ABC Asks Tornado-Struck Pastor: 'How Do You Reconcile Your Faith With This Tragedy?'

NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

For the MSM, there's nothing like the occasion of a natural disaster to challenge the faith of religious believers.

On today's Good Morning America, Kate Snow interviewed the Rev. Larry Lynn, Pastor of the Lady Lake Church of God, whose buildings were totally levelled by the tornadoes that recently struck central Florida.

A minute or so into the interview, Snow asked a question that challenged the core of the pastor's religious belief: "How do you reconcile your faith with the enormity of this tragedy?"

Pastor Lynn answered in a manner consistent with the most basic Christian principles: "This is just a temporal thing. We deal in the eternal. Temporal things change on a daily basis. I don't know what today might bring, but I'm prepared for it. I don't know what tomorrow might bring, but I'm prepared for it, because I know who holds tomorrow. My confidence is not in the things of this world, but in He who sits on the throne and in his son, Jesus Christ."

Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net

[gcruse]

"Temporal things change on a daily basis. "

Unless something good happens, then it's, "Praise Jesus."
Bad stuff is just "[Temporal thing] happens."

[bvw]

It is a reminder of old Aesop's Tale -- The Fox Who Lost His Tail.

Tails are the pride of vain foxes. And one of the most vain among the foxes was exceptionally proud of his own tail. One day, however, this vain fox got snared in a trap. The only way out was to chew off his own tail. He did what he had to do and freed himself.

Yet thereafter, he continued in his vanity. He appeared before the all the foxes assembled before their council of wise foxes. He paraded before them extolling all the virtue of being rid of the unnecessary tail, and speaking as to how neat and handsome he appeared without it!

"Go away from us with your folly!" said the wise foxes. "Do not trap the rest of us in your miserable vanity. For misery loves company, and you are miserable because you lost your tail, and would have all of us lose ours too, rather than face up to to your own loss."

So of course the first question out of the beautiful mouth of the famous media woman is, "So of course you've lost yours too!"

[bvw]

So you are St. Peter. himself, are you?

Well, I shall never have myself set in Heaven when I miss what I need to do on Earth because of that presumption that I am already redeemed. That is a deadly presumption, and death sings it.

My friend, I choose life.

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

I'm prepared for it, because I know who holds tomorrow.

[Rumplemeyer]

Keep in mind that they are not the brightest bulbs on the tree, they are hired for their looks.

My sister is the executive vice president of marketing of one of the largest media companies in the business, quote "they are not hired for their GPA in college".

I would like to see one of these talking haircuts ask someone who has just been through this type of trauma ask the standard question "How do you feel?" and have the interviewee ask them "where your parents related before they got married?"

[an amused spectator]

Thanks for the blast from the past. Haven't thought about that one in quite a while.

It's sad for Ms. Snow, really.

[highimpact]

So you are St. Peter. himself, are you?

What are you talking about? I never claimed to be anything of the sort. I was simply explaining the very basic, fundamental tenants of Christianity. If you believe you can work your way into heaven, by all means, have at it. As long as you maintain a personal relationship with Jesus and accept him as your savior, then we'll meet as brothers beyond the pearly gates.

Well, I shall never have myself set in Heaven when I miss what I need to do on Earth because of that presumption that I am already redeemed.

Specifically list the tasks, in order, that you must complete on Earth before you can enter heaven. Don't leave any out, and please cite your sources.

[bvw]

Sure you did. But let's talk Heaven. Being christian is not, of itself, a ticket there. Nor is "there" important.

Why? The soul eventually makes it back there.

Improved. You, embodied, live in this physical world in order to improve -- or rather to have a chance, an opportunity, to improve that soul.

When the soul departs your body, how much of "you", this instance of "you" remains after the, well, let's call it rectification and cleansing, is a function only of what you do. Not what you believe, but what you do. That doing does involve to some degree the thinking and ideations we train our mind and emotions to. But hardly a whit of belief enters into it, at least as to when that "belief" could have been acted on and wasn't.

What is important is what you, in that body you have and all the powers that chemistry, biology, physics, law etc. that you have the ability to apply are used in the way they should be used.

What are the tasks? To recognize G-d, to love and praise Him -- in many ways just as a good child relates to his parents. To do good. To establish justice, to not be lonely, to have children, to not murder, to not steal, to not kidnap, to love truth and be truthful, to be all that can be. To love your fellow as yourself. I'm not giving an exhaustive list. You don't want one. You have all the answers already. At least that's the impression I've gotten from your responses. As far as you are concerned you already got your ticket to Heaven, and you dang well ain't letting any nabobs in with you. Sure. Yeah, that's the way it works.

Not.

Of course, despite how cocky or self-assured you are as to the "one true path" your soul knows the way. It will find that way with you or without you. And it will remember you for the good, but forget -- and that's a quite harsh and forever forgetting -- the pain you put it through. So how much of "you" is there to remember?

[NewLand]

ABC Asks Tornado-Struck Pastor: 'How Do You Reconcile Your Faith With This Tragedy?'

NewLand asks ABC 'How do you reconcile your tragedies with your lack of faith?'.

The pastor gave the right answer to their question...but who will ask the MSM my question? It's legitimate.

[highimpact]

Sure you did. But let's talk Heaven. Being christian is not, of itself, a ticket there. Nor is "there" important.

Nonsense. Being Christian, by definition, means you have your seat in heaven reserved. There is no other definition. And yes, "there," is important. Heaven is heaven.

Why? The soul eventually makes it back there.

Please cite scripture.

Improved. You, embodied, live in this physical world in order to improve -- or rather to have a chance, an opportunity, to improve that soul.

Please cite scripture.

Not what you believe, but what you do.

Nonsense. Please cite scripture.

To do good. To establish justice, to not be lonely, to have children, to not murder, to not steal, to not kidnap, to love truth and be truthful, to be all that can be

All good things, but not required for admission to heaven.

What are the tasks? To recognize G-d, to love and praise Him -- in many ways just as a good child relates to his parents.

Amen.

As far as you are concerned you already got your ticket to Heaven, and you dang well ain't letting any nabobs in with you. Sure. Yeah, that's the way it works.

For a Christian, you sure have an antagonistic view of your Brother. I hope to meet you in heaven. I wish to see you there. I pray for your salvation with all sincerity. I have never taken the stance that you are a nabob, nor that you should be denied access to the kingdom of heaven. Remove the plank from your own eye, before you worry about the speck in mine.

Of course, despite how cocky or self-assured you are as to the "one true path" your soul knows the way.

Please separate my "soul" from my self-assured, cocky nature (as you describe me.). I have not been cocky, but I am certainly self-assured that my Christian beliefs are founded in scripture, not in nuance. You apparently believe that you can earn your way into heaven. I believe that you are mistaken.

[denydenydeny]

When did the purpose of the media go from reporting the news but to taunting people they don't like?

[lawnguy]

Laura should be all over this one tomorrow.

[mdmathis6]

You leave the "o',s out of God when you spoke with HighImpact...no fair ambushing him...he didn't know you were Jewish. Nor could you in anyway assume he was being "cocky" by what he was writing since you never met the guy and there was no indication of any pridefilled attack language on his part...

You on the otherhand came across like a wounded bear!

[peggybac]

Did crickets chirp after his reply?

[technochick99]

I despise the media.

[bvw]

Stuff like this makes you appear as a wanna-be St. Peter at the gates:

All good things, but not required for admission to heaven.

Why are you worried about admission to Heaven, when absent those things you disclaim as tickets thereto, when absent those things here in the world a person is in all effect a thief? And certainly not getting all he or she can out of the world.

Concern about the here-after can become idolatry -- putting a false god "Entry to Heaven" in front the way of the way of good on Earth, for that way is what G-d desires of you here.

[bvw]

And what is Jewish and what is Christian before the G-d of Eternity? You are right, I am Jewish, and when a Jew considers the harm that the break between Jewish and Christian thought caused over the millennia, yes, "wounded bear" would be apt.

One of the principal difficulties due to that break that some Christians have -- not all -- is a discounting of the high spiritual purpose of this world, and that as this discussion shows that indulgence of a denial of spiritual purpose is closely attached to an over-concern, or in the words of one poster "self assurance", in what gains entry to Heaven.

Jewish tradition clearly seperates the physical world from the spiritual, yet recognizes that all things of the world, this physical world have spiritual purpose that is not to be denied. The things in this world are temporal and temporary. Yet the purpose of things and events in this world is for the spiritual.

[Let's Roll]

Typical lib mindset - it just isn't "fair" unless life is all good, all the time.

[VeniVidiVici]

Another dumbass reporter asked this pastor the same question and he had an even better answer:

"Why shouldn't the tornado have hit me too? Am I better than everybody else?"

[reagan_fanatic]

I wonder if the MSM's anti-religious hacks would challenge the faith of an imam whose mosque just got destroyed in a tornado.

These biased pukes really make me ill.