I must admit that a close friend floored me last weekend with a simple two-word question. We usually have a meeting every Sunday where we discuss all things political. Right out of the clear blue in the middle of a discussion he asked, “Where’s God?” I was left speechless to say the least.
That question has remained stuck inside my mind as I have discovered more people are asking the same question.
When one looks at our planet, a little terrestrial sphere that seems so vulnerable when viewed from space, one must wonder why we are still here. A massive tsunami that destroyed hundreds of villages and families, an earthquake that killed nearly 100,000 people and a hurricane that wiped towns right off the map here in the United States certainly are reasons enough to believe that God has abandoned us for sure.
Who would have thought that in our lifetimes we would witness the destruction of a city like New Orleans? And there are other examples that the Apocalypse, the grand climax, is at hand. Just the headlines in a few papers that I read this morning would put the fear of God into many people. One states that the United States lacks vaccines and antibiotics as new diseases occur that we have no defense against. Another that scares me – as I had stated exactly the same idea long ago – is that strains of genetically modified crops are contaminating other crops, even organically grown crops. That alone could signal the end of crops that have been grown for centuries. We all see stories on the shortages with oil and natural gas which probably will have a great impact on all of us this winter. Another story describes the carnage caused by the rioting in Paris which is spreading throughout Europe, though some have stated it’s about time France gets what it deserves.
Please don’t try to conclude that I am against religion because the opposite is true. As a young boy I was an altar boy at Saint Mary’s Episcopalian Church in White River Junction, Vermont. At least I was until one midnight Christmas Mass when I fell asleep at the altar which embarrassed my father so much that my career as an altar boy was terminated.
As an infantryman being shot at with machine gun bullets, mortars and rockets and hugging the ground so close that a flea couldn’t crawl between me and this precious Earth, you had best believe I did a whole lot of praying and I am not the least hesitant to say so. I am sure that there are many people praying today as they watch the news only to see so much death and destruction.
Of course, there is talk of the great plague that will sweep our Earth and destroy all. Is that what the Avian Flu (bird flu as some call it) will become? A huge plague of viruses that finally terminate the human race? There are those who call the Apocalypse the Revelation, a Grand Climax at Hand, and just maybe that is true. In the end there is always hope and prayer. Those who have been unfortunate because of natural disasters must be helped in order to survive and hopefully we do a better job next time. We can help those around here in Maine that are in need and donating helps not only them but all those give.
Do I ask that same question, “Where’s God?” I certainly will if voters don’t reject the Gay Rights legislation and our governor comes out in support of gay marriage, but that’s another story.
“The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.” Thomas Jefferson.
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