Steve Jobs on God: Did Cancer Make Him a Believer?

[Danno 1,228]

Mon, Oct. 24, 2011 Posted: 01:12 PM EDT

Steve Jobs, the genius behind the multi-billion dollar Apple consumer electronics company, was thinking more about the existence of God and the afterlife before his untimely death at 56, according to a biography of his life that was released Monday.

Jobs was never known to be particularly spiritual or devout, especially when it came to the more popular religions, although he did claim to lean towards Buddhism.

During one Stanford commencement address, he said, “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking.”

Cancer would ultimately force Jobs to reexamine his stance with mortality, faith, and healing, however.

In 2003, the creative mastermind was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Instead of having the recommended surgery, Jobs tried a variety of alternative treatments, including a special macrobiotic diet, acupuncture, and sequencing the DNA of his tumor to design Jobs-specific medication. The treatments were purported to cost around $100,000, according to the biography Steve Jobs.

Eventually, because he was “wasting away,” Jobs had the liver transplant necessary to save his life, according to Jobs’ biographer Walter Isaacson. Coincidentally, like the development of Apple’s products, the procedure was kept secret.

Because the cancer had already metastasized to the surrounding tissue, Jobs regretted his choice to avoid the transplant for so long.

In the face of an uncertain future, Jobs opened up to Isaacson about his thoughts on God.

“Sometimes I believe in God, sometimes I don’t. I think it’s 50-50 maybe,” Jobs is quoted in Steve Jobs as saying. “But ever since I’ve had cancer, I’ve been thinking about it more. And I find myself believing a bit more. I kind of-maybe it’s cause I want to believe in an afterlife. That when you die, it doesn’t just all disappear. The wisdom you’ve accumulated. Somehow it lives on.”

Jobs battled pancreatic cancer for almost eight years before finally succumbing. This is even more significant considering the one year survival rates for most victims is 25 percent, according to the American Cancer Society.

In the face of Jobs’ sickness and subsequent death, feelings about Apple’s future were unclear.

However, Apple stock and sales - especially since the release of the iPhone 4S on October 14 - have been strong as the company recovers.

Jobs told CNN in 2008, “I mean, some people say, ‘Oh, God, if [Jobs] got run over by a bus, Apple would be in trouble,’… but there are really capable people at Apple… My job is to make the whole executive team good enough to be successors, so that’s what I try to do.”

Daniel Distant

Christian Post Contributor

Copyright © Christianpost.com. All rights reserved.

http://global.christianpost.com/news/steve-jobs-on-god-did-cancer-make-him-a-believer-59141/

[rsn 135]

And here's the rest of his statement on the afterlife:

The he paused for a second and he said ‘yeah, but sometimes I think it's just like an on-off switch. Click and you're gone.’ He said—and paused again, and he said, "And that's why I don't like putting on-off switches on Apple devices."

[Danno 1,228]

And here's the rest of his statement on the afterlife:

Apparently he made no commitment either way (that we know of), of course it's possible he acknowledged God in the end but one has to wonder what merit that would have as even Satan is in that category.

[웃 910]

Cancer making someone believe in an all-loving Creator.

Proof God is real. I was diagnosed with cancer last week!

[faust-yusov 103]

I prefer:

"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."

- Steve Jobs

[Danno 1,228]

Cancer making someone believe in an all-loving Creator.

Proof God is real. I was diagnosed with cancer last week!

I would imagine when one comes close to a slow death and time is available to reflect on things, anyone would do exactly that.

Those who have faith may question it and those with out may consider it.....seems a normal reaction to me, don't fancy yourself a Super Man my friend.. few of us are.

[웃 910]

I would imagine when one comes close to a slow death and time is available to reflect on things, anyone would do exactly that.

Those who have faith may question it and those with out may consider it.....seems a normal reaction to me, don't fancy yourself a Super Man my friend.. few of us are.

Don't make me post God's track record. The worst track record in the history of this earth. And these stats are only in the US! The amount of hunger and poor that is so abundant under the Perfect All-Loving Governor God is truly pathetic and infinitely worse than Osama, Mao, and Hitler combined. If She was real (which She is not) She would have a lot of explaining to do.

About 1,596,670 new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed

in 2011. This estimate does not include carcinoma in situ (non­

invasive cancer) of any site except urinary bladder, and does not

include basal and squamous cell skin cancers, which are not

required to be reported to cancer registries.

In 2011, about 571,950 Americans are expected to die of cancer,

more than 1,500 people a day. Cancer is the second most com­

mon cause of death in the US, exceeded only by heart disease. In

the US, cancer accounts for nearly 1 of every 4 deaths.

The American Cancer Society

estimates that in 2011 about 171,600 cancer deaths are expected

to be caused by tobacco use. Scientific evidence suggests that

about one-third of the 571,950 cancer deaths expected to occur in

2011 will be related to overweight or obesity, physical inactivity,

and poor nutrition and thus could also be prevented.

In addition, many of the more than 2 million skin cancers that

are diagnosed annually could be pre­ ented by protection from

the sun's rays and avoiding indoor tanning.

How Many People Alive Today Have

Ever Had Cancer?

The National Cancer Institute estimates that approximately 11.7

million Americans with a history of cancer were alive in January

2007. Some of these individuals were cancer­free, while others

still had evidence of cancer and may have been undergoing

treatment.

http://www.cancer.or...ts-figures-2011

Edited October 29, 2011 by Lord Infamous

[Danno 1,228]

Don't make me post God's track record. The worst track record in the history of this earth. And these stats are only in the US! The amount of hunger and poor that is so abundant under the Perfect All-Loving Governor God is truly pathetic and infinitely worse than Osama, Mao, and Hitler combined. If She was real (which She is not) She would have a lot of explaining to do.

http://www.cancer.or...ts-figures-2011

I thought we had this elementary lesson before?

Nowhere in the Biblical Christian doctrine does it suggest God is going to over ride the will of man and the effects of nature to create heaven on earth.

It is a basic concept of Christianity that this is an imperfect world complete with thorns and thistles and cancers and war.

IN many ways it is... what we have made it. The good news is when you look around your city and indeed the world you will often find where suffering exists, there also are people of Faith giving of themselves to

ease that weight.

Go to your local soup kitchen, rehab center, private orphanage, food pantry and most other such agencies, they are either served by people of faith

or supported completely by institutions of faith

no matter what it might be.

One thing I think we can agree on is: One of us is right..... there either is a God or their isn't, we don't get to make up our own reality after death.

No one I know embraces faith as an "insurance policy" nor am I aware of anyone who clings to God out of fear of Hell (as you has supposed before).

People can take on religious habits out of tradition but Most people feel a genuine drawing towards God, that you don't feel it is unfortunate yet your time here is not over yet my friend... and who knows, you would not be the first Non believer to have a change of heart.

I admire that you refuse to be a plastic-believer but on the other hand don't be so rigid in your atheism that God can't not draw you.

[웃 910]

I thought we had this elementary lesson before?

Nowhere in the Biblical Christian doctrine does it suggest God is going to over ride the will of man and the effects of nature to create heaven on earth.

It is a basic concept of Christianity that this is an imperfect world complete with thorns and thistles and cancers and war.

Where in the bible does it mention that 25% of mankind will be plagued from God with cancer and slowly rot to a painful death.

The effects of nature? Didn't She create nature? I go back to a simple thought experiment. You are God. You take a massive cardboard box. Maybe 10x the size of a refrigerator box. You fill 2/3rds of it with water and put 7 frisbies upside down to represent the continents....Every day you breath fire on certain continents (volcanoes)....You shake the living ###### out of 1 frisby (earthquake).....You blow as hard as you can on another 1 (tornadoes, hurricanes, and tsunamis).

And BILLIONS die over the decades from these "natural" God created effects of nature.

This doesn't include the lack of "natural" resources in many areas, for example Africa. Too much sun. Too arid for proper vegetation. This is not an intelligent design.

Use that noggin' She gave you to think it through!

The will of man?

Face it. God's track record is pathetic. She is the worst Global President and SHE MUST BE IMPEACHED!!!!

• Almost half the world — over 3 billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day.
• The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of the 41 Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (567 million people) is less than the wealth of the world’s 7 richest people combined.
• Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.
• 1 billion children live in poverty (1 in 2 children in the world). 640 million live without adequate shelter, 400 million have no access to safe water, 270 million have no access to health services. 10.6 million died in 2003 before they reached the age of 5 (or roughly 29,000 children per day).

Some 21,000 children die every day around the world.

That is equivalent to:

• 1 child dying every 4 seconds
• Just under 7.6 million children dying every year
• Some 92 million children dying between 2000 and 2010

[Danno 1,228]

Just wondering, why do you keep referring to a god you don't believe is as "She"?