Why do religious people give God credit for things they do themselves?

[Beaudreaux]

Ronald Reagan once told a fantastic joke. To paraphrase:

A farmer owned a piece of creek bottom land where the soil was very fertile, but rocks, trees and brush were abundant. Well he went down there every day with his truck and hauled out those rocks and pulled out those stumps and tilled the land over and over. After several weeks of continuous hard work he had a beautiful field that produced beautiful crops.

At harvest time, the local preacher came for a visit. "My what beautiful crops!" said the preacher. "The Lord has surely blessed this place. And look at the size of those tomatoes! My goodness, God has really done a great work here! And those cabbages are the size of beach balls! Oh, how the Lord has done a great work."

Finally the farmer couldn't take it anymore and said "Preacher, I wish you could have been here to see what it looked like when the Lord was doing it himself!"

A great joke (Gosh sometimes I miss Reagan) and one that resonates with me. There are other examples from real life. When a professional basketball player, who has spent his life training and working to hone his skills, makes a great shot, I will often see them point to the sky to "give the glory to God." Why? Clearly their success has come from their own hard work. Why do the religious sometimes feel the need to claim that God should get the credit for their hard work?

 

[.lava]

Ronald Reagan once told a fantastic joke. To paraphrase:


A great joke (Gosh sometimes I miss Reagan) and one that resonates with me. There are other examples from real life. When a professional basketball player, who has spent his life training and working to hone his skills, makes a great shot, I will often see them point to the sky to "give the glory to God." Why? Clearly their success has come from their own hard work. Why do the religious sometimes feel the need to claim that God should get the credit for their hard work?

you may work very hard but that would not guaranty you success.


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[Storm]

Ronald Reagan once told a fantastic joke. To paraphrase:


A great joke (Gosh sometimes I miss Reagan) and one that resonates with me. There are other examples from real life. When a professional basketball player, who has spent his life training and working to hone his skills, makes a great shot, I will often see them point to the sky to "give the glory to God." Why? Clearly their success has come from their own hard work. Why do the religious sometimes feel the need to claim that God should get the credit for their hard work?

For once, doll, we're on the same page. The one that really drives me batty? The First Step. Admitting that you're powerless and turning it over to "your higher power."

 

[McBell]

you may work very hard but that would not guaranty you success.


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seems to me that he is talking about when people do have success, they give the credit to god instead of taking it for themselves.

 

[.lava]

seems to me that he is talking about when people do have success, they give the credit to god instead of taking it for themselves.

yes, i believe that's right thing to do.

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[ChristineES]

God is the one who gives me strength to do what I need to do so I always thank God. If that annoys people, so be it.

 

[McBell]

yes, i believe that's right thing to do.

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The question is why?
WHY do you believe it is the right thing to do?

 

[.lava]

The question is why?
WHY do you believe it is the right thing to do?

because it is realistic.

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[McBell]

because it is realistic.

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Huh?

I do not understand.

 

[.lava]

Huh?

I do not understand.

it is up to me to put effort on something and it is OK to be aware of what i want to gain but i am not able to guaranty myself success. there are different dynamics that do not depend on me which would effect results. therefor i find it realistic to accept result of an act is not up to me, my skills and my effort.

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[McBell]

it is up to me to put effort on something and it is OK to be aware of what i want to gain but i am not able to guaranty myself success. there are different dynamics that do not depend on me which would effect results. therefor i find it realistic to accept result of an act is not up to me, my skills and my effort.

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Sounds to me that you are saying that your effort is meaningless unless God allows it.

Is this correct or have I missed the mark?

 

[.lava]

Sounds to me that you are saying that your effort is meaningless unless God allows it.

Is this correct or have I missed the mark?

no, effort is not meaningless. putting effort simply shows that you want to gain something else. i mean, i would not expect to know about history if i did not study it. in general everything comes after effort. without effort there is no real success.

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[McBell]

no, effort is not meaningless. putting effort simply shows that you want to gain something else. i mean, i would not expect to know about history if i did not study it. in general everything comes after effort. without effort there is no real success.

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Yes, but God did not put forth the effort, you did.
So why give the credit for the effort to God?


Please note that I am not in any way saying that giving God the credit is wrong, I merely do not under stand the why for it.

 

[.lava]

Yes, but God did not put forth the effort, you did.
So why give the credit for the effort to God?


Please note that I am not in any way saying that giving God the credit is wrong, I merely do not under stand the why for it.

nope, you do what you could do in your power to gain whatever you want. putting effort is about free will. you chose to work on something. therefor effort is an obligation for success. but effort and success are not the same things. i believe success comes from God, not my effort. i can not chose to be successful, i can chose to give effort and in case i was successful i would thank God because i know that guarantying success is not within my power.

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[McBell]

nope, you do what you could do in your power to gain whatever you want. putting effort is about free will. you chose to work on something. therefor effort is an obligation for success. but effort and success are not the same things. i believe success comes from God, not my effort. i can not chose to be successful, i can chose to give effort and in case i was successful i would thank God because i know that guarantying success is not within my power.

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So effort is not required for success?

 

[.lava]

So effort is not required for success?

yes it is. effort is asking for success. i feel thankful when i am responded. i think i understand your point better now. are you saying that if effort was required then it is part of success?

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[McBell]

yes it is. effort is asking for success. i feel thankful when i am responded. i think i understand your point better now. are you saying that if effort was required then it is part of success?

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Yes.
That is what I am saying.

 

[.lava]

Yes.
That is what I am saying.

i agree with you in theory. in practice, i would not. putting effort makes you earn it. but imo taking success itself as it belongs to person might lead one to have greed, arrogance...etc.

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[zenzero]

Friend Beaudreaux,http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/../members/beaudreaux-17090.html

Why do religious people give God credit for things they do themselves?

for they THINK that there is some god.

Love & rgds

 

[sandandfoam]

(Gosh sometimes I miss Reagan)

Moving on to your question - humility?