Please James Dobson, Shut Up...
The recent tragedy
in Newtown, CT has left our country feeling almost as it did after the
events of 9/11. Feelings of profound sadness, violation, loss of
innocence, senseless violence, anger at those responsible, and even
emotional numbness are seemingly common. Certainly not to the same
scale, but indeed it is very difficult to come to grips with the fact 26
people, most of them children, were murdered in cold blood, by an evil,
cowardly sociopath.
In times like this many in our society are left looking for some sense of direction, for cues on how they should act and feel in such a situation. They generally are not needing to know how to act, it is more of an attempt to try and understand the big question we are all left with in a tragedy like this: why? Why did this horrible thing happen?
Sadly, this is when everyone's heightened sense of awareness brings all kinds of answers to light: both the good and unfortunately, the bad.
A friend recently posted an article written by a Christian man who has served presidents in their terms of office and written books about religion and ethics. When I read his article, I too found myself frustrated and angered with some of our nation's more "public" figures.
In the article (Link: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/philosophicalfragments/2012/12/21/callous-theology-of-james-dobson/) he takes Focus On The Family founder James Dobson to task for his words about the Newtown, CT tragedy. I will post Dobson's statement here, since I too wish to take issue with his words:
"I mean millions of people have decided that God doesn’t exist, or he’s irrelevant to me and we have killed fifty-four million babies and the institution of marriage is right on the verge of a complete redefinition. Believe me, that is going to have consequences too. And a lot of these things are happening around us, and somebody is going to get mad at me for saying what I am about to say right now, but I am going to give you my honest opinion: I think we have turned our back on the Scripture and on God Almighty and I think he has allowed judgment to fall upon us. I think that’s what’s going on." - James Dobson
What?! James Dobson sounds more like a Westboro Baptist Church nutjob than a mainstream Christian leader. The God I have come to know in the Bible does not have a murderer slaughter children in order to make a point of his displeasure with the direction of political policy in our nation!
Look, I understand as a Christian, there are some deeds, acts, and choices we make as people which will have consequences in a divine fashion. I choose to be a Christian and I accept the notion I will answer for my sins one day. Please stop and re-read that last sentence again. I will have to answer for my sins. Not my children, not my neighbor's children, not a soldier in Afghanistan, not a police officer in Seattle, or a group of volunteer firefighters responding to a call. I have read many, many different Christians express a similar viewpoint, that our nation is being punished for it's declining morality.
However, I find the notion of the senseless slaughter of children, innocent children, being God's answer to America's declining morality to be patently offensive. So, I am rebutting such offensive speech in an attempt to show someone in the world, this (I so badly want to say jackass, but I will try to be more mature) buffoon does not speak for us all. In fact, he doesn't speak for me at all. I can tell you now, I will never set foot in James Dobson's church, I will never buy a book of his, nor will I ever point to him as an example of what Christians should be. In fact, I am taking time here and in future opportunities I am given to share with others, to show how much he does NOT speak for me, nor I believe a majority of Christians in the world today.
One of the absolute struggles most people have with religion in general, and specifically with many modern Christianity today is the way Christians treat and respond to others. If the best answer some church leaders can answer to these epic life questions are as cruel and soulless as his, it is no wonder church membership is declining in our country.
Some of my closest friends will no doubt believe God is punishing the United States for it's legal stance on abortion or gay marriage. Being a pro-life person myself, who has tried to vote for leaders and representatives who share my view on that issue and others, I do hope our nation changes its course. But again, I cannot embrace or tolerate the notion innocent children must die to punish those who supported a pro-abortion candidate. I guess James Dobson must think all those parents supported and voted for pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage candidates huh? All of them. Of course, I can't wait for his sermon explaining God's reasoning to punish them by having their children murdered. Let them live many, many more years suffering, knowing their kids are dead because of their vote last election for congress. That will show them.
Sorry, that is not the God in my Bible, in my heart or I doubt in very many Christian hearts either. I do not pretend to be a Bible scholar. I am not so well versed on every scripture that I can recite entire chapters. But, I can tell you I have a very wonderful, healthy, relationship with God. I pray, I read His Word, I try to listen and follow His path in life and I understand the simple message which resonates so loudly in the Bible: love. (Okay some may point out the rather stark words in the Old Testament, but I am focusing on the New Testament and the message Jesus conveyed in His words, His actions, His teachings.)
We can debate what we think God's blessings, God's disappointment, God's goals and even God's plan is from now until the end of time. I am sure none of us will be entirely right, and many of us may be way off. But, to attempt to explain away the tragedy in Sandy Hook Elementary School in such a glib, callous, and scornful fashion is unrighteous and offensive, so James Dobson, I think you may find yourself having to answer for this one day.
I just wanted to add my voice to the growing chorus of Christians who want these leaders to simply shut up. You are driving people away from God, not helping them to know the love of Christ.
Note: I wrote this tonight rather quickly. I debated taking more time to tweak, tune and craft a more eloquent, well written note, but I felt the material needed to be more raw and heartfelt in the moment.
****
Epilogue: I intentionally left out another rather large "elephant in the room" in discussing religion and the tragic events in Newtown, CT: the issue of why God allows suffering and tragedy in the world. There are literally hundreds and hundreds of books on the topic, and I am actually reading one of them now as a direct result of my own desire to seek an answer to the issue. I wish I had an answer, or even better, a solution which could rid the world of such tragedy. But I don't sadly...
In times like this many in our society are left looking for some sense of direction, for cues on how they should act and feel in such a situation. They generally are not needing to know how to act, it is more of an attempt to try and understand the big question we are all left with in a tragedy like this: why? Why did this horrible thing happen?
Sadly, this is when everyone's heightened sense of awareness brings all kinds of answers to light: both the good and unfortunately, the bad.
A friend recently posted an article written by a Christian man who has served presidents in their terms of office and written books about religion and ethics. When I read his article, I too found myself frustrated and angered with some of our nation's more "public" figures.
In the article (Link: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/philosophicalfragments/2012/12/21/callous-theology-of-james-dobson/) he takes Focus On The Family founder James Dobson to task for his words about the Newtown, CT tragedy. I will post Dobson's statement here, since I too wish to take issue with his words:
"I mean millions of people have decided that God doesn’t exist, or he’s irrelevant to me and we have killed fifty-four million babies and the institution of marriage is right on the verge of a complete redefinition. Believe me, that is going to have consequences too. And a lot of these things are happening around us, and somebody is going to get mad at me for saying what I am about to say right now, but I am going to give you my honest opinion: I think we have turned our back on the Scripture and on God Almighty and I think he has allowed judgment to fall upon us. I think that’s what’s going on." - James Dobson
What?! James Dobson sounds more like a Westboro Baptist Church nutjob than a mainstream Christian leader. The God I have come to know in the Bible does not have a murderer slaughter children in order to make a point of his displeasure with the direction of political policy in our nation!
Look, I understand as a Christian, there are some deeds, acts, and choices we make as people which will have consequences in a divine fashion. I choose to be a Christian and I accept the notion I will answer for my sins one day. Please stop and re-read that last sentence again. I will have to answer for my sins. Not my children, not my neighbor's children, not a soldier in Afghanistan, not a police officer in Seattle, or a group of volunteer firefighters responding to a call. I have read many, many different Christians express a similar viewpoint, that our nation is being punished for it's declining morality.
However, I find the notion of the senseless slaughter of children, innocent children, being God's answer to America's declining morality to be patently offensive. So, I am rebutting such offensive speech in an attempt to show someone in the world, this (I so badly want to say jackass, but I will try to be more mature) buffoon does not speak for us all. In fact, he doesn't speak for me at all. I can tell you now, I will never set foot in James Dobson's church, I will never buy a book of his, nor will I ever point to him as an example of what Christians should be. In fact, I am taking time here and in future opportunities I am given to share with others, to show how much he does NOT speak for me, nor I believe a majority of Christians in the world today.
One of the absolute struggles most people have with religion in general, and specifically with many modern Christianity today is the way Christians treat and respond to others. If the best answer some church leaders can answer to these epic life questions are as cruel and soulless as his, it is no wonder church membership is declining in our country.
Some of my closest friends will no doubt believe God is punishing the United States for it's legal stance on abortion or gay marriage. Being a pro-life person myself, who has tried to vote for leaders and representatives who share my view on that issue and others, I do hope our nation changes its course. But again, I cannot embrace or tolerate the notion innocent children must die to punish those who supported a pro-abortion candidate. I guess James Dobson must think all those parents supported and voted for pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage candidates huh? All of them. Of course, I can't wait for his sermon explaining God's reasoning to punish them by having their children murdered. Let them live many, many more years suffering, knowing their kids are dead because of their vote last election for congress. That will show them.
Sorry, that is not the God in my Bible, in my heart or I doubt in very many Christian hearts either. I do not pretend to be a Bible scholar. I am not so well versed on every scripture that I can recite entire chapters. But, I can tell you I have a very wonderful, healthy, relationship with God. I pray, I read His Word, I try to listen and follow His path in life and I understand the simple message which resonates so loudly in the Bible: love. (Okay some may point out the rather stark words in the Old Testament, but I am focusing on the New Testament and the message Jesus conveyed in His words, His actions, His teachings.)
We can debate what we think God's blessings, God's disappointment, God's goals and even God's plan is from now until the end of time. I am sure none of us will be entirely right, and many of us may be way off. But, to attempt to explain away the tragedy in Sandy Hook Elementary School in such a glib, callous, and scornful fashion is unrighteous and offensive, so James Dobson, I think you may find yourself having to answer for this one day.
I just wanted to add my voice to the growing chorus of Christians who want these leaders to simply shut up. You are driving people away from God, not helping them to know the love of Christ.
Note: I wrote this tonight rather quickly. I debated taking more time to tweak, tune and craft a more eloquent, well written note, but I felt the material needed to be more raw and heartfelt in the moment.
****
Epilogue: I intentionally left out another rather large "elephant in the room" in discussing religion and the tragic events in Newtown, CT: the issue of why God allows suffering and tragedy in the world. There are literally hundreds and hundreds of books on the topic, and I am actually reading one of them now as a direct result of my own desire to seek an answer to the issue. I wish I had an answer, or even better, a solution which could rid the world of such tragedy. But I don't sadly...
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