Spiritual/Political/Philosophical Blog on the Nature of Truth and Falsehood and Heaven
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| Sunny Days in Heaven Spiritual/Political/Philosophical Blog on the Nature of Truth and Falsehood and Heaven |
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Tuesday, May 07, 2002 Oh, Oh, oh what a girl! (If you knew Amy, like I know Amy) Amy Welborn makes a point today that I would second in a somewhat different way. (I've been meaning to mention this, but I always forget until someone reminds me.) Amy writes: "I’ve heard too much optimism. I’ve heard too much trumpeting of a moment of grace, of a cleansing, of a purifying and too much confidence that out of this, a stronger Church will arise." and concludes, "I, for one, cannot rejoice in a new Springtime for my Church that is built on the destroyed innocence of children." What I have in mind is the tiresome sentimentality and naiveté of people always insisting "God will make something good come of this." As if that settles it. All's well. No worries, mate. God will make everything fine. Except it doesn't work that way. Suffering is not do-over, make up for, we're wiser now. I'm with Shakespeare on this, "he jests at scars that never felt a wound." God can certainly heal us of our distress at suffering, but he does not often restore us or make it all "just go away." Nor is healing a simple matter of a sudden wave of grace (kiss the boo boo) and it all melts and becomes wisdom. Plus, if we have to give God credit for all the good that comes from bad, we have to give him the blame, too. It's called theodicy. The question of evil and suffering in life. One of the Prophets mentions that God is the author of both good and evil in the world. But that's another blog. Anyway, I get heartily sick and tired of sentimentalities that make God out to be just an absent minded Daddy, who wakes up from his reveries when he hears a child screaming, and then only runs over to say, "there, there, little one. Lost a leg? Well, I'll give you a blessing for it." (Like a tooth fairy exchanging one thing for another. The Cross is a cross because it hurts and is not so easily waved away. "Why have you forsaken me!!!!!" is what happens; not, thanks for the memories.) Here's a line a friend of mine (who has more maladies and medical crises than you can shake a stick at) has occasion to hear from sympathetic parishioners - "God must love you so much to give you so much suffering." Yes, would that God might love you so much, too. But I'm being peevish. Blame Blogger for it. See below. posted by Mark Butterworth | 3:47 PM | |
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