Catastrophe in Haiti: A Different View
I am thinking of God being misrepresented at a time when our hearts are most vulnerable. I am thinking about the suffering of the people of Haiti and the tragic history of the island of Hispañola. What if the ‘Christian’ Europeans had actually obeyed Jesus’ command to “love your neighbor”? They would not have exploited, enslaved and massacred the indigenous peoples. They would have developed friendships and partnerships with the native peoples to develop the land. Maybe without this brutal history, which betrayed all of the teachings of Jesus, the island would not be impoverished and wrecked today. Maybe Port-au-Prince and the other cities would have been built with the resources and technology capable of withstanding a 7.0 earthquake.
Please forgive us. In the Bible, the Apostle Paul devoted an entire letter to his friend Philemon asking him to change his relationship with Onesimus, from slave to that of a beloved brother. This appeal was “on the basis of love” (Philemon 1:9, 15-16). We did not listen.
Please forgive us. The failure of the church to do serious study and application on the Biblical letter to Philemon gave a green light to the suffering, enslavement and death of millions. The consequences, pain and injustices are still felt today.
In Luke 13:1-5, there is a simple and weighty teaching of Jesus:
“About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. Jesus asked, “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” “Is that why they suffered? Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”
In this passage we are told of two catastrophes, both resulting in numerous deaths. The first is man made and the other is what we call a natural disaster. Jesus knew the thoughts of the people: They must have deserved it. Jesus corrects them with an emphatic “No.” We would be wise to apply this teaching: When tragedy comes, do not try to infer guilt and judgment. Your business is to be ready for your own death and judgment.
Please forgive us. We revere the Bible, but we don’t really know what it says.
Please forgive us. We have often made a Jesus of our own imagination to fit our politics, our prejudices and our greed.
Please forgive us. Though we are told to be “ambassadors for Christ”, there is too often little resemblance between the beauty and compassion of Jesus and we his followers.
There is a long, sad history of church leaders driving their personal agendas while claiming to have Jesus’ stamp of approval. With that being said I quote E. Stanley Jones, a 20th century missionary to India:
“Let me declare my faith in, and appreciation of, the Christian church. With all its faults it is the greatest serving institution on earth. It has many critics but no rivals in the work of human redemption. The isn’t a spot on the earth from the frozen north to the tropical islands of the sea where we haven’t gone with schools, hospitals, orphan and leper asylums, churches, everything to lift the soul, the mind, the body of the human race.”
Jesus, please forgive us.
I am thinking of God being misrepresented at a time when our hearts are most vulnerable. I am thinking about the suffering of the people of Haiti and the tragic history of the island of Hispañola. What if the ‘Christian’ Europeans had actually obeyed Jesus’ command to “love your neighbor”? They would not have exploited, enslaved and massacred the indigenous peoples. They would have developed friendships and partnerships with the native peoples to develop the land. Maybe without this brutal history, which betrayed all of the teachings of Jesus, the island would not be impoverished and wrecked today. Maybe Port-au-Prince and the other cities would have been built with the resources and technology capable of withstanding a 7.0 earthquake.
Please forgive us. In the Bible, the Apostle Paul devoted an entire letter to his friend Philemon asking him to change his relationship with Onesimus, from slave to that of a beloved brother. This appeal was “on the basis of love” (Philemon 1:9, 15-16). We did not listen.
Please forgive us. The failure of the church to do serious study and application on the Biblical letter to Philemon gave a green light to the suffering, enslavement and death of millions. The consequences, pain and injustices are still felt today.
In Luke 13:1-5, there is a simple and weighty teaching of Jesus:
“About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. Jesus asked, “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” “Is that why they suffered? Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”
In this passage we are told of two catastrophes, both resulting in numerous deaths. The first is man made and the other is what we call a natural disaster. Jesus knew the thoughts of the people: They must have deserved it. Jesus corrects them with an emphatic “No.” We would be wise to apply this teaching: When tragedy comes, do not try to infer guilt and judgment. Your business is to be ready for your own death and judgment.
Please forgive us. We revere the Bible, but we don’t really know what it says.
Please forgive us. We have often made a Jesus of our own imagination to fit our politics, our prejudices and our greed.
Please forgive us. Though we are told to be “ambassadors for Christ”, there is too often little resemblance between the beauty and compassion of Jesus and we his followers.
There is a long, sad history of church leaders driving their personal agendas while claiming to have Jesus’ stamp of approval. With that being said I quote E. Stanley Jones, a 20th century missionary to India:
“Let me declare my faith in, and appreciation of, the Christian church. With all its faults it is the greatest serving institution on earth. It has many critics but no rivals in the work of human redemption. The isn’t a spot on the earth from the frozen north to the tropical islands of the sea where we haven’t gone with schools, hospitals, orphan and leper asylums, churches, everything to lift the soul, the mind, the body of the human race.”
Jesus, please forgive us.
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