Are we being arrogant in our assumptions about our relationship with our god? Why do we assume that god grants our prayers, or is even listening? And why is it necessary for god to do so - it certainly does not diminish or nullify his godhood to ignore us. Nor does it take away from the concept of a loving god who sent Christ to the world. He did, the message was given, and there you go. Omnipotence may be a relative thing, with our diety for all intents and purposes relative to our sphere of perception omnipotent. If god is limited by some of the physical laws of the universe, or by his own promises, that's hardly a true limitation. That's him playing by his own rules. Helps to keep things moving along and fair. I'm not going to get hung up on "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin" arguments here. I just don't see the suffering in the world or the medical field as inconsistent with the existence of a diet, even a diet who likes us. He just doesn't feel like micromanaging our lives. Seems pretty reasonable to me.
"First, do no harm," right? If faith is only a security blanket, and nothing more, but it makes some people feel better, then why deprive them of it? Whether the prayer works or not is immaterial to the dying. But, if it helps the living, then who are we to steal that security from them when they need it most?
So, when a young couple loses their first born to viral pneumonia, that was just "part of the bigger plan"?
I agree completely, and participate in this giving of reassurance daily, but when does reassurance become false hope?
You don't need to reassure them -- you're their physician, not their pastor. You tell the chances of recovery, and follow up with "If you would like to speak with a minster or a rabbi, let the nurse know and they can give you the phone number of..." Then you go on to the next patient, because the ones who will live need you far more than those who will die. Or, you can quit practicing and try to get a job at Geron Corporation, working on Telomerase research. Maybe you'll figure out how to get us all to live forever. But, there's just no reason to come unglued. Life ain't fair and in the end, no one gets out of it alive.
KjKent, I am sure, as a family attorney, that you can relate to what I am saying here. You gave a while back a devestating but quite accurate picture of the mating game to a young man here. Telling people, "I am sorry, but there is nothing left for us to do" is not difficult after a few years. Families usually say, then "we will put it in God's hands". I smile, and I move on knowing the truth that I wish was a lie. I am not alone, however, I have a firefighter friend who was blessed enough to hear two young children burn alive in an apartment. The backdraft blew them off the porch, and the heat was too intense for them to get in. God could very well have gotten off his ass to same those kids. God could have gotten off his ass to save a lot of people. You are right though kjkent, life is in no way fair. Perhaps I should simply shut my mouth and move on. I don't know what makes atheists, but the helping professions probably has a disproportionate amount of them. Or, maybe not. I am indulging in a luxury here, even asking questions like these can impair our ability to do our jobs, so most us don't think about it. We can't.
God did not intervene to save His Son, Jesus from dying on the cross. You may reflect on this. In fact, atheists and like kinds, professionals or not, when talking God, only sound like hollow kettles.
then why pray? god, if he exists,did not have to intervene to save jesus. he planned it that way. god sent his son to die to save us from gods wrath. you may reflect on this. believers seem so indoctrinated to believe that they cant consider that the overwhelming evidence that shows that god probably doesn't exist is probably the correct conclusion. they would rather give up their ability to reason than give up their security blanket.