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My failures and successes

Started by musicality, June 20, 2012, 07:44:37 AM

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musicality

Lately, my friends/family have been telling me how god made me so talented and smart when they see how well I've done in school and how beautiful my piano playing is...well...I wish I could just say this without being a douchebag..

If I fail, it is because I did not put in the work. If I succeed, it is because I worked my ass off. I spend hours practicing and studying & surround myself with the most positive people. So please don't tell me god blessed me with smarts and talent when I do well or god decided to take it all away because I was doing something wrong. I put all the pressure on myself and myself alone. I am not giving this god any credit for the work I do. And I am definitely not scapegoating when I fuck up.
"Music is prophecy. Its styles are ahead of the rest of society because
it explores, much faster than material reality can, the entire range of
possibilities."

markmcdaniel

This philosophy has the virtue of relieving them of the responsibility for failure.
It appears to me (whether rightly or wrongly) that direct arguments against Christianity and theism produce hardly any effect on the public; and freedom of thought is best promoted by the gradual illumination of men's minds which follows from the advance of science - Charles Darwin

I cannot imagine a God who rewards and punishes the object of his creation, whose purposes are modeled after our own -- a god, in short, who is but a reflection of human frailty. Neither can I believe that the individual survives the death of his body, although feeble souls harbor such thoughts through fear or ridiculous egotism. - Albert Einstein

Religion is a by product of fear. For much of human history, it may have been a necessary evil, but why was it more evil than necessary? Isn't killing people in the name of God a pretty good definition of insanity. - Arther C. Clarke

Faith means not wanting to know what is true. - Friedrich Nietzsche

Tank

Quote from: markmcdaniel on June 20, 2012, 08:12:51 AM
This philosophy has the virtue of relieving them of the responsibility for failure.
Precisely.
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Sweetdeath

That's just as obnoxious as people who thank god for saving their kid's/lover's/friend's life in the hospital, when they should be fucking thanking the doctors, nurses, and the hours they put into med school. Idjits.  ::)
Law 35- "You got to go with what works." - Robin Lefler

Wiggum:"You have that much faith in me, Homer?"
Homer:"No! Faith is what you have in things that don't exist. Your awesomeness is real."

"I was thinking that perhaps this thing called God does not exist. Because He cannot save any one of us. No matter how we pray, He doesn't mend our wounds.

Amicale

Quote from: musicality on June 20, 2012, 07:44:37 AM
Lately, my friends/family have been telling me how god made me so talented and smart when they see how well I've done in school and how beautiful my piano playing is...well...I wish I could just say this without being a douchebag..

If I fail, it is because I did not put in the work. If I succeed, it is because I worked my ass off. I spend hours practicing and studying & surround myself with the most positive people. So please don't tell me god blessed me with smarts and talent when I do well or god decided to take it all away because I was doing something wrong. I put all the pressure on myself and myself alone. I am not giving this god any credit for the work I do. And I am definitely not scapegoating when I fuck up.


You don't sound like a douchebag at all, you're just being practical. You put in tons of hours of hard work and effort, so you get the payoff of succeeding most of the time, or at least more often than you would if you put hardly any practice and effort into your work.

It's true that some things seem to come to people 'naturally', ie, they pick up skills right away with hardly any effort - for example, some people can speak several languages with ease, or play several musical instruments just by picking them up and experimenting. But my guess is, that has a lot more to do with genetics and mental traits, and nothing to do with any supernatural gifts from 'God'.

Good for you, for taking responsibility for what you do well, and fail to do well. People who attribute everything to God definitely are looking for a way out of taking responsibility for their actions.


"Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb we are bound to others. By every crime and act of kindness we birth our future." - Cloud Atlas

"To live in the hearts of those we leave behind is to never die." -Carl Sagan

musicality

Quote from: Sweetdeath on June 21, 2012, 06:46:26 AM
That's just as obnoxious as people who thank god for saving their kid's/lover's/friend's life in the hospital, when they should be fucking thanking the doctors, nurses, and the hours they put into med school. Idjits.  ::)

My mom is a nurse and a medical whiz. She tells me the countless stories of her saving lives and helping her patients. But she still insists that god has something to do with it. She needs to take some credit. So Much Frustration.
"Music is prophecy. Its styles are ahead of the rest of society because
it explores, much faster than material reality can, the entire range of
possibilities."

musicality

Quote from: Amicale on June 21, 2012, 10:20:37 PM
Quote from: musicality on June 20, 2012, 07:44:37 AM
Lately, my friends/family have been telling me how god made me so talented and smart when they see how well I've done in school and how beautiful my piano playing is...well...I wish I could just say this without being a douchebag..

If I fail, it is because I did not put in the work. If I succeed, it is because I worked my ass off. I spend hours practicing and studying & surround myself with the most positive people. So please don't tell me god blessed me with smarts and talent when I do well or god decided to take it all away because I was doing something wrong. I put all the pressure on myself and myself alone. I am not giving this god any credit for the work I do. And I am definitely not scapegoating when I fuck up.


You don't sound like a douchebag at all, you're just being practical. You put in tons of hours of hard work and effort, so you get the payoff of succeeding most of the time, or at least more often than you would if you put hardly any practice and effort into your work.

It's true that some things seem to come to people 'naturally', ie, they pick up skills right away with hardly any effort - for example, some people can speak several languages with ease, or play several musical instruments just by picking them up and experimenting. But my guess is, that has a lot more to do with genetics and mental traits, and nothing to do with any supernatural gifts from 'God'.

Good for you, for taking responsibility for what you do well, and fail to do well. People who attribute everything to God definitely are looking for a way out of taking responsibility for their actions.

Thank you! It was also frustrating when all my friends were getting their acceptance letters to transfer into music conservatories and they were claiming that God is SOO GOOD. God helped you get into the college of your dreams! NO! YOU'RE talented! YOU worked hard! Take some credit!
"Music is prophecy. Its styles are ahead of the rest of society because
it explores, much faster than material reality can, the entire range of
possibilities."

rickrocks

There is a word in the modern vernacular, which perfectly describes this whole phenomenon. The word is "Tebow-ing". Apologies if you're not a follower of sports. Tim Tebow of the New York Jets has a nasty habit of genuflecting and pinching his nose like he's going to sneeze (remember to say snarfle-burgers), every time he does something good. Each time he does that, or some other receiver points skyward after scoring, I can't help but think, "How political of you!" But it speaks to what you're saying, Musicality. Stand up and take the credit you're due. You bought it. You own it. Don't be afraid to take possession. All this fake humility is sickening.

BTW, folkseses, sorry I haven't been around.

Stevil

Quote from: musicality on June 21, 2012, 11:07:25 PM
God helped you get into the college of your dreams!
Have you seen that picture where they have a sportsman or an actor winning an award and thanking god, and then beside it they have a picture of a child starving to death.

Its about perspective, the trivialities of self achievement compared to a life and death situation.

Do people really think their god would help them win an award, or a game or a place in a prestigious school rather than save someone's life?

DeterminedJuliet

rickrocks, I missed your accusatory avatar!  ;D

Do you know what annoys me more than someone attributing failure or success to God? People constantly telling other people to pray when horrible things happen. I KNOW that they mean it in the best possible way (most of them), but it drives me crazy. I have a non-religious family member going through a really rough time right now (her husband lost his job, they lost their house, one of their kids was diagnosed with permanent hearing loss) and there are a ton of people on her facebook telling her "Keep praying! I'm praying for you! Sending prayers!"

And it's like GRAWH, really? God is going to help NOW? He couldn't have helped before her kid was diagnosed with an irreversible ailment? Not to mention the fact that when they get through this tough time (which I'm sure they will), it'll be through their perseverance and hard work. Why not say something like "let me know if there's anything I can do for you". If you lose your house are prayers REALLY supposed to make you feel better?! /rant.
"We've thought of life by analogy with a journey, with pilgrimage which had a serious purpose at the end, and the THING was to get to that end; success, or whatever it is, or maybe heaven after you're dead. But, we missed the point the whole way along; It was a musical thing and you were supposed to sing, or dance, while the music was being played.

Amicale

Stevil and DJ, what you both said is something I think about often. Do people really think that if God exists, they can change his mind if only they pray hard enough? Do they think that God can do something for someone, but will refuse to until someone begs him to do it? And do they really think that if there are starving, deathly sick people in the world whose entire life has been misery, God is going to help them take care of a (relatively) normal problem like passing a test or winning a game? Or for that matter, miraculously curing something that's already happened, such as profound hearing loss?

I'd like to know where these people's heads are. They also always make sure to cover their bases, so they can't 'lose' no matter what. If they pray and don't get what they prayed for, then they think either they didn't pray hard enough, or it wasn't God's will to give it to them. If they pray and do get what they prayed for, then of course it was God's will, and God loves them sooooo much that he granted them this special favour. Of course, they'll tack on how unworthy they were to receive such a 'blessing', just to assure everyone of their ongoing humility.  ::)

I'm sorry, I guess I'm feeling particularly grouchy, cynical and jaded today. It's not my intent to pick on Christians. In fact, I have respect for religious people who don't ask God for all kinds of favours, and who instead just usually thank God when they pray, or simply believe without asking for special requests to be answered. But my patience is running very, very thin with people who attribute every little or large failure and success in their lives to 'the will of God'.

When you can explain to me why it is that God let you win a football game, but apparently ignored the child dying of AIDS in Africa, come talk to me.


"Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb we are bound to others. By every crime and act of kindness we birth our future." - Cloud Atlas

"To live in the hearts of those we leave behind is to never die." -Carl Sagan

Stevil

Quote from: Amicale on June 22, 2012, 01:42:01 AM
Of course, they'll tack on how unworthy they were to receive such a 'blessing', just to assure everyone of their ongoing humility.
I'm sure they use it as proof that god exists and then they will guilt themselves into never questioning god's existence again.

With regards to prayer, my favourite NZ boxer David Tua, he prayed before fights. He didn't pray for the win, he would pray for the safety and well being of his opponent. He would then go about his business trying to make his opponent unconscious.

Firebird

Thanking god for all the good things in your life is, in my opinion, one of the most self-centered things you can do. Right, you're so important that he let you get that job, but that guy dying of cancer can go fuck himself. Really? If there is a god after all, he's a huge douchebag. We should sue him
"Great, replace one book about an abusive, needy asshole with another." - Will (moderator) on replacing hotel Bibles with "Fifty Shades of Grey"

xSilverPhinx

Quote from: Amicale on June 22, 2012, 01:42:01 AM
Stevil and DJ, what you both said is something I think about often. Do people really think that if God exists, they can change his mind if only they pray hard enough? Do they think that God can do something for someone, but will refuse to until someone begs him to do it? And do they really think that if there are starving, deathly sick people in the world whose entire life has been misery, God is going to help them take care of a (relatively) normal problem like passing a test or winning a game? Or for that matter, miraculously curing something that's already happened, such as profound hearing loss?

I'd like to know where these people's heads are. They also always make sure to cover their bases, so they can't 'lose' no matter what. If they pray and don't get what they prayed for, then they think either they didn't pray hard enough, or it wasn't God's will to give it to them. If they pray and do get what they prayed for, then of course it was God's will, and God loves them sooooo much that he granted them this special favour. Of course, they'll tack on how unworthy they were to receive such a 'blessing', just to assure everyone of their ongoing humility.  ::)

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Because it makes all the sense in the world to pray to an omniscient, omnipotent and omnibenevolent god. ::)
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Sweetdeath

Quote from: rickrocks on June 22, 2012, 12:43:09 AM
There is a word in the modern vernacular, which perfectly describes this whole phenomenon. The word is "Tebow-ing". Apologies if you're not a follower of sports. Tim Tebow of the New York Jets has a nasty habit of genuflecting and pinching his nose like he's going to sneeze (remember to say snarfle-burgers), every time he does something good. Each time he does that, or some other receiver points skyward after scoring, I can't help but think, "How political of you!" But it speaks to what you're saying, Musicality. Stand up and take the credit you're due. You bought it. You own it. Don't be afraid to take possession. All this fake humility is sickening.

BTW, folkseses, sorry I haven't been around.

Glad to have you back. Seriously :)
Law 35- "You got to go with what works." - Robin Lefler

Wiggum:"You have that much faith in me, Homer?"
Homer:"No! Faith is what you have in things that don't exist. Your awesomeness is real."

"I was thinking that perhaps this thing called God does not exist. Because He cannot save any one of us. No matter how we pray, He doesn't mend our wounds.