Posted on 09/30/2001 12:34:47 AM PDT by Mr. Mulliner
First it places the US equal to Israel, the only country that God has an interest in as a country. We are not even on the radar in the Bible. God's interest in us is as individuals and what are relationship is to Him.
Second, it has God killing innocents to get our attention. That is an abomination and dangerously close to ascribing evil to God and the Holy Spirit. That mindset says that evil acts are all directed by God to get someone's attention. It also says that that every death is carried out by God for my benefit, to keep me on the straight and narrow. That is egocentric and wrong. We brought death and evil into the world, not God.
Third. Where God did act against a country, it was because they were enemies of Israel. And He acted against the enemies, not the allies. As far as Israel goes, when they sinned, He just left them. when they were on their own all sorts of bad things happened.
Third. Try to reach anyone who knows someone that was killed in this attack with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Tell them that their friend or relative died as an object lesson for the country. I am one of those people. I would reject any religion that has suffering of innocents as a method of conversion. Christianity is personal and Christ is loving. Look at him for the lesson on how to act toward others. It was all in looking inward.
I am disgusted with this kind of mindset. It is egotistic, evil and denigrates God.
But first to laredo44:
The author is obviously looking for a device to introduce his "punishment of God" conjecture. The problem is he's told a lie to dramatize his point. This is the way liberals write opinions and report the news. If the facts don't fit the objective, make them up. I expect better from this site.
No offense, but you slipped, Laredo44. Mathewes-Green has established her (that would be 'her', as in: not 'his') credentials over the years as a pro-life, conservative Christian thinker. It's the liberals who would instantly blame the US. While I'm astonished that the thought of some kind of Divine punishment didn't cross her mind, I would be simply flabbergasted if she were liberal and it hadn't crossed her mind. Liberals are the ones just panting for God to punish the US, aching to blame us for everything.
Like it or not, from Amos through Zacariah, the Old Testament prophets see the hand of God in historical events. When Old Testament writers say "The sins of the fathers are visited on the sons," they're not necesarily saying they like that. They're saying that's the way it is. We are paying for our fathers' and gradfathers' support for FDR, for example.
And again, like it or not, we ourselves, whatever our religious or anti-religious affiliation, know that the "innocent" suffer the results of the misdeeds of others. If the contractors who build the bridge are corrupt, the innocent who are on it when it collapses pay the penalty for corruption.
One theme of recent commentary is that x42, the former commander-in-cheat, was too busy covering his, um, indiscretions to pay enough attention to national security and international politics. Remember, one of the themes of his '92 campaign was that Bush41 paid far too much attention to international affairs and not enough to bribing the electorate with their own money. And he won.
Enough voters evidently wanted to be provided for by someone who would coddle them and swathe them in false security. That's what they got -- especially the 'false' part.
And when it became obvious that Clinton was a self-absorbed and luxurious panderer, they STILL preferred him. They preferred a baby-killing adulterer who told them that their sorry situations were the fault of Republicans and that he would take care of them. They preferred to trust a known liar who sheltered them from responsibility for their own lives. And making that choice, they placed at risk not only themselves but the entire nation.
Of course that doesn't mean that ALL the blame falls on Clinton and those who voted for him. But it's hard to see how they don't deserve SOME of the blame.
An argument can be made that if it is somehow a divine law that we should care for one another, then the contra-positive is that the suffering of the innocent weak and poor is, in some respects at least, the consequence of our breaking divine law.
Being human and free involves having a LOT of responsibility.
I just don't think, though, that Frederica is (at least consciously) using a tactic. But you're right I did misread you.
How many parents tell their errant children, ‘don't do that, you'll get hurt?’ Finally, the parent, having failed to get the message across, allows the child to exercise their free will and the result is, the child gets hurt.
I believe God withdrew his protection and thus allowed this to happen. I believe it is a wake-up call to this nation to repent from the road of sin we have been happily traveling. Those who would nay-say and cast aspersions on such ideas are quite possibly part of the problem, not the solution.
FLAME AWAY!
When you read Deuteronomy 28, about the curses that will befall Israel for disobeying the laws that God gives, you don't get the idea that He delights in those things happening to them or even that He will do those things to them. It is more like, "Here's how to live, and here's what will happen if you don't live by these most excellent rules I've given to help you." And even when Israel did disobey, God was not in a hurry to let them suffer the consequences. He constantly delayed the just consequences they deserved by keeping His protection on them in hopes that they would repent and avoid the consequences.
However, I believe I have the answer. I know where my God was the morning of September 11, 2001! He was very busy.
First of all, he was trying to discourage anyone from taking this flight. Those four flights together held over 1000 passengers and there were only 266 aboard. He was on 4 commercial flights giving terrified passengers the ability to stay calm. Not one of the family members who was called by a loved one on one of the high-jacked planes said that passengers were screaming in the background. On one of the flights he was giving strength to passengers to try to overtake the highjackers. He was busy trying to create obstacles for employees at the World Trade Center. After all only around 20,000 were at the towers when the first jet hit. Since the buildings hold over 50,000 workers, this was a miracle in itself. How many of the people who were employed at the WTC told the media that they were late for work or they had traffic delays. He was holding up 2-110 story buildings so that 2/3 of the workers could get out. I was so amazed that the top of the towers didn't topple when the jets impacted.
Although this is without a doubt the worst thing I have seen in my life, I can see God's miracles in every bit of it. I keep thinking about my friend and praying for her every chance I have. I can't imagine going through such a difficult time and not believing in God. Life would be hopeless.
Thanks for the post & the flag!!!
"But we're foolish to think that there's no correlation between this attack and the many ways that our nation has acted with complete disregard to what God has taught in the Bible."
Why, oh why, do you people insist on slandering God this way?!?!?
No flames here!
I think you're dead on!
EVERYTHING goes through God's hands FIRST !
The problem is you have to have a change of heart to repent..I do not believe there is a true change of heart here..
I do not think it helps non-believers to a conversion with this type of article, nor the attendant comments. To me, the focus must be on the fact that there is a better, more joyful way to live, and Christ is the answer to this. President Bush is an excellent example of this type of Christian.
While I do not believe in abortion and in fact am strongly pro-life, I do not believe that the repeal of Roe vs. Wade by the Supreme Court would have stopped these terrorist from striking. In fact, I believe that they hate us BECAUSE we are Christians.
At any rate, I do not agree with the premise of the author. It is also offensive to those who lost relatives in the attack.
Even when the Lord allows us to suffer from our own foolishness, yet he still comforts and assists us. I am SO GLAD you put this up. I have been so consumed with anger that I haven't taken time to see how His mighty hand has been at work: surely, you have illuminated a portion of his efforts.
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