I constantly see people thanking God for all type of things.. Yes, even I unintentionally say "thank GOD" but that's just a saying and I`m not talking about this type of thanks(although I probably should try to eliminate this saying somehow, lol). I`m talking about someone stating that he is thankful to GOD for getting to work safe today or for surgery to be successful or for other reasons, etc. I wonder why do people rush into thanking GOD for everything? If you have just had a successful surgery then why don't you thank scientists, doctors and others involved in the procedure? The reason why I write this is because I noticed a post from one of my friends on facebook, thanking GOD for something that was only possible thanks to the science and involved in helping his situation!!! Yet he did not say any thanks to science or those involved but the first thing he does is praises GOD. I just don't understand this. Why do people don't want to give credit to those who actually deserve it and they rather give the credit to the invisible being who we have no proof that even exists. Me thanking to fairies is as much valid as thanking GOD, so why not state your thanks who actually helped you out?

lol prob cuz not everyone thinks like an atheist and they think God helped them. You can say "thank you science" if you want tho...

lol im an athiest, but +1 to that.

What's the problem? It's not like they will say, "Thank God!" when the doctor is standing right next to them and then say, "no thanks to you!" directly at them. lol..

People generally thank God by extension of the events and circumstances around their fortunes. They are still clearly cognizant of the fact that it's not necessarily direct intervention. God didn't take over the mind of the doctor during the surgery, which led to a successful operation. But you still thank God that were no complications as a result.

Better yet, thank God for science.

lol

you don't have to be an atheist to know that it is science that helped you. I mean if you take pills for something and those pills helped who/what did the job here?

Do you really have no idea what theism entails?

It'd be less annoying if, with the same frequency, they got mad at God for all the bad things that happen.

Can i just thank the people that helped me instead?

Doctor prescribes pills , they work = THANK YOU GOD for saving me
Doctor prescribes pills, they don't work = STUPID SCIENCE doesn't work.

Nice hypocrisy..

americans are always thanking god. (the ones on tv sport stars n that)

ha yeh

Well, if people really believe in god(s), then it makes sense to thank/blame them, all pending on which kind of belief you hold ofcourse.

As for the ones who don't believe in god(s) but still thank them, it is also (well, in the US...let us be honest) decent way of boosting your public image and selling more of whatever it is you are peddling.

I also think the expression serves as a way of downplaying the luck factor and/or seeming less arrogant.

We also shouldn't forget the power of cultural norms for common behavior; meaning it's just something you do in some circumstances - like smiling politely at a co-worker you already greeted, instead of going around saying hello every time you bump into them.

St. Basil the Great, On the Human Condition, p.68