Do you believe in miracles?

[ThisYouWillDo]

Let us not forget that, historically, non-believers tend to die at the hands of believers! Skews the data.

Believers have died at the hands of non-believers too. Joseph Stalin made a creditable one-man attempt to restore the imbalance, for example!

[Thorne]

Believers have died at the hands of non-believers too. Joseph Stalin made a creditable one-man attempt to restore the imbalance, for example!

You're absolutely right, of course. But Stalin was killing just about anybody, with hardly any consideration for their religion. And Hitler didn't just kill Jews, either. There were whole classes of people who were on HIS hit list.

But I think you have to admit that, with the Crusades and the Inquisition and the "convert or die" mentality of the Spanish missionaries in the Americas, the Church has had a lot more experience in killing off non-believers. Or even believers who were not quite docile enough to suit them.

[Mr.FixIt]

I am the son of a Church of Christ preacher (maybe that's my problem), who is the son of a Baptist minister, and my brother is a Church of Christ youth minister, AND MY OPINION IS ___________________________________________!

[stripedangel]

The biggest trick the devil ever played on us was convincing us that he doesn't exist.

That's all i have to say about that!

[TomOfSweden]

The biggest trick the devil ever played on us was convincing us that he doesn't exist.

That's all i have to say about that!

I've thought about this now. What exactly are you trying to say here? Either you're saying what you're saying or it's so full of irony that it goes way over my head.

[stripedangel]

I've thought about this now. What exactly are you trying to say here? Either you're saying what you're saying or it's so full of irony that it goes way over my head.

Thought it was pretty clear, myself...and it is very ironic as well. However, it is making you think.

[mkemse]

I have never seen any proof to prove to myself that miracles do or not not exist, this does NOT mean i do not belive in them, al it means is i have never seen anything to indicate they do or do not exist or have or have not happened

[GearJammer]

having seen one, I can only answer, yes.

[Mr.FixIt]

Simply put do you believe that God still performs miracles today?

Ok. I must speak up now. I believe that this thread is waaaaaaaaaaaaay off base from where it originally began. The question was "do you believe that God still performs miracles?" Not "do you believe that God exists".

The purpose of the (historic if you will) biblical examples of miracles was to introduce a new message of a newly established (new testament) religion to have an impact on non-believers--and also to set the stage, via envy of His notoriety, for non-believers to ultimately crucify His son. There was a strong purpose for miracles--then, but now that the religion is established, there is no purpose for miracles today. The word is out--the choice to believe is now ours (freedom of choice and all that).

I do believe that God has a plan for everything, including all of us (everything happens for a reason and all of that), and He does intervene with a divine purpose of guiding events according to His plan. I don't quite think that this should be considered a miracle; however.

So, to answer the original question: No, I don't believe that God still performs miracles today.

BTW...I am certain that my lineage of religious leaders would not agree with me!!!!!!!!!

[TomOfSweden]

Ok. I must speak up now. I believe that this thread is waaaaaaaaaaaaay off base from where it originally began. The question was "do you believe that God still performs miracles?" Not "do you believe that God exists".

I understood the purpose of the question, but it was a bollocks question. It was one of those "Do you give to the Lutheran Charity, or do you hate children" kind of questions. The question itself answers most of the question. The question was only about affirming the faith of the person asking it. It's not really a question. It's more of a statement.

[stripedangel]

The question infers that Midnite already has faith. This is a question about that faith. Not whether God exists. It is not a bullshit question, it is quite valid. i cannot see where this question equates with your examples.

i watched my mother come out of death from a terminal illness and make it another 11 months. She wasn't ready to die just then, i (her only child) was about to give birth to her second grandchild. She lasted until he was 8 months old. Miracle, or sheer will?

Tom, what if you simply answered the question without all the added commentary? i think that when the thread was started, it was to see if anyone had a "miracle" story to tell. If you don't like the "bullshit" question, then don't answer...now, it appears that you hijacked a thread because the topic was not up to your standards.

As far as Mom is concerned.....that was sheer will. She had been told that she would have no children at all before she was pregnant with me...she wasn't about to miss a grandchild's first word.

i tend to think that everything happens for a reason. At this moment, i can't think of an example of a miracle...possibly because i've been reading about the existance of God.

I, for one, believe that miracles do exist. It's a miracle that i didn't reach across the counter at the bank and strangle the teller, when she told me that i could not get $1000 from my account without 2 forms of ID......but i could get $999. Devine intervention is all that saved her purdy lil neck, and i was given a laugh when she actually answered the question, "Why do i keep my money in the bank if i can't get hold of it?" LOLOL

[icey]

no i dont believe in miracles plain and simple!
im glad your mother survived long enough to see her grandchild stripedangel but if that was a miracle then why did my best friend die at the age of 32 leaving her children whose father had died less than 12 mths previously with no family?? (the rest living in trinidad)

[Thorne]

Tom isn't the only one who thought it was a "trick" question. To answer Yes or No implies that you believe that God performed miracles at one time, and that there is therefore a God. If you don't believe in God you cannot truthfully answer the question. Kind of like asking, "Have you stopped beating your wife?"

The diversion which this thread took is a natural evolution of the original question. That's anathema to most religious folks, though.

[Mr.FixIt]

no i dont believe in miracles plain and simple!
im glad your mother survived long enough to see her grandchild stripedangel but if that was a miracle then why did my best friend die at the age of 32 leaving her children whose father had died less than 12 mths previously with no family?? (the rest living in trinidad)

I don't think that stripedangel intended this as a an example of a miracle...read her post again please.

[Mr.FixIt]

As far as Mom is concerned.....that was sheer will. She had been told that she would have no children at all before she was pregnant with me...she wasn't about to miss a grandchild's first word.

i tend to think that everything happens for a reason. At this moment, i can't think of an example of a miracle...possibly because i've been reading about the existance of God.

I, for one, believe that miracles do exist.

she was not citing her mother's unexpected longevity as a miracle, hense the phrase "sheer will" (her mother's own stong will to live). While many might prefer to cite this as an example of a miracle, stripedangel did not.

BUT, stripedangel does believe that God performs miracles still today. We differ (slightly) in opinion on this matter, but I understand what she is saying. I hope that this clarifies her intent for you.

[Mr.FixIt]

I think that we're pulling at threads here!

[icey]

i re-read it and was still left with the same impression.
if not then perhaps there is a different example?

[Midnite]

Actually the question, really was do you believe in miracles? Nothing else was intended, it is interesting to find out why some people to, and some people don't. Some Christians even believe that God doesn't perform miracles in this day and age. Anyway my answer to the question is, yes I believe in miracles.

[stripedangel]

Actually the question, really was do you believe in miracles? Nothing else was intended, it is interesting to find out why some people to, and some people don't. Some Christians even believe that God doesn't perform miracles in this day and age. Anyway my answer to the question is, yes I believe in miracles.

Master and i are baptised Church of Christ, and they do not believe that God still performs miracles in our time. I differ in that belief, myself.

[dynamicbuttler]

I don't believe in god, miracles, a soul, or a cosmos catered towards the happiness of sentient organisms.