Posted on 01/01/2005 4:22:44 PM PST by Pikamax
Archbishop of Canterbury admits: This makes me doubt the existence of God By Chris Hastings, Patrick Hennessy and Sean Rayment (Filed: 02/01/2005)
The Asian tsunami disaster should make all Christians question the existence of God, Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, writes in The Telegraph today.
In a deeply personal and candid article, he says "it would be wrong" if faith were not "upset" by the catastrophe which has already claimed more than 150,000 lives.
Dr Rowan Williams: Prayer provides no 'magical solutions' Prayer, he admits, provides no "magical solutions" and most of the stock Christian answers to human suffering do not "go very far in helping us, one week on, with the intolerable grief and devastation in front of us".
Dr Williams, who, as head of the Church of England, represents 70 million Anglicans around the world, writes: "Every single random, accidental death is something that should upset a faith bound up in comfort and ready answers. Faced with the paralysing magnitude of a disaster like this, we naturally feel more deeply outraged - and also more deeply helpless."
He adds: "The question, 'How can you believe in a God who permits suffering on this scale?' is therefore very much around at the moment, and it would be surprising if it weren't - indeed it would be wrong if it weren't."
Dr Williams concludes that, faced with such a terrible challenge to their faith, Christians must focus on "passionate engagement with the lives that are left".
His comments came as Tony Blair finally broke his silence on the tragedy, branding it a "global catastrophe" that would take the world "years" to deal with. The Prime Minister, who has faced criticism for not cutting short a family holiday in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El Sheikh, also insisted that the United Nations should lead the international aid effort. He praised the "extraordinary generosity" of the British people, whose donations topped £60 million last night. The Government has thus far pledged £50 million.
Interviewed by Channel 4 News, Mr Blair said: "At first it seemed a terrible disaster. But I think as the days have gone on people have recognised it as a global catastrophe.
"It is not simply the absolute horror of what has happened and how many people's lives have been touched in different ways, it is also the fact that the consequences are not just short-term and immediate but long-term and will require a great deal of work by the international community for months, if not years, to come.
"We've got millions of people displaced, we've got the potential of disease coming from this and we've got whole areas of that region that will have to be rebuilt."
He shrugged off claims that he should have come home to take charge of Britain's aid effort, adding that he had been in touch "practically hourly" with Downing Street.
Mr Blair said that one of his key tasks during Britain's year-long presidency of the G8 group of leading industrial nations, which started yesterday, was to liaise with other leaders. His faith in the UN seemed undimmed despite the international rows in the months prior to the war in Iraq and he dismissed as a "misunderstanding" claims that President George W. Bush had tried to snub the organisation by setting up a four-country task force with Australia, India and Japan.
"When I spoke to President Bush a short time ago he made it very clear that he wanted the UN to be in the lead and that he sees the work that the US is doing as very much supportive of that," he said.
Mr Blair's intervention was made as it was disclosed that Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, would lead Britain's international anti-poverty drive by going on a three-nation trip to east and southern Africa later this month.
Meanwhile, a 10-man British military reconnaissance team arrived in Sri Lanka to assess how British Armed Forces could best assist the stricken country which, with Thailand, Indonesia and southern India, has borne the brunt of the disaster.
The team will report back to the Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood, Middlesex, in the next 72 hours. The main focus of Britain's effort is likely to be directed towards Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Two Royal Navy ships, the frigate Chatham, currently on patrol in the Gulf, and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel Diligence, already in the Indian Ocean, are heading for Sri Lanka. A C-17 Globe Master transport aircraft, which can carry 100,000lbs of cargo, has also been allocated to supply aid.
The Pope in his New Year message yesterday led prayers for victims at St Peter's Basilica in Rome, and a prayer vigil for victims, survivors and families was being held at Central Hall, Westminster, last night.
On Wednesday, a nationwide three-minute silence will be observed across Britain.
This guy is a danger. I think he is leading many sheep astray. Time after time he does nothing but undermine the Christian faith. Better to have a millstone around the neck.....
It's pretty bad when a "man of God" doesn't understand Job or Man's inability to understand the workings of God.
Didn't this noodle say the Beslan massacre made him doubt the existence of God, too? I'm not an Archbishop or anything, but it sounds like the poor gent doesn't believe in God, bless his heart! I think he should resign his position and become an actuary, or whatever position he's truly suited for.
The Anglican Church has finally become agnostic as well as liberal.
Wow, such a tower of inspiration and faith!
Sometimes he reminds me of Rowan Atkinson. Know what I mean? He's the Mr.Bean of the religious world.
The guy should read the Bible. Really, what does he think about when the floods came during Noah's time. And how about when Sodom and Gomorah was destroyed. Poor man, and he is in his position? The disciples were hung upside down on the cross, Christians were fed to lions and sawed in half. Please.
Well the Lord's ways are mysterious and often incomprehensible to mere mortals like Dr. Rowan Williams. Thus he should be pondering his own imperfection nightly and daily on bread of penitence and water of sorrow...
They're not making Archbishops of Canterburies like they use to.
His burnt toasts makes him doubt the existance of God.
I can only hope that Blair is making this up.
C.S. Lewis foretold him exactly with the Apostate Bishop in his brilliant short novel The Great Divorce.
It's shameful for him to continue to draw down his salary and carry his staff of office when he doesn't believe in his Boss.
. . . .just another reason why we are now Catholic.
You think this earthquake was bad? Wait until the Tribulation. Humanity needs to be humbled sometimes.
Why THIS disaster and not the various earthquakes, famines, floods, holocausts, etc? A lot of folks are acting like this tsunami is the worst thing to ever happen to mankind.
This guy should resign...he is a perfect example of the blind leading those that have sight.
It is one thing to go through a period of weak faith...that is human.
But, for an authority figure representing God to direct the faithful away from God...
Just guessing of course...but God ain't gonna like it...in fact, He might be quite peeved.
Isn't this a guy man or something as well?
In any event, he is apostate and is going to hell.
If the Anglican church were not corrupt, he would be excommunicated for this.
Wolves should not be allowed to lead the sheep.
He must be referring to allah. Who does not exist....
It would be one thing for the Archbishop of Canterbury to say, "I understand why this could make some people doubt the existence of God"; but for him to say so about himself...where does one begin to critique this? Oh, well, perhaps if this hastens the end of the schismatic and heretical C of E, it's all for the best.
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