Be ye prepared. I’m in a rather dark and pissy mood.
I CANNOT STAND this attitude amongst some believers right now in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It’s the “wrath of God” angle, the “abomination” angle, the “all those homos are the most horrible” angle.
A reader at the site above made a very short, pointed comment on the post I’ve linked. Incensed, I just had to comment (chickening out at the last minute and calling myself “renee”), but what I said was this: Are we not ALL sinners? Are we not ALL hellbound, if not for the grace of God? Why all this post-disaster, self-righteous boasting? Why all this virtual glee in the wake of horror and death and destruction? Babies are dead. Children are dead. Even heterosexuals are dead. Katrina was a natural disaster, but this, THIS, is a spiritual disaster. Sure, the Holy Spirit still resides in our hearts even if we harbor this attitude, but I’ll bet He cringes; I’ll bet He weeps; I’ll bet He longs for us to repent of OUR sin. We are to boast in nothing but the cross of Christ, not in our non-existent superiority and righteousness.
No wonder homosexuals HATE us. We ARE hateful and hateable.
And I am a little angry.
The other day, our gay neighbors and friends, Mike and Lee, had some people over for dinner. My Beloved, walking by their open window, heard a snippet of conversation from their guests about how much they “can’t stand Christians.” It’s discouraging to hear this, yes, but let me say this — they are not wrong to feel that way toward us, not when we are peddling notions like the one linked above. It sickens me. It sickens them.
I quoted in my comment a lyric from my all-time favorite musical, “Sweeney Todd”:
“We all deserve to die.”
Yup.
Another lyric from that show goes like this:
“I, too, have sailed the world and seen its wonders,
For the cruelty of men
Is as wondrous as Peru.”
Yup.
Grace is all there is, folks, all there is.
I’m not familiar with that site. Why were they posting the image of a t-shirt? I don’t get it. And was it the initial post or the comment that upset you? Without any context for the site, the post seems like…a picture of a t-shirt. But the comment seems pretty much in line with what you were (rightfully) railing against.
I have to figure that the vast majority of the people who are being affected by Katrina aren’t gay. So is the poster of the original comment saying that even the non-homosexuals should be on the receiving end of God’s wrathstick, simply for being in the same city? Or is he or she just suffering from IIDS (Internet Intelligence Deficiency Syndrome – people say the stupidest stuff on the Internet)? I’m more wondering out loud than really asking…..
-M@
M@ — I was re-editing the post right as you commented, adding some of what you touched on.
The blog is a Christian commentary blog that I link in my blogroll, actually, because I’ve found some interesting things there in the past.
And you’re right. It’s the one-two punch of the shirt AND the comment. The way it’s intended, it’s not JUST a picture of a T-shirt.
Maybe it’s just me, Tracey, but I see a couple of different things going on here. The “along came Katrina” bit does sound rather snarky. (Trust me; I’m an expert on snarky.) And the holy huddle does need to be disrupted at times by some troublemaker who points out that we’re all sinners and so boasting is excluded. Good for you.
On the other hand, I don’t think that hatefulness or self-righteousness are characteristic of Christians. Consider the wacko Fred Phelps and his merry band of bigots. His name is always in the news. Why should that be the case if Christians in general are like that? Seems to me he’s the exception that proves the rule. Some people have been burned by self-righteous hypocrites, but there are also those who will hate us simply because we’re Christians and we won’t bow to the idols or the Caesars of our day.
We’re all sinners. But there are sinners who turn to God for forgiveness, and sinners who extend God the middle finger and parade and celebrate their sin. (And from what I’ve read about this annual gathering, the “celebration” has involved Rated X stuff in the street in broad daylight.) Given the Olivet Discourse and Revelation, I’m not convinced that the celebration of sin played no role here.
At least your comment was posted, tracey. As of right now, the comment I made last night is not up. And I think I’m a pretty civil guy. 🙂
I ended by stating “I like much of what you do at this blog, but I’m disappointed by this post.” On further examination I should have probably said that I like about half. The blogger seems way to anxious to point fingers and accuse. I read on Agent Time this morning about his run-in with her on the continual Rick Warren attacks. I’m seeing too much “bunker mentality” at S.O.L.
Rev — I am disheartened to hear that because you are a civil guy. I’m going to check SOL later and see if your comment is there.
Hi, T. You are the BraveGirl today because I didn’t dare to leave my e-mail address w/them, they might hunt me down for the dog they see me as. i’m a catholic, remember LOL!!? Anyway, God is proud of you for standing up for His children, T. Thank you.
How would I make the comments on your blog BIGGER; is there a reason why they are so small?
Karen, no BraveGirl I — I called myself “renee,” after all, but thank you for your kindness.
As far as comments being small, I wonder if they’re smaller on your screen, somehow. They don’t seem *too* small … well, maybe a little.
But, of course, I have no idea how to change it, anyway! How I wish I could be more help here.
And Kevin, I guess for me rejoicing in the destruction of sinners outside of grace seems like its own kind of sin.
Hello Tracy, just came over from the Anchoress as she wanted me to read your post and I do agree with your anger at those that want to label this natural disaster as punishment from our God. It is a kind of sin on the part of a Christian to have such a view of life. I remember Jesus talking to the people and mentioning the tower of siloam in Luke 13:4 that fell on a lot of Jews and asking if the audience thought that it happened because these 18 who were killed were greater sinners than any other men in Jerusalem. God sends the rain on the just and the unjust, were it not for His Grace we would all be miserable creatures indeed. I will be praying for and seeking ways to help the situation and not making it worse for those suffering, whether sinner or former sinner.
Yes, Truthseeker, I like that perspective on praying for the situation. Thanks.
I know what you’re saying, Tracey. God does judge sin, but He “takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked” and neither should we.
It’s a fine line, not denying God’s holy wrath but not being a hypocrite who hates others either.