Take Responsibility!

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/most-believe-god-gets-involved/
The start of this article is rather entertaining.

“When the “American Idol” judge Simon Cowell recently predicted the departure of the contestant Jermaine Sellers, the young singer shook his head in disagreement. “I know God,’’ he replied, pointing upward.

Two days later, when Mr. Sellers failed to make the cut, he still had faith. “What God has for me is for me,’’ he said. “In God there is no failure.’’
Mr. Sellers is not alone in his belief that God pays attention to reality television contests.” (emphasis mine)

Believers don’t give a lot of credit to their all-powerful God do they? You’d think it would have better things to do than worry about than a karaoke contest. Not to mention there’s a level of selfishness to the thought that God cares about your singing ability. Unsurprisingly, most Americas believe in this interventionist God.

“New research shows that most Americans believe God is directly involved in their personal affairs, and that the good or bad things that happen are “part of God’s plan,’’ according to a report in the March issue of the journal Sociology of Religion.

“Many people describe their relationship with God not in abstract terms but in the way they would describe a real personal friend, but a friend who would never betray you,’’ said Scott Schieman, professor of sociology at the University of Toronto. “The interesting thing is that when you press people to start talking about things like speeding tickets or losing weight, a lot of people will weave a divine narrative in, describing God as somehow setting up situations or setting up scenarios for success or failure.’’

Why can’t people take responsibility for their own actions? When you succeed or fail the outcome was based on your decisions alone (possibly others depending on the situation), not divine intervention. It’s a wonder that in a nation that values the individual so many people are essentially giving up that sense of the individual.

“The study found that 82 percent of respondents said they “depend on God for help and guidance in making decisions.” And 71 percent believe that good or bad events are “part of God’s plan for them.’’

And one in three respondents agreed with the statement: “There is no sense in planning a lot because ultimately my fate is in God’s hands.”
The one in three who does not believe in planning is troubling. Atheists are often told that without God there is no purpose. However, who’s to say there is a purpose in not planning your own life if you believe it is all up to God?