molly.com
Tuesday 28 December 2004
acts of god
EACH DAY I count my blessings because it helps me remember how many blessings I have. But watching the death toll rise so dramatically due to the earthquake and tsunami waves in Asia has left me bereft enough that I can’t even come up with something pithy to say about any topic other than this: Treasure what you have, tomorrow it may be gone.
In the meantime, I question God and shake my fist to a perfect Arizona sky. I look inside and ask myself the tough questions:
- Is loss of this magnitude just proof that any order in the chaos is truly mere speculation?
- Are we supposed to be humbled and turn to whatever faith we might possess to carry us through times like these?
- Why am I so selfish to think that my need for food, drink, sex and intellectual stimulation means anything important?
- How can I find and give comfort at a time when nothing I am, nothing I do, nothing I have seems enough to staunch the blood of so many sorrows?
Is it selfish or reasonable for me to wonder about the existence of God and the true meaning of faith at a time like this?
Filed under: faith(less)
Posted by: Molly | 1:59 pm |
December 28th, 2004 at 2:18 pm
I think many people feel as you do and that’s partially why things are so quiet. But the human spirit is nothing if not resilient and so while many are dead and dying, others eat, drink, laugh, make love. Or in your case, using your intelligence and good sense and warm, caring center to think about your faith, and yes even question what it means when acts such as this occur.
Whatever you do, don’t shy away from life because others have died. Oddly enough, just before hearing of this event, in fact while this event was happening, I wrote that life is itself a memorial, and perhaps the only truely worthwhile one at that.
Hang in, kiddo, and take care.
December 28th, 2004 at 3:01 pm
It is so easy to turn around and blame (not saying you are, but many are). However, what if you were to find out that there was a choice made between one of many possible disasters… and that, though this one is quite horrific, another more deadly one was averted altogether. Some of us would be willing to give our own lives to save thousands. Some of us aren’t asked, but may, in time, find out the sacrifice made. Maybe, just maybe, the loss of life at this time avoided a greater tragedy later. Who are we to decide what is an atrocity without knowing why?
Know this… I, too, wonder… but consider many possibilities.
December 28th, 2004 at 3:33 pm
It is true that events like this earthquake and the resulting tidal wave were horrific. All I ask is that you ask yourself, “do I know more than God in this matter?”
God knows about all of the pain and suffering, all over the world and yet, he permits these monsterous disasters to take place. We do not understand God’s ways, and should not try to 2nd guess Him. It is terrible for the thousands of families affected.
All I can say for certain is that God cares for each one who died, and also for those who grieve. Let us do what we can to help the survivors to get their lives back together as soon as possible.
Whether your help is financial, spiritual (prayer support), or physical labor, may your help and support be felt in the spirit of the holiday we just celebrated!
December 28th, 2004 at 3:52 pm
Hey Molly,
I hear what your saying. I’m very thankful I don’t have relatives or friends over there experiencing what just happened. And I feel a deep sorrow for those who do.
With regard to questioning God—I think God likes questions. Because if you have a question you tend to seek for the answer. The Bible says “Seek and ye shall find…”. I truly believe God exists. I look at this world around me and I am astounded out it’s magnificence and it’s wonderful detail. I know in my heart that no accident could’ve produced this. I look at my wife and no that she was designed by the Creator. I mean she’s so perfect for me! I look at my life and see all of the people I can positively influence and that I was made for such a time as this. I think it’s ok to question God so long as you are really after the truth because if that’s the case you will find the truth. But if we question God to simply put the blame somewhere then we do ourselves a disservice.
One thing I keep in mind is that death is a part of life. If we didn’t have death we wouldn’t appreciate life. It’s important that we respect life. Life is a balance.
Too many people blame God for their problems and yet give Him no credit for the good in their lives.
December 28th, 2004 at 7:32 pm
Why does God let terrible things happen is a question that many people ask. I used to it ask it myself. My wife recently rented a movie produced by Hallmark titled Love Comes Softly and in it there is an excellent answer to your question. You should rent the movie. I’ve never heard the questioned answered so beautifully. I could attempt to paraphrase the answer here but the movie does so much better than I could.
December 28th, 2004 at 7:53 pm
I guess there are just these kind of tough questions in life with no easy answers. We in Asia, for example, have the same tough (if not tougher) questions as these to ask ourselves as we face and sometimes personally experience these challenges often daily.
But what keeps me going, personally, is the realization that faith is not about what we believe in but rather on whom we believe in. I believe in the Christian God of the Bible - and that comforts me - for He is bigger than our problems. I know this faith can not explain the difficult questions away nor can it give the answers to life’s tough questions (like why does it happen to us here in Asia?) - but I do know that faith makes us trust God through all these things and has answers to them - which I am sure He will answer in His time.
It’s nice to hear there are other people like you in your country who has concern for others in this part of the world. While I feel sorrow for what had happend in our Asian neighbors - and often fear the what if it happens to us here scenarios - the likes of you is a living proof of our hope that the Lord has His other people to pull us through.
December 28th, 2004 at 8:28 pm
if you believe that the only god is nature, then it all makes perfect sense; you have no reason to look for reason
December 28th, 2004 at 8:44 pm
Reasonable. I asked very much the same questions two decades ago, as the result of a much smaller and more personal tragedy. You probably know, basically, the answers at which I arrived. That’s not to say mine are the right answers.
Also selfish. You might well ask, “Who am I to demand that the universe make any sense?” To search for meaning in this (or any other) circumstance is in many ways demanding that the meaning be there, simply so that its existence may comfort us, even if we can’t grasp it. If we can say that God has a plan, or that events such as these are of his doing, then we can be comforted that God exists. Of course, then we have to shrug and say that while we don’t understand why God’s plan involves such massive pain, suffering, and death, there must be a good reason for it. And to question the reasons is often regarded as blasphemy.
I wish you all the luck in grappling with these issues. They are, in many ways, the questions that make us human.
December 29th, 2004 at 2:49 am
I believe that we must look at this event as a sobering example of our true place in the cosmos. Our perception that we are at the top of the foodchain on this planet makes events like this seem unreal, unjust. How many animals died during this event? No one asks. Just how many humans. My point is that we are tempted to make ourselves, or a god with our interests in mind, the center of the universe. This kind of occurence makes it clear that we or he/she, is no such thing. Natural laws hold us all subject to physics and chance.
December 29th, 2004 at 8:33 am
Sorry if this is a little cryptic but when I wrestle the exact issue you are I focus on these verses.
I guess however I am making the assumption that you might care what the bible has to say about this issue.
Isaiah 64:8
Yet, O LORD , you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.
Isaiah 29:16
You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, “He did not make me”? Can the pot say of the potter, “He knows nothing”?
# Romans 9:21
Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?
December 29th, 2004 at 8:42 am
Warren just put it admirably. If God exists, He certainly didn’t intend the universe to be our little paradise. For the most part, it is a very hostile place. Cold deep space or cold deep oceans, we can shake our head at the meaning of all of this, but it is quite a miracle that our specie is still around. We should all feel humbled for that.
We are all going to move on with our selfish life, not because we have no compassion for our neighbor, but because it is our natural defense mechanism against what would be otherwise an unbearable and constant state of despair and grief.
All we can do is to be at peace with ourselves, and lend a helping hand.
December 29th, 2004 at 1:50 pm
The answers to your questions can be found in a little tiny book by John Eldredge titled “Epic : The Story God Is Telling and the Role That Is Yours to Play”. I don’t have the ISBN but it can be found at Amazon.com.
December 29th, 2004 at 2:29 pm
Eric, Questioning God is not blasphemy. We all do it. It’s part of our humanity. None of us can know what He knows. None of us can see what He sees. And there for we question Him. But as I said before, if we are questioning Him with a serious intent to seek an answer I believe He will reveal it to us.
Personally, I don’t believe in God so I can feel comforted and feel warm fuzzies. I believe because I know there is more than what we see. There is more beyond this physical world. The earth shouts to me that there is a God. The detail in our own bodies tells me that there is a God. I can’t believe that this life I have is an accident. If I did it would be meaningless and worth nothing.
No, I know deep in my heart that there is a God. And questioning Him is part of life. But that’s where faith comes in. Knowing that He knows what’s best for us and cares about us the most.
It was sin that entered the world through the choice of man that allowed pain and death into this world. We can’t blame God for something we brought on ourselves. But I suppose if you don’t believe in God then you need to explain it a different way.
December 29th, 2004 at 4:10 pm
I questioned God, and now I am 50% Christian, 25% Buddhist, and 25% Atheist. For example, I believe Jesus was a historical figure but I don’t believe he performed miracles or was the son of God. Religious types feel natural disasters are caused by God, Atheists tend to think it’s just a bunch of stuff that happened. In this case, I feel it’s the latter.
December 29th, 2004 at 5:48 pm
I subscribe to no religion and would describe myself as an atheist if I could only bring myself to believe in atheism. I would imagine that it is at times like this that any true believer should be asking why etc.
For me it brings the extreme fragility of life into sharp focus. It reminds me to experience and enjoy every moment. To savour as many details as possible, to take every opportunity to learn something new.
December 29th, 2004 at 9:48 pm
My roommate, who has a Doctorate in Bible Studies, says that the more questions you ask, the more truth is revealed to you. Not sure it applies in this example, but I’m sure it does.
December 30th, 2004 at 4:16 am
One of my wife’s friends confirmed dead in South Thailand, others still missing, and all members of the same Church. To me, I can believe in a Creator, but (s)he cleared off a long time ago. My wife feels differently, and that it’s all part of some grand plan. I see no plan, just randomness.
December 30th, 2004 at 7:58 pm
While it is my belief mankind will never have the words to comfort those affected by tragedies like the recent earthquake. There is some comfort in knowing that most of humanity shares deep feelings of sorrow and grief, for such a tragic loss of life.
I do find it curious, however, that we always tend to refer to events like this, as Acts of God. I believe that God exists and there-fore I must also admit, that Satan exists. So why is it we always seem to blame God? One constant in tragedies is that for some reason we always seem to question God and our faith in him. Is it possible that some other power is trying to tear us away from God?
January 6th, 2005 at 4:17 pm
heaven is a place everyone knows and even if your not a person who has faith right now you will always believe that your loved ones are safe and waiting for you in heaven
January 7th, 2005 at 1:58 pm
Still getting my own head around this, but here are some things I consider relevant:
1) 100K dead? Sort of like Iraq. Also, don’t thousands die every day, children losing parents and parents children in all kinds of senseless and brutal ways, just in the natural course of events? Perhaps this is as much a trick of perception as anything else?
2) Someone once explained to me, in terms that made sense at the time which I have ever since tried to remember with varying degrees of success, that the fact that random uncontrollable things happen in life is, counterintuitively enough, what makes it possible for us to make choices and exercise some degree of control over our own destiny…that God (or Whatever you believe in) has voluntarily surrendered what could have been absolute control over the Universe for Hir own reasons, which amounts to giving sentient beings free will.
3) A lot of Fundies of every denomination imaginable have been jumping on the God-willed-it-because-humanity-is-so-sinful bandwagon. One conservative commentator has opined that this proves that those who worship Nature have to be wackos because nothing worthy of worhip could be so thoughtlessly cruel:
http://www.illinoisleader.com/columnists/columnistsview.asp?c=21713
This guy’s a self-confessed Lush Rimjob fan, so go figure.
4) I see two different kinds of faith: The common or garden variety, where one insists on a belief in the face of evidence to the contrary, or at least lack of evidence in favor. The other kind is harder to describe: It’s more of an active surrender to the unknown, a willing embrace of the fact that the Universe is infinite and the mind that beholds, finite.
5) This disaster has given people on opposite sides of some conflicts that have killed far more an opportunity to set aside their differences and work towards a common goal. Some are doing this, others are exploiting this disaster to further their agendas (see #4 above.)
Break’s over, back to my interrupted interruptions…
January 8th, 2005 at 3:04 am
People are less and less able to understand and react appropriately; minds are poisoned with anti-God, anti-Bible, humanistic garbage… read the bible, we are in the last days. Self will become God if God is not God. No wonder the world is so messed up - the blind are leading the blind. Christians there’s a great job to be done!
What has the tsunami done as well? Great and wonderful things are happening. People are waking up, they look up from their selfcentred and comfortable lives, many hurt with the hurting, weep with the weeping, they start thinking; compassion, action, talking, discussing, giving, helping, planning, working together, becoming aware of all kinds of problems in the asian disaster area, new doors open, opportunities are given…. It is not ‘who is to blame’ but ‘how do I respond’ : GOD IS GOD AND WE ARE NOT!
Nellie
January 10th, 2005 at 11:33 pm
Gotta hang on to life like Grim Death. Because Grim Death is waiting, somewhere, somewhen, to take you away to somewhere else. Not meant as awful as it sounds. More elegantly, maybe, nothing is promised to any of us.
January 12th, 2005 at 2:42 pm
Mankind rejected Gods rule way back at the start. God set the bounds and Adam broached them with the prompting of a rebel angel. We think we can do better than God at ruling ourselves and we have been given millennia to prove it.
So now we are stuck in a world ruled by rebels who don’t mind at all if we blame God for the mess we have made of this planet and our relationships with one another.
It is my theory that melting this planets ice caps is re-distributing the pressure of millions of tones of water/ice to the equator. It’s rather like squeezing a cracked boiled egg in one direction and then squeezing it from another, of course there are going to be tectonic shifts, and more of them, just as the bible prophesises:-
January 12th, 2005 at 10:54 pm
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February 5th, 2006 at 1:22 pm
I’m a bit puzzled! I see my name attached to a reply to a question on your site. Can this be traced? I have not sent this. Maybe there is someone with the same name?
Nellie Frölich
March 7th, 2006 at 3:33 am
According to Hindu philosophy, we create our own destinies by our KARMA (deeds).We are paid for our Karmas- Good or Bad in the same measure.
Karma is a concept which explains CAUSALITY through a system where beneficial events are derived from past beneficial actions and harmful events from past harmful actions.This a system of actions and reactions which persists in spite of the presence of GOD.
God metes out rewards and punishment only in consideration of the specific actions of beings. God is all merciful and His grace can overcome or mitigate the Karma of man. So it is important for us to seek Him.
Yet the misery and suffering caused by disasters like Tsunami cannot be undermined. The Tragedy Remains!
It is our unshakeable faith in God that keeps us going through bad times like this. Let my prayers give a healing touch to those who suffered.
May 20th, 2006 at 6:40 am
[…] A recent article posted at Molly.Com about the tragic earthquake and how events like these cause us to question our beliefs. After reading the many comments. I was compelled to respond. Here is what I had to say. While it is my belief mankind will never have the words to comfort those affected by tragedies like the recent earthquake. There is some comfort in knowing that most of humanity shares deep feelings of sorrow and grief, for such a tragic loss of life. […]
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