Nothing else to say: "Oh my God"
- Thread starter Tiassa
- Start date
Pessimists will deny it as a hoax, and optimists will say "I TOLD YOU SO!".
Islamists will say that it was staged and that there is no heathen god - it was Allah playing with the infidels.
Buddists will shake their heads and say "lightning is Buddha nature".
Islamists will say that it was staged and that there is no heathen god - it was Allah playing with the infidels.
Buddists will shake their heads and say "lightning is Buddha nature".
My first thought was why this event is being reported by the British, I couldn’t find any further details to this in the US press. Curious, but then the British have a real and healthy penchant for laughing at the Church, Americans are nearly always far too serious about such things.
The local newspaper reference - http://www.thecourier.com/
So was this preacher being very clever or was he just stupid? Churches tend to be taller than surrounding buildings especially if they have towers or steeples. And I hope most people realize that lighting tends to find the nearest and highest places. Churches are prime targets and are hit far more often than other lower buildings. So it should come as no surprise when Churches are hit. But churches spend most of their time empty with services only active during a fraction of the time in any given week. Most lightning strikes will therefore occur when services are not in progress. So did this preacher remember that churches are hit by lightning frequently and notice there was a severe storm outside during his service and play the percentages and ask for a sign? The fact that it occurred and he was injured indicates he was probably more surprised than anyone else.
So was this just a coincidence or was there a divine answer to a mortal request? A divine event would have been more believable if there hadn’t been a convenient storm in progress and the lighting came straight out of a clear blue sky. But preachers rarely call for signs unless they have previously contrived some answer, and I think the bible warns against testing the lord. They are also painfully aware that if no sign is forthcoming then they have to deal with the awkward and embarrassing silence while waiting for God to deliver and doesn’t.
But the article doesn’t give us the exact words that were used which is very suspicious. Was there a clear and deliberate call “oh lord give us a sign”, or was it something far less direct like, ‘and the lord will show us the way as always’? And the article says the lighting struck moments after the call, so was everyone waiting in silence during those moments while God gave the request some considered thought, or did the preacher continue preaching and was rudely interrupted when the lightning hit?
It looks like the article seriously failed in terms of objective journalism and is playing to the gullible by implying a clear call and answer. It would also be nice to know how often that church has been hit before, the real severity of the storm and how many other buildings and tress etc were hit at that time, and whether the preacher did take a gamble or not.
But here are some other articles I found that you might find of interest concerning churches and lightning.
http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Concealed_20Lightning_20Rods_20for_20Churches
http://www.evolvefish.com/freewrite/franklgt.htm
The local newspaper reference - http://www.thecourier.com/
So was this preacher being very clever or was he just stupid? Churches tend to be taller than surrounding buildings especially if they have towers or steeples. And I hope most people realize that lighting tends to find the nearest and highest places. Churches are prime targets and are hit far more often than other lower buildings. So it should come as no surprise when Churches are hit. But churches spend most of their time empty with services only active during a fraction of the time in any given week. Most lightning strikes will therefore occur when services are not in progress. So did this preacher remember that churches are hit by lightning frequently and notice there was a severe storm outside during his service and play the percentages and ask for a sign? The fact that it occurred and he was injured indicates he was probably more surprised than anyone else.
So was this just a coincidence or was there a divine answer to a mortal request? A divine event would have been more believable if there hadn’t been a convenient storm in progress and the lighting came straight out of a clear blue sky. But preachers rarely call for signs unless they have previously contrived some answer, and I think the bible warns against testing the lord. They are also painfully aware that if no sign is forthcoming then they have to deal with the awkward and embarrassing silence while waiting for God to deliver and doesn’t.
But the article doesn’t give us the exact words that were used which is very suspicious. Was there a clear and deliberate call “oh lord give us a sign”, or was it something far less direct like, ‘and the lord will show us the way as always’? And the article says the lighting struck moments after the call, so was everyone waiting in silence during those moments while God gave the request some considered thought, or did the preacher continue preaching and was rudely interrupted when the lightning hit?
It looks like the article seriously failed in terms of objective journalism and is playing to the gullible by implying a clear call and answer. It would also be nice to know how often that church has been hit before, the real severity of the storm and how many other buildings and tress etc were hit at that time, and whether the preacher did take a gamble or not.
But here are some other articles I found that you might find of interest concerning churches and lightning.
http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Concealed_20Lightning_20Rods_20for_20Churches
Nice article on Franklin's Unholy Lightning Rod -
http://www.evolvefish.com/freewrite/franklgt.htm
A Christian message to ring your bells to prevent lightning? http://www.justchristians.com/abundantLife/052003/3.html
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Er ....
Did it occur to nobody to check the building for damage before the fire made itself known to to the bedazzled congregation?
I suppose there is something else to say, but "Holy f***ing s***!" still involves the notion of holy something ....
But this story reads like a parody, a creative work. "It was awesome, just awesome!"
I tend to think that the Beeb has generally admitted that American Christianity is a fertile ground for "human interest" jokes. Every time American religion makes the Beeb as a headline, it's some ridiculous chapter from the modern American experience. Pedophiles, televangelists, lightning strikes, odd stains shaped like the Virgin ....
Maybe I should have put pedophiles and odd stains next to each other in the list; that would have had some (minor, vague) humorous effect.
:m:,
Tiassa
I didn't pause on the why British issue; I just fell over laughing.
Did it occur to nobody to check the building for damage before the fire made itself known to to the bedazzled congregation?
I suppose there is something else to say, but "Holy f***ing s***!" still involves the notion of holy something ....
But this story reads like a parody, a creative work. "It was awesome, just awesome!"
I tend to think that the Beeb has generally admitted that American Christianity is a fertile ground for "human interest" jokes. Every time American religion makes the Beeb as a headline, it's some ridiculous chapter from the modern American experience. Pedophiles, televangelists, lightning strikes, odd stains shaped like the Virgin ....
Maybe I should have put pedophiles and odd stains next to each other in the list; that would have had some (minor, vague) humorous effect.
:m:,
Tiassa
Eeney a adomi a. Een i a es requium. *thunk*
Watch Montey Python's 'Holy Grail'. You will then understand
my child.
my child.
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We are no longer the knights who say 'ni!'. We are now the
knights who say 'icky icky potang thpppppt!'.
knights who say 'icky icky potang thpppppt!'.
Its funny to read the atheists' responses. Conveniently side-stepping the issue and dwelling on their sense of humor. Go on live with your own belief system. When you get a comfortable evidence, i am sure this would suddenly become more important then, bounce on theists as if they are morons. Hypocrites.
Originally posted by everneo
Its funny to read the atheists' responses. Conveniently side-stepping the issue and dwelling on their sense of humor. Go on live with your own belief system. When you get a comfortable evidence, i am sure this would suddenly become more important then, bounce on theists as if they are morons. Hypocrites.
whatever
Originally posted by everneo
Its funny to read the atheists' responses. Conveniently side-stepping the issue and dwelling on their sense of humor. Go on live with your own belief system. When you get a comfortable evidence, i am sure this would suddenly become more important then, bounce on theists as if they are morons. Hypocrites.
Y'know, you could say the same exact thing, taking off the 'a' in "atheist" and make it a lot truer.
Oooooh, doesn't the blinding light of truth just HURT? Lol, loser.