Probably so. The healthcare system in Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, even Lebanon is a par with the West. Of course places like Syria, it has collasped because of civil war.
Here is where a deeper understand of the State of Israel is necessary. Israel is a democracy but it is hardly a secular democracy. It proclaims to be the Jewish State, as such Judaism is the defacto state religion. Not in the same sense as Islam is the state religion of the theocratic Saudia Arabia, but more theocratic than say the Church of England is the state religion in the UK. The laws of Israel are written so that any Jew anywhere in the world is (or can became) a citizen of Israel. As such,in the past 70 years Israel has been settled by Jews predominately from Eastern Europe, Russia, and the United States. Upon arrive, they get instant citizenship, government subsidies, education, social welfare programs. Meanwhile, the people who have lived there for thousands of years, who are not Jewish, at treated in similar ways to American Indians were in the US and blacks were in US after emancipation. So would I rather be a Palistian in Israel than an Atheist in Saudi Arabia- certainly as the death penalty awaits in Saudia Arabia for all apostates.
Agree.
I see American Evangelical Christians only supportive of Israel to the extent that it furthers their prophesy of the return of Jesus Christ. I don’t really think that they care about either the Jews or the Palestinians.
Because that is my sincere non-religious belief that prayer is just talking to ones self. If you would like to do science experiments on the effectiveness of prayer, I am willing to be in the control group which doesn’t pray.
Let’s see what the results will be.
It is quite clear you oppose @swamidass and his work… or you wouldn’t spend so much time disrupting discussions with things that are, by definition, irrelevant to these boards.
You also receive it as a genuine expression of good will and empathy. Just as I receive your response as playful and honest. You think it is both a false hope, but also a kind gesture. Right?
Correct. When someone says they will pray for me, I can usually see that they are really sincere about it. I see the empathy, I see the real concern. I also see the real desire to help me but the realization that there is not much that they can do. Usually they are right about what they can actually do, but they usually discounter their value in “just being there” for another person, even if it is just virtually. Empathy does work over long distances and in cyberspace.
However, there are another way the statement “I will pray for you” is used. It is somethings used as either a put down of one’s beliefs or non-beliefs or a veiled threat "God is watching and I will intervene on your behalf to ask for mercy on your soul, or ask him (or the mystery God - the HS) to come into your heart. This is fear-mongering when they sense they can get away with it or a put down that their God is better than my non-existent god.
But I haven’t seen any of this here. Only sincere empathy expressed so my thanks and appreciation goes out.
To return the favor for praying for me, I offer to think and reason for any of you in your time of need.
