This is a bit of a carry over from another topic I am participating in, but the conversation we were all having made me very curious. I would like to see how much of a factor having faith in God matters to those who have had the surgery or are in the process of having the surgery.

Personally, my having this surgery is totally dependant on my faith in God and His will for my life. I have been praying and seeking God on this issue since I first started looking into it. Throughout the process there have been open doors that I have taken as signs that it is ok for me to proceed. Of course the biggest one will be insurance approval and if I wind up not getting approved, then I will not press the issue.I want to make sure that this is something God wants for my life, not just something that I am deciding because I want to. I put my complete faith and trust in God and I know that He will guide me through this journey.

Just wanted to see what other people think about this issue.

While I expect that everyone has a right to their own opinion, I respectfully ask everyone please do not turn this into a God bashing session!

For myself and others, God has a lot to do with the decision to have this surgery.

Thanks!

Religion and Politics are only bad topics to discuss if people make a big deal out of them and get ruffled by the opinions, thoughts, and beliefs of others! Just because you don't agree with or even like what some people say or think does not mean that you have to become offended or agitated(sp?)! I heartily disagree with some of what is being said, and I will defend my thoughts and beliefs to my dying day, but I refuse to do it in a manner that makes someone feel battered or demeaned. I won't debate my beliefs, but I will share with someone who sincerely wants to know or is curious. Having said that, there are things in this life that we don't understand..we will NEVER understand them...that's where the faith comes in! If I had to sit here and try and wrap my mind around WHY my mother had a massive heart attack in her early 40's and had to have a triple by-pass, or why she was abused by a family memeber as a child, or why she has two degenerative disk conditions that have caused her to have the back of a 90 year old ever since she was in her 20's and need mulitple surgeries, not to mention things that have happened to myself, friends and other family members, I would literally go MAD! I just know that my mom has the kind of faith (in God) that can move mountains, and keep her going when by all rights she should be paralyzed or dead. That's what faith can do. I respect everyone's right to their own opinion, and I'm just expressing mine!

Religion and politics...very bad topics.

"I've seen fire and I've seen rain

I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end

I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

But I always thought that I'd see you again

Won't you look down upon me, Jesus

You've got to help me make a stand

You've just got to see me through another day

My body's aching and my time is at hand

And I won't make it any other way"

James Taylor "Fire and Rain"

sorry... the song just popped into my head. I have seen a lot of evil and have lived through more bad situations than most people can even imagine and still.... I have hope. Not in other people, because I know we are basically bad, but in God who loves us so much that he doesn't blast us off the face of the planet for being hateful, ungrateful children.

I thank him now for always being faithful to me in spite of me, and I can't wait to thank him face to face for loving me so much that he suffered and died and then conquered death so that we could be together forever.

There is so much I don't understand but of this I am sure: Jesus is.

Religion and Politics are only bad topics to discuss if people make a big deal out of them and get ruffled by the opinions' date=' thoughts, and beliefs of others! Just because you don't agree with or even like what some people say or think does not mean that you have to become offended or agitated(sp?)! I heartily disagree with some of what is being said, and I will defend my thoughts and beliefs to my dying day, but I refuse to do it in a manner that makes someone feel battered or demeaned. I won't debate my beliefs, but I will share with someone who sincerely wants to know or is curious. Having said that, there are things in this life that we don't understand..we will NEVER understand them...that's where the faith comes in! If I had to sit here and try and wrap my mind around WHY my mother had a massive heart attack in her early 40's and had to have a triple by-pass, or why she was abused by a family memeber as a child, or why she has two degenerative disk conditions that have caused her to have the back of a 90 year old ever since she was in her 20's and need mulitple surgeries, not to mention things that have happened to myself, friends and other family members, I would literally go MAD! I just know that my mom has the kind of faith (in God) that can move mountains, and keep her going when by all rights she should be paralyzed or dead. That's what faith can do. I respect everyone's right to their own opinion, and I'm just expressing mine![/quote']

Liz i got that you were looking for different opinions or i wouldnt have posted. I'm sure many who have great faith in the christian church think my thoughts are silly. i think many of my sisters thoughts are silly (devote baptist) yet we do manage to coexist and even discuss politics and religion without picking up swords

funny story about politics and religion.....i took a group of six gals to napa for my birthday treat in may. we used dh's plane, drank champagne like fish, visited several wineries for vip tastings (we have many friends who are in the business) and had the run of a dear friends property worth gazillions id imagine. (i have a reason for saying that). so after a beautiful day tasting and probably too much beautiful wine at dinner when we got back to the property, we were all sitting around the fireplace talking about life when the topic turned to the election. one gal started raving about how stupid republicans were and two of us mentioned we were in fact republican. she then started ranting about the evil 1%. i had to laugh at that point. here she was, soaking up the weekend and having a fabulous time...sitting at a 1%ers villa. someone else pointed out that she was reaping the benefits of the evil 1% life and she paused....then said, is anyone religious? we then threw cushions at her as a group and escorted her to her much needed bed

religion and politics....sometimes ya just gotta laugh (and never discuss tipsy lol)

Because someone expressed a different opinion?

No. Because I gave my response to the thread question and do not want to engage in texted theology debates when I'm on this site for support re. my surgery. Find another weak Christian to debate your atheistic views, im not in for that.

No. Because I gave my response to the thread question and do not want to engage in texted theology debates when I'm on this site for support re. my surgery. Find another weak Christian to debate your atheistic views' date=' im not in for that.[/quote']

I'm sorry you took my opinions that way. Liz did ask for opinions. My reply to her question was in no way an attack on you, nor did I ask you the second question to engage you in a debate. I certainly didn't set out looking for a weak Christian.

I think I did say I am spiritual, I just don't believe the same specifics as your system does.

If you would have left off the second sentence I guess I wouldn't have known you felt I was trying to take you on, so I understand the mean spiritedness of your response. I just wanted to clear in your head I wasn't gunning for you or anyone else.

I am an atheist through and through. I just don't believe, never have, and never will. You can, however, have faith in other things. I have faith in the people who will be in the operating room for my surgery. I have faith in the science that will bring them there and the many years of school and debt they went through to ensure that their patients will get the utmost care. I have faith in my wonderful husband, who will be taking care of me afterwards. I have faith in the awesome chemical and biological process that my body will go through at a cellular and atomic level to heal me.

It seems like those who are expressing the fact that they don't believe are being accused of god bashing. I am just giving my opinion as far as how my lack of religion effects my surgery, like the post asked.

Yikes folks! Claws away!

I believe like the op. I believe in God and He has been my source of strength through many trials in my life. I will tell anyone about my faith but I will not shove it in anyone's face or try to shun them for not having my same beliefs. The God I believe in gives everyone free will and the right to believe in what you want. And thanks to being an American we have the right to voice and write our opinions!!!

Tex-in reference to your actual question God and my faith in Him and the importance of his will for my life is a big part of my decision. I am not having surgery until December so I have a couple more months to pray about it to feel certain this is the right path for me.

So FAITH MATTERS!! To me anyway

I'm an Atheist so a god never entered into my decision. This forum has been a font of information and has greatly influenced my decision to have this surgery.

Religion and Politics are only bad topics to discuss if people make a big deal out of them and get ruffled by the opinions' date=' thoughts, and beliefs of others! Just because you don't agree with or even like what some people say or think does not mean that you have to become offended or agitated(sp?)! I heartily disagree with some of what is being said, and I will defend my thoughts and beliefs to my dying day, but I refuse to do it in a manner that makes someone feel battered or demeaned. I won't debate my beliefs, but I will share with someone who sincerely wants to know or is curious. Having said that, there are things in this life that we don't understand..we will NEVER understand them...that's where the faith comes in! If I had to sit here and try and wrap my mind around WHY my mother had a massive heart attack in her early 40's and had to have a triple by-pass, or why she was abused by a family memeber as a child, or why she has two degenerative disk conditions that have caused her to have the back of a 90 year old ever since she was in her 20's and need mulitple surgeries, not to mention things that have happened to myself, friends and other family members, I would literally go MAD! I just know that my mom has the kind of faith (in God) that can move mountains, and keep her going when by all rights she should be paralyzed or dead. That's what faith can do. I respect everyone's right to their own opinion, and I'm just expressing mine![/quote']

And I love and respect everyone's right to their opinion. That is why this is a great country and MOST people feel the same.

Faith Matters. What an awesome name for an evangelist! If she shows up on TV, I get some of her earnings for penning the name!

Thanks everyone for your input! I appreciate everyone's perspective!

I prayed about this and surgery had been on my heart for some time. Often when challenges arise, I wake up with an answer to them. You have to have faith in anything that you do. God wants us to prosper and bless others. Obesity is a complicated illness that can lead to untimely death and multiple health problems. I want to live a better life. This surgery can help me do that. All of the steps have fallen into place easily, time off. reservations, tickets etc. I will continue to pray before my surgery scheduled in November to hear God's answer. I am nervous but I will walk toward this surgery with my faith in God and the surgery team he had planned for me.....

I had great faith in God, going in to the thought of having a surgery like this. I know that God led me to the surgeon that did my sleeve, as I did not even know where to begin. I had such peace in my spirit that I never even questioned WHY he wanted me to travel hundreds of miles from home when I could have had surgery in my own back yard. Once I was there, I knew I was in the perfect place for me to have my surgery. I have never regretted it for one minute. I had a great surgery and have healed very well. I am thankful that God knows more about what I need than I do.