theological stewing/babbling re the Amish incident

[johncomic]

The Amish school shooting is still filling a lot of the news, and I've run into this quote more than once, talking about the ones who asked to go first in hopes of maybe saving the younger ones:

"It was very courageous of the girls to offer themselves," Rhoads said. "God was really present to give the girls that kind of courage."

Normally I tend to see responses like the following to be petty, but this time I find I can't help myself: if God was "present" giving the girls "courage", I'd rather that He saved all their lives instead, or better yet never let them get into a mess like that in the first place, seeing as He was there anyway.

All my life I've heard the theological arguments about why you can't really blame God for what goes wrong in the world. Well now I'm wondering if we're really obligated to give Him credit for what goes right all the time. I mean, maybe He didn't give those older girls their courage under fire. Maybe they already had it themselves. If we're gonna give credit for courage, why not credit the girls?

This whole business about man being responsible for his own sinful choices for all the sutff he does wrong, but "glory be to God" for all the good sutff man does... strikes me as a mean, bitter game right now. I was raised on that game, so I recognize it all too well. Talk about stacking the deck. Talk about "ya can't win 'n' yer licked before ya start". That sucks.

If we're really gonna hold God selectively responsible for what happens [i.e., only the good sutff], we end up in the pitiable position of being thankful for disaster -- thankful that it wasn't even worse. Like if your dad beats you senseless and you respond by thanking him for not breaking any bones...

My answer [at the moment, as I free-associate over the keyboard] is that God doesn't actually hands-on micromanage reality to the extent many of us were taught. A lotta sutff happens cuz it happens. We do what we do cuz we do it. He gets no blame -- and no credit. Simpler all round. And maybe truer, too.

Comments

[mister-f.livejournal.com]

I can't help but to think about Zappa's take on God: "Dumb all over, a little ugly on the side"

[traypup.livejournal.com]

is this Rhoads person one of the Amish?
I look at it this way --- if this is how s/he has to think to be able to sleep at night, then so be it. We all have to find our own way of dealing with this crap that works for each individual. As long as that method of dealing doesn't mean going out and taking another life or terrorizing someone else, etc., of course.

All each of us can do is try to make our little section of this world even a tiny bit better. If God enters into it, great. If God doesn't enter into it, that's fine too.

[johncomic.livejournal.com]

if this is how s/he has to think to be able to sleep at night, then so be it.

A wise point.

I guess part of what I'm saying here is that, after decades of being taught that "thinking that way" is a one-size-fits-all approach to life, I find it doesn't work for me.

[traypup.livejournal.com]

I see what you're saying.

I was thinking about this more today and I think there are plenty of people who take the good and the bad and credit it to God's will, as well as choices people make. However, I think you hear more of "it's God's will" when something bad happens because people need some sort of reassurance and some way to deal with the event.

No, we don't hear as many "Praise God He's So Good" statements when the stock market goes up or whatever because that doesn't make for good TV.

The thing that freaks me out is when someone says something like "hurricane Katrina was God's way of punishing those evil people in New Orleans" or similar. (Yes, I've heard that said! crazy! I think this event in PA contradicts that theory.)

Personally, I've been trying desperately to find the good in each bad thing, because I really believe that's why the bad stuff happens. Families and communities become closer when these tragedies occur. And really, can you imagine how much more overpopulated our planet would be if nobody died because of Acts of God and War? yipes.

So, with the event here in Colorado, all of these stories about Emily? About how sweet and kind she was and how her last "words" via text message to her parents was "I love you guys" and this big Random Acts of Kindness wave? All of that came out of the death of one girl. What a powerful thought that is.

And with the Amish? How the families of the victims have already forgiven the shooter and are even supportive of his wife and kids. What an example!

And THAT is why bad things happen. It sucks that they happen, but they are gifts in their own way.

I recently had a discussion with my mom about prayer. she actually saw my point of view, which shocked me. I said that I don't do the "please God fix this or make this better" prayer anymore. He's already got a plan and knows far more than I do about ANYTHING. But what I do do is the "please give me strength to deal with this" and "help x's family cope with this horrible tragedy" and things of that ilk. But I think that's another topic.