I'll believe in God the moment he stops playing games and comes out of hiding.

I don't hardly see how, a human being purportedly being made in God's image ( with some faculty for reason ) should be held accountable for, in turn, concluding that God is on permanent holiday. That would seem to be more His fault and His outcome than mine. God has infinitely more capacity to present himself than I have to hunt him down, so the onus of discovery is on whom?

Thank you for a positive story about a Christian person. God Bless this family. We are not meant to understand many things in this world.

You abuse your God-given gifts by NOT attempting to understand things, Gary. Were you made in God's likeness, or that of a rock? I mean if we go for the rock it certainly lowers bar. There are many perfectly happy rocks in my driveway; maybe the key to happiness is in fact not asking the hard questions.

Just prayed for you Matt that God would receive glory through this trial in your life as He gives you and your family the strength and comfort to suffer well and to keep the faith once for all delivered to the saints. Thank you for your commitment to expository preaching and your example to all of us brethren in your suffering. God is good ALL the time.

God is good ALL the time.

Yet, God gives people brain cancer (not to mention various other ailments) and he's good? Does that make any sense?

In light of Romans 8:28 it does: "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." We may not, in this life, see all the good that comes from our troubles and trials, but we can trust that in eternity everything will be clear. At that time, it will be apparent that we wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

For example, we can look back at Joseph in the Old Testament and see that the horrible things that happened to him (sold into slavery by his own family/accused of adultery by his Egyptian master/forgotten in prison) resulted in incredible good. Joseph saved an entire nation (and surrounding nations) from starvation during a famine and was effectively the leader of Egypt despite worshipping a foreign God. His hardships were used by God for Joseph's good, the common good of mankind, and for God to be made famous among a people who did not know Him yet.

God Bless.

Amen, JayisunJ; Satan may have meant it for evil, but God may have meant it for good. I will pray for you Matt Chandler.

Just another victim of religious IDIOCY.

Just another victim of religious IDIOCY.

And indoctrination.

you may not understand it but i'm praying for you. I hope one day you realize the great things you were made to do.

I don't understand how folks like dewintre, gordy and smc can attack this man's beliefs. Does it really matter to you how this man gets through this terrible ordeal? He doesn't believe the same things as you - so be it. The same is probably true of your neighbors.

As a gay man I don't subscribe to his particular set of beliefs, but that doesn't mean I don't wish HIS beliefs will get him through this crisis. I hope they do. And if there IS a God, and he hears all the prayers for him, and heals him, who are you to question them anyway?

For his sake, I hope he survives. If his faith is strengthened as result, good for him. If he believes I'm going to hell, I don't give a rat's ass. I DO care he finds comfort in whatever he does, whether it's in a hospital OR a church.

Randy from Maine.

I don't understand how folks like dewintre, gordy and smc can attack this man's beliefs.

Throwing it on Newsvine was y'alls doing, not mine. I'm just calling it like I see it. Would you be shocked if I revealed 2+2 indeed equals 4? The operative principle is the same.

Hell-o there. This post should be encourageing this man, not blasting his belief in God. It is not a matther of what and how we believe or feel. So why is it we show no sympathy for anyone anymore. I see this every where I go and on every job. What has gone wrong with this world. No matter if I believe in God or not there should be kind words from everyone. We all have something to share and will up ift this person or persons.

Even, if God does not heal, that does not mean he does not exist. All we need to do is pray for him and keep this situation at hand in prayer. We will all need each other some day. We do not die alone.

If that were true, if God sent disease as punishment for our "wrongs" ALL of us would have cancer...

If he survives this cancer it will be because of good medical treatment, luck and a positive outlook. That's the way it is with everybody. No god has anything to do with it.

Guaranteed Mr. Rogers we are both gonna take untold amounts of flack and be called every name the religious fundamentalists can think of but I'm with you and here's what I think...

I have the deepest compassion for Mr. Chandler however "god" has absolutely nothing to do with his getting cancer. It's not god's punishment, a test of his faith in god or anything like that which people try to attribute to the unthinkable. He has contracted cancer - end of report. No god, no purpose or meaning to it, just cancer.

If his belief in a god gives him comfort, strength and the courage to face his pain and ultimate mortality then that's just fine. Religion is a strong, self-induced narcotic that can be put to good use soothing one's fears of the unknown when the reality of death stares us in the face. However blaming it on "god's higher purpose" or "his mysterious ways" only perpetuates mankinds inability to accept our miniscule place in the incomprehensible vastness of the cosmos.

Go in peace with your situation Mr. Chandler regardless of the means of how you attain it. I wish you the best...

How about the obvious. This is a dear and sweet human being who contrary to his own beliefs and worse , his teachings, has done nothing to deserve this fate. If he survives, which I hope he does, the believers will turn it into a lifetime movie.If he does not, it will be because he did not pass the test. (His words not mine). The real irony is that his real fate lies in the hands of real humans whose profession is dependent on scientific knowledge. Which is something that would be much further advanced had it not been for the obsticles put there by believers.

You have to remember that Christians read things like Job and think, 'god tests us to see how much faith we have'. The rest of us read Job and think, 'what a sick god to make bets with the little people's lives with his brother, Hades' (aka Satan in the Christian faith). Why is it that when New Orleans fell apart (one example in a sea of many), well-known pastors go on TV and claim that NO was being punished for its iniquities? Or, that when a Christian person happens to avert disaster, the Christian was being protected by god? Yet, when any Christian person faces the pains of life, s/he is being "tested"... It's time we abandon the failings of religion.

The reality is that religious thought holds us back. Whether we would have found a cure for cancer by now without religion is an unfortunate unknown. But, the very people who want science to help them now are the same people that have bashed it, held it back, and proclaimed that it's only god that you need for a happy, long, blessed and substantial life.

Forget internet phishing, fake contractors stealing from old ladies and Bernie Madoff. Religion is the greatest and most destructive scam to ever be presented to man. While many think that 'it's okay if people get comfort through religion' or 'religion does SOME good things', the reality is that it is not innocuous and we all suffer for the superstitious and blatantly retarded belief in myths that were created by Babylonian people many thousands of years ago to try to answer what was then yet to be understood. Get rid of religion and we will all have more money, more freedom, more sanctity, more security and more progress.

We are all mortal. We all die one way or another. This is the story of Adam and Eve in it's simplest form, no matter how you interpret it, or even if you don't believe. Believe this: We all die.

I bet he's glad to have all those non-believing doctors and scientists there to help him out now that his faith can't save him.

Carl isn't being serious, he's just making a point. It never occurs to us to interpret a circumstance in a way that contradicts all these other things we believe.

Personally I'm not sure what the greater tragedy here is, the brain cancer or the crisis of faith he ( and those near him ) will experience when he dies.

I'll make a morbid prediction :

the cancer will run its course, and if Chandler dies, no one will take it as evidence of anything whatsoever, including the possibility that God doesn't answer prayers.

jp-653910-

Just a comment- it might be nice if you read the entire article before commenting. Especially the part about the chief neurosurgeon being a devout Christian, not a "non-believing doctor" as you put it.

All who live suffer at different levels... some more than others. There were believers who were sawed in two, who were stoned, and tortured.

Christians are not immune to life's hardships contrary to the "bless me and prosperity" teachings of the past several years which are in effect anti-gospel. Our comfort is that in the eternal scope and perspective of these things.

In fact Christ said it best:

"In this life you will have tribulation. BUT, be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world."

Mr. Rodgers, you are correct, very much so. Everyone born suffers and eventually dies. Some more than others. I think sometimes "oh my life is so bad, because of X, Y, Z, etc." then I see someone who is blind or paralyzed, or sick with some horrible disease, and it takes me back to reality. As for faith, to each his own. Parts of Christianity certainly explores that suffering is not a punishment but a spiritual journey to peace. Buddhism teaches that all life is suffering, and that we must transcend it. The big, unanswerable question is that if God is there, all powerful, and loving why would He allow suffering. That is something that troubles me deeply.

The big, unanswerable question is that if God is there, all powerful, and loving why would He allow suffering. That is something that troubles me deeply.

This is difficult to understand. In fact, God tells us that we won't understand him plainly. "My ways are not your ways, My thoughts are not like your thoughts".

This makes since to me. Afterall, if God is truly all powerful and all knowing, he certainly knows ALOT more than me. Why should I expect to understand everything a VASTLY superior and intelligent being does or thinks?

Finally, I can't say that I fully understand the sufferings, but I certainly see how from God point of view, that of an eternal viewpoint, that life on earth is infinitely short and as such, so is the suffering we experience.

I liken it to a teenager, who gets his heart broke for the first time. The pain can be overwhelming and his life may seem to have lost all meaning. Of course to his parent, his life is just beginning and the angst he feels is almost petty, although still very real to the young teen. In the end, the teen will grow up and look back probably with amusement over how distraught he became.

I think eternity will be very much like this to us.

I would like to tell you what is said in Buddhism. Don't criticise me for telling these things. Read it only if you want to know. Otherwise, you can happily ignore it.

Buddhism teaches that everyone is born with Karma (a word from Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language). (Buddha Dharma (way of life) was preached by Sakyamuni in India hundreds of years before Birth of Christ). Karma means bad things that we carry in our body when we are born. We carry the Karma that we have accumulated from our previous lifetimes. We also accumulate Karma in this lifetime by doing bad deeds such as killing lives, cheating, lying, doing immoral acts, and many bad things. We always carry it. Some people are born with less Karma and some are born with more Karma, according to the good or bad deeds that we did in our previous lives. Our main conciousness (what we call our soul) does not become extinct. When we die, our soul will re-incarnate and will be born as another person. Thus all of us are born with Karma, some with less and some with more. The tribulations (like diseases, misfortunes, troubles) that we face are all due to our past Karma. Some are born rich and some are born poor. Some are born healthy and some are born disfigured. Some get serious diseases. Why? Why everyone is not born the same? It is all due to the amount of Karma that one carries at birth and accumulates during his life journey.

There are questions that every child of God struggles with, and must face one time or the other in their lives. And it is a trial of faith, their faith in God being put on the spot, and it's very important how a person will react. Not everyone experiences same type of trials, but everyone will experience them.... All Through the Scriptures we see that God does not spare His people from suffering, persecutions, and all sorts of hardships. The new, modern style of Christianity we're seen in recent years, mostly in this country, is not biblical, and those who propagate it are not of God. The true believers should have nothing to do with them. THis man has the right disposition, and I believe that his heart is right before God.

But why does God allow suffering? For those who go to the Word of God and allow the Word to speak to them, they will find their answers in it.

When God created the mankind He put them in a perfect world which HE has created and gave it to them to enjoy it and be blest in it. But when man(kind) sinned, their sin brought curse into the world, and upon themselves. The sickness, death, disasters and every form of tragedies are the consequences of curse, brought by sin. God could have left us hopeless, could have just abandoned the human race and this garden called Earth he has put us in. But He did not! He sent His Son Jesus Christ whom He promised even to our first parents, and then through the Prophets, to give us, fallen human race a hope and future. We need to understand that to God a thousand years is as one day, and one day as thousand years. To those who, clinging to Him by faith, are willing to endure, no matter what comes their way in their lives, yet they are still loving Him, thanking Him, honoring Him, and putting all their trust and hope on Him... to them the years of their lives spent in sorrow, lacking, even sickness, pain and persecution will be small thing to compare to glorious, unfathomed future that will never end, with their beautiful, glorious Lord and saviour.....

There is wisdom in the words of this dear man when he said:

"Knowing that if God is outside time and I am inside time, that puts some severe limitations on my ability to crack all the codes.

He may not understand the " codes", but His Father will give him peace and his heart will rest in assurance that the God whom He loves, and who knows has crated him and knows every fiber of his being, holds his life in the palm of his hand, and will walk with him through every moment of it, even if it means that he takes him to Himself early, ending his earthly life short. To die with Christ is not a defeat! But to live without Him, and then to die without Him is loss and tragedy beyond compare, one that God has not intended for any human being ever born.

In fact, God tells us that we won't understand him plainly. *SNIP*

Glad to know you're on a speaking basis. God has never told me anything. I have certainly read voluminous amounts of contradictory bull crap from a variety of equally suspect sources, but that's clearly not what you're talking about is it? Do you think you can hook me up sometime so God will talk to me too?

For those who believe in a higher power, and for those who don't: We all live in a mortal world, and we are, therefore, subject to mortal ails. None on this planet are immortal, some die much younger than others. Some live to great ages. But we all die--higher power or no higher power.

With that being said, I hope this young man recovers from his current ailment. I wish him and his family the best. It will be a very trying time for all of them. Let us all think good thoughts that his hopes, dreams and prayers are answered in a positive manner. His faith and belief may not be mine, but that does not stop me from hoping and wishing the best for him and his family. Best wishes to all.

/edit, was beat to that point

Thull, if it was a matter of logic the question would have been settled long ago. Not everyone uses logic as a path to truth, thus the problem.

How very well said, from someone who has experienced it! Living it ourselves. Tectal Plate Glioma, secondary Hydrocephalus at age 19. Quality of life it HUGE.

Well there is nothing wrong with using faith, but many today do not understand the proper application.

Faith is for the things you CANT do without God or the parts you cannot control. Remind your patients that faith without WORKS or "ACTION" is vain.

I'll second that!

(that the article does not belong on the health page)

No I do not. If you (Doctor) had read the whole story you would see that he is fighting for his life by using all the medical advancement available (Doctors, Surgeons, Medicine). He knows That God expects all of us to fight for life (even our own) and goodness but to TRY and go through these difficult times in our life with faith, love, and know that he is with us always. I am thankful for Doctors like you that have given up a large part of their lives and have used their God given talents to help the sick and dying. So Thank You.

I'm inclined to agree David. Even Billy Graham says if you're mentally or physically ill to seek professional help from physicians. It may be the direction from which God intended your healing.

Cbarker, and Ace. If this is how you truly believe, then instruct your local clergy to stop the attacks on science. Science only goes where the evidence takes it. Where it goes does not usually accomodate religions. Two religions do not accomodate each other either. Our focus should be on the search for knowledge and truth. Not making ME more important than reality shows that I am.

Of course this article belongs on the health page. In today's world of medical advancement, it is no longer debatable that the phyisical, emotional, mental, and even spiritual are all interwoven within the human being. Psychological treatment frequents this page. So why not address the spiritual effects upon the physicial well-being of a person?

The irony here is that many of the responses to this article are straight out an atheism forum and even less appropriate for the health page than the article itself. The reality is that Matt Chandler is submitting himself to the full spectrum of modern medicinal treatment while simultaneously taking the words of the Bible to the bank. Are those two actions incongruous or mutually exclusive? I would say they are not. To say otherwise would be to admit ignorance concerning what the Scriptures say and what Christian theology is.

ewick, the old testament does say that the true believers will not get diseases. But since this is so oviously not true then it is only taught to the extreme of believers. Now we really are off the heath page. The need for us as humans to move beyond animal sacrifice and human sacrifice for our salvation has long since past. Cures for disease have never come from pulpits but science labs.

David-

Did you not read the entire article? He's not ignoring modern medicine.

"He's preparing to drive to a homeopathic clinic for an infusion of Vitamin C to bolster the immune system, followed by the long drive to downtown Dallas for radiation. He's in the midst of a six-week program of radiation and chemotherapy, to be followed by a break and more treatment."

Chandler "believes he has responsibilities: to use his brain, to take advantage of technology, to walk in faith and hope, to pray for healing and then 'see what God wants to do.'"

That's a far cry from your "patients that decide to leave their well being in god's hands and yet they never think that the same god may have sent someone like myself or a drug manufacturer to intervene."

My comment is not directed specifically for this situation, but we are not in old Testament, but the new. This is the time that was even hidden to the prophets, although they prophesied about it, but did not understand it. God does not deal with His people in this dispensation of time as He did with children of Israel. It is very obvious to those who understand the Scriptures. And no, l we don't need animal sacrifices, nor human sacrifices. Yeshua, God's Son who came into the world, of f whom the prophets testified, He was the sacrificial Lamb, for the sins of all men kind. This e who receive Him, have no the wrath of God on them, but are not exempt from hardships of this life.

This is human sacrifice to take the place of animal sacrifice. You have to accept the animal to accept the human. And if we can not understand these things what are we teaching. In my world 2+2=4, in the religious world it can be anything. Thats why there are so many religions.

Seth, God does not operate on the level of man. Look at these words:

My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord, for as heavens are far above the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

The blood of bulls and goats could have never taken away the sins of mankind, but only God Himself could, in the person of Yeshua, the Lamb of God, who without the spot or blemish, came as a sacrifice to atone for the sins of mankind, once and for all. But the grave could not hold Him, because grave did not have claim on Him, because HE had no sin, and He lives forevermore, making intercessions for us. All the blood of animals sacrificed in old testament were the foreshadows , and testified of the true Lamb of God who was to come to offer Himself for the sins of mankind.

And as you mentioned, there being so many religions..... It's true , there are! Every "Religion" is an attempt of man trying to find a way to reach God, often from his own imagination, comming up with ways to reach God and appease Him. This is man made type of religion. But there are those that are originated specifically by the deceiving spirits, who trap those who are gullible , transforming themselves as angels of light, yet being satanic messengers, aiming to deceive.

But knowing God through Jesus Christ His Son, who came and declared and revealed Him to mankind, this is not a "Religion", although those who don't know Him can not tell the difference. But to us He is the living Lord, who through power of His resurrection and cleansing of our sins by His blood and His Word gives life anew to those who come to Him, and they become new creation in Him. But no man will have any excuse before God , because He has put in every human heart certain knowledge of Himself, and witness of Himself all around us. Yet, there are many scoffers and mockers, who in their folly don't consider what is awaiting them.

This man Matt Chandler may not live much linger with the sickness he's got, and he may suffer much before he dies, but he is a blest man, considering what's awaiting him after he leaves his frail body, and his soul takes flight. But it won't be so with those who mock him and make sport of his condition and his faith in Jesus Christ. There will come a day that they would give all the wealth of this world just to be in Matt's shoes. But it'll be to late for them... "

For it is appointed for men once to die, and after this is the judgment" says the Lord... but fools don't hear it nor believe it!

And finally, God is not limited to man's world, or elements or time, nor to things that work according to man's understanding. So, yes, God can make 2+2 to add to something else then 4, if He wills! :)

Wow, this is scary stuff. I guess I should be afraid. Thats the point, right. Good god has left the building. So what you are saying is that god is unknowable, I believe thats one of the tenets of catholicism. Hey they wrote the book. God told Moses to sacrifice animals as forgiveness of sins. This came first. Are you with me. Lambs were the sacrificial animal of passover. Jesus being an observant Jew was having passover at the last supper. So when he was crucifyed,he became the sacrificial lamb of the christians. The belief changed from animal sacrifice to a human sacrifice and in hebrew it states that this is better, much stronger. If jesus was anything he always said he was human. Now of course all of these things cannot be understood by just humans but only by humans with special understanding. Unfortunately I am afraid you are stuck with 2+2=4. Anything else is probably made up to scare you. It's not the things we don't know that hurt us. It' the things we believe that just ain't so.

No, Seth, it's not scary stuff. It's the depth and wisdom of God . And it's not for the few elete, with special understanding. It's for those with humble and contrite hearts, who know their need for God and open their hearts to be taught by Him.

You know why the pharisees and religious crowd of Jesus' time did not recognize Him?... Because they did not have hearts that truly sought God . They loved their positions, and were wise in heir own eyes. But Yeshua came into this world the way He did, as a humble, lowly man, so that only those who truly sought Him would recognise Him. And so they did, but the rest of them did not recognise Him. They thought God is like them, and His ways like theirs, but they were blinded by the sin of their own hearts.They hated JEsus because He exposed their secret thoughts of their hearts.... The rest of it is history..... And today is teh same. Some people seek HIm and some hate him because He exposes the secret thoughts of their hearts.

But if you really want to know, ask God to show you if it is so what I'm telling you. I'm not telling you to believe me, but if it is the truth, and if you want to know, God will show it to you.

Keeping you comments in mind, studies have repeatedly shown that patients with faith consistently survive longer beyond those who simply use positive thinking.

With that being said, feel free to cling to your way of doing things, but do not be so quick to judge others who use a little faith.

I'm with you heaveto - "god" ain't got a lot to do with it. But faith in god is the gateway narcotic to hope for a better outcome so if it helps cope with the idea of mortality then so be it.

A quick note to Mr. Rogers @ 5.1...Sorry to report that studies show no such thing. They only have shown that faith for some makes coping with the problem a little easier. It doesn't extend life for the terminally ill so please stop spewing false evangelical propaganda...

No God never has or will ever screw up.

because it a 6,000 year old fairy tale.

God doesn't put cancer on people and Matt is not saying God does this... what he is saying is that Christians are not immune to these sufferings above non Christians and that it is just a part of life. Your reasoning makes since in the very limited mindset of a finite universe where this life is all that matters and happiness here is the goal of all existence... How sad would that universe be...

Religion is a ponzi scheme using morality to gather in people who want to believe that there is a wonderful 'life' after they rot in a hole in the ground. It's like a snow ball rolling down a hill, getting bigger as it goes. Follow me and you will be saved, and along the way give me (all religious leaders) some money so that we can 'help' others join the crusade. The fundamentalists (all 'faiths') are the worst because they take on a cult status.

Don't get me wrong. There is a tremendous amount of morality and good works that religions provide society, but they are also the greatest source of evil in the world.

Don't get me wrong. There is a tremendous amount of morality and good works that religions provide society, but they are also the greatest source of evil in the world.

True to a part. Religion is a dangerous tool because most religions call for actions without any REAL change of what imperils man, his heart. It is man's heart that is the source of all evil on this Earth. Man's heart is wicked and full of pride, jealousy, hate, and greed.

Only in relationship with God can man CHANGE his heart.

But I would argue it is man's heart that is the problem. It is man that perverts who God is into religion with its mandates in order to control.

Mr. Rodgers, it is true that studies show that belief in something ,faith, is beneficial to recovery in illness. What I am sure you did not mean to leave out is that it does not matter what that faith is in. At last count there were more than 800 different religions in the US. I think there is only a few treatments for particular diseases. Lets increase the treatments.

How "happy" or "sad" a universe would be has no bearing on what is. This is the thing that we must get through our heads. There is a saying that the truth doesn't come dressed for dinner. There are a great many things that would be "nice" to believe, but have no basis in fact.

This is the problem with atheism in general. It's a marketing issue. "Good news" sells better than "Bad news".

Besides, who wants to live forever anyway, dancing on a cloud plucking a harp. I'd be fantastically bored and grouchy by the time I hit 150, much less infinity.

Mr Rodgers, god has all the power and adam ate the fruit. Bible says I am not to pay for fathers sin. Thousand different interpretations of ancient and numerus illiterations of gods word. Sounds like we are all in the dark. Belief that is in power while we are alive is what we are at the mercy of. The bible says a one month old male child costs 5 shekels to buy. Glad I did not live then. REALITY IS ALL WE REALLY HAVE. DO NO HARM!

Mr. Rogers,

He believes its god's will. That means he believes God gave him this illness or at least allowed it. Sorry, that's just morally reprehensible...even for a supposed "god."

Sorry, that's just morally reprehensible...even for a supposed "god."

To a 5 year old, it may seem cruel when a father does not buy them every toy they want in site... or punishes them for running through a parking lot...

Point is, if God is truly God, then he is infinitely wiser than you or I and it would be foolish to think He would follow the same logic as a far inferior being.

You had me except for "miracle" and "alternative medicine".

There is no such thing as a miracle. Modern medicine is a product of hard work and careful study. Anybody notice that miracles happen exactly in accordance with the laws of probability, regardless of religious belief? How people can attribute their "miracles" to their own God while ignoring the same experiences had by people of incompatible faiths is quite curious.

And alternative medicine? Please! If it can't stand up to a double-blind clinical trial, it doesn't work. Period. And if it does, then it's not alternative medicine - it's medicine!!!!

And alternative medicine? Please! If it can't stand up to a double-blind clinical trial, it doesn't work.

Empiricism is not the end all be all.

If that's your criteria, then you should be prepared to drop 86% of modern medicine including vaccines.

And you should check into the history of modern medicine. You'll see that many of modern medicines tools were not based on scientific first principles because they did not exist at the time. Some unusual fortuitous circumstances happened to enable the discoveries. Had they not happened it seems impossible that they would have been discovered using scientific principles. Antibiotics and chemo are a good example.

Quarfle,

Perhaps I should have placed miracle in quotes. However, while I do believe that science offers answers to many of todays most pressing problems and questions, I don't believe it understands or answers everything. Like anything else, it is evolving. Much of yesterdays science has been disproven, abandoned, proven false, or evolved. In the same way that it will continue to do so. The same should also apply to our understanding of spiritual ideas, although this article proves that for many it has not. Todays "alternative medicine" may prove tomorrows mainstream medicine, or at least evolve to be incorporated into modern medicine. I just read a great book entitled The Constant Fire" about the need for a new type of dialogue between science and religion. I highly recommend it.

They would ask for tithe money.

Wow! To even suggest that one would do such a thing is beyond me. Why are you mocking, scorning, and suggesting things that are not even hinted? It is of your free will to not agree but to simply suggest these things....I'm at a loss for words. Even if that were the case, I am sure many including myself would help with the cost for Matt.

You may not share in our belief in Jesus Christ, but you will answer to him one day. We all will. So to mock Matt, his family, the body, and the church congregation makes me so sad for you. I pray the Lord is gracious to you when he comes.

You may not share in our belief in Jesus Christ, but you will answer to him one day. We all will.

That is just your own personal belief. But that doesn't make it true.

I pray the Lord is gracious to you when he comes.

There is no Lord either.

AJKTX; If Pastor Chandler does lives it will be because science did cure him. The science that God gave man the wisdom to use.

Umm, Weaver, a lot of the science and math that we use were inherited from cultures that didn't believe in the Judeo-Christian God.

So, he (if such a being exists) didn't give us anything.

Umm, Weaver, a lot of the science and math that we use were inherited from cultures that didn't believe in the Judeo-Christian God.

So, he (if such a being exists) didn't give us anything

Agreed!

Well Einstein was a jew, so technically Jesus' distant cousin gave us the Atom Bomb.

The problem here is you are trying to wrap medical breakthroughs and scientific investigation into the fold of magical beliefs. The history of confrontations between science and religion are legendary but paid very little attention to by believers. Galileo was excomunicated for observing planetery orbits corrected. President Bush asked advice of the pope about stem cell research, and stopped funding of it. This covers a long history of incorrect and damaging information coming from the part of our community that is in communication with god. If you truly believe that scientist are working for god then tell the preachers to mind there own business, stop getting in the way, and stick to their holy water.

The issue is whether his faith or his God affects his outcome, or whether he'd be as well served, as George Carlin would say, praying to Danny DeVito.

Seems to me to be the height of narcissism to believe that god singles oneself out to get a disease. And the height of I don't know what to believe that when one has a wife and children. Did god also single out the kids to possibly live without their father? Or the wife to have to go through the grief of losing a husband and be a single mom? Imagine the discussion: "Listen, kids, when you say your prayers tonight, don't forget to thank God for giving daddy cancer and letting him die and sending this test of your faith. And don't forget that Jesus loves you!" That's essentially what is being said. Disgusting.

Those are some harsh words towards someone you don't know.

Your comments against this man and his family are what is disgusting.

SPOT ON!!! But it is still but one path of many.

I think the point they're trying to make is that he's been stricken with such a horrific disease, and they're trying to figure out why such a benevolent "God" would do such a thing.

Same thing with the Haiti earthquake.

But it'll be just another cop out. He'll go to doctors about it, and if he lives, it'll be to "God's glory." If he dies, it will be "God's will." Either way, it's a crock of sh!t.

But it'll be just another cop out. He'll go to doctors about it, and if he lives, it'll be to "God's glory." If he dies, it will be "God's will." Either way, it's a crock of sh!t.

says the all knowing and wise Ranman87.

You know it's true. You'll turn the argument ever which way to support something, even when you're clinging to the edge.

A believer puts their trust in God, good or bad. If you cannot accept this, then I am not sure what to say. Either way, we don't get control over life and death. We do have victory in it which is more comforting anyhow, since 10 out of 10 people die.

Everyday you are one day closer to knowing the real truth, I hope and pray God will give you another chance to find him before it is too late for you! The only unforgiveable sin is denying the Holy Spirit when it deals with you. Every person will have at least once opportunity, some many opportunities before the last one.

Hey Ranman87...You should know by now there is no reasoning or debating with a true believer in a "god" - It's hopeless to try and do so - they cannot and will not accept that we exist in the cosmos "just because".

As a species we have a conscienceness of the cosmos and our existance in it for no higher reason but believers won't accept the pure truth of that basic understanding, it's not in their DNA...

Why are so many hating on this guy? Leave him be, he believes differently than you do and he's not doing anything to you. If you don't appreciate his story, just leave it alone. He's not preaching hate and he's not denying treatment with conventional medicine in the hopes that God will send him a miracle cure. He doesn't even know how long he has or what kind of quality of life he will have, but he's not out there insisting that God will just somehow wipe it all away. He sounds like a good man who is just trying to deal with a really rotten hand. Leave him alone.

OH COME ON! Nobodys "condeming" this man for what he believes or doesn't believe.

Your comment is just the predictable knee jerk "christian persacution" bleating and braying that all you evangelicals just love to spew whenever you don't have the facts on your side or when someone shows "real" compassion for suffering that isn't attributed to praying for "god's mercy".

Dump the martyrdom crap already - leave that to the radical Muslims...

As a species we have a conscienceness of the cosmos and our existance in it for no higher reason but believers won't accept the pure truth of that basic understanding, it's not in their DNA...

Yes, because all we beleivers are just ignorant down to our genetic code...

I tell you this, I have known some arrogant people, Christians and non Christians alike, the atheist in general take the cake in that department... They are just far superior intellectually to those of us who lean on God with our weak minds to derive morality and follow our "leaders"...

They are just far superior intellectually to those of us who lean on God with our weak minds to derive morality and follow our "leaders"...

Thank you! :)

It is the uninformed Christian who believes God wants us to do nothing but pray. The Bible says, "Faith without works is dead". This means that faith also requires action. You wouldn't walk up to someone dieing of thirst and say "ill pray you get water" when God gave you hands and feet so that you can fetch the same person water.

but why should he, when and if that person needing water can get it himself.

thats kind of a stupid way of interpeting a verse.

to many variables

but why should he, when and if that person needing water can get it himself.

The context assumes this person is unable to get it for themselves...

Also, it is EXACTLY what the verse means as the most important variable is the context to which it was written.

For a wealthy person to say "ill pray for those in Haiti" and then not send a nickel or volunteer their time would be faith WITHOUT works...

Who says you have to believe in a god to be good? That's the falsehood that is at the root of all religions - that you have to believe in their concept of god or you can't be - or do - good.

And come on folks - Stop clinging to the childish fantasy that "god" hears me or "god" protects me or that "god" knows me personally.

Like believing in Santa, sooner or later you realize it's all made up and you have to let go regardless of how much you want to hold on to the fantasy. Santa and god, both are things we make up in our minds so now it's time we deal with the fact that neither exist. Mankind will progress much faster for the betterment of all once we move past our childish ways.

Like I stated earlier, you don't need a god to be good. Doing good is in our DNA if you can accept it...

I agree, Doing good is in everybody nature and being, you do not need a GOD or spiritual calling, Just have to respect each other.

The world will be in a better place TRUST ME!

Winners, you believe what you want to; I'll believe what I want to! I happen to believe in God, you don't. I don't judge you on your beliefs, don't judge me. We'll both know the 'truth' at our death!

We'll both know the 'truth' at our death!

Real "truth" needs facts and evidence to support it. Otherwise, it's just personal opinion.

I think what he means is that it is God's will for him to walk this through, not that God wanted him to have cancer.. but then again, who knows for sure. If God is God, then he is certainly more intelligent than any "reasonable intelligent person" anyhow and how he see or plans things would likely not make since to us.

I have never followed this logic. If god is not to be understood then what do religious people teach. Something they admittidly do not understand. Why do we give them money? Apparently god wanted us all to be stupid.

If God could be understood then you wouldn't need faith and you would be trusting in your OWN reasoning versus trusting in God.

Anyhow, just because believers do not understand EVERYTHING there is to know about God does not make their belief any less valid.

Either way you cut it, man does not understand much about ANYTHING in the universe relatively speaking... Even much about basic principals like gravity are still barely understood.

Danyel, I think you have a misunderstanding of God's will. If we say that God is good and perfect, then his will is also good and perfect. Just because people go through hardships and suffering does not mean that God's will is less than perfect or that evil has entered the world because of God. Read the story in Genesis about the fall of man. God's will always brings glory back to himself.

"I know that I am mortal and the creature of a day; but when I search out the massed wheeling circles of the stars, my feet no longer touch the earth, but, side by side with Zeus himself, I take my fill of ambrosia, the food of the gods." ~ptolemy

You mention gravity. Both Newton and Einstein also invoked god when they reached the limits of their understanding. Newton for falling short on complex body problems and Einstein when quantum mechanics seemed out of his grasp. So we have some of the brightest human minds in history answering questions that have baffled people for ages, but by doing so they find the gaps in their own understanding and identifying problems we can not account for.

So they not only declare it out of their reach, but out of man's reach and in the realm of god that only he/she can possibly account for such a gap that was found. Time and time again throughout history this was done. Huge mind blowing revelation and leaps in understanding achieved and then further progress is stifled at its apex and not confronted again until sometimes centuries later.

This is not a problem with the masses invoking god when they reach their limits and turn to a god or supernatural explanation for an easy answer to seal up that gap in their understanding. This is a human problem of simply not recognizing that "I don't know" is not a stopping point, but a beautiful beginning that a new set of answers exist out there (EVEN if you're not the one that ever finds those answers). Our world's greatest minds gave up when they reached their limits and the price we have all paid for that work periodically ceasing throughout time is immeasurable.

Understanding is what we give up when we give in to bringing a deity as an explanation to natural phenomenon. Have faith, have god(s), have ritual.. just don't treat them like walls that block pursuit of knowledge and understanding of what physically surrounds us and we are a part of.

Those who question our faith, please read Psalms 23 in the Old Testament.

thull-998360

My comments were not about believing in God because we don't understand life, it was about how believing in God even when we don't have ALL the answers about God does not make us fools, when many things in life are still not understood even from a scientific point of view.

Man probably knows about 1-2% of ALL KNOWLEDGE that is to be known in the universe. To say there is no God with any certainty in the other 98-99% would be quite the bluff.

Man probably knows about 1-2% of ALL KNOWLEDGE that is to be known in the universe.

How do you arrive at that figure?

To say there is no God with any certainty in the other 98-99% would be quite the bluff.

To say that there is a god with any degree of certainty without any evidence is quite ignorant and intellectually dishonest. We can say there is no god because of the lack of evidence.

Amen thull, couldn't have said it better. Seriously, I want even try. You have great reasoning skills. Thanks

You belong to the worms believe what you may. Your bloated and rotting corps is as sure as the sunrise. Take your optomism into oblivion. Lord hear our prayer.

It was I, and I never said it wasn't wrong to believe in something, but when that something is a "crock of sh!t" (aka, "It was God's will to inflict me with this disease), then perhaps you should find something more fruitful to believe in.

Wes, if I may, would you say it's better that Muslim extremists who strap bombs to themselves and blow people up believe what they believe as opposed to be atheists or agnostic? It's not always better to believe in something.

If you want to believe in something.

BELIEVE In YOURSELF!! not god.

Christians think they can draw on a gods power and such.

We follow different gods.

When your prayer heals of you of cancer without medical assistance, then I'll be the first one in a pew. Until then, I think I'll pass on the fiction.

Oh, I pray God touches your heart and you feel the love and hope in HIM.