I read it alright. I am simply unconvinced of your argument that people who would be offended at the notion that "God lifted His hand of favor " on someone, but not me, would be happy with the notion that random luck favored you. Do you follow politics at all? One side of the political spectrum is chock full of those who are obsessed with the unfairness of the rich, who have " won the lottery of life", as they put it. Nothing more than random events, so they say, made these people rich, and it infuriates them, and they don't think it should be allowed to stand. It is so unfair, so they say. They are downright hostile, if you just watch, to the whole notion of random luck favoring someone. This would seem to be strong evidence that your hypothesis is very wrong. Getting back to the issue of God favoring someone, Christians ministers have preached from time immemorial that grace is a free gift, available to anyone that wishes to receive it, by faith. How many times, and in how many ways, does it need to be stated before those like yourself, who protest, realize that thanking God has NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with God favoring one person over another. It is received by faith to ALL WHO WILL BELIEVE. It has nothing to do with works. Pride, therefore, by definition, cannot be an issue. The recipient has done nothing to deserve this favor. It is actually the ultimate in humility in that it is an acknowledgement that the favor was completely undeserved.
Please dont use logic when arguing about God. It is an unfair weapon to use against believers because they are required to suspend logic to believe in the first place and that puts them at a disadvantage. "People don't ask for facts in making up their minds. They would rather have one good, soul- satisfying emotion than a dozen facts." - Robert Keith Leavitt
Whether God pays special favors or not, I note the parable of the vineyards tells me to just be concerned about the deal God has offered me. finally, I think your view of why people thank God is mostly cynical and would only be correct when applied to a person who only has little or no understanding of the messages taught by Jesus or the bible. One of the major messages in the bible is that the only boasting we should do is a boasting of what Jesus did on the cross for us. We are not to take pride in our own works. I think every reasonably informed person understands that message. So a victor is actually humbled by his victory and just hopes the victory can be used by God.
are you an atheist? well, it is your right but your empty slogans have no meaning. gratitude IS required from all who are fortunate.
I am not being cynical. I am only thinking it through. Please let me try again, if you missed it the first few times. If you thank God for a victory or for your good health or wealth or whatever, then what is the person next to you who lacks all of these things to think? To the extent that your good fortune is the result of your own effort or those who have helped you, the less successful and fortunate can at least understand the difference in outcome. However, to invoke the name of God in your good fortune is to unsheathe a double-edged sword, whether you like it or not. For God to have had a hand in your success, which is why you would be thanking Him, is to indisputably assume that God had a hand in the misfortune of others less fortunate, irrespective of whether you are just concerned with your "deal" with God. How is that not a double whammy for the loser? How you choose to frame it is up to you. I'm just following the logic to its inevitable conclusion and don't very much like where it ends up.
What you are trying to say may or may not be true, but it has nothing at all to do with God, but rather has everything to do with human beings and the way that they personally interpret God... Atheists interpret that God does not exist, theists interpret that God does exist, then there are thousands of ideas about God's existence and relationship to man, etc.
Of course I'm an atheist. If gratitude is required of the fortunate, this implies God had a hand in that good fortune, which further implies that He had a hand in other people's misfortune. If He favored you, then He must like you more because you're better. Be sure to let Him know that you know you're better by thanking Him for His bias. And surely a benevolent God would not have an arbitrary bias like a bad employer. He would only smile upon the good and the righteous. And that would be you, of course. So be sure to explain that to someone less fortunate.
Do you mean gratitude to the god you believe in or will just any old god do? Will gratitude to the Aztec sun god work? I'm looking forward to your answer.
Exactly. I am simply clarifying some people's interpretation, whether or not they are aware of the conclusion that follows from such interpretation.
Where to give thanx? Where to curse? Fortunate, Unfortunate? "There once lived a farmer. He lived on a farm with his wife, his son and one horse that the family had raised from a colt. The family planned to enter the horse in the annual county fair and hoped it would win prizes that could lead to breeding opportunities. This would ensure a nice future income for the farmer and his family. The night before the fair, a violent storm swept over the countryside. When the farmer and his family awoke early the next morning, they found that the fences had been blown down. Their prize stallion was nowhere to be found. The farmer's wife was beside herself with despair. The neighbors came and joined in the wife's grief. "What terrible misfortune has befallen us!" cried the wife. "Yes, yes, this is most unfortunates,"the neighbors agreed. But the farmer said, "Fortunate or unfortunate, I don't know, let's wait and see." A week passed and the farmer and his family were sitting at the breakfast table. Looking out the kitchen window they saw a herd of horses galloping toward the farm. It was their faithful stallion, leading five horses and a little filly behind him. He had found a herd of wild mares, and now he was bringing them home. The farmer's family ran out to open the corral gate for the horses. The farmer's wife was overjoyed and exclaimed, "What a fortunate turn of events, this is unbelievable!" The neighbors rushed over exclaiming, "How fortunate you are!" The farmer just said, "Fortunate or unfortunate, I don't know, let's wait and see." Over the next weeks the farmer and his son were busy training the new horses. One day the son was thrown by one of the wild horses. He suffered a bad fall and broke many bones. The farmer's wife was very upset. Between her sobs she said, "We never should have let those wild horses in; this is a most unfortunate accident! My poor son." The neighbors came to commiserate with the wife about her misfortune. And the farmer said, "Fortunate or unfortunate, I don't know, let's wait and see." Two days later the king's soldiers came by the little farm. The king had declared war on an adjacent country and the soldiers had orders to draft all able-bodied young men into the army. On seeing the farmer's son with both legs and both arms broken, not to mention several ribs fractured and numerous lacerations on his face and head, they left him home and continued on to the next family. The farmer's wide wept with relief, crying, "How lucky we are! This is most unfortunate." The neighbors most of whom had had sons taken off to war, said, "You are indeed most fortunate." The farmer said, "Fortunate or unfortunate, I don't know, let's wait and see." Some months passed. The farmer's son was recovering nicely; he was able to walk, albeit with a cane. A messenger from the kings palace dropped by the farm to inquire about the health of the son. Seeing the son's improved condition he stated that by order of the king, the son must come at once to the palace to work in the gardens and stables. There was a shortage of workers at the palace due to the war. What could the family do but let their son go? The wife was bitterly angry and cursed the king for his unfairness. "How unfortunate we surely are! We have lost our only son and there will be no one to help us with the farm now." The neighbors came by to console the wife, murmuring, "What an unfortunate turn of events." The farmer just said, "Fortunate or unfortunate, I don't know, let's wait and see." The king had a beautiful daughter. One day she looked out of her window and saw the handsome new gardener. She fell in love with him and went to her father and said, "Father, I have found the man I wish to marry. Please make it happen!" The king, unable to resist a request from his lovely daughter replied, "Of course, it shall be done." The next day a messenger was sent from the palace to the farm, bearing a wedding invitation for the farmer and his wife, as well as an invitation for them to come live permanently at the palace. Can you imagine the reaction of the farmer's wife? She was ecstatic and could hardly contain her joy. Jumping up and down she laughed, "This is incredible, how fortunate!" The neighbors exclaimed, "Indeed, this is a very fortunate turn of events!" And the farmer, as usual, said ...!"