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How is leaving a room 28 minutes before an accident happened there "a miracle"?

Dumb luck is hardly a miracle.

eric / rSnakE,
how would either of you define a miracle ?

Ok, I was playing off the title of the story, but I wouldn't say it was 'dumb luck' either. Oh, why don't I get myself in trouble and just say perhaps an angel had something to do with it.

Good thought, Nancy. The story of the little girls is, indeed, a wonderful story, no matter which way you slice it, religion-wise. However, this is not a miracle, theologically speaking. It is reason fro thanksgiving for God's providential care and protection. Not to be picky, but a miracle is the suspension of the normal and predictable course of natural law by a specific act of divine omnipotence: a withered hand made whole, blind eyes from birth seeing, walking on water, rising from the dead, etc. Thank you, Father, for protecting these little ones. It's really great to have a merciful, imminent and loving Creator to thank. It's hard to thank and worship an empty universe.

"It's hard to thank and worship an empty universe."

That's why I don't even try. As Ingersoll said "In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments -- only consequences."

You thank God for caring for a couple of little girls, but do you ever wonder what sort of care your God gives to the thousands of little girls living and dying in terror in Iraq?

Interesting the atheists are hanging around in the front pew.

I've had it. I'm tired of people thinking that as an atheist, I have no business posting to threads related to religion. I'm sorry if I've rattled too many cages. You folks enjoy your prayer meetings.

Farewell.

Well hello there Sterling. How've you been? You act somewhat surprised that an atheist would show an interest in religion. Why is that?

You guys just didn't get it: you missed the humor entirely. He was just alluding to the fact that only the most ardent believers sit on the front pew. Perhaps you guys would feel more comfortable sitting in the balcony from whence you could toss spit balls left handed on the blue hairs below. I'm ashamed to admit that I did, when a pernicious pre-teen.

Of course you don’t try, Eric. I wouldn’t expect you to. It would be an exercise in futility. But since I can, and do, it just seems sad that the intrinsic human impulse to praise and thank the Creator must remain repressed and inert in those who deny His Being. It’s such great, great, great, great, great fun, and deeply and totally satisfying – to which millions and millions in heaven and earth will attest.

First, regarding the little girls (and everyone affected) in Iraq, Palestine, the twin towers of 9/11, Lebanon, Israel and the millions killed in the baby killing mills across our nation; my heart is weighed down in sadness. The root of it all is sin, and one of the worst “consequences” of sin (transgression of God’s created moral Law, anti-life thoughts and actions) is war.

It is the most horrific manifestation of death, suffering and human depravity ever. It IS, however, necessary at times in a world where the only way to stop the implacable invaders of a national entity is force. Peace signs and bohemian peaceniks in the streets of Warsaw and Manila, would never have stopped Hitler or the Rising Sun.

Iraq, however, is a hard one. I approve of making it work since we’re there; and we ARE at war with the fanatical Islmo-fascists. But I never felt at the beginning that it was a tactically wise move. Errors are made easily and often in wars, as history testifies. Inevitably, anything major that we had done would’ve fueled the machine of fanaticism. It was a choice that had some merit, but I personally had misgivings about it tactically, not purposively. Other options MAY have been better. Our biggest mistake, however, was that we didn’t go in with overwhelming power and numbers to get it done. And because of the bellyaching of liberal Bush haters since, we’ve had our hands tied even tighter behind our backs. So, if we’re not going to get the job done, we SHOULD get out ASAP – the consequences of which would be extremely negative for us. So, let’s do a better job of nation building there and ease out. We dare not forget that the avowed aim of the terrorists has always been to totally destabilized Iraq and make the scenario so distasteful to comfortable, spiritually bankrupt America that we would lose the will to persevere to victory. Looks like they are succeeding.

So, anyway, I didn’t really want to go there, but I give thanks to God for all I can, and pray for those who continue as innocent victims of car bombs, land mines, guns and bombs. WW II was horrible too, but I would rather still be singing God Bless America and saluting Old Glory than the alternative.

And in regard to rewards, I’ll take the promises of God over what’s his name – oh, Ingersoll?

Someone must have hijacked Eric's computer. He all too well understands the relationship between religion and society and why everybody -- not just those who wear cross necklaces -- should take note. Free thought is a good thing.