G-d - Are You There?

Motek

Tue, Mar 29 2005, 12:27 pm

Two things Marines are always taught:

Keep your priorities in order.
Know when to act without hesitation.

A college professor, an avowed atheist was
teaching his class. He shocked several of his students when he flatly stated that once and for all he was going to prove there was no God.

Addressing the ceiling he shouted: "God, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform.
I'll give you exactly 15 minutes!!!"

The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Ten minutes went by. "I'm waiting God, if you're real knock me off this platform!!!"

Again after 4 minutes, the professor taunted God saying, "Here I am, God!!! I'm still waiting!!!"

His count down got to the last couple of minutes when a Marine, just honorably discharged from the Marine Corps after serving in Afghanistan and Iraq and newly
registered in the class, walked up to the professor.

The Marine hit the professor full force in the face, knocking him from the lofty platform. The professor was knocked out cold! The students were stunned and
shocked. They began to babble in confusion.

The Marine nonchalantly took his seat in the front row and sat silent. The class looked at him and fell silent...waiting. Eventually, the professor came to and was noticeably shaken. He looked at the Marine in the front row.

When the professor regained his senses and could speak he asked: "What's the matter with you? Why did you do
that!?"

The Marine replied, "God was really busy protecting America's soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines, who are protecting your right to say stupid things and act
like a fool! So he sent me!"

God works in mysterious ways!!!!!!

deedee

Tue, Mar 29 2005, 1:58 pm

wow what a powerful story!!!
its so nice to see people that still believe.
I was watching a show that was interviewing a tsunami surviver. not once in the whole 1/2 hr did he mention Hashems name. he kept saying it was a miracle I'm alive, there must be a higher purpose to my life as to why I survived... but not once thank G-D or G-d made a miracle. I couldnt believe it!

Motek

Tue, Mar 29 2005, 2:14 pm

sarahd wrote:

Motek, you shouldn't be writing Hashem's name out like that. We usually write G-d.

I always do (see the thread heading), but I didn't think to change it in the quoted article.

by the way, although you and I do that, not all authorities think it's necessary
the Aish site, for example, doesn't hyphenate

Motek

Tue, Mar 29 2005, 2:37 pm

RG wrote:

funny this came up. I just read in the kitzur shulchan aruch that this is something to be careful with in writing or speaking, and in any language. ill have to double check the exact siman and se'if.

and just as tapes can be erased, even though they have divrei Torah on them (I know someone who asked the shaila), could very well be that typing on a computer screen is similar, I.e. not a permanent sort of writing, though if you print it out ... and there are books by frum publishers that spell it out

gryp

Tue, Mar 29 2005, 2:49 pm

this is something I always wondered about.
the kitzur even says that names that are used for Hashem shouldnt be said in impure places, ie. the name Shalom is also used for Hashem, so one shouldnt call a person named Shalom in the bath house by his name.
the kitzur then says it is best to be careful with this but many people are meikil.

"about the name G-d specifically in english, the kitzur says: "in our great sins, most people arent careful and say the name G-d (in english) and are transgressing a lo saaseh in the Torah."

"also when you want to say "Hashem" you should just say "Hashem" and not make a mistake like many people and say "Adoshem," because this is not Kavodik."

(Siman Vav, Se'if Gimmel)

ForeverYoung
Guest

Tue, Mar 29 2005, 9:20 pm

as far as the digital name of H'
it is stored on digital equipment NOT as HASHEM, but as a collection of 0's and 1's (computer) and indentations of various depths (tape). Therefore, it is not a problem to delete it - otherwize we wouldn't be able to close the program once the name was on the screen.

This is why we can delete & throw out digital media with holy contents

Motek

Thu, Sep 22 2005, 6:20 pm

Quote:

When I went to the moon I was as pragmatic a test pilot, engineer and scientist as any of my colleagues. But when I saw the planet Earth floating in the vastness of space ... the presence of divinity became almost palpable and I knew that life in the universe was not just an accident.

Edgar Mitchell, 1971, Apollo 14 astronaut