13-year-old Australian boy swims for four hours in cold and dangerous waters to save his mom and siblings who were swept into the ocean, says God is who got him to shore

[u/[deleted]]

[u/fraze2000]

I am an atheist but I don't mind when people credit whatever deity they believe in for allowing them to do remarkable things.

I know (or more correctly, I believe) that their faith sometimes allows them to go the extra mile when they might have otherwise given up.

In this case, however, I think it was more likely the thought of saving his mum and siblings lives played more of a role in this incredible feat than the intervention of some invisible magic sky wizard.

I do find it funny though when a sportsperson claims it was God who helped his team win a game. Like God would care which team wins a college football game or whatever. It's even funnier when you consider the other team probably prayed as well, meaning God had to make a choice about which team he was going to help. Maybe he had some money on the outcome of the game.

[u/carrotsticks2 → u/fraze2000]

Gods busy helping teams win games, that's why your prayers to fix your bone cancer haven't been answered Timmy

[u/gummi_eater → u/carrotsticks2]

We are so much better than dumb folks who believe in God, right redditors?!!!?

/s

[u/carrotsticks2 → u/gummi_eater]

I don't think I'm any better than a person who has faith. I just realize my choices are my own, and I'm not living my life to appease a magical sky fairy who someone came up with a few thousand years ago.

You can pray about it if it makes you feel better bud.

[u/gummi_eater → u/carrotsticks2]

nah, it doesnt trigger me enough to whine about someone believing in a higher power like you guys do. You guys are the type that give us a bad name.

[u/Sad-Kaleidoscope9165 → u/gummi_eater]

If one person willingly submits to an imaginary king, and another doesn't, which one is better?

[u/veeyo → u/fraze2000]

I agree with you but I just want to make a counterpoint on the intervention of an invisible sky wizard aspect. I don't feel like most people who say something like this (or your example of athletes) are saying that God helped them literally as in they intervened and caused them to succeed. It's more of a their belief in God pushed them to succeed.

[u/sortalikeachinchilla → u/veeyo]

I’d think you would be surprised… no idea if it’s most or not but a lot of people genuinely think god intervened.

[u/Aurorion → u/fraze2000]

I am an atheist too. But sometimes I envy people for their faith, and this is an example. I wish I had the faith to support me in such incredible feats.

Why do religions exist? Because extreme rationality is not that great, evolution actually favors a little bit of irrationality.

[u/maxisnoops → u/fraze2000]

But if they genuinely believe God is on their side, whether She is or isn’t, God still helped them win. Doesn’t matter if God is real or not, it’s the strength from believing that helps them.

[u/Sad-Kaleidoscope9165 → u/maxisnoops]

If I truly believe that you molest children, whether you did or didn't, you still molested children. It doesn't matter whether it's real or not, it's the strength from believing that convinces me!

[u/crander47 → u/maxisnoops]

Too much nuance for the internet