question [#2723]

[pianodwarf]

How do you know God doesn't or hasn't healed amputees? Your website title assumes he hasn't as a matter of fact. So how do you know that?

[kaziglu bey]

How do you know God doesn't or hasn't healed amputees? Your website title assumes he hasn't as a matter of fact. So how do you know that?

There has not yet been a single recorded case of such a thing happening. If Jesus appears on a piece of toast, the whole world knows about it within minutes. I think it's entirely reasonable to suggest that the same level of media coverage would be applied in the case of God restoring lost limbs. It would be big news. It would be on the internet, in the paper, mentioned in every church, it would be excellent evidence for the existence of God. But it never seems to happen.

I suppose in a most literal sense we don't "know" that God has never healed an amputee, because it's really not possible to interview everyone who has ever lived and get their medical history verified as to whether or not any lost limbs have regenerated. However given the lack of any evidence at all of such a phenomena occurring, the default position of "God does not heal amputees" is the most sensible one to take. It is the null hypothesis.

[jetson]

Because there is zero evidence of such an event.  Also, humans cannot regrow limbs, we know this through well documented medical study.  Lastly, there is no evidence that any gods are real.

[sun_king]

How do you know God doesn't or hasn't healed amputees? Your website title assumes he hasn't as a matter of fact. So how do you know that?

All the asker needs to do is to give one or two incidents of amputees being healed. The manner of asking is suspiciously similar to Olivianus.

[ParkingPlaces]

People commonly claim that their god helped them by healing their cancer or alcoholism, along with those numerous times when some god helped a sports team win or helped someone find their car keys. But plenty of people without those gods have had similar outcomes when confronted with similar problems. Hence there is no clear indication that a god was involved.

Amputation, on the other hand, are indisputable. A missing limb is a missing limb, and though science and engineering can currently do marvelous things to help replace the missing limb with new technologies, it is certainly not the same thing as having a person regenerate and use a missing limb. Right now there is no known mechanism in humans that would allow such a thing. Hence, if religious people, and only religious people, started growing limbs back and regrowth was documented and verified, there would be no disputing something that is far beyond our understanding was happening. And if these religious people got their limbs back after praying for such results, and nobody else had the same experience, the god concept might start looking a bit more valid.

Hasn't happened, won't happen, can't happen. We're just playing with your minds. We will drop the whole discussion when believers stop with the nonsense and realize that their religion is a fantasy. In the meantime, we're trying to get your attention so that we can show you the error of your ways.

[Chronos]

People commonly claim that their god helped them by healing their cancer or alcoholism ...

God personally told me that I no longer need to believe in Him. He said that all of the attention He gets is a bit nerve-wracking, and He would like for this idol worship to stop. He said He wrote a book about it for humans to read, but He doesn't know where He left it. He last remembers seeing it in a cave somewhere ...

[pianodwarf]

How do you know God doesn't or hasn't healed amputees? Your website title assumes he hasn't as a matter of fact. So how do you know that?

Strictly speaking, I suppose we don't know that for sure.  However, inasmuch as Yahweh and his associates get credit for all kinds of other miracles, it's pretty safe to assume that if an amputee had ever miraculously gotten his leg back, we would have heard about it, especially in the age of the Internet.  This is an era where, if Jesus' face appears in a grilled cheese sandwich, you can auction it on eBay and expect to receive bids up into the thousands of dollars.  An amputee getting his leg back would obviously be a much bigger deal.

There is one historical claim of an amputee getting his leg back, called "The Miracle of Calanda" in the 17th Century.  However, the account is disputed and, in my opinion anyway, has been pretty well discredited.

[Aaron123]

How do you know God doesn't or hasn't healed amputees? Your website title assumes he hasn't as a matter of fact. So how do you know that?

The fact that you resorted to the "can you prove it didn't happen" arguement is proof that god doesn't heal amputees.

If amputees did regenerate their limbs, there would be news reports, footage of the regeneration (not every time, but there'd be some), scientific investigations, articles in scientific journals, etc etc.

Yet, we get.............. nothing.  Instead, we get "prove it didn't happen!"

But hey, Jesus appeared in that grilled cheese sandwich!

EDIT:  or the cross on an onion chip, as the case may be.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Holy-Onion-Chip-Jesus-Cross-from-White-Castle-Praise-Jesus-/271149678370?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f21c7bf22

[ParkingPlaces]

Short version: If you can't demonstrate that he has, we can all pretty much assume that he hasn't.

[Hatter23]

How do you know God doesn't or hasn't healed amputees? Your website title assumes he hasn't as a matter of fact. So how do you know that?

Because it is in line with the nil hypothesis. The Nil hypothesis is superior until evidence in contrary to the nil hypothesis is presented.

[Graybeard]

How do you know God doesn't or hasn't healed amputees? Your website title assumes he hasn't as a matter of fact. So how do you know that?

The Churches of the world are always on the look-out for some proof of God really existing. They tend to do this by finding so-called 'miracles'.

Do you seriously think that, if there ever, in the history of mankind, had been a case of a limb or digit regrowing, the Churches would not have publicised it?

Could a re-grown limb have occurred somewhere in the deepest jungle of the Amazon , or Borneo at a time when there were no Churches?

Well, it is possible, but that would mean that the tribal god was the only real god, wouldn't it?

So, and in conclusion, we can honestly say that God has never done a miracle that involves re-growing a limb or digit, can't we?

Now, why might that be? Could it be because God is not there? That would certainly explain it, wouldn't it?

[Anfauglir]

How do you know God doesn't or hasn't healed amputees? Your website title assumes he hasn't as a matter of fact......

...and what an excellent opportunity for you to prove us wrong!  Bring us one verifiable instance of your god healing an amputee, and our argument comes crashing down!  What a god-given chance for you to smash apart the ravings of a bunch of atheists, and - maybe - bring many of them rushing to Christianity!

And all you need to do is bring us a single verifiable instance of your god healing an amputee!  A mere nothing!  I'm sure you produce a dozen documented accounts without the slightest problem!  I can google any other complaint or malady and find hundreds of tales of how god heals!  The TV networks are full of preachers dishing out "healings" left right and centre, so it should be the case that the healing of an amputee - that "cannot happen by coincidence" proof of your god - should take you but seconds to find.

.....

.....or will you, in fact, slink away and we'll never hear from you again, because in truth you have NO evidence for even one single amputee healing by your god, and that the question we pose is quite valid?