Do you believe in miracles?

[greenmtnboy]

What if the illusions of good luck, things that show up unexpectedly are not what they appear. The derivation of the word "luck" is Lucifer. So what may seem to be good or lucky may be the opposite in the larger or high minded scheme of things. I know that positive thinking has become like an obligatory part of group think but I don't buy it, especially since much of positive thinking is negative thinking in reverse or worse. The wheel of good fortune inevitably goes into retrograde....http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=113758696

[Lnj]

I am a believer. A follower of Christ (to the best of my ability most days). I believe in miracles. HOWEVER...

I get kinda weirded out when fellow believers attribute positive things that happen to them as proof of God in action, but don't give God credit for the unpleasant or negative things that happen. Think of it like this: Your two year old kid is going to cry and be upset when you scream at them for running into the street. They don't understand that you just saved them from getting hit by the car coming down the road, they only know that you yelled at them. Who knows what God might be saving us from when "bad" things happen?

"God on the mountain is still God in the valley." - Lynda Randle

+1 ^^^^^^^^

[AllenIsbell]

I think that it is wise to follow the evidence to the conclusion instead of inventing a conclusion when there isn't yet an explanation. I like to take the Occam's Razor approach...

Otherwise, you may be creating a bigger mystery than the one you are trying to explain which would only provoke more questions.

What if the illusions of good luck, things that show up unexpectedly are not what they appear. The derivation of the word "luck" is Lucifer. So what may seem to be good or lucky may be the opposite in the larger or high minded scheme of things. I know that positive thinking has become like an obligatory part of group think but I don't buy it, especially since much of positive thinking is negative thinking in reverse or worse. The wheel of good fortune inevitably goes into retrograde....http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=113758696

What about positive thinking do you find to be actually negative thinking? This is a new concept to me. Do you have any examples?

[Traveler]

Opportunity + preparedness = luck

[greenmtnboy]

I think that it is wise to follow the evidence to the conclusion instead of inventing a conclusion when there isn't yet an explanation. I like to take the Occam's Razor approach...

Otherwise, you may be creating a bigger mystery than the one you are trying to explain which would only provoke more questions.



What about positive thinking do you find to be actually negative thinking? This is a new concept to me. Do you have any examples?

https://books.google.com/books?id=NE...asters&f=false

[AllenIsbell]

That is an assertion. I'm seeking examples.

[greenmtnboy]

You look at the biggest positive thinking advocates like the prosperity preachers on TV, the pollyannish people in popular culture or that you know and you see massive denial over reality. They only want happy thoughts when the reality will not support dishonest assessment of what is going on. If someone has money there is no shortage of sycophants and positive voices supporting the most unethical conduct.

Example; an inevitable disaster is approaching and people are told that through positive thinking and prayer it will go away, be lessened or avoided. Natural disasters are inexorable, in many cases unavoidable. Like pain killers they turn off the natural signals which are healthy. In actuality percocet and oxycontin are extremely negative treatments for chronic and acute conditions. It the method is wrong the result is a negative one.

neg·a·tive
ˈneɡədiv/
adjective
[COLOR=#878787 !important][/COLOR]

• 1.
  consisting in or characterized by the absence rather than the presence of distinguishing features.
  
  
  
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• 2.
  (of a person, attitude, or situation) not desirable or optimistic.
  [COLOR=#878787 !important]"the new tax was having a very negative effect on car sales"[/COLOR]
  

  synonyms:

  pessimistic, defeatist, gloomy, cynical, fatalistic, dismissive, antipathetic, critical;More

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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noun

http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...g-be-negative/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...ing-is-bad-you

[Traveler]

Now thats the clearest, most succinct essay I have read on the subject. Color is indeed part of it, and #878787 is a lovely one.

[CamelMan]

You look at the biggest positive thinking advocates like the prosperity preachers on TV, the pollyannish people in popular culture or that you know and you see massive denial over reality. They only want happy thoughts when the reality will not support dishonest assessment of what is going on.

+1. Also check out pronoia. I suppose it was originally tongue-in-cheek, but there are definitely people who refuse to face reality and try to form the opposite reaction in their minds. How can there be any change for the better (on any level) if the bad is pushed into the shadows, rather than realistically assessed and faced?

[AllenIsbell]

So "positive thinking" in this context is synonymous with lying to yourself or teaching others to lie to themselves.

"You got cancer? Don't you worry, now. GAWD is gonna look right down on you and RIP that cancer right out of your body. You just gotta believe." #canigetanamen

That's not my idea of positive thinking.

My idea of positive thinking is to examine an unfortunate situation, acknowledge the facts, weigh the options, and try to find the best way to overcome it.

[jefals]

not too many folks get real far in life without some bad experiences. And, they may choose to believe there is a conspiracy in place, responsible for some of the good. Especially, I suppose, if that good outcome is totally unexpected. If they had cancer - and the doc tells them one day, "the cancer's gone - I don't know why". Is there a natural explaination? Most likely - it may just not have been discovered yet.
But I don't think someone has to be blind to the negatives in life to come up with a rationale for the unexpected positives. in fact, the more one suffers negatives, the more he may appreciate the unexpected positives..
(but I don't really know; I've never studied this stuff ! ☺)

[CamelMan]

My idea of positive thinking is to examine an unfortunate situation, acknowledge the facts, weigh the options, and try to find the best way to overcome it.

That's a good attitude and not a parody of itself.

[greenmtnboy]

not too many folks get real far in life without some bad experiences. And, they may choose to believe there is a conspiracy in place, responsible for some of the good. Especially, I suppose, if that good outcome is totally unexpected. If they had cancer - and the doc tells them one day, "the cancer's gone - I don't know why". Is there a natural explaination? Most likely - it may just not have been discovered yet.
But I don't think someone has to be blind to the negatives in life to come up with a rationale for the unexpected positives. in fact, the more one suffers negatives, the more he may appreciate the unexpected positives..
(but I don't really know; I've never studied this stuff ! ☺)

The thing about cancer is that often the doctors are wrong and the patients need a second opinion....Also the slash and burn approach is giving way to immunotherapy. https://www.lewrockwell.com/2016/06/...d-cure-cancer/

It is not that hard to cure in the earlier phases but people need to change their lifestyles if they contributed to it.

[Capt. America]

I believe things happen for a reason or no reason at all, Like 3 cans of cold beer sitting in the middle of the trail on a hot day is it magic, a miracle or just plain luck? Short story, On my 2015 NOBO thru hike attempt I made it to Atkins Va. I got a call telling me my 25 year old son needed emergency surgery to remove his gull bladder so I when home. The surgery was put off for three weeks and after the surgery my son was ok so I decided to go back on the trail. I had my pack packed to leave the following morning during that afternoon I started getting pains in my lower left side and had a hard time breathing and it kept getting worse. I thought I was having a heart attack I called my wife and she took me to Care first and they put me in an ambulance to the hospital. I had blood clots in my lungs. I know I would have died if I had to walk 50 feet let alone a few miles to get help if I were on the trail. I was heart broken I couldn't finish my hike but so thankful I lived to hike another day. Yes I believe in miracles, magic and just plain being lucky. I hope the miracles never stop they restore my faith that good things can happen at anytime.

[AllenIsbell]

Capt. America,

So finding cold beer in the middle of the trail on a hot day would be curious, but certainly not a supernatural event. Hot trails exist, cold beer exist, people who can purchase beer exist, and people who can purchase beer who also will hike on the trail exist. I don't see the leap to supernatural cause (if that is where you were going with that). Maybe some folks just wanted to be nice and surprise the next hiker with some cold beer. I actually stopped my group at Preacher's Rock just beyond Woody's Gap to set up camp one night. Sure enough, we found a cold 6 pack of Yuengling hiding behind a log right near an old fire pit. No one's mind was blown and without an idea as to how they could have gotten there.

It appears to be simply chance.

If out of no where cold cans of beer that I actually enjoy started popping into our hands...we might have to start asking some hard questions and examining the situation.

I don't see any correlation to supernatural events in your story where you unfortunately had to cancel your trip due to your ailment. People's bodies can fail at any time, and they do. You could drop dead or meet the love of your life at any given moment. Again, chance.

Luck, to me, is 100% illusionary. Some folks who are wise may appear to be lucky while some folks who are clumsy and lack self awareness may claim to be unlucky.

How are you defining faith?

[rocketsocks]

If ya have to look for the miricles in your life, you may have missed the biggest one of all. You exist in a very specific place and time, couples degrees this way or that-a-way, and we don't count any longer, the truth is mankind is really on borrowed time, it may take a few generation and maybe there'll be pockets of hangers on, but we're our own worst enemy.

oh yeah, good morning have a great day!

[Singto]

If ya have to look for the miricles in your life, you may have missed the biggest one of all. You exist in a very specific place and time, couples degrees this way or that-a-way, and we don't count any longer, the truth is mankind is really on borrowed time, it may take a few generation and maybe there'll be pockets of hangers on, but we're our own worst enemy.

oh yeah, good morning have a great day!

Yeppers, everyone is tree huggin' and spewing "save the planet" when in reality what they are saying without really understanding it is "save the human race". This planet will be just fine and will go on and prosper long after humans have become extinct. Most people don't realize that 99.9% of all the species of the world have already gone extinct, humans will have their extinction too. Invest accordingly...lol.

[Uriah]

Yeppers, everyone is tree huggin' and spewing "save the planet" when in reality what they are saying without really understanding it is "save the human race". This planet will be just fine and will go on and prosper long after humans have become extinct. Most people don't realize that 99.9% of all the species of the world have already gone extinct, humans will have their extinction too. Invest accordingly...lol.

[jefals]

Capt. America,
I don't see any correlation to supernatural events in your story where you unfortunately had to cancel your trip due to your ailment. People's bodies can fail at any time, and they do. You could drop dead or meet the love of your life at any given moment. Again, chance.

He didn't cancel his trip due to his ailment. He cancelled it due to his son's ailment. And so, he came home to be with his son, and things turned out fine for his son.
And, because of that, when he had his own medical emergency, he was in civilization rather than out in the wilderness. ...

[AllenIsbell]

I misread. My apologies.

However, it still sounds like chance that worked out in his favor.