Grumpypilgrim is a writer and management consultant living in Madison, WI. He has several scientific degrees, including a recent master’s degree from MIT. He has also held several professional career positions, none of which has been in a field in which he ever took a university course. Grumps is an avid cyclist and, for many years now, has traveled more annual miles by bicycle than by car…and he wishes more people (for the health of both themselves and our planet) would do the same. Grumps is an enthusiastic advocate of life-long learning, healthy living and political awareness. He is single, and provides a loving home for abused and abandoned bicycles. Grumpy’s email: grumpypilgrim(AT)@gmail(DOT).com [Erich’s note: Grumpy asked that his email be encrypted this way to deter spam. If you want to write to him, drop out the parentheticals in the above address].
Since you are such a know-it-all, Grumpy, what Deity helped that little girl find the diamond if it wasn't God?
Actually I don't think God helped her find the diamond. God is too busy helping sports teams win their games.
It must be a silly girl to believe that a god would give her a diamond as a gift as a result of her prayer. Millions of people pray daily to be released from pain, poverty, hunger, torture and other suffering, but obviously their problems are not that important
Had to be the Devil. He has a history of tempting innocent girls with gifts.
Let's take a moment to remember the thousands of others who likewise prayed to find diamonds at this diamond mine as they walked that path in the last year, but received the answer, "No."
Every good Catholic knows that it was St. Anthony who helped her find the diamond, not God. You see, the saints take care of the menial clerical work, like finding gemstones, leaving God to take care of the bigger problems, like sports.
It just ocurred to me…if both teams are praying to the same God, how does God pick the one she likes better??
gatomjp – Your "team" metaphor intriques me. Quite often the best baseball managers were mediocre players. They sat on the bench and had more time to think about the game, I suppose. Was God a mediocre saint who rose through the ranks? Was he a Guy who floundered at diamond finding in His previous career, but who is now in charge of All-Stars like St. Anthony?
To answer Erich: the girl did not identify her religion, so we do not know to which god she prayed.
To answer projektleiterin: the god-of-the-Bible likes people to suffer. It builds character.
Edgar: I am inclined to agree. No doubt that diamond-filled state park is also filled with demons trying to distract visitors from praying to their materialistic gods.
Dan: you have violated the first rule of being a true believer. A true believer must ignore all instances of unanswered prayers (see http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=449).
gatomjp: Indeed, the god-of-the-Bible has an army of saints, but even with more than 5,000 of them (see http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/indexsnt.htm… that still isn't give them a lot of time to help little girls find diamonds. God obviously picks sports teams by deciding which one prays the best.
Erich's second comment hits the nail on the head. The Peter Principle states that, "In a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence." Apparently, God has risen to his.
They never do thank God in the *losing* locker room, good point! I guess it could be that the faults of Man were too great for the losing team?