What if God was…?
On Friday one of our employees had his 19 voestsak VW Passat car stolen. He is a faithful and committed believer. He was carrying out a good deed by helping out some one less fortunate then him. He did not deserve this to happen to him. He cannot afford a new used vehicle so now he has to walk everywhere and be dependant on other means of transport. Why did this happen to him? Where were God and his horde of guardian angles that are supposed to look after believers? Where they asleep? Why must God always work through someone or something, can he not adopt a more hands on approach.
We read on News 24 almost daily horrific cases of child abuse, family murders, farm murders, animal abuse, politicians stealing millions from the poor, corruption on a grand scale, crooked cops, etc yet some people have the gall to say that God is in control. Which one? There are brutal, mean, sick people in this world and there is no deity who stops them or intervenes for an innocent child who is abused, a poor Rhino killed for money, murdered old people who are the salt of the earth, etc. Case closed. Finish and klaar. I rest my luggage.
Being a sceptical orientated individual I find it difficult to look to the unseen to provide comfort and protection from the evils of this world. Many people in my past who are intelligent individuals believe that God is in control and this delusion gives them much comfort. I sometimes wish I could still believe like that, and on the other hand, I think it is ridiculous and harmful to believe such a thing. I want to do two different things at once; believe with them, and then rebuke them for how could they believe that a loving deity would just sit back and observe all the evil things that beset South Africans daily and do absolutely nothing about them.
Therefore are we not entitled to question this childlike trust, when life throws a curve ball and it becomes painfully obvious that God is not in control, for bad things happen to; good and bad people, innocent children, defenceless wild and domestic animals, etc.? Are god and the angels lost or asleep, where is a good deity and his helpers when you need them?
I’m sure the faith full will have an answer as they know all the answers as they are so certain that they have the absolute truth – which is insane. But in the real world there is nothing that can explain away, or rationalize, or trivialize child abuse, or any other form of human suffering like the millions that live in abject poverty in South Africa or those stricken with and dying from AIDS, TB and other preventable diseases. One of the biggest problems with some in religion is that they tend to minimise and excuse suffering instead of dealing head on with it like unbelievers have to. Every tragedy is an opportunity when you're an evangelical waiting to swoop in and harvest souls when all people really need are there basic physiological needs to be met.
Alanis Morissette - “What If God Was One Of Us”
Yeah, Yeah, God is great
Yeah, Yeah, God is good
Yeah Yeah yeah yeah yeah
What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Trying to make his way home
If God had a face
What would it look like?
And would you want to see
If seeing meant that you would have to believe
In things like heaven and Jesus and the saints
and all the Prophets
Yeah Yeah God is great
Yeah Yeah God is good
Yeah Yeah yeah yeah yeah
What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Trying to make his way home
Just trying to make his way home
Back up to Heaven all alone
Nobody callin' on the phone
cept for the Pope maybe in Rome
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