Greetings
So, today I was talking to my sunday school kids about 2 Corinthians where Paul is writing about tribulation and having comfort in our tribulations. I told them about a PBS episode of Frontline that I had just watched this week where the filmmakers asked some of the survivors and family members of those who died on 9/11 where they thought God was when the tragedy happened. I asked the kids (15-16 year olds) where they thought God was when the planes went into the buildings, and without even skipping a beat one of the kids looked a little teary eyed and said, "In the building."
I looked at her and said, "I hope so, too."
It was interesting to hear the people in this program talk about their faith and express their honest feelings about what they had personally been through in terms of their belief and faith in God. It isn't for me to judge them or to say that a short snippet of film is an accurate representation of their life and accumulated beliefs over time. Nevertheless I couldn't help but wonder, as I have for the past 10 years, is why some people seem to think this is a tragic experience specific to the USA and NYC. Do people read and know what is going on around the world, do they have an indication of the past and atrocities that have been carried out throughout history, do they believe that we are somehow immune to extremism and its possibilities?
I say this because I've heard people make comments about how they didn't ever think this or that could happen, and how they don't understand how God could let something like this happen AS IF people have never experienced horrific calamities before this incident. I live on the other side of the country from NYC and I am practical and read lots of stuff that maybe other people don't spend time with, is that why I am one to ask, "Why not us?" rather than, "How could this happen?"
Of course, the question itself, "Where was God?" assumes that there was a belief in God at some point. I wonder about the question itself. People asking the question and people responding to it (in this Frontline program) kept saying something like, "How could God allow this to happen?" I wanted to ask them who they thought God was and how they thought He manifested Himself in people's lives. I was curious for something more.
Well, I will stop here and not continue my ramblings and just say that when Paul was writing about tribulation and comfort he said that we are to comfort one another. Whether or not someone believes in God they can still reach out and offer comfort to someone who is in pain. Our own experience with tribulation teaches us how it feels to suffer, grieve, lose our faith for a moment or perhaps longer, and we have more empathy and compassion for others who suffer.
carry on
I looked at her and said, "I hope so, too."
It was interesting to hear the people in this program talk about their faith and express their honest feelings about what they had personally been through in terms of their belief and faith in God. It isn't for me to judge them or to say that a short snippet of film is an accurate representation of their life and accumulated beliefs over time. Nevertheless I couldn't help but wonder, as I have for the past 10 years, is why some people seem to think this is a tragic experience specific to the USA and NYC. Do people read and know what is going on around the world, do they have an indication of the past and atrocities that have been carried out throughout history, do they believe that we are somehow immune to extremism and its possibilities?
I say this because I've heard people make comments about how they didn't ever think this or that could happen, and how they don't understand how God could let something like this happen AS IF people have never experienced horrific calamities before this incident. I live on the other side of the country from NYC and I am practical and read lots of stuff that maybe other people don't spend time with, is that why I am one to ask, "Why not us?" rather than, "How could this happen?"
Of course, the question itself, "Where was God?" assumes that there was a belief in God at some point. I wonder about the question itself. People asking the question and people responding to it (in this Frontline program) kept saying something like, "How could God allow this to happen?" I wanted to ask them who they thought God was and how they thought He manifested Himself in people's lives. I was curious for something more.
Well, I will stop here and not continue my ramblings and just say that when Paul was writing about tribulation and comfort he said that we are to comfort one another. Whether or not someone believes in God they can still reach out and offer comfort to someone who is in pain. Our own experience with tribulation teaches us how it feels to suffer, grieve, lose our faith for a moment or perhaps longer, and we have more empathy and compassion for others who suffer.
carry on
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