I wanted to show you the YouTube video below as something that might renew your faith in humanity despite those who seem to be fighting to destroy every aspect of humanity in our lives. Jeff Louis, 22, is a man who has struggled to stay clean after an addiction history and is working as a delivery driver for Gionino’s Pizza in Ohio. That is a rough road to walk, but something happened on a recent delivery that I wanted to share with you.
Louis delivered a large number of pizzas to Life Point Church but was asked outside to bring just one of the pizzas to the minister on the stage inside of the church. Congregation members then proceeded to give him tip after tip . . . $700 worth. It was a Jean Valjean moment. They had decided to reach out to a complete stranger on this holiday to try to improve his life. This is his reaction.
I know that this posting doesn’t offer any analysis of constitutional issues or insights into some emerging crisis or atrocity. However, there is something incredibly profound and encouraging in such accounts of people simply reaching out to a stranger to make a difference in their lives.
Good luck Jeff and thank you to the congregation of Life Point Church.
By the way, the town is appropriately named Mentor, Ohio.
I enjoy reading this blog and barking my comments. I do not wish to offend but I guess I do wish to promote my own religion which is 8th Day Dog Adventism. Some may think this a foolish religion. But hey zeus I am a dog.
Right now I am watching some turbanhead on Fox News yakking about this and that. I find myself becoming more intolerant of the muslim yak. I traveled the world when I was a human in a prior life and never like muslim pirate territories of any strip. Egypt was ok. Nice folks, just different strokes. The Bedoins out in the Sinai were interesting. I enjoyed riding camels. Never smoked one.
Anyway. You all are good people and some are good dogs.
Eleazer, Great comment and quote.
Nicely said Eleazer!
Barkin, A source tells me our “God” is actually a doctor.
For doing your job…probably minimum wage.
For coming in early to do your job…$700
For experiencing a brief moment of love…priceless.
“Life’s great happiness is to be convinced we are loved.” Hugo
Dear God: itShay on the oYhea.
People should help others out of empathy and keep their charity to themselves instead of constantly blasting it in on a blog
Weak. You read anger into words on a screen, Nick, and then attribute the attitude to me: how very Christian and Christmasy of you.
Of course it’s not uncommon when speaking with arrogant theists who wrap themselves in humility. Saying so deflects you from actually responding to the points made. So do tell Allah I said hello when you pray. I mean Zeus. No, Vishnu. Which one?
People should help others out of empathy, as if no one is watching. Not because you think someone is.
A heartwarming, Christmasy, feel good, post. And, an angry, atheist has to try and trash the thread. Most of the atheists I know are unhappy people who try and spread their depression to others. I thank God I am happy and pray my happiness spreads to those who need it. Amen.
Olly, saying that you win if you’re wrong is hedging. And congratulations, admitting you don’t have all the answers is the first step toward real humility, versus pretending to know your particular version of a deity is correct. (The sterilization of the mind leads to internal peace, I’m sure, much like sugar-pills cure headaches.)
Double? I’m offended. Can you triple it, Nick? Talking to yourself surely will help exorcise my capacity to think critically. And could you perform a dance as well, maybe right after? My region is lacking rain.
I’m doubling my prayers for our angry atheist. Although, he may need an exorcism.
Oh Dave, I’m not merely hedging my bet. I’m sincere in my faith and I have the humility to know I don’t have all the answers. You are trying very hard to make a case that no one asked for or needs. Of course an ounce of humility might have told you that but then we likely would not be having this discussion.
And BTW, I spent 40 years of my life trying to do what you are attempting to do right now and I’ve never been more at peace than I am today.
I wish you the best of luck.
Olly,
You may want to learn how science operates. Science is open to change in light of new evidence (voices in one’s head don’t qualify); unlike religion, which pathetically reverse-engineers everything to fit preconceived dogma.
And Pascal’s Wager is rubbish: believing merely to save your own rear is at a minimum insincere. And I doubt a deity would appreciate that, considering it can also read your mind and know you’re doing exactly that.
Intellectual bankruptcy doesn’t sound like winning.
Dave – you are aware that scientists are fighting NOAA bringing their data into the open where others can examine it. Is that the kind of science you were talking about? Or is that a religion where the priesthood keeps the knowledge secret from the congregation and just lets them know what is good for them?
Dave,
So essentially we both have our myths. I’m fine with that because if your right, I win and if I’m right, I win. I like those odds.
Paul, I could easily say that Nature itself is the uncaused cause (and quantum-mechanically, that may be the case, because quantum fluctuations that are inherent to physical reality may give rise to conditions that spark spacetimes into existence).
So stating that a deity created existence, which as a deity is arguably more complex than the complexity it creates, only pushes the problem back.
If nature therefore is too complicated to emerge on its own and requires a designer, then how does one explain the complexity of that designer. It too would require a designer. And it’s turtles all the way down.
Dave – there always has to be an Uncaused Cause. Something has to exist that always existed, that never had a creator.
Nick, grow a pair.
Paul, saying a god made existence begs the question What made god.
bam, uh-huh.
Olly, the only evidence for eternal life are the myths our ignorant ancestors invented; not very convincing.
Karen, exactly right.
Dave – you missed the Uncaused Cause.
What a heartwarming story. I hope that man is able to stay clean and sober, and that he gets the boost in confidence and support he needs to embark on a great new chapter in life.
The logic that we are not at war with radical Islamic extremists but they are at war with us could be used with the existence of God. You may live in the “here and now” because you don’t believe in eternal life, but eternal life may believe in you. The interesting thing is the atheist and theist both have faith in their destiny but only the theist is safe if they are wrong.
David, Thanks, and I like your Les Miserable litmus test. You and I are simpatico on this important topic.
Barkin, Thank you. My comment was not directed @ you.