I'm taking a diversion from my conversation about happiness to talk about earthquakes . . . very briefly. The photo is of me (in the center) at the very epicenter (city of Balakot) in Kashmir, Pakistan right after the 2004 devastating earthquake. The death toll was near what the one in Haiti will be, 80,000 dead. This was taken soon after words. I post this photo simply stating that when I talk about earth quakes . . . it is very personal.
I am a Calvinist, even though most of my old Calvinist friends would say not. While I do believe that God is all powerful, able to adjust the size and shape of an individual atom, I certainly don't believe that God chooses to interfere with the world and the way He has made it.
Christians often paint themselves into a corner. To give meaning to their lives, they start to believe that they are the center of the universe. So ever event happens "for a reason." While this gives some false comfort in the good times, it leaves them in this horrible situation when the bad comes. They must declare that God did it, and then, like the dunce Pat Robertson, but start putting "reasons" onto the situation.
But I think this is part of Christian Dualism. If we appreciated the physical world, the way that God had made it, we know that cause and effect is real. Physics are real. Geological phenomena are real. Surely it is the fall that somehow allows amoral geological shifts to cause so much suffering, but how, I don't know.
I end by saying, I believe that when God looks at Haiti, he is neither powerless nor ruthless. He looks from a position of great power, but with deep compassion. He weeps. Why didn't He intervene and stop the quake? I don't know. But I'm not going to try to second guess the situation but to say that it was a cause and effect of an old earth crust moving and groaning and innocent people got caught in its way.
If any idiot starts saying it was God punishing the Haiti people or God sparing the Christians only crap . . . then I feel sorry for them. They need to go down and pull people from the rubble.
7 comments:
Hi there.
I’m posting this here because I’ve read your blog for quite sometime, and I’ve followed your comments at Michael Spencer’s blog, internetmonk.com. You likely know me from my screen name when I’ve posted there - “rampancy”; I’d prefer email but I haven’t been able to find a way to contact you directly.
I just wanted to tell you how much I really appreciate and value the thoughts you’ve posted about Christianity, belief. They caught my attention ever since several years ago when you mentioned in a comment to an IM post where you mentioned about how, as a missionary doing work in the Middle East, the people at your church had dumped on you in a most vicious way, taking your stress and sadness as a sign that you simply weren’t a “Good Enough Christian”. I’ve been struggling with questions of how my faithfulness and my belief have impacted my “happiness” (and vice versa) and I’ve still yet to find any clear answers. That one particular account of your experience as a missionary though, and how the people at your church treated you has still haunted me though, sticking with me as I try to find some meaning and some happiness in where I am, spiritually.
Thanks for your thoughts, and thanks for giving me the reassurance that yes, I’m not alone, and that yes, it’s okay for me to be a Christian, and feel at least some measure of sadness, frustration, and even depression about it.
Good prediction about Pat Robertson. According to him, the quake was because of the Haitians "pact with the devil". We know God doesn't use natural disasters to punish evil because a tornado hasn't hit Robertsons house yet.
I have been so frustrated by so called Christians explaining the earthquake in Haiti as Gods will. Your comments are so precisly how I feel and I am grateful you are able write what I have had difficulty expressing. Thank you.
Ctenuchid, I guess due to the fact that we had our experience, I've met many others who were missionaries, pastors, pastors' wives, etc. that as soon as they were not a "success story" they were dumped like a hot potato. Somehow as Christians, we have to become more comfortable with failure and non-victoriousness (if there is such a word). Life is rarely "victorious" or "successful."
I really feel bad when I've talked to a missionary, etc. and they are pouring their hearts out about true emotions that they felt . . .then suddenly one day, they tell me how sorry they were for saying those things . . .then put the mask back on.
Notal, I didn't predict as much as HUG pointed out what Roberson had said, in the comments of my previous post.
I will never forget the story in Crazy for God (by Frank Schaeffer) when him and his dad spent the morning with Robertson. It was a normal morning. However, as the make up girl was putting make up on him (and the Schaefers were getting read for an appearance on his show) he started telling this wild (and completely untrue) story about going out to his garage that morning and it was full of snakes. He worked that into some kind of message from God.
The Schaeffers just looked at each other and Francis leaned over and whispered to Frank, "We're dealing with a bunch of fools."
I prefer to call these people EEs for "Evangelical Entertainers" rather to dignify them was "pastor" or even "evangelists" I'm glad the Door deals with them they way they should be dealt with.
We know God doesn't use natural disasters to punish evil because a tornado hasn't hit Robertsons house yet. -- NOTAL
No, that's because God reserves that for the Three Official Sins: Abortion, Homosexuality, and Evolution. And God's Anointed Housepets will always be there with their Bibles and TV hookups pointing this out.
I have been so frustrated by so called Christians explaining the earthquake in Haiti as Gods will. -- Anon
Inshal'lah...
I've met many others who were missionaries, pastors, pastors' wives, etc. that as soon as they were not a "success story" they were dumped like a hot potato. -- MJ
My writing partner (a burned-out country pastor) tells me that in his denomination, pastors' widows routinely have to eat out of dumpsters, offers of "I'll pray for you" notwithstanding.
And remember how they kill the fatted calf and shout from all the rooftops every time they have a CELEBRITY Convert. And then put the CELEBRITY Convert on the Christian TV and Personal Appearance circuit until said CELEBRITY Convert burns out. "Just Like South Park's Brittney Spears Episode, Except CHRISTIAN (TM)!"
Somehow as Christians, we have to become more comfortable with failure and non-victoriousness (if there is such a word). Life is rarely "victorious" or "successful." -- MJ
Unless you listen to Official Christian Testimonies (TM), that is.
Is there any place for the rest of us? The messed-up, the defective, the losers, the gamers, the fans, the furries?
Headless Unicorn Guy
The "Deal with the Devil" Robertson cited refers to a Haitian LEGEND called "The Bokuman Contract".
I first heard about this legend during the 1990s, when a rumor made the rounds that Bill Clinton had thrown in with the loa (on the advice of a houngan) to ensure re-election and as his part of the bargain did not change his underwear for the entire 1996 campaign.
And it's not just Pat Robertson who needs to be punched in the throat. CELEBRITY Danny Glover went in front of the media to claim that the Haiti Earthquake was caused by (dum dum da dummmm) GLOBAL WARMING! (God didn't do it, Mother Gaia did to punish us!)
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