1. SPS Accounts:
    Do you find yourself coming back time after time? Do you appreciate the ongoing hard work to keep this community focused and successful in its mission? Please consider supporting us by upgrading to an SPS Account. Besides the warm and fuzzy feeling that comes from supporting a good cause, you'll also get a significant number of ever-expanding perks and benefits on the site and the forums. Click here to find out more.
    Dismiss Notice
Dismiss Notice
You are currently viewing Boards o' Magick as a guest, but you can register an account here. Registration is fast, easy and free. Once registered you will have access to search the forums, create and respond to threads, PM other members, upload screenshots and access many other features unavailable to guests.

BoM cultivates a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. We have been aiming for quality over quantity with our forums from their inception, and believe that this distinction is truly tangible and valued by our members. We'd love to have you join us today!

(If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you've forgotten your username or password, click here.)

"Grocery list" (Religion)

Discussion in 'Alley of Dangerous Angles' started by Maurolava, Feb 5, 2006.

  1. Maurolava

    Maurolava Neither to go back, nor to take impulse Veteran

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2005
    Messages:
    924
    Likes Received:
    1
    Gender:
    Male
    SPECIAL GROCERY LIST

    Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store. She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries. She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food.

    John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store at once. Visualizing the family needs, she said; ?Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can.? John told her he could not give her credit, since she did not have a charge account at his store.

    Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family.
    The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, ?Do you have a grocery list?? Louise replied, ?Yes sir?. He said, "OK, put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries."

    Louise, hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.

    The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down, and stayed down. The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, "I can't believe it."

    The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance, so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more.

    The grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement. It was not a grocery list; it was a prayer, which said:

    "Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands."

    The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in stunned silence. Louise thanked him and left the store. The other customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said:

    "It was worth every penny of it. Only God Knows how much a prayer weighs."
    _________________________________________________

    So, what does anyone thing about this. Can something like this actually happen? Thoughts, ideas or comments are welcome!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 16, 2012
  2. Pac man Gems: 25/31
    Latest gem: Moonbar


    Joined:
    Nov 16, 2002
    Messages:
    2,119
    Likes Received:
    1
    Nice.

    Are you the author of this piece ?
     
  3. Apeman Gems: 25/31
    Latest gem: Moonbar


    Veteran

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2002
    Messages:
    2,153
    Likes Received:
    3
    To be blunt, which I usually am, no it could not happen. But for the ones who 'believe' they probably would disagree.
     
  4. Saber

    Saber A revolution without dancing is not worth having! Veteran

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2004
    Messages:
    4,905
    Likes Received:
    47
    Gender:
    Male
    Wait, did this happen, or are you thinking this up and asking us what we think?


    Either way, I'd say no, it can't happen. I'll back that up (if you want) later, but I have to leave now.
     
  5. Felinoid

    Felinoid Who did the what now?

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2005
    Messages:
    7,470
    Likes Received:
    6
    Gender:
    Male
    Can it happen? Yes. Would it be a scam? Also yes.

    God (if he exists) works in mysterious ways; he does not arbitrarily put his big godly toe (oh Cespenar! :shake: ) down on some clerk's scale to screw with you.
     
  6. Maurolava

    Maurolava Neither to go back, nor to take impulse Veteran

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2005
    Messages:
    924
    Likes Received:
    1
    Gender:
    Male
    Ok, First let me get clear my question, this is not about whether this is real or not; well, basically because is not, (at list no physically).

    The history is just a symbol, if you will, on how God may work on "mysterious ways? or so call miracles. So the question should be weather or not you "believe" on them (miracles) or is just some stun "publicity or otherwise"

    @Pac man-
    No, I did not write this, is anonymous.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 16, 2012
  7. Brallrock Gems: 23/31
    Latest gem: Black Opal


    Veteran

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2005
    Messages:
    1,633
    Likes Received:
    0
    If you read and believe the Bible, (yes some people actually believe that every word is true and factual) it would be an easy thing to happen. Do I beleive this is a true story? Not really. Do I believe that it is possible, yes! I beleive that God could do it if he chose to.

    It is not a matter of intelect, it is a matter of faith wether or not you beleive in God.
     
  8. JiggaJay Gems: 10/31
    Latest gem: Zircon


    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2005
    Messages:
    395
    Likes Received:
    0
    Ah yes, the bible. Read it myself, GREAT work of fiction, I highly recommend it.

    No that did not happen, could not happen, will not happen.

    Reason >> Blind faith in what your mommy and daddy and preacher taught you when you were a youngun.

    *writes satire about blind faith for english class ;) *

    *puts on flame shield +10 and waits for this to become a religion vs. reason debate*
     
  9. Disciple of The Watch

    Disciple of The Watch Preparing The Coming of The New Order Veteran

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2005
    Messages:
    7,024
    Likes Received:
    38
    Gender:
    Male
    I'm with Jigga on that one.

    /puts on Shadow Shield +5 and waits for the xtians to start defending their so-called faith

    *EDIT* Oh crap, wait, this IS AoDA.

    [ February 05, 2006, 05:52: Message edited by: Disciple of The Watch ]
     
  10. Brallrock Gems: 23/31
    Latest gem: Black Opal


    Veteran

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2005
    Messages:
    1,633
    Likes Received:
    0
    This is probably where you expect me to jump up and down and tell you that "I am filled with Christ's love". Well that is not going to happen. I beleive what I beleive, I am not going to try to cram that down anyones throat. On the matter of God (or any other higher power), a person will not be swayed by rhetoric or logic or all the elequent babbling of organized religion. Which was my point, that religion is a matter of faith, and not intelect.

    @Jigga, I would never condone blind faith in anything or anyone.
     
  11. Disciple of The Watch

    Disciple of The Watch Preparing The Coming of The New Order Veteran

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2005
    Messages:
    7,024
    Likes Received:
    38
    Gender:
    Male
    Very nicely said, Brallrock. "I believe what I believe"... that was exactly the message I tried to pass in another topic about religion. It's good to see someone open-minded about that.
     
  12. JiggaJay Gems: 10/31
    Latest gem: Zircon


    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2005
    Messages:
    395
    Likes Received:
    0
    Agreed. No matter how much logic I cram down you, you prolly won't change your mind. No matter how many "miracles" you cram down my gullet, I probably still won't believe you. Meh, conflict will always be around us.

    Am I going to hell?! :D

    EDIT!!!

    In 100 years or so, "christian mythology" will be taught in your english class along "greek mythology" :)

    The students will then say "omg what idiots, everyone knows JiggaJay is the true god!"
     
  13. Aikanaro Gems: 31/31
    Latest gem: Rogue Stone


    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2001
    Messages:
    5,521
    Likes Received:
    20
    Well ... no. That, of course, might have something to do with me not believing in God and such ... but no :p

    If things like this actually happened, we'd have proof of God - especially seeing how many poor religious people there are...
     
  14. Sydax Gems: 19/31
    Latest gem: Aquamarine


    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2003
    Messages:
    1,166
    Likes Received:
    0
    If God works in mysterious ways, well, I didn't see any yet; some people told me that those little triumphs you have in your life are his 'work', well, I must say that don't, those are my efforts; IMHO, if God is such good guy who forgives, and does so many good things, why there's so many people suffering? Why there's so much injustice? I always wondered if these Gods (not just the Christian one but also Buda, etc.,) are sitting together up there (or wherever they 'are') laughing at us. Should the father of Jesus be the 'new kid in God's town'? Because He is younger 'historically' than many others.
    Anyway, no, unlike Hot Chocolate, I don't believe in miracles.
     
  15. Susipaisti

    Susipaisti Maybe if I just sleep... Veteran

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2005
    Messages:
    1,800
    Likes Received:
    19
    That little story is just the kind of thing I'd expect from a holy roller with spittle flying off his lips. "A-gimme an A-MEN-uhh! Donations here, please."
     
  16. Montresor

    Montresor Mostly Harmless Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2005
    Messages:
    3,103
    Media:
    127
    Likes Received:
    183
    Gender:
    Male
    No, you wouldn't see anything like that. If God works in mysterious ways, He would not give obvious proof of His own existence by causing a miracle.

    The word "Faith" indicates believing without evidence, not because of it.

    Of course, I am an Atheist, so that's what you would expect *me* to say ...
     
  17. chevalier

    chevalier Knight of Everfull Chalice ★ SPS Account Holder Veteran

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2002
    Messages:
    16,815
    Media:
    11
    Likes Received:
    58
    Gender:
    Male
    The moment people stop believing in God, they are able to believe in the most bizarre thing imaginable. That story is not as bizarre as certain things people believe. Especially in these times wherein religions are in decline, while more and more people are into occultism, "natural medicine", space energies and the like.

    Is the story unlikely to be true? Yes, of course. Everything looks so convenient, especially the clerk coming up with the idea of putting the shopping list on the scale and weighing the groceries against it. There's also the question of why the clerk would bother with the scale instead of just taking money from the other customer. There's no rule saying you can't pay for someone else's groceries, after all. However, it's usually "improved" stories where everything fits and everything looks real.

    If I saw something like that, I would most likely think it's an unexplained physical phenomenon at work. That wouldn't preclude divine intervention (why wouldn't God discreetly work within the boundaries and natural methods of the world?), but there have also been completely natural occurences seemingly defying the laws of physics, subsequently explained by scientists.

    Paradoxically, this is close to what Montresor says: many people would still believe it to be a natural, if strange, event if they saw a miracle at work. Believers would think it's extremely unlikely to be just a natural phenomenon, while others would think it's completely natural if not yet explained by science.

    And think of all the many occultist or homebrew spiritual explanations that some people who are too rational to believe in God or even suspend disbelief would come up with. :rolleyes:
     
  18. Arendil Gems: 6/31
    Latest gem: Jasper


    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2004
    Messages:
    190
    Likes Received:
    0
    First I think that that *can* be possible due to some more sophisticated physics (don't ask me...). I mean piece of paper outweighing lots of goods. In theory - yes. But it's very unlikely to happen.

    But will someone witnessing something like that in practice see that it is God's doing ? No. That would be obvious only to those who believe in Him already.
     
  19. Liriodelagua Gems: 4/31
    Latest gem: Sunstone


    Joined:
    Nov 15, 2005
    Messages:
    79
    Likes Received:
    0
    Uhm, I don't think god would reward someone with material goods. Historically, he is, in fact, used to burn houses, kill cattle, and dismember family just to win a bet with the devil.
    Hey, by the way, this is what I love about religions: something beautiful is born from them. Faith and god and the rest have inspired many artists, and their works remain here for us to admire. That alone makes religion worth being.
    Edit: Woohoo! God just gave me my second GEM!
     
  20. Chimera Gems: 5/31
    Latest gem: Andar


    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2004
    Messages:
    123
    Likes Received:
    0
    Apparently her husbands health is lower on the list then groceries. A lovely example to preach about.
     
Sorcerer's Place is a project run entirely by fans and for fans. Maintaining Sorcerer's Place and a stable environment for all our hosted sites requires a substantial amount of our time and funds on a regular basis, so please consider supporting us to keep the site up & running smoothly. Thank you!

Sorcerers.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products on amazon.com, amazon.ca and amazon.co.uk. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.