Thank You for the great responses and a great
big Welcome back Houellie. It's good to have
you posting again.

I recall when I was in hospital (diagnosed with
bowel cancer) and had to be operated on. I turned
to prayer. I suppose, like many other people in
similar situations, I was looking for meaning (and
help - from whatever source) that I was unable to
find elsewhere at the time. Prayer did help calm me down.
It didn't solve anything - but it gave me comfort in
my time of crisis.

Hasbeen: how the pilot & paramedic could put up with spending all day in a heap of shaking, vibrating rubbish like it.

Ahh.. the good 'ld "Dustoff," still saving lives. When there's only half of you left & a big Negro sitting on your chest to stop you from bleeding to death mate, I don't think you'd care how much it shakes around, as long as it gets you to M.A.S.H in under 30 minutes & the Morphine doesn't run out.

I don’t think I would turn to religion in such a situation for several reasons:

1) How could I know which religion was the right one? If I picked the wrong one, I’d probably make the real god even angrier than if I had just remained not believing in any of them. At least I'd have good excuses then.

2) Even if I picked the right god, it would be hypocritical of me, and insulting to the intelligence of that god, to suddenly “cram for the final” as some sort of an insurance policy.

3) I think a god would respect remaining consistent by not suddenly acknowledging it in the last moments. It might think I’m a user if I only acknowledge it on my deathbed.

4) Any of the gods of the current religions (if it’s religion that we’re turning to here) would be omniscient enough to have already known what the future will bring; therefore, praying to it would be pointless since having them change what they knew was going to happen would be a paradox.

5) If there is a god (or some greater presence) to pray to, then it’s clearly not willing to help millions of starving children, so it would be arrogant of me to think that’s it’s going to help me (although the Christian god apparently helps with sporting matches in America, so who knows?).

Ah God bless the 'dustoff' when you need 'em they're there ! In my humble opinion to see that beautiful UH-1B approaching at treetop height, with the dust and bush thrashing about - I reckon it was God 'posonified', I could'a wept ?

Hi there POIROT...

Your account of your troublesome labour in hospital, was truly amazing ? Moreover it was your admission that when things got quite bad, you'd actually 'prayed', that was really poignant. An activity I'd never have thought, you'd even contemplate doing ? I was astonished POIROT, I really was.

You know how with some people, you can almost put a face to them, just by their conversation, their views and opinions, well...? I guess I should quit now, while I'm still ahead ? Good to speak with you again POIROT - I applaud and respect consistency, I really do.

Yes I can understand how you army types would be fond of choppers.

The Navy had those old Wessex things in my day. Quite a few of them broke & went down, taking their crew with them.

I don't like them much, in fact they scare the daylights out of me. If I'm going to fly, like the birds, I want a proper wing to hold me up thanks.

By your way of thinking - It was God that gave you cancer in the first place.
What makes you think that he is going to undo his own deeds?