Sorry for the delay between posts folks. For those of you who do not follow me on Facebook (hang your heads in shame), my mom passed away last week. It was semi-sudden, meaning she hasn’t been well for some time, but still didn’t see it coming. I was in the ER with her when they were trying to save her. It was a sight and a moment that will stay with me for some time. It was a pretty violent end, followed by a peaceful 30 minutes where I was able to spend time with her as she passed on to wherever the hell it is you go after you die.
For those that commented and supported me on Facebook, I cannot thank you enough. Your words meant the absolute world to me. And for those who do not follow me, please continue to hang your heads in shame.
Anyway…when someone close passes, you start thinking about things. And a lot about religion. I grew up quite Catholic. Went to 11:30 mass every Sunday. Didn’t get too much out of it. I’m not one for following the crowd and doing what everyone else is doing simply because that is what you’re supposed to do. And with the NY Giant football games starting at 1:00, I was always so stressed about getting home in time because my parents loved to socialize after mass. Yeah…I was a real deep kid.
As I’ve aged, I believe less in organized religion and more about “whatever works for you”. I believe there is some power greater than us out there. Whether you call that energy “God” or not…well that’s a personal choice. But if there is indeed a God, here is one thing I know. Curing your celiac disease would be WAAAAAYYYYY down on the list of things to worry about.
But according to this woman, that is exactly what happened. Here’s her story:
(Can’t see the above video? Hang your head in shame. I mean…click here.)
Now look…I am in no way mocking this woman. And please do not go on to the You Tube page and leave negative comments. If she feels God cured her celiac disease and she wants to eat bread now, hey…have at it. Her early funeral.
But here’s my beef with it. Our world is a mess. An absolute, rudderless mess. Do you really think God gives two sh*ts about your celiac disease? I’d like to think my God would focus on the following first:
- Feeding the 66 million primary school age children who go hungry every day.
- Ending all wars and terrorism.
- Curing cancer.
- Giving the less-fortunate the power and the confidence to bring themselves up.
- Finding some kind of resolution for the insane amount of gun deaths in our country.
- Getting electricity to the 25% of the world’s population who still live without it.
- Helping the homeless.
See where I’m going with this? Celiac? Yeah…it sucks. Big time. But in the grand scale of things…well, I’ll let you finish that sentence.
Rest in peace Ma. You are missed.
Since you won’t mock her may I? I will bite my tongue.
Gee apparently God doesn’t like me so much since I have not been cured.
I am so sincerely sorry for your loss Gluten Dude.
(and yes, I’m hanging my head in shame while typing this)
One word – No
Religion, to me, is a barrier between people and God. Not preaching, but I believe Jesus Christ was God in the flesh and died to pay the price for the sins of humanity. (Just so you know where I’m coming from…)
I have seen and experienced amazing things that have led me to think God is dealing with people not based on severity, but more on faith. Psychologically, faith plays an extremely powerful role in healing, even those not placing faith in God, but their ability to overcome. It certainly doesn’t make any one person better than another. I also think it would be possible for a person’s own mind to bar them from the Celiac response if their conviction was strong enough. They may not be healed. Our brains are still so much a mystery, and we do know most aren’t utilizing them to the fullest percentage possible. Could it possible that the ability to conquer Celiac is already within the human brain? Something the Creator put there that is yet undiscovered? Or did God respond and make a move on this woman’s behalf?
He can and he does do miraculous things. I have often wondered how many times we are helped and not aware?
AMEN!
If there is a big Guy upstairs, I’m quite sure he’s given up on trying to save anyone, when he sees how reckless we’ve been with stewardship of his creation. My god, how would He react to our disgusting disregard of the environment, animal, and aquatic life? If this earth was my creation, I’d be thunderously upset, and strikes of lightning would be following climate change deniers, including Trump. It boggles the mind, to think that anyone would feel so entitled to be the “chosen” one by receiving such a unique gift.
My mother once told me that she thought of her mother every day. I remember thinking, are you crazy? What’s wrong with you that you can’t move on? etc. Then my mother passed away. Guess what? I think of her every day. My condolences on your loss. It is a great one.
As for this special person who thinks God personally sought her out, she is misguided.The worst part is that others may follow her “lead” and make themselves more sick….as if our disease isn’t tough enough.
I too am so sorry for your loss, Gluten Dude. My mom has been gone now 15 years and I certainly think about her every day, but the thoughts have evolved into fine, fun, enlightening thoughts about her. Your mom will always be with you!
I’m really sorry to hear of your mother’s death. I will pray for her and your family.
She is fooling herself and will slowly become physically ill again, hopefully it does not escalate into cancer. Very sad — similar to the people who refuse blood transfusions for religious purposes and then die. Darwinism I suppose!
I want to believe that miracles can happen…
I am so sorry for your loss and for the trauma of the experience.
I wish you peace of mind in whatever form yo can find it.
Thank you again for being the voice of our community.
Dude, I’m saying this in a kind voice: You sound angry. And mad at God. The world doesn’t make sense, granted. But make no mistake, He doesn’t need to prioritize. He gives more than two sh*ts about you and me and every little thing that happens to us and that we care about. And though He isn’t the god that some of us would imagine, it doesn’t mean He isn’t God. We don’t have to like something in order for it to be true. He loves even you, Dude, and would welcome you into His family anytime! (And with all due respect to my Catholic friends, I recommend a different path. I think you might enjoy the Christian and Missionary Alliance style of church.) So in the grand scheme of things…yes, this disease may seem insignificant, but may be just the thing that God uses to bring someone closer to Him and solidify their faith.
Yes- I agree with you. God does love and care about us. Faith is about the belief that God can move mountains and perform any miracle.
That said, I hope this girl continues follow up with her GI doc in case her Celiac symptoms went “silent”. I know my symptoms of accidentally ingesting gluten now are different than my pre-diagnosis symptoms.
Dude- I’m very sorry for your loss. The pic you posted last week was so touching that it brought me to tears. You’re in my thoughts and prayers.
And if you want to watch someone that has helped me through some rough times, check out Joel Osteen. Once you get past the thick southern accent, he’s very easy to relate to, even for people that aren’t very “religious”.
I grew up in a family and churches that supported and vigorously taught everything that this sweet girl just discussed. Human behavior is very intriguing to me. When you are surrounded by this type of energy it is very difficult to live in any sort of reality. Imagine that you are in a dream, sometimes it feels like you are awake, but mostly you can’t figure anything out. This is her life. Remember what she said about others shunning her? When a big word like disease comes into that space you are tagged with having no faith and are weak and need prayer and instruction. This culture is wrapped up in food addiction. Think of it, you can’t smoke drink or swear, or even express yourself in any way that would make you look weak and worldly because it might not be acceptable in their circle of thought. But food? Yep don’t mess with that addiction!! She is so alone you can see it in her eyes. If she truly is challenged with Celiac or any other autoimmune disease she will keep silent and suffer in private. She experienced that shunning and will do or say anything to stay in the dream that she is so deep into. Waking up is nearly impossible. I don’t see this as anything but the reality and truth of what she is living in, it is a human tragedy that our system of faith is so shallow. No one stepped up to help and support her. They pray and if you don’t receive your healing it is your lack of faith and tagged as weak, as a sinner. We should reach out and say that if she is ever in need of a culture of love that accepts her just the way she is to come to us who understand and can help. “Hap” helped me in my darkest hour, she will someday need us. We are a good group who will tell it like it is and laugh and cry and shout prayers, for acceptance and support and peace, we need each other. We extend that friendship and love to her.
So, she was, I assume, diagnosed CD for 7 years, dealt with abdominal pain throughout the years then woke up one day without pain and was able to eat gluten again. I want to see the original diagnosis to show was diagnosed correctly and results of new testings to show no damage.
Ditto. I’ll take what science we have any day. This video looks like she is auditioning for something??? ‘Nuf said. And, again, my condolences on the loss of your mother. She did an amazing job raising you, so she will be here as long as you are. My dad passed away in 1981, and I still think of him every day; mother 2008, same reaction. It is a deep loss, so go easy on yourself. Time may change the intensity of what you now feel, but it won’t erase your memories. Peace.
I’m so sorry for your loss, Dude. I don’t know that death is pretty, even when your loved one hasn’t exactly been well. And knowing we’re all going to lose our parents sometime still doesn’t make it easy. I think everyone hopes they’ll at least break 80, and even after that it might not be great. Give yourself lots of time to grieve and have weird thoughts about it all. Don’t feel guilty if you don’t hold a conventional religious view (the lovely counselor from the local catholic hospice who I saw weekly for a year after my mom’s death was so respectful of me. I’m not an atheist, I know what I believe, but it doesn’t fit organized religion, and I’m not interested in starting a church to share or push!). My family found the book “Tear Soup” to be helpful. It’s written like a kid’s picture book (and suitable for younger viewers), but not like some self-help book you need to slog through.
The video is perhaps fine for Hayley; I just worry that it will harm others if they are influenced by it. Yes, the mind is powerful, but I sure wouldn’t want to rely on faith healing alone. It doesn’t seem as if she really had all the medical tests one would have if they suspected celiac (unless of course, you’d already eliminated the gluten), and is, perhaps, also the type of person who might not accept a blood transfusion because it’s against her religion. Sort of hard for medical professionals to assist someone with that mind set.
“Tis been said we never outgrow the need for our parents, and after 25 years+ without mine, I believe this to be true. We find ourselves saying, “just one more visit, one more day, one ore conversation, one more piece of advice”… so we remember them in our hearts, speak to them silently or out loud on occasion and, yes, life goes on, Dude. My deepest sympathy on your loss. As for this woman… the less I say the better.
So sorry about your Mom. I don’t know about this girl, I think God cares about the smallest details. This I know this for sure, He put the right people in my life to help me recognise it was gluten that was killing me, when 13 doctors and other specialists had no clue.
While I was so sick during the last 5 years, I got started on social media for information and for something to do while I couldn’t do much else. I’m grateful for the Dude and this great community. I also met a now 85 yr old atheist Marine on The Internets and, after more than a 1,000 pages of emails between us including some extremely in depth “religious” and spiritual discussions, we are now dear friends. Did I mention I’m about as far from an atheist as one can get. I believe very strongly in the power of prayer and I have a lifetime of many personal, family and client practical proven results and guidance to verify my personal decisions and positions.
I say that to say how very serious it was for me to pray in 2012 to either “heal me or kill me” because I was ready to die and I didn’t have the “authority” to end my own life, which I had considered thoughtfully and often. I fully expected one result or the other and soon after that prayer. My prayer was specifically answered at 12:30 am after I was awakened by Jen E’s sweet voice in a “news” special regarding celiac disease on FoxNews after I had fallen asleep on the couch about 8:30 pm the night before in a full on massive gluten induced stupor with joints’ whelps/knots from eating my Sweet Wife’s delicious homemade whole wheat crust pizza – the last intentional gluten I’ve eaten since Nov 18, 2012. My crew could not carry my 230 lbs to bed and couldn’t wake me up either so they left me there & went to bed since I was still breathing.
The knowledge gained from Jen E immediately led me, $25,000 later, to my medical DX of CD, DH and esophageal and colon cancer, which saved my life and later my Mom’s life from Stage 4 lymphoma. Incidentally, I never watched FoxNews at 12:30 am either before or since – you may deduce from that fact whatever you please. If I fell asleep watching TV, it would be on The GOLF channel.
My “miracle healing” occurred by gaining the knowledge and understanding from a fellow afflicted human, because my doctors never found out after 2 yrs of prior looking, that gluten is my Achilles Heel and all I have to do is avoid it like the plague and I remain healed. Celiac Disease is only one end RESULT of my body’s fairly sudden genetic autoimmune reaction to the gluten protein. CD is not the CAUSE of my systemic affliction. I remain “miraculously healed” simply by not eating gluten. It would be very shallow and simple minded for me personally to resume eating gluten. Our Creator never promised us “perfect and eternal” bodies during any or all of our visit in this dimension of time and space. The perfect eternal bodies are prepared for the next dimension after we step across the threshold. I’m grateful my life in my current body was extended by this new gf knowledge.
I’m not “religious” other than as required with regard to widows & orphans (James 1:27), but I have no question in my heart or mind that my Creator spiritually guides my life as I humble my own personal pride, seek the appropriate guidance and love my fellow humans as myself. My Mom has quoted to me as long as I can remember: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” — Proverbs 3:5-6. I can honestly say this has been continuously true in my life and I’m still here as a result. Thankfully, we each have many opportunities to make our own personal decisions about many things in this life, are generally not forced into making our own personal choices and I’m grateful for my fellow knowledgable humans around me. To each his/her own, as they proverbially say.
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A man was trapped on his roof during recent flooding and he prayed earnestly that God would miraculously rescue him as the flood waters quickly rose around him. A fire truck drove by with its ladder extended but the man told the firemen that he was fine because God and God alone would save him as a result of his earnest prayers. As the waters rose to the roofline, a boat came by but the trapped man told the boat captain the same thing. Finally, as there was not much roof left, a helicopter flew over with its rope dropped for the desperate man to escape his immediate peril, but the man declined because his faith in God’s miraculous deliverance was so very strong. Finally, the man drowned and incredulously asked his Creator why He didn’t save him. His Creator responded, I sent you a fire truck, a boat and a helicopter, what more did you want?!?
There’s no shame, no need to hang our heads, in utilizing the miraculous gift of “not eating gluten” to heal our finite imperfect current bodies as our simple practical cure. No additional faith needed for this healing. Eating gluten again, even as strong as my faith remains, would be to my personal peril and in direct contradiction of the practical knowledge I’ve gained.
————
Dude, my heart has been with you and your family even more than usual since last Thursday.
The church is most likely seeing a decline in food bank clients because they give out mostly bread & pasta. They don’t want to help the less fortunate any more than they have to, and they certainly don’t want to spring for grocery store vouchers, so they figure if they say that Celiac disease is curable through faith in god people will fall for it. Sad really.
GD, I’m so sorry to read about your mother’s death. My condolences to you and your family.
Dude
I only offer my following perspective for your consideration the same as I would do if we were sitting across the table from each other over our favorite ice cold beers, gf of course, discussing life’s little inconsistencies during one or the other of our times of personal mourning or need – because that’s what buddies do. Only because you brought up religion and mentioned that you started “thinking about things. And a lot about religion” in your recent difficult circumstances and you already know how very much I care for you and your family, I offer the following words in the context of “thinking about things” which I do daily in my search for truth.
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve experienced those violent ER visits in the last 22 yrs with my parents – after three 100% blockage heart attacks and numerous cath lab visits for my Dad including innumerable bladder and kidney surgeries while still on Plavix and for my Mom 3 brain aneurysms, 2 open brain surgeries and Stage 4 lymphoma, one can probably surmise the number. My sweet wife’s Dad died from pancreatic cancer in 1997 after 7 very difficult months. So surviving / not surviving has been a loving in depth discussion in our home on many occasions.
Enough of my background perspective, these following C omments of mine regard my perception of your view of “some greater power than us” and your thoughts concerning how that power interacts with us on a daily basis.
In due consideration of and respect for all you mentioned in your post above, I would offer my thoughts beginning with at least our second beer – I’d also like an order of fried oysters or shrimp on some of Jen E’s or gfJules’ New Orleans Po’ Boy style scrumptious bread to go with my beers, please.
I have dear friends from atheists to all “organized religions” so I’ve read all of the major atheistic, non religious, scientific, evolution, and major religions’ foundational books and literature. We’ve routinely discussed our thoughts and perspectives as you and I are doing here and remain dear friends. Again, to each his/her own.
I’ve also diligently studied the Bible from cover to cover many times, as any self respecting attorney would do, during the last 50 years or so. Of all the literature I’ve read, which is a pretty good sized library full, the Bible is one of the most naturally inexplicably cohesive “books” I’ve ever read, supernaturally cohesive it seems. So, as my 85 yr old devout atheist Marine buddy found out during our many discussions, my opinions and foundation are formed through much blood, sweat, tears and study during the last 5 decades – I never form an opinion without due consideration and for which I can supply myriad info to substantiate my positions. The Bible is a narrative overview, a view of the forest with opportunities to go fully inspect some trees, but not all, contained within the forest. The Bible does not attempt to explain each and every tree in the forest.
“Organized religions” create havoc, are not Biblically desired and serve hardly any positive purposes by way of correctly establishing our eternal relationship with our Creator. Now, there are more than 1,000 pages of email discussions contained within that one sentence, but as my atheist Marine buddy found out, I’m always willing to engage and explain, but I won’t do that here and now.
As you said and I agree, “our world is a mess. An absolute, rudderless mess;” however, the Bible fully explains why it’s a mess and why it will most likely soon get much worse. However, the Bible also offers an easy solution, a simple solution, in fact, which no “organized religion” offers. The organized religions (in their man made attempts to construe, administrate and enforce the overall simple message of the Bible) usually only make things worse and more confused.
Although we can continue our future discussions over as many beers and fried oyster Po’ Boys as you desire, my simple conclusion (to your concern that “God” doesn’t care or should care more about your list of tragedies and injustices) is “God” or our Creator not only cares deeply, but the Bible gives clear instructions as to why these tragedies exist, how they’re supposed to be corrected and who’s supposed to be effectuating the corrections – it’s us, we and our fellow humans are supposed to clean up these problems and we’re failing miserably. Our human failures are proof of the necessity for “Act II” which begins immediately after we cross the threshold from this dimension of time and space and into the next. It’s OUR failures and not our Creator’s failure or lack of care for our current deplorable circumstances. Our Creator intended for us to be the immediate help our fellow humans need in this dimension. If we ALL, each and everyone of us personally acted as we should, then your list of tragedies and injustices wouldn’t exist. But you know how the whole “responsibility / accountability” narrative goes these days.
One thing I’ve learned from my many encounters with and looking “Death” straight into his black soulless eyes and then almost crossing that threshold, for me it’s only a simple step from this dimension into the next – no fear and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s on the other side when my appointed time comes. In fact, I’m a little jealous knowing without any doubt where and with whom my recently departed friends are. I would normally quote and explain 1 Corinthians 15 and especially verses 50 and following here, but I’ll shorten it to “So when our spirit has left this corruptible body has put on its incorruptible body, and this current mortal body has put on its immortal body, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”
Your Mom, based on what you revealed so far, was immediately and is without any doubt whatsoever now in the presence of our Creator – and as I indicate below, we can’t even imagine how unfathomable that reality is.
I don’t need more than 3 beers, so I’ll leave you with these 2 thoughts:
A. Our main two simple life’s instructions from our Creator contained clearly in the Bible are to (1) love our Creator with all of our hearts, our souls and our minds, and, (2) love our neighbors as ourselves – who’s our neighbor – every fellow human being. EVERYTHING in all of creation hangs in the balance of us accomplishing these 2 prime directives! All other rules are fluff and filler.
B. “But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ (After we cross the threshold from this finite dimension into the next eternal one)
But God has revealed this to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” — 1 Corinthians 2:9-16
That should be more than enough “things to think about” for now…until our next beers together my friend.
Hap, have you ever thought about writing a book. You have such a way with words (as does GD). I was going to reply to your comment above as Best. Post. Ever.
I also believe that God does hear and answer our prayers.
Ditto Gail L!!!
Hap…you really ought to be more thoughtful in your responses (lol). Thank you for your meaningful words and your deep response. You are appreciated my friend.
While I do believe that God can and does heal people. I really hope like a few of the others have mentioned that she gets follow up testing to make sure that she really doesn’t have celiac anymore and that she isn’t relying only on faith and her symptoms. Also after being gluten free for years some people get temporary relief and think they can eat it again for a time but then become very sick again, so hopefully it is the real deal for her but like most people who have commented, I’m pretty skeptical and I’m a very religious and God fearing person.
In the end, I think its ludicrous to fantasize that everything we see around is just popped into existence from nothingness. No matter what religion you are, I think its perfectly scientific and rational to believe that there is an Originator to all that “is”. That originator is God. Whether that originator is the programmer who coded a hologram that makes up our reality, a 6 armed lady with jewels on her forehead, or a popsicle that is omniscient and omnipresent … doesn’t matter. Its absurd to me to assume that all of this came from nothing, without a designer and originator. So on that level, God exists. Period.
Sorry you lost your mom. I watched my mom and dad die. It will remain surreal for a few months. Too big to really comprehend, so I didn’t bother trying. I just let it take its course. Some things are beyond our comprehension. Not existing is one of them.
I don’t know everything, but what I’ve learned in this life is that a person’s relationship with God is extremely personal. There’s too much to go into in this forum, but each of us are on our own journey. We are responsible for our choices and the consequences that come from them.
When and why God heals one and not another only makes sense to me when I think about the fact that each of us are on our own paths, learning different things at different times. Maybe this woman was ready for the lessons that come after healing. I apparently am not. And if I were I wouldn’t know. I pray and ask for healing and yet at the same time I am too scared to even think about eating gluten. I’m so sensitive to gluten that the last time I was contaminated I was virtually bedridden for months. The top specialist on celiac disease in the world said he’s rarely met anyone as sensitive as I am.
Maybe my faith isn’t as strong as this woman’s. Maybe that’s what it takes: stronger faith. Maybe I’m just not there yet.
I believe in miracles. I’ve seen them happen in and around my own life. But I know God never intended to do everything for us. We’re supposed to be figuring a lot of this stuff out for ouselves. It’s part of the process.
I will always have questions. It’s all my mind does: question things. But I’ve seen and experienced enough in this lifetime to be sure God exists. How everything else works is a mystery.
I’m very sorry you lost your mom. I think that’s one of the hardest losses any of us will every experience. There’s something different about moms. And I’m sorry you lost her the way you did. I have nothing to say that would ease your pain because I don’t think there is anything right now. But know that, obviously, there a bunch of us out here in the world that cared enough to tell that we do. I hope that counts for something.
Thanks everyone for your input and your condolences. MUCH appreciated. What a week!
Dear Dude,
I am not religious so I can’t say I will pray for you, but I can say my heart goes out to you and I wish peace for you and your family in this time of grief. It is hard missing the ones we love. Be kind to yourself, be angry is you need, and live your life the way you love to the best of your ability.
Dear Gluten Dude’s Mom. Thank you for your wonderful son. He has inspired so many hearts to keep trying. Please, if you can, send his peace and joy in this time of deep loss.
Cyber hugs,
Dee
Very sweet Dee. Thank you.
You are welcome; I hope you feel 100% supported and cared for during this time. You have given so much to others, take time time for you.
Dee