Cross-posted at Street Prophets.
My heart goes out to those grieving families in West Virginia this morning. Knowing a loved one is in danger, waiting through agonizing hours to hear news, and then getting a miscommunication is surely a taste of hell on earth.
I am struck, however, at one message that seems to be coming out from the small army of news reporters camped outside that little white country church: Inside that church, when the news was good, there was much praising of God and singing of hymns and clapping of hands. When the news turned bad, there was blame and shoving and cursing, directed both at God and at fellow man.
Comedian Jeff Stilson, noticing the propensity of sports stars to pray before games and cross themselves and point to the sky to give all credit for victory to God, adds in his stand-up routine that just once, he would like to see one say: "Yeah, we were in the game until Jesus made me fumble. He hates our team."
Claiming positive divine intervention, often based on one's own moral superiority or abundant prayer life, seems common.
.
Whether it's
Journalists thanking God for providing them with soldiers who served as human shields so they could escape the full bomb blast,
The Weaver familyon last season's Amazing Race: Family Edition thanking Jesus for providing them with a parking spot, or some survivor of a tragedy claiming that God must have saved
them for a "special purpose" (like the others who died had no special purpose?) I've never understood this kind of world view: that God is some kind of an errand boy, ready to help you with tasks big and small as long as you....what? Pray hard enough? Or that Jesus picks sides, from college basketball teams to presidential candidates, if only you follow the correct version of Christianity
When the apparent good news about mine survivors arrived at that little church, folks were quick to attribute the event to strong enough prayer:
"It just shows you enough prayers went out," Bula Smith, 27, said as she clutched her 7-month-old daughter, Cassey, close to her. "It's a miracle."
Cnn story this morning
But when the news turned dramatically tragic, one man interviewed on CNN this morning (Transcript isn't up yet) reported that people were resisting the pastor's call to turn to God in all things, and to come up to the front of the altar to pray, saying instead things like, "why should I pray to God now? What has God done for me?"
He described a scene where just earlier the altar had been mobbed with people praying and clapping and praising, now only three or four lonely souls would come forward.
I don't have any pat answers to all of this. I know some of it is human nature, that part of the grieving process, especially when the news is so bitter and so fresh, is to lash out in anger. I expect, and I hope, that many of these people will reclaim their faith when they have had more time to adjust to these awful circumstances.
But I think it is a dangerous road to travel as a culture, because as soon as we see God as our Fairy Godmother, doling out favors when we are good, we are one step closer to theocracies and ideologues and Holy Wars.
Wait, maybe we're there already.