Matthew: A Gift From God

komodosp

I'm never sure where to post these messages... Apologies if it's in an inappropriate place. It's an atheistic/agnostic comment, but I want it to be discussed by religious people too...

Anyway, in the news this morning was a story about a woman who was declared dead for 30 mins and then was revived - during early pregnancies - and some time later gave birth to a healthy boy, who they called "Matthew" which apparently means, "A gift from God".

This raises two questions

1. What is the name which means "A gift God was going to withhold but relented and gave"? Surely all children are gifts from God just this one nearly wasn't given. (i.e. if God has a hand in delivering him successfully, He must also have had a hand in putting him in danger in the first place)

2. Presumably this miracle was possible thanks to advanced medical science. If not this then many other cases are anyway. Does this mean that God likes people of this era more than he liked people of previous generations? Since more children survive troubled pregnancies nowadays....

prinz

komodosp wrote: »

1. What is the name which means "A gift God was going to withhold but relented and gave"? Surely all children are gifts from God just this one nearly wasn't given.

If as you say all children are 'surely gifts from God' then what is your issue? Perhaps you'd have more luck here http://surnames.meaning-of-names.com/

komodosp wrote: »

2. Presumably this miracle was possible thanks to advanced medical science. If not this then many other cases are anyway. Does this mean that God likes people of this era more than he liked people of previous generations? Since more children survive troubled pregnancies nowadays....

No. Although interestingly enough the ancient Hebrews had one of the best social health programmes in the world during the time IIRC. Thanks to the now often ridiculed dietary and purification laws of the Old Testament. Does that mean that God didn't like people of later eras?

PDN

It's nice to see parents rejoicing and being thankful when they've had some good news. In these circumstances it is very natural for parents to thank God, thank the medical staff, or anyone else they feel.

'Matthew' means "a gift from God". Children, in my view, certainly are gifts from God (albeit sometimes noisy and smelly ones).

Zombrex

komodosp wrote: »

I'm never sure where to post these messages... Apologies if it's in an inappropriate place. It's an atheistic/agnostic comment, but I want it to be discussed by religious people too...

Anyway, in the news this morning was a story about a woman who was declared dead for 30 mins and then was revived - during early pregnancies - and some time later gave birth to a healthy boy, who they called "Matthew" which apparently means, "A gift from God".

This raises two questions

1. What is the name which means "A gift God was going to withhold but relented and gave"? Surely all children are gifts from God just this one nearly wasn't given. (i.e. if God has a hand in delivering him successfully, He must also have had a hand in putting him in danger in the first place)

2. Presumably this miracle was possible thanks to advanced medical science. If not this then many other cases are anyway. Does this mean that God likes people of this era more than he liked people of previous generations? Since more children survive troubled pregnancies nowadays....

I wouldn't read too much into the naming.

Trying to get a deep psychological view of how these people feel about their religion and medical science from this simple act is doomed to failure.

People have a natural tendency to attribute unlikely events to supernatural behavior. I don't think that means they were saying they believe the doctors did nothing. It doesn't really work like that.

Handsome Bob

I always knew I was special. :pac:

Fanny Cradock

LZ5by5 wrote: »

I always knew I was special. :pac:

Everyone is in God's eyes. Of course, the cynic would point out that this means no one is special and everyone is ordinary. But I don't buy that!