God and earthquakes.

In my morning newspaper (the Otago Daily Times) a columnist writes about God and earthquakes. He rubbishes belief in God and makes a plea for no religion wrapped up with civic ceremonies and state functions. Now I often appreciate what Joe Bennett has to say. I also have a tendency to say don't wrap religion in state civic ceremonies etc. also. I would say, if you do, do it in such a way that others can own it. e.g. When I take a wedding or funeral I often turn my prayers into affirmations and introduce them as an "affirmation or prayer" so that everyone can own what is going on. I think it is polite and respectful to do so. Actually from my point of view as a minister who has sometimes been forced into doing civic type religious bits, I would be happy not to have to do them. I don't like leading in "prayer" and have non-believing councillors dragging themselves to their feet, fiddling with pens and looking at the roof. I would rather not waste my breathe and my time frankly! (Even though I try to do it in a "universal inclusive" way, they hear or read "prayer" on the agenda and switch off already. ... ignorant sods!)

Anyway that is not what I want to blog about. Joe Bennett mocks Christianity saying that we believe in an omnipotent God and say we have a loving God. In the light of the earthquake that claims lives he says we cannot claim those two things. If he is omnipotent and caused or allowed the earthquake, (which caused so many deaths) he cannot be a loving God! He mocks us because we will pull out "the mysterious ways" clause in response to such a complaint. Now I agree with Joe, many Christians have this "old belief". It is easy to mock such a simplistic belief and, dare I say it, in simplistic terms with strong sounding arguments push it aside. But I want to say to him, get up to date! In 1981 a Jewish Rabbi, Harold Kushner wrote a book called "When bad things happen to good people". In it he unpacks the drama in the book of Job. In summary he says these things:

Everybody in the story wants to believe three things;

1. God is all powerful and responsible for everything that happens.
2. God is a just, kind and compassionate God
3. Job is a good man.

In the story a friend questions number 3. Job questions number 2. Kushner out of his own experience of unfair loss and others' tough experiences in life, questions number 1. (God is all powerful and responsible for everything that happens.)

He concludes that God's power is limited - there are things God can't control. The laws of nature are amoral - they don't differentiate between good and bad.

The thing that gets me is that the "Joe Bennetts" of this world always argue with "popular, old time" religious concepts. They argue as if they are the only intelligent ones who are asking such questions. The author of Job in his "mythological drama" was asking such questions centuries ago. Kushner and other thinkers since then have held onto a concept of God or "the sacred" but have moved on from the old ideas that Bennett is referring to. Many believers have indeed moved past a literal understanding of the Bible! Many are finding new life in old words by looking at scripture with a metaphorical perspective in mind. There are exciting concepts and insights from thinkers like Marcus Borg, Karen Armstrong, Bishop John Spong and others. Have people like Bennett read any of these thinkers? Unfortunately many of the hymns, choruses and the liturgy of the church merely regurgitate these old concepts. Often too the real forward thinkers of the Church are gunned out of the church by lazy, weak clergy and laypeople whose minds do not like going out of their comfort zone. (Often at a "stage 2" level of a 5 stage picture of spiritual development - that style of thinking suits people who run institutions) They are often the people news media quote and allow to comment in their pages.

I am not really into defending God in the earthquake, I believe "He" can look after himself. In my concept of God, he did not cause the earthquake. There is an independence to nature and we humans are just one system among many. What I seek to do is give expression to "God" in the earthquake as many others, believers and non believers are doing. That's one reason I still am wrapped up in "God-bothering" because I see "him" in people, communities and movements. I am still growing and exploring in my concept of the mysterious, sacred reality that is a part of life. Throw out old concepts, but stay open to new ways of talking about the "sacred". Don't chuck "God-talk" out before you have caught up with other recent thinkers. You could be missing out on important aspects of life and reality. Never, though, think you have "Him" all worked out - as some Christians think they have.

Pictures: A friend of ours was visiting Italy and regions around there. She was being taken to historic Churches, with expansive, ornate decorations and interiors. A young man who was showing her around, knew that she was involved in Church life, so asked her, "Do you find God in these places?" He was expecting an affirmative reply... she was "religious" therefore religious places must be sacred for her. "Well actually no." she replied, scared that he would be offended since he was going to some lengths to show her the places. "Where DO you find God then?" he went on. "Well", she replied, "I find him in people and their relationships, love and personality." So my "pictures of God" are people holding hands.