Boy, 9, says stray bullet missed him because

[Beckys_Mom]

"It was like God pushed me back," he said.

http://www1.whdh.com...ter-close-call/

Like, as in "as if" it was. There is no indication that the boy said anything else about God.

I agree with you on this.

To add I do not see why anyone would need to make an issue over it.... He is just a kid... And so what if he said it was like God saved him? Who cares? as long as he dodged a bullet... Literally !!

Edited April 21, 2012 by Beckys_Mom

[Euphorbia]

Your logic makes no sense. The kid did not know that someone would be firing a bullet through his house and just 'happen' to move out of the way out of instict etc. Your answer is toO simplistic. I would need more proof about the conclusion you came to that it was some sort of 'self-preservation'.If he had even a small inkling of the bullet that might hit him, why would he go inside to get his glasses etc. just so he could dodge it.

You did read the part about "a series of pops"? You know, multiple shots fired. Once the first shot is heard, along with the mother's yelling, ones instinct would be to duck for cover.....that's where the adrenaline kicks in......

"The third-grader's mother, Sharon Jackson, says she heard a series of pops at about 3 p.m. and yelled at her children to get down."

[ancient astronaut]

I think its more luck than anything else.

[minera]

You did read the part about "a series of pops"? You know, multiple shots fired. Once the first shot is heard, along with the mother's yelling, ones instinct would be to duck for cover.....that's where the adrenaline kicks in......

"The third-grader's mother, Sharon Jackson, says she heard a series of pops at about 3 p.m. and yelled at her children to get down."

Yes I did read the article. Seems it is conflicting from the news announcers' version from the link video on the same page

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/19/preston-stevens-9-says-stray-bullet-missed-him-because-god-intervened_n_1437556.html?ref=weird-news

unless someone has their story wrong then I still stand by my comment. I am glad the kid is ok, but I am sure there is more to this story than what we all heard and seen in print.

[Fluffybunny]

If there is a god, and if the god is omnipotent/omniscient, and if this god is in a position to be able to save the lives of humans with his godly actions, then this raises more questions than answers.

Why did god intervene with this boy, but let so many others all over the world die? Is this god unable to save all the children? is this god unwilling to save the children? What are the decisions that went into place in order to justify the saving of one boy and not all the others?

[Left-Field]

Why did god intervene with this boy, but let so many others all over the world die? Is this god unable to save all the children? is this god unwilling to save the children? What are the decisions that went into place in order to justify the saving of one boy and not all the others?

You should ask God these questions. There is, afterall, a reason as to why He is God. Only He truly knows the answers to your questions.

Edited April 22, 2012 by Angel Left Wing

[Meiliken]

Gotta love selective reasoning. People see/witness what they want to see/witness. Personal bias does not make something true. Like how a co-worker of mine refuses to accept the sky is blue due to light refraction in the water molecules in the air and reflection from the ocean. They're stance was "god did it" and literally covered their ears to refuse hearing the facts of why the sky is blue. Selective reasoning. The weakness of all religious believers.

[Left-Field]

Selective reasoning. The weakness of all religious believers.

And it could just as well be said that those who don't believe in any higher power have a lack of faith as their weakness.

Also, simply because there is scientific reasoning behind things doesn't mean God couldn't still be the reason everything exists in the ways that they do.

[Meiliken]

And it could just as well be said that those who don't believe in any higher power have a lack of faith as their weakness.

Also, simply because there is scientific reasoning behind things doesn't mean God couldn't still be the reason everything exists in the ways that they do.

Not having faith in something that has no rational basis is by definition not a weakness. So no, the same can't be said. With that rationale, that means a known liar that people have false faith in are stronger for their faith? I think not.

Incidentally, I do believe in god, I don't believe in fantasy religion. But when one disregards scientific reasoning based on facts for something magical, it is by definition irrational.

[angi chiesa]

Out in space the sky is black.So god speckled the sky with shiny diamonds.Of course God works in mysterious ways.Its ok to save one child and starve millions.I am not a fan of any gods

[Left-Field]

Not having faith in something that has no rational basis is by definition not a weakness. So no, the same can't be said. With that rationale, that means a known liar that people have false faith in are stronger for their faith? I think not.

Incidentally, I do believe in god, I don't believe in fantasy religion. But when one disregards scientific reasoning based on facts for something magical, it is by definition irrational.

If you believe in God then what are you claiming people have a belief in with no rational basis?

And again, simply because science can explain to us why things are the way they are, it doesn't mean that God can't be the creator of everything that science is able to show us exists beyond what the naked eye is capable of seeing.

By the way, I am not a religous fanatic, but I also believe in God. I suppose where we may differ is that I am also a Christian.

Edited April 22, 2012 by Angel Left Wing

[Meiliken]

If you believe in God then what are you claiming people have a belief in with no rational basis?

And again, simply because science can explain to us why things are the way they are, it doesn't mean that God can't be the creator of everything that science is able to show us exists beyond what the naked eye is capable of seeing.

By the way, I am not a religous fanatic, but I also believe in God. I suppose where we may differ is that I am also a Christian.

What I think of as god and what you think of as god are not remotely similar. Just because someone believes in god doesn't automatically mean the xian god.

I never said the god I believe in didn't create all of existence, but science is the way it was done. If you want to get closer to god, get closer to science.

No worry, I know you're not a fanatic. I shred holy rollers that come to my door(sometimes even breaking some of their faith) . I wish you wouldn't label yourself as "christian" though. That foundation is rockier than pagan faiths.

[Alienated Being]

Hi Alienated Being -- this is what is reported:

Preston Stevens says he felt some sort of force push him

before

the bullet went through his Rajon Rondo jersey ...

What are your grounds for over-riding that report, by writing: "What saved him was adrenaline, and the primal instinct of self-preservation."? How was the boy to know about the trajectory of the bullet? Or, even to "know/perceive" that there was going to be a bullet coming his way?

I'm curious as to your logic, apart from dismissing "intervention",

Karlis

t

The adrenaline, and instinct are what caused him to react in the manner that he did. The fact that he did not get hit by the bullet is pure luck. His mother yelled at him prior to the bullet traveling through the window because she heard several pops.

Edited April 22, 2012 by Alienated Being

[Euphorbia]

You should ask God these questions. There is, afterall, a reason as to why He is God. Only He truly knows the answers to your questions.

I find it kind of funny how some Christians say "only god knows the answers", yet in church there are plenty of people willing to state exactly what god wants, needs, knows, etc. etc........

[itsnotoutthere]

Well if god pushed him out of the way of the bullet, why didn't god make the bullet miss the house altogether?

[Sakari]

Well if god pushed him out of the way of the bullet, why didn't god make the bullet miss the house altogether?

Or make the finger pulling the trigger not pull it?

[Magicjax]

Does anyone else feel like your in the middle of an Abbott and Castello routine when reading this discussion?

Edited April 22, 2012 by Magicjax

[DigitalDreamer]

Ahahaha so religion saved this boy?

[randym23]

answer: god is supposedly all powerful therefore god at least "allowed" the bullet to be fired.

then supposedly pushed this boy aside so the bullet would not hit. Wouldn't it just be less trouble to have the gun never go off to begin with? (remember god is supposedly all powerful so it can do this)

what would be the point to the entire exercise?

maybe he just imagined it.

oh well, he can believe what he wants, but don't expect me to believe it.

[Orcseeker]

Ok, the God arguement will just go around in circles forever. No one can say anything definitively. So how about we stick with things we know to try explain this.

[Setton]

Gotta love selective reasoning. People see/witness what they want to see/witness. Personal bias does not make something true. Like how a co-worker of mine refuses to accept the sky is blue due to light refraction in the water molecules in the air and reflection from the ocean. They're stance was "god did it" and literally covered their ears to refuse hearing the facts of why the sky is blue. Selective reasoning. The weakness of all religious believers.

Everyone uses selective reasoning. Without it, we'd just have to accept everything anyone told us ever. For example, I wouldn't believe you if you told me you have a pet mongoose called Alan who plays tennis at weekends. Because I've decided it's unlikely and that I will only believe things where I have evidence for them. I would believe you if you told me the sky is blue, because it tallies with my own experience.

The only difference between this and a viewpoint on god(s) is what criteria have been selected. You wont believe a 2000 year old story but you will believe a scientific paper. You've just set different standards, not necessarily correct or better ones.

Or make the finger pulling the trigger not pull it?

Free will?

If God exists and judges us on our choices, what's the point in living if He'll interfere with our choices?

Personally, I think he's incredibly lucky or has a really quick thinking guardian angel. But as BM says, who cares what saved him, the important thing is that he's still alive and, in this case, even if he claims it was Alan the mongoose, I'm not going to complain

[csspwns]

give thanks to karma not the myth about god

[Meiliken]

Everyone uses selective reasoning. Without it, we'd just have to accept everything anyone told us ever. For example, I wouldn't believe you if you told me you have a pet mongoose called Alan who plays tennis at weekends. Because I've decided it's unlikely and that I will only believe things where I have evidence for them. I would believe you if you told me the sky is blue, because it tallies with my own experience.

The only difference between this and a viewpoint on god(s) is what criteria have been selected. You wont believe a 2000 year old story but you will believe a scientific paper. You've just set different standards, not necessarily correct or better ones.

Not everyone uses selective reasoning. I may want to believe people are good, but the evidence shows different. That becomes not selective reasoning, that becomes acceptance of evidence. I have no bias which is why I'm a scientist. I accept only what can be proven, and adjust it when evidence changes and evolves. That is not selective. So am I the exception? Doubtful.

The criteria is that one is based on scientific evidence, the other on fantasy that has no evidence whatsoever in a story riddled with plot holes and contradictions. It will always be better to base ones viewpoint on what can be proven then something which has no proof. You know there are people today that have formed a religion based on star wars the force, and perhaps in 2000 years people will think it is real based on fantasy books.

[Parsip]

I think you all assume that God's supposed intervention was meant to save the boy's life, and only that. In that case, "why didn't God prevent the bullet from being fired in the first place?" is a valid question. But no, I believe that if God did intervene, it's possible that he wanted it to be this way. He wanted the bullet to be fired and barely miss the boy, so that he takes this as a spiritual message, to strengthen his faith, or spread God's word, or do good in the world, or something.

Edited April 24, 2012 by Parsip

[Left-Field]

I find it kind of funny how some Christians say "only god knows the answers", yet in church there are plenty of people willing to state exactly what god wants, needs, knows, etc. etc.

The Bible, being the word of God, gives us answers to some, and maybe even all, of what you stated above. It does not, however, explain to us why God would allow the life of one person on Earth to be extended and not the life of another - at least not to the detailed extent I believe some are looking for.

In the end though, God saves all of those who believe in Him. So in that regard those that die of unfortunate circumstances here on Earth are still very much alive.