Lioness Kills Man Of Faith
I quote from Reuters:
“A man shouting that God would keep him safe was mauled to death by a lioness in Kiev zoo after he crept into the animal's enclosure, a zoo official said on Monday.
"The man shouted 'God will save me, if he exists', lowered himself by a rope into the enclosure, took his shoes off and went up to the lions," the official said.
"A lioness went straight for him, knocked him down and severed his carotid artery."
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How can we respond to this incident?
(1) Obviously God does not exist
(2) Obviously this man's brain does not exist
I choose the latter.
Can God protect a man from a ferocious lion? I think of the story of Daniel in the Lion's Den. Because of his unwillingness to compromise his faith in God, Daniel was thrown into a den of hungry lions. But all night long those lions never took a bite, for God shut their mouths. Notable to me is the fact that Daniel did not climb into the lions den to test the strength of God. He was not a fool, but simply a man of faith.
Matthew 4:7(NLT), “Jesus responded, 'The Scriptures also say, Do not test the Lord your God.'” We do that when we presume the power and protection of God for foolish enterprises. And, when we seek to manipulate God.
Some examples:
Smoke a pack-a-day, and blame God for emphysema.
Give a second-rate effort at work/marriage/life, and blame God for bad results.
Live for self and sin and never seriously search for spiritual truth, and then claim there to be no God, or God does not care.
Galatians 6:7 tells us "we reap what we sow”. There are good results as well as bad.
Moral of the story? Love God, and stay away from the lions!
06.07.06 (10:38 pm) [
edit]
posted by:
toztee (
reply)
post date:
06.07.06 (11:18 pm)
Kind of makes me think of those churches into "drinking poison" and "snake handling."
And they use scripture to back up their craziness.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.08.06 (2:15 am)
Reply to: LadyG
Some stupid things you can get by with. Not this one.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.08.06 (2:17 am)
Reply to: toztee
"Salvation On Sand Mountain" is a true story aboutfundamentalist preacher who decided to get rid of his wife by arranging for her to be bitten by a rattlesnake during a worship service. "Lack of faith" he claimed. It didn't hold up in court.
posted by:
JT (
reply)
post date:
06.08.06 (4:56 am)
Didn't it ever occur to the man that G-d does exist, and he thinks this particular subject is, well, expendable? Maybe the lioness was praying before he got there for G-d to present her with some new, juicy prey.
I don't know much about scripture (being a Jewess and all; reading the Old Testament in Hebrew does little for my understanding), but my personal philosphy is that G-d exists if you want to believe in Him. That should be enough.
posted by:
surrogate (
reply)
post date:
06.08.06 (6:34 am)
Loving God is not TESTING God. If I were God, a test like that would annoy me to the extent that I wouldn't step in to intervene either. What a moron, huh?
posted by:
ruined (
reply)
post date:
06.08.06 (7:01 am)
I applaud God's decision to have the lion attack. It means one more mentally disabled person is off the streets...
posted by:
toztee (
reply)
post date:
06.08.06 (10:04 am)
Reply to: PastorDave
Yes...Naturally being where I'm located...I'm well aware of that book and the moron, so called "preacher" that killed his wife. We watched the tv coverage and the local papers. It was well celebrated that he didn't get away the murder.
UFO's, snake handling, snuff dipping/snorting, chewing, spitting, and a ton of other "backwoods" stories. By the way Sand Mountain was in the news again...the guy they picked up for murdering the SC student is also being charged right here in this lil'ole county for attempted rape of a Rainsville(Sand Mtn.) woman and possibly another in the area. Things just keep coming our way don't you know? Hey, at least most of the psychos are not "homegrown."
posted by:
toztee (
reply)
post date:
06.08.06 (10:08 am)
Reply to: surrogate
And here all this time I'd been thinking you were.
Oh my. That's right...I remember. You just try to write like you are. Smiles to you.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.08.06 (12:23 pm)
Reply to: JT
So maybe, before this lion sunk her teeth into his throat, she said a prayer of thanksgiving? You raise a good point.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.08.06 (12:27 pm)
Reply to: surrogate
It is highly probable, and I have not investigated the story, that the foolish man is actually emotionally/mentally challenged. I think there is a high correlation of mental illness and religious fundamentalism. I'm not equating the two. Of course a religious fundamentalist can be emotionally stable. But many emotionally fragile people use religion as a drug for life. That bothers me, because I believe a personal and ongoing faith is food for anyone, not just the weak.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.08.06 (12:29 pm)
Reply to: toztee
I've got some Alabama jokes I could tell. But I'll save them for use when I comment on your blog.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.08.06 (12:30 pm)
Reply to: ruined
Wow. Not being cautious with the words, are we? I appreciate a straight-shooter!
posted by:
surrogate (
reply)
post date:
06.08.06 (12:32 pm)
Reply to: toztee
Ouch!
posted by:
drforbush (
reply)
post date:
06.08.06 (1:09 pm)
Reply to: PastorDave
This sounds quite liberal: "But many emotionally fragile people use religion as a drug for life."
Opiate of the people and all...
"Religion is the sign of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people." - Karl Marx
posted by:
toztee (
reply)
post date:
06.08.06 (4:05 pm)
Reply to: surrogate
Now Surr, I did say it with a smile.
posted by:
DonkeyOrchid (
reply)
post date:
06.10.06 (5:38 pm)
Hi, you can say he sure was blind to what the Word of God says. Also I have found through experience by battling with Bi Polar Disorder, illusions, delusions, and how the mind can play tricks on one too. and how things can be put out of all proportions too, through the highs and lows of the disorder etc through which many people commit suicide in the lows. It is just my opinion thats all.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.10.06 (5:52 pm)
Reply to: DonkeyOrchid
You are right, no doubt. This man is to be pitied, not scorned.
Changing the subject: I remember you telling me the Donkey Orchid is a plant of your native Australia. Tomorrow morning I will do a Children's Sermon. I am going to show some pictures to the kids of some carnivorous plants- Venus Fly Trap, Picture Plant, & Sundew Plant. In checking up on it, I found the Sundew Plant (I don't recall the scientific name) is native to Australia. Do you know of any other carniverous plants? Strange question, I know.
