ADP 0 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 First of all, I sincerely hope that Fabrice Muamba makes a speedy recovery. It makes me feel a bit queazy that a young professional footballer in the prime of his youth can fall so seriously ill like this, and because of this I cannot imagine what his family and friends are going through. I so hope that he pulls through, and its fantastic news that his condition seems to be improving...albeit ever so slightly. But I cannot help ask, why has there been such an emphasis on god/prayer in this? Everything written/posted/read on behalf of members of the footballing community (Who no doubt have the same well-wishing sentiment at heart) is infused with religious rhetoric. Are that many people sincerely religious and hold so much faith in a god that they can count on their prayers for an antidote to whatever he has fallen so seriously ill with? This is a genuine question, as I just find it really strange. I know that Coyle is 'born again'... but surely that isn't the reason why? Nor can it be so simple as that surrounding death or serious illness/threat to mortality that people look towards something bigger than themselves. Don't mean this to sound dickish at all... I respect other people's religious opinions. Just wondered if other people had any thoughts. A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADP 0 Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share Posted March 20, 2012 and I question this only from the objective stance that we live in a 'secular' society Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monroe Transfer 0 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 '#prayforMuamba" on Twitter might have had something to do with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyff 0 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Looking at a much wider social phenomenon. Seems very odd to me that this is how people react to these things, even if said people would never normally be religious. Lets talk about it through the medium of song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SloopJohn 0 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 First of all, I sincerely hope that Fabrice Muamba makes a speedy recovery. It makes me feel a bit queazy that a young professional footballer in the prime of his youth can fall so seriously ill like this, and because of this I cannot imagine what his family and friends are going through. I so hope that he pulls through, and its fantastic news that his condition seems to be improving...albeit ever so slightly. But I cannot help ask, why has there been such an emphasis on god/prayer in this? Everything written/posted/read on behalf of members of the footballing community (Who no doubt have the same well-wishing sentiment at heart) is infused with religious rhetoric. Are that many people sincerely religious and hold so much faith in a god that they can count on their prayers for an antidote to whatever he has fallen so seriously ill with? This is a genuine question, as I just find it really strange. I know that Coyle is 'born again'... but surely that isn't the reason why? Nor can it be so simple as that surrounding death or serious illness/threat to mortality that people look towards something bigger than themselves. Don't mean this to sound dickish at all... I respect other people's religious opinions. Just wondered if other people had any thoughts. A death is really the only certainty in a human life nowadays (you're not even guaranteed to be born) so it makes sense that people will look beyond themselves in an attempt to avert the inevitable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SloopJohn 0 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 also we live in a post-Christian society which basically still borrows everything our religious past (minus God) so that's probably another reason for the rhetoric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJS 3989 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 I thought we wre heading away from all this rubbish - albeit as much down to apathy as much as any kind of "enlightenment" but still. If prayer is so great would they have been brave enough to leave him lying where he fell and form a circle around him to pray? If he does recover you know it will be called a "miracle" when the only miracle on show is human intelligence and empathy backed by years of training from all concerned. In fact if I worked so hard on pushing the boundaries of life and then people effectively said "well fair enough but it was really God that saved him" I'd be pissed off. Theres also the question they won't answer - if he had (or indeed does) died would they have "blamed" the same God they want to thank? Will they explain to the family of the bloke in the next bed who did die that their prayers weren't good enough or God didn't think he was worth a saving nudge? I understand that it's all a hangover and its very human to think in these terms when faced with tragedies but thousands if not millions die every day - I just wish we could accept this, no matter how sad it is on an individual basis, and leave this legacy of our species childhood behind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OTF 6258 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 In times like these people just want to let friends and family know that they're thinking of them, and at the same time may sway their comments to suit the feelings and beliefs of those who they are wishing the best for. Reading way too much into this, let people think and believe what they want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJS 3989 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 It is perfectly acceptable to wish some well and genuinely hope they recover in the context of your own beliefs but I just think credit should go where it's due. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddockLad 14711 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Old Hospital Chaplains' saying: "there aren't many atheists on a cancer ward" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Old Hospital Chaplains' saying: "there aren't many atheists on a cancer ward" Do you still get into heaven when its a fear based, self serving epiphany rather than actual faith? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 35004 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 For a lot of people, it'll just have been a downpayment on the Facebook/Twitter grieving they had planned if the kid ended up dying. I doubt there was too much actual praying going on. As crazy as the concept of getting on your hands and knees and begging the skyfairy to help with a medical emergency is, if it helps his family, I guess it can't be a bad thing. Anyway, I'm glad he looks to be making some sort of a recovery. Let's hope it ends up being a complete one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddockLad 14711 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Old Hospital Chaplains' saying: "there aren't many atheists on a cancer ward" Do you still get into heaven when its a fear based, self serving epiphany rather than actual faith? yeah, but you dont get to meet St Peter at the gates, you get Princess Di instead. And a free introductory offer of a gold plated "loaves and fishes" snowdome. I do think there are thousands of people who are comforted by religion at times of bereavement or when loved ones are gravely ill who would normally rather stick a fork in their own eyes rather than go to church even once a month. Fact of life I think. Bit hyporcritical, but there you go. People are inconsistent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob toonpants 3628 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Old Hospital Chaplains' saying: "there aren't many atheists on a cancer ward" Do you still get into heaven when its a fear based, self serving epiphany rather than actual faith? you've got as much chance as anybdy else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig 6317 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 I'm not church going, nor do I believe in God, Jesus Christ, etc but I do think some of the values are important to take on -treat others how you'd like to be treated, show respect, etc. With that in mind 'praying' that someone so young who has a young fiance and child recovers from something as he's gone through seems a natural instinct to me - part of decent human nature rather than necessarily something religious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noelie 103 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 I'm not religious by any means but, I'll say a little prayer for you .......... that's what friends are for. And if it doesn't help you it will probably help me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Manson 0 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 People are entitled to send whatever well wishes they want be it prayer or simply keeping someone else in their thoughts. Religion to me has always been something that should be personal rather than forced on atheism, the same is true of atheist wumming too which is becoming quite a popular past time nowadays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 I doubt there was too much actual praying going on. That's spot on like. No doubt there will have been many people who say grace before dinner that will have included the lad in their prayers, but it'll be a tiny minority of the people that have actually said "pray4Muamba!". The vast majority are just conflating 'pray' and 'hope'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CabayeAye Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 People are entitled to send whatever well wishes they want be it prayer or simply keeping someone else in their thoughts. Religion to me has always been something that should be personal rather than forced on atheism, the same is true of atheist wumming too which is becoming quite a popular past time nowadays. At least Atheists only WUM. Disagree with someone who is religious and they will burn you at the stake or try and wipe your race out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 (edited) At least Atheists only WUM. Disagree with someone who is religious and they will burn you at the stake or try and wipe your race out. I think war precedes religion. I've not checked, but I think it does. Certainly the 4 current major organised religions. Edited March 20, 2012 by Happy Face Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkeys Fist 38940 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 People are entitled to send whatever well wishes they want be it prayer or simply keeping someone else in their thoughts. Religion to me has always been something that should be personal rather than forced on atheism, the same is true of atheist wumming too which is becoming quite a popular past time nowadays. At least Atheists only WUM. Untrue http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/UnNews:Militant_atheist_violence_continues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CabayeAye Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 At least Atheists only WUM. Disagree with someone who is religious and they will burn you at the stake or try and wipe your race out. I think war precedes religion. I've not checked, but I think it does. Certainly the 4 current major organised religions. Didn't say that all wars are caused by religion, only that religion is extremely intollerant of others beliefs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Manson 0 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 People are entitled to send whatever well wishes they want be it prayer or simply keeping someone else in their thoughts. Religion to me has always been something that should be personal rather than forced on atheism, the same is true of atheist wumming too which is becoming quite a popular past time nowadays. At least Atheists only WUM. Disagree with someone who is religious and they will burn you at the stake or try and wipe your race out. Oh aye, there's extremes on both side which is nothing but cringeworthy. Not everyone is a religious zealot or a wannabe Richard Dawkins though. But there's just something innate within hardcore atheism that projects a feeling of smug intellectual superiority that doesn't come across from religion. It all boils down to the fact neither side can be proven to be 100% right - even Dawkins has come out and begrudgingly said as much. Spoken like the true agnostic that I am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JawD 31 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 This is something that annoys me slightly. To me it is down to respect. I respect someones religion (more or less, but thats another topic). I have a hard time with athiests having a go at people for mentioning God as much as I have about any religion pushing their belief in someones face who is not interested. If someone wants to pray for the lad, then good on them. If someone wants to thank the emergency services then good on them as well. I dont get why there is a need of some to disrespect someones beliefs just because they dont agree when a lad is lying in hospital fighting for his life. Completely agree with Brock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CabayeAye Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 People are entitled to send whatever well wishes they want be it prayer or simply keeping someone else in their thoughts. Religion to me has always been something that should be personal rather than forced on atheism, the same is true of atheist wumming too which is becoming quite a popular past time nowadays. At least Atheists only WUM. Untrue http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/UnNews:Militant_atheist_violence_continues That is a prime case of Athiest WUMming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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