Why do Christians wear seatbelts?

[Liv]

A few days ago I wrote about the mental relativity of religion, which inevitably brought up the topic of death to which BHL wrote this:

I have no fear of dying whatsoever. If I knew I would die tomorrow the only fear or sorrow I would have would be those left behind that do not yet know God. Other than that I do not fear death.

I think the sentiment that he expresses is common among many Christians, and it's not a far cry from recent example of the Muslim faith; but, I've always wondered if you have no fear of death, then why make an effort to preserve life? Sure the idea of wearing seat belts is silly, but it's a question I dare to ask?

Why go to the hospital when your sick? Would you not be excited that you might be able to die, and go to your eternal bliss?

Why are all Christians not skydivers? Why do we cheer at a Nascar race when the driver gets up and walks away? Should we cheer when they wreck and have a chance at reaching heaven?

Shouldn't we all cheer as the ambulance goes down our street? Shouldn't that instance of fear, that it could be going to our house be replaced with the excitement as another one of our loved ones moves on to the next level of existence?

Sure we'd be sad that the person is gone from our lives, but isn't it just a matter of time till we're reunited?

I know Christianity doesn't support suicide, so that rules us out of strapping bombs to our chests and standing outside of the nudey store, but why preserve life? Why try to extend, or even prevent our deaths if the rewards are so great at the end of it?

[BecauseHeLives]

The simple answer to your question is that God has a will for us. We are to do His will - not ours.

The more complex answer might be this. I don't fear death but I do fear the following:

Pain. Usually that comes before death. I don't like pain at all.

Loved Ones. If I die now then God can not use me as a tool to help loved ones come to him. The biggest burden that I carry every day are loved ones that aren't saved. I don't worry about my own salvation because I know its secure.

How do you know that God didn't put seatbelts there to help save us in car crashes? Same can be said for doctors and hospitals as well.

[Liv]

If the Christian bible had excluded the suicide rule, and actually said something along the lines of what extremist Muslims do, would you become a suicide bomber?

<clarify>If the bible explicitly said "kill those who don't head my words" would you do so?</clarify>

[SouthernFriedInfidel]

Why go to the hospital when your sick? Would you not be excited that you might be able to die, and go to your eternal bliss?

This is exactly the attitude that ended my grandmother's life. She was diabetic and a Christian Scientist. She refused to treat her condition at all. Ended up dying of a stroke at the age of 58.

[BecauseHeLives]

Why go to the hospital when your sick? Would you not be excited that you might be able to die, and go to your eternal bliss?

This is exactly the attitude that ended my grandmother's life. She was diabetic and a Christian Scientist. She refused to treat her condition at all. Ended up dying of a stroke at the age of 58.

I'm sorry to hear that.

[BecauseHeLives]

If the Christian bible had excluded the suicide rule, and actually said something along the lines of what extremist Muslims do, would you become a suicide bomber?

<clarify>If the bible explicitly said "kill those who don't head my words" would you do so?</clarify>

The Christian bible doesn't say that so that's not a fair comparison to make. That's like saying if true was false and false was true "what would you do?" In reality you are saying that if my book said "Holy Bible" on the outside of it but had the Koran scriptures inside of it would I obey it?

[A Person]

Deuteronomy:
13:6 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers;
...
13:8 Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him:
13:9 But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.
13:10 And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

[BecauseHeLives]

I'm sure glad we are now in the dispensation of Grace now instead of the dispensation of law, aren't you?

[A Person]

The Christian bible doesn't say that

But since it does we've have to invent a superficially persuasive argument, because it offends our modern sensibilities to perform the ridiculous acts specified in the Old Testament. But the rest of the Old Testament is God's absolute and invariant word.

[BecauseHeLives]

The Christian bible doesn't say that

But since it does we've have to invent a superficially persuasive argument, because it offends our modern sensibilities to perform the ridiculous acts specified in the Old Testament. But the rest of the Old Testament is God's absolute and invariant word.

You are delusional.

[A Person]

You say "the Bible doesn't say that"
I show you one example where it does
You say "but we don't take any notice of that bit of the Bible any more"

So would you like to rephrase your argument

The Christian bible doesn't say that so that's not a fair comparison to make. That's like saying if true was false and false was true "what would you do?"

to take into account that the Bible does indeed say that. Or are you indeed claiming that true is !true and that Deuteronomy was 'mistranslated' or 'misinterpreted'

[Sanjuro]

You are delusional.

No, he's simply pointing out the obviousness of the situation. It hurts me you are so reluctant to even acknowledge it.

[Continental Op]

Whenever I see a car on the road with a "Rapture" bumper sticker, my first thought is always "how careful a driver is that person likely to be, and do I really want to be anywhere near them on the road?"

[Continental Op]

How do you know that God didn't put seatbelts there to help save us in car crashes? Same can be said for doctors and hospitals as well.

This reminds me of the old joke about a man drowning at sea. A rescue boat comes along, but the man says, "No thanks. God will save me." A helicopter comes along, but the man says, "No thanks. God will save me." A submarine comes along, but the man says, "No thanks. God will save me." Finally, the man drowns. He arrives in heaven and meets God. "Lord," he says, "when I was drowning, my faith told me you would rescue me. Yet you allowed me to drown. Why?" "What do you mean?" God replied. "I sent a boat, a helicopter, and a submarine. What more did you expect?"

I am by no means a person of faith. There is much about religious belief that makes no sense to me. But I can certainly understand how believers might see human intervention as part of God's plan.

[A Person]

The same can be said for scientists, engineers, philosphers, pastors, vicars, child molesters, rapists and fascist dictators. How do you know God didn't put them there?

What about overpowered cars, bars, strip joints, Scientology churches, icy roads, sun in the eyes and cell phones. How do you know God didn't put them there?

What about this post? How do you know it isn't God writing it?

Oh my God, we don't know anything.

[SouthernFriedInfidel]

Oh my God, we don't know anything.

Makes you wonder what it means "to know" anything.

[BecauseHeLives]

Oh my God, we don't know anything.

That's what I've been trying to tell you all along!

[A Person]

Silence cowering Mortal. Do not presume to speak for me.
Love and Kisses
God

[Continental Op]

The same can be said for scientists, engineers, philosphers, pastors, vicars, child molesters, rapists and fascist dictators. How do you know God didn't put them there?

What about overpowered cars, bars, strip joints, Scientology churches, icy roads, sun in the eyes and cell phones. How do you know God didn't put them there?

What about this post? How do you know it isn't God writing it?

Well, I agree completely. But, as I said, I'm not a religious believer, and find religious faith to be irrational. (Which is not to say I necessarily find all religious beliefs irrational; merely that I find it irrational to believe something as a matter of faith rather than as a matter of reason or perception.)

All the same, I can comprehend that people who are believers can construct narratives that make sense of the world in terms of their faith. To those who share the faith, the narrative is coherent; to those who don't, it may be incomplete or silly or dangerous.

Oh my God, we don't know anything.

I don't know about that!