god gets all the credit

[Mr_Devious]

I was looking in my high school yearbook that I just got, and in the back they have messeges from parents to students. And in one it said


"God has a plan for you far better than anything we could ever wish for. His grace has brought you this far. Continue to focus on his will, pray, and BELIEVE."

I thought if I was that person then I would be pretty pissed off. Her parents basically said the only reason your as good as you are is because of god. You have done nothing in your life to get where you are today. And no matter how hard you try and how good you do in life we still won't give you any credit, only god gets it.

WTF, The vast majority of the other messeges said stuff similar to that, I'm glad my parents didn't get my one.

[Chuck]

Many churches thrive on creating such a dependent relationship between the believer and their 'god.'

1) God created you and got you where you are today.
2) You need to be obedient to God to get any further.
3) The church is God's instrument on Earth.
4) Here's the collection plate!

They're really, really good at it. These parents were simply trying to initiate their offspring into their own, highly dependent worldview.

[Shpongle]

People that credit everything to God annoy me, too.

I remember awhile back I posted some of my art over at CF. I had a person send me a message saying I had "God-given talent". I was tempted to respond with, "God-given talent? So WTF was I doing with my nose to my sketchbook for the last 5 years?".

I dunno. Maybe it's just easier to believe you're not in control of your own life. Then you can eschew responsibility for whatever happens.

[Queen of Swords]

I dunno. Maybe it's just easier to believe you're not in control of your own life. Then you can eschew responsibility for whatever happens.

The way I see it is, christianity doesn't coexist with self-esteem. If you think that you are capable of doing something good, how will you wrap your brain around the concept that you are utterly worthless? Therefore, in order to believe that there is nothing of value in yourself, you have to give credit for any talents to an external source. So anything good that you do is a result of god's blessing, rather than a result of you being skilled and working hard.

[Resistor]

I was looking in my high school yearbook that I just got, and in the back they have messeges from parents to students. And in one it said


"God has a plan for you far better than anything we could ever wish for. His grace has brought you this far. Continue to focus on his will, pray, and BELIEVE."

I thought if I was that person then I would be pretty pissed off. Her parents basically said the only reason your as good as you are is because of god. You have done nothing in your life to get where you are today. And no matter how hard you try and how good you do in life we still won't give you any credit, only god gets it.

WTF, The vast majority of the other messeges said stuff similar to that, I'm glad my parents didn't get my one.

Let's hope God's plan was for the person to go to heaven. I'd be concerned about parents who thought an eternity of suffering for their child was far better than anything they could wish for.

[lpetrich]

The way I see it is, christianity doesn't coexist with self-esteem. ... So anything good that you do is a result of god's blessing, rather than a result of you being skilled and working hard.
A favorite counterargument is that we are supposedly made in the "image of God", and that we otherwise would have no sense of human dignity.

Which has problems of its own.

I sometimes think that traditional Christian dogma resembles bipolar disorder:

Manic - I'm in the image of God!
Depression - I'm an evil original sinner who cannot possibly do anything right!

[Norseman]

Schizophrenia applies better. Cults and schizophrenia are both associated with dopamine, in that cults cause an increase in your dopamine levels and schizophrenia is associated with an imbalance of dopamine. Hence, faith causes its own form of schizophrenia.

[dimpledop]

I sometimes think that traditional Christian dogma resembles bipolar disorder:

Manic - I'm in the image of God!
Depression - I'm an evil original sinner who cannot possibly do anything right!

Ipetrich, I declare that you have provided a brilliant summary of the irrationality displayed by christians.

I too am annoyed that people would rather thank an entity whose existence is unproven rather than focus on their own abilities and those of their fellow humans. It would be nice if people blamed their god when they fail miserably at something and when horrendous tragedy strikes. That would even things out.

[Malachi151]

The way I see it is, christianity doesn't coexist with self-esteem. If you think that you are capable of doing something good, how will you wrap your brain around the concept that you are utterly worthless? Therefore, in order to believe that there is nothing of value in yourself, you have to give credit for any talents to an external source. So anything good that you do is a result of god's blessing, rather than a result of you being skilled and working hard.

It works both ways, and the other way is really the more important one to understand. Since your whole life is just governed by god there is little reason to try to achieve anything and if you just live a normal bland life working 8-5 then hey, "That's God's plan for you little worker bee."

"God" makes a mundane life and lack of achievement palatable for billions of people.

[Arizonaepu]

A friend of mine always thanks god when she hits a green light, or when she finds a close parking spot at work or a supermarket. However, she never blames god when she hits a red light or has to walk a long distance at work or supermarket.

It hit me suddenly the other day as to why many people say "Thank god for Fridays," or TGIF. Uh, I thought mankind developed the calendar? Why would we thank god for that day?

[Shpongle]

It would be nice if people blamed their god when they fail miserably at something and when horrendous tragedy strikes. That would even things out.

I know a couple of people who do that. Except they word it as "God testing them". I'm always very tempted to respond with, "God's not testing you. Life just sucks." But I guess it's easier to accept tradegy if you believe it's part of a divine plan.

[DinoStoned]

I don't know about you guys, but God loves to try and grab my rightful credit. For example :

Teacher : Thank God you've done your homework, or else I'd have to cane you.

No way, God, you ain't sneaking up on my credit like that.