WWG1WGA
(media.greatawakening.win)
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It’s origin is from the pre-Christian Greeks, was famously repeated centuries later by the most obvious cabalic infiltrator of the founding fathers, and in popular media is oft repeated by some of the most ungodly people in the modern era to reinforce their selfish choices.
The idea goes against much of the Gospel as Jesus often helped those that were the least deserving by the estimate of his disciples and the world.
https://fwsumc.org/the-bible-doesnt-say-that-god-helps-those-who-help-themselves/
https://nationsu.edu/unbiblical-statements-christians-believe-god-helps-those-who-help-themselves/
https://www.adamhamilton.com/blog/why-god-helps-those-who-help-themselves/
Thanks. I believe I understand the theological angle that you approach this from, although I do not agree with it.
"The idea goes against much of the Gospel" - interpretation.
"Jesus often helped those that were the least deserving"... Hmmm. I see. Do you somehow then interpret this expression to mean, "God will not help you if you are not deserving"?
I'm not assuming that you do, but such a view about God helping or not helping on the basis of who or not is "deserving" does not jive at all with my theological perspective, and I personally think it is decidedly Old Testament level mentality, along with the idea that people find themselves in Hell because God is punishing them.
(how God appeared to and interacted with Israel, for example, was predicated on their capacity to relate with God. They could NOT relate with God as the loving compassionate Father. That capacity was unlocked by Jesus. Much like a child's ability to relate to and understand his parent depends on the level of maturity. People very commonly experience this when they have their own children: only then do they grasp certain things about the reality of who their own parents are or were.)
Either way, rather than a theological justification for how you interpret the expression and why you dislike or disapprove of this expression, I'm curious about in what sense your experience tells you that most people use this expression?
It seems like you almost understand the statement as a criticism or judgment: "If you do not help yourself, God will never help you"
I am curious, anyway.
Least deserving in the measures of the material world, which his disciples would often echo as they were in the process of undoing their own programing of that world. They represented those awakening from the spell/illusion of the material and would often echo its values over God's.
How often did they try to shoo away those in their estimate didn't deserve the attention Jesus, only for Jesus to admonish them for their narrow-sightedness?
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
If in your experience people use the expression in it's positive aspects then I think that is great. In the world presented to us by it's current rulers that is not how I have seen it used.