused the waters of the Red Sea to part so that the Israelites could cross over it on dry land. God caused the walls of the city of Jericho to collapse catastrophically after the Israelites shouted and blew their shofar in unison.

Those are an entirely different subject.

Are you saying God could do all this s***, but couldn't divert the path of a tornado by, say, 100 meters so that it missed this particular mobile home and thus spared this faithful family,

He certainly could. Are you prepared for God to act upon creation in such a profound way at the behest of our prayers? I doubt it.

and that we're all being unreasonable to expect that he do it?

Yes.

[_Chap]

Hoops, why do these people bother praying for God's help at all?

That is a good question isn't it? What is prayer for? I can tell you this: God is not held to the whim (or the cries of despair) of us. Prayer doesn't change Him, it changes us.

Matthew 6: 9, 11:

[Jesus said:]

Pray then like this: ... Give us this day our daily bread ....

Just remember, though, praying like Jesus told you to is to change you. God is not held to your 'whim' even if your children are dying of starvation in front of you.

It would be theologically naïve to expect to get any actual bread as a result. I mean, that is so obvious that Jesus didn't feel it necessary to include that point in his sermon.

[_consiglieri]

I'll give it a go, Hoops.

How about God just divert the path of the tornado a bit to the left?

[_Hoops]

41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

[_Hoops]

I'll give it a go, Hoops.

How about God just divert the path of the tornado a bit to the left?

To where? Are you demanding that God place tornadoes only where there are no people? Okay. What about fire? Thunderstorms? Floods? And all the rest?

Then what about the scary man down the street? Should there be some barrier that protects us from him? Just what are you willing to allow?

[_Blixa]

I'll give it a go, Hoops.

How about God just divert the path of the tornado a bit to the left?

To where? Are you demanding that God place tornadoes only where there are no people? Okay. What about fire? Thunderstorms? Floods? And all the rest?

Then what about the scary man down the street? Should there be some barrier that protects us from him? Just what are you willing to allow?

You might not want to know what I am praying for right now...