Tag: Joy
The Mistaken Belief About God’s Actions in the World
Last night, I happened to watch a few minutes of the horrific 2004 tsunami. I do remember how horrible that was, but I didn’t realize how many souls perished in that monstrous event until many years later. Under the documentary video, it said 250,000 (in the NOAA article, it says around 227,899) people died in that catastrophic event. Heartbreaking and tragic!
A few minutes ago, I watched a short documentary on TWA Flight 800’s devastating crash. Horrific and terrifying.
I happened to read several comments under both of the videos, mostly under the plane crash one. In any case, two particular responses showed up in them that, in my opinion, are related.
Under the 2004 tsunami documentary video, someone asked how God could do this to all those people who died in that horrible event.
Similarly, a comment under the TWA Flight 800 plane crash was how could God do this, which basically means she thinks He caused that plane to crash.
Both have a misunderstanding of God, Who He is, understanding of humanity, and human will.
So, both are incorrect assumptions that these events were caused by God.
They weren’t.
God had nothing to do with the tsunami or the plane crash.
The tsunami was caused by a very strong earthquake with a 9.1 magnitude on the Richter scale, according to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. They also said, “The magnitude 9.1 earthquake was one for the record books and stands today as the third largest in the world since 1900.” (NOAA, 2023)
Mechanical issues seemed to have been the issue with TWA Flight 800.
Therefore, the tsunami was triggered by a powerful earthquake = natural disaster. And the plane crash was due to technical/mechanical issues = technician/mechanic errors.
There are three ways to look at the cause of natural disasters:
- Earth does these things at times.
- God is punishing people
- Humanity’s collective sins causes these events
Technically, there is a 4th choice for the plane crash = human error, which is reasonable to agree with.
But for both events, I am of the belief that it’s number 3. Humanity’s actions in the world are like the butterfly effect. When we do evil or sinful things, they reverberate throughout the cosmos. Likewise, if we do good and holy things, these, too, reverberate throughout the cosmos.
This is because God gave us the gift of free will. We make choices every day, often many times a day that can affect others and all of God’s creation.
Since we live in a fallen world, these things happen–joyful things and tragic things. Life is a kaleidoscope of joy and sorrow. And how we experience and deal with them is up to us and our free will.
Some of what I’ve said here echoes a blog post I wrote a few years ago called Humanity’s Power. If you’re interested, you can read it here.
God be with all the souls lost and their families. He is a loving, merciful, and Good God.
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Works cited:
NOAA, 2023. “Jetstream Max: 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.” https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream/2004tsu_max#:~:text=On%20December%2026%2C%202004%2C%20an,Ocean%20generated%20a%20devastating%20tsunami.
A Special and Earth-Shattering Event
In two days, my family and I will be celebrating the birth of Christ, Who took on flesh from his Holy Mother, the Theotokos (or Virgin Mary).
I remember my family visiting the Natural History Museum up in Denver many years ago, and the timeline of human history displayed on the wall.
In the middle of that timeline was the birth of Christ.
In the past few weeks, I’ve been rather bothered by the lack of mention of Christ’s coming birth and rarely anything in stores carrying Christmas decorations and cards even mentioning the Christ Child.
I think in the past couple of decades, the meaning of Christ’s birth and how it impacted the world has been minimized.
Yes, we recognized the commercialism aspect that really took off many decades ago. However, it seems on steroids today!
The colossal event of Christ’s birth and coming in the flesh and walking among us humans is nothing short of miraculous and amazing! It is why the Natural History Museum couldn’t leave out that event in human history.
No matter the change of Before Christ to Before the Common Era, I asked myself, what does that actually mean? What was the “Before the Common Era”, and what does “Common Era” actually mean?
Looking up info on it, the term is also called “Before the Current Era,” which also means “Before the Christian Era”.
Obviously, we know this was done for religious neutrality. Although, I find that ridiculous. Because Christmas is all about Christ’s birth.
Other holidays that fall around this time and wishing those celebrating them a blessed one, I’ve no problem with.
However, I do think that although “Merry Christmas” seemed to have been somewhat muted in the past 10-15 years, it’s actually back to being said for those who wish to say it, which usually are us Christians, but sometimes others say this as well.
Unfortunately, I came down with an illness yesterday afternoon and have been in bed since then, I’m hoping I’ll be on the tale end of this bug when Christmas Day is here in two days!
I’m planning a roast beef dinner, and my oldest son, Nicholas, will be cooking duck for the first time!
As I’ve been reading the Gospel of Luke, I’ll leave these beautiful verses that Linus echoed in the Peanuts’ Christmas:
8″Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9″And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
10″Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
11″For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12″And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
13″And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
A very Merry Christmas, everyone! Christ is born! Glorify Him!
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Modest Musings 