By Incongruous Circumspection ~
A week ago, my one-year old daughter dumped a scalding hot thermos of coffee down the front of her shirt. It was entirely my fault and I was devastated. Luckily, her burns were only minor with two small spots where it burned through to the fourth dermis layer. It has healed quickly and she is on the fast track to recovery. Unfortunately, the lasting effect is that we have to monitor the worst areas for the next two years so they don't get sunburned. Then, we're home free. The doctors do not expect any scarring, which is the most important factor to me.
The outpouring of support we received was phenomenal. Relatives called from all over the country, friends contacted us from overseas. Inquiries were made to relatives of our relatives to check up on their little granddaughter. It warmed me from the ends of my rarely clipped toenails to the tips of my graying locks.
But, my wife did receive one letter that made me fall out of my chair. I do not hold this person accountable for these words because it is a mainstream Christian concept that they parroted. I also must say that it did not affect me at all, emotionally. I have very thick skin and, frankly, arguments like this are so easy to logically see through to the other side, rendering them utter foolishness.
At first, the letter started out with concern about my daughter and was very warm and loving. Then, it turned weird. I quote:
"I am praying that God will work through this tragedy to help you feel His comfort, and realize how much He truly loves you all and longs to have a relationship with you if you'll let Him!"
Really?! So, God caused a scalding hot thermos of coffee to tip off a table onto my daughter, giving her second degree burns and two years of therapy just so he could save me? I'm not buying it. Now, since I rejected that little nudge from God, is he going to throw one of my kids over the second floor banister? If I still don't love him, will he then maim a few more of my little children, whom I love dearly? Maybe he'll take away my wife next time. Maybe she'll get cancer or multiple sclerosis. Or, worse yet, I'll get the dreaded and incurable ALS. Any way you cut it, God is perfectly happy hurting my child to get himself a believer.
Here is my deepest question:
Why the hell would ANYONE want to believe in a selfish, immature, narcissistic, hateful, murderous, and unloving god like that?!!! And how is my kid being burned by god "comfort"!!? That god is not a loving god and I will never even give him a thought. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. My daughter is already well aware of the pain a thermos of coffee can cause and won't even go near an empty one, let alone anything that we tell her is hot. We have implemented other safety measures throughout the years to keep our children safe and healthy. We can do it by ourselves.
Finally, I do not blame the writer of this letter. I really don't. If you believe in the god of the Bible, it is imperative to think this way.
"The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation." - Numbers 14:18
No amount of pretzelified theology can escape this one. God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. His character and sense of justice do not change.
Stand by while I go hug my kids and tell them I love them. They will never have to fear a non-existent being that hates them for my sins.
The outpouring of support we received was phenomenal. Relatives called from all over the country, friends contacted us from overseas. Inquiries were made to relatives of our relatives to check up on their little granddaughter. It warmed me from the ends of my rarely clipped toenails to the tips of my graying locks.
But, my wife did receive one letter that made me fall out of my chair. I do not hold this person accountable for these words because it is a mainstream Christian concept that they parroted. I also must say that it did not affect me at all, emotionally. I have very thick skin and, frankly, arguments like this are so easy to logically see through to the other side, rendering them utter foolishness.
At first, the letter started out with concern about my daughter and was very warm and loving. Then, it turned weird. I quote:
"I am praying that God will work through this tragedy to help you feel His comfort, and realize how much He truly loves you all and longs to have a relationship with you if you'll let Him!"
Really?! So, God caused a scalding hot thermos of coffee to tip off a table onto my daughter, giving her second degree burns and two years of therapy just so he could save me? I'm not buying it. Now, since I rejected that little nudge from God, is he going to throw one of my kids over the second floor banister? If I still don't love him, will he then maim a few more of my little children, whom I love dearly? Maybe he'll take away my wife next time. Maybe she'll get cancer or multiple sclerosis. Or, worse yet, I'll get the dreaded and incurable ALS. Any way you cut it, God is perfectly happy hurting my child to get himself a believer.
Here is my deepest question:
Why the hell would ANYONE want to believe in a selfish, immature, narcissistic, hateful, murderous, and unloving god like that?!!! And how is my kid being burned by god "comfort"!!? That god is not a loving god and I will never even give him a thought. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. My daughter is already well aware of the pain a thermos of coffee can cause and won't even go near an empty one, let alone anything that we tell her is hot. We have implemented other safety measures throughout the years to keep our children safe and healthy. We can do it by ourselves.
Finally, I do not blame the writer of this letter. I really don't. If you believe in the god of the Bible, it is imperative to think this way.
"The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation." - Numbers 14:18
No amount of pretzelified theology can escape this one. God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. His character and sense of justice do not change.
Stand by while I go hug my kids and tell them I love them. They will never have to fear a non-existent being that hates them for my sins.
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