Putting Words In God's Mouth

Monday morning on his radio show, Glenn Beck pontificated that perhaps the massive earthquake, subsequent aftershocks and tsunami in Japan over the past several days were perhaps a message from God.  Beck said about the earthquake that "there's a message being sent. And that is, 'Hey, you know that stuff we're doing? Not really working out real well. Maybe we should stop doing some of it.' I'm just saying."

This sort of thing is not new.  Nearly every natural disaster finds someone trying to find a way to put a spin on what God's message could be with a given particular tragedy.  There is after all, a lot of wrong in the world and many people who are fervent in their belief of a supreme being, look to figure out why the people involved in the tragedy are being punished.  For so many people who believe so heartily in a divine being, they look for logical answers where none seem to exist.  They assume that some modern day tale of Sodom and Gomorrah is being lived out while they watch Fox News.

I cannot help but think that this sort of doomsday approach is not only unfortunate, but also counter-productive in the least.  One of the primary tenets of nearly every organized religion on earth is to allow people comfort and understanding in times when life is overwhelming.  While I myself am not religious, I can completely understand how the current situation in Japan could put one in a position to need something very large on which to lean.  A power greater than one's self at a time like this could surely be comforting.  But the suffering are looking for relief, not a condemnation.  To turn around and use religion as a device to blame people during their suffering is shameful.  Beck has debased not only the horrible loss and pain of an entire nation as it deals with this catastrophe, but has also embarrassed and defiled the precepts of Christianity for his own notoriety and personal gain.  Beck is not searching for lessons within the rubble, but the opportunity for more book readers and radio listeners.

I try to imagine Glenn Beck dealing with the loss of his family in the midst of a disaster.  How would he feel if Rachel Maddow used a bully pulpit to theorize that the horrible pain he was suffering was a message from God for his intolerance of homosexuals and minorities?  Even in the outlandishly improbability that the statement was even remotely true, it would be insensitive and unnecessary.  His pain would be greater than before, not lessened.  So, in a way, it would be just salt in the wound.  Maddow would only be making the statement for personal gain and/or to put Beck through the ringer.  Not to illuminate a misstep he had made along the way.  As much as I'd like to see Mr. Beck squirm, taking advantage of a personal tragedy would be nothing short of unconscionable.

That is exactly what Beck is doing here - pouring salt into the wound of Japan's national nightmare.  No being, divine or real is to be blamed for what Japan is going through.  It's a natural disaster with a scientific explanation and grim consequences.  Furthermore, if you believe in a God who do would this sort of thing to innocent people to manifest an object lesson you'd better check your conscience and good sense the next time you step into church because you're playing for the wrong team.  Belief in a God who would do something like this borders on the insane.  Blind allegiance to a talking head who would spout such horrifying nonsense belongs in precisely the same category.