Why do bad things happen? I've asked this question, and heard others ask it. I'm not sure if I've ever heard it answered well. Until today. I'm sure this thought isn't new, but it's the first time I've heard it.
This is from Shane Claiborne's "Irresistible Revolution" which comes highly recommended by me.
I remember hearing about an old comic strip back in the days of St. Ed's. Two guys are talking to each other, and one of them asks why God allows all of this poverty and war and suffering to exist in the world. And his friend says, "well, why don't you ask?" The fellow shakes his head and says he is scared. When his friend asks why, he mutters, "I'm scared God will ask me the same question." Over and over, when I ask God why all of these injustices are allowed to exist in the world, I can feel the Spirit whisper to me, "You tell me why we allow this to happen. You are my body, my hands, my feet."
Powerful words. We are the reason bad things are allowed to go unanswered in the world. We are the reason bad things are happening. When we aren't the oppressor we ignore the oppressed. When bad things happen we don't try to fix them or even just lessen the consequences. When bad things happen we run and hide behind our theology and study. We hide from how scripture actually challenges us to live. Soren Kierkegaard has some great words on the subject (among many others, I recommend his book "Training in Christianity" [a treatise on the institutionalism of the church, and the refusal of believers to live as Christ-followers])
The matter is quite simple. The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obliged to act accordingly. Take any words in the New Testament and forget everything except pledging your self to act accordingly. My God, you will say, if I do that my whole life will be ruined. How would I ever get on in the world? Herein lies the real place of Christian scholarship. Christian scholarship is the Church's prodigious invention to defend itself against the Bible, to ensure that we can continue to be good Christians without the Bible coming too close. Oh, priceless scholarship, what would we do without you? Dreadful it is to fall into the hands of the living God, Yes, it is even dreadful to be alone with the New Testament.
Maybe it's time to listen to scripture, to hear the radical call, and to go.
2 comments:
yes yes.
i think we should specify that ignoring is just an active form of oppression as outright abuse. i think this is something which you're saying. but our lives contribute so much to the huge divisions in this country/world. we enjoy privileges which we don’t even deserve. we should have more christians going into intentional community and stuff
sorry, i am distracted. been studying pretty intently that saying "i'm not racist" or "i don't hate gay people" or "i love everyone" isn't enough when you are in the majority. prove your love, don't say it. that's when it's real. i think that's another step to take in following the radical call of jesus. probably just paraphrased what you were trying to say. good posts snod
Most definitely. Shane Claiborne talks in his book about suburban and wealthy people and I agree with what he says. He knows that people in the suburbs are willing to help. They are willing to give money and time and effort, its just that they don't see it.
When people ask how they can help his group (The Simple Way) he tells them they can come visit. Once they have seen this other world they know what to do, how to help.
There is a great ministry here in Houston run by a friend of mine called Center for Student Missions (CSM). They essentially do immersion programs for high school groups. They throw the kids into volunteer work in the communities that are the poorest of the poor and the most oppressed of those being held down. I took three groups there I think (of middle schoolers) while I was at the church. They learned a lot, but its just not the same when you only see it for a week a year, and the rest of the time you watch your 600 channels of tv on your bigscreen while sitting in your half million dollar mansion.
I'm not sure if there is a solution. But we can only try.
Mother Teresa said "God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try."
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