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.
My last nudge was @ 1996 when the Lambeth Bishops council decided not to censure or defrock a Pennsylvania bishop for ordaining an active homosexual. Their given reason after 18 months of deliberation was to not make any decision since there were no specific rules covering that specific incident or specific type of incident. They held that the wording in the 39 ECUSA articles of faith was too vague and that further ajudication was necessary.
We saw the writing on the wall and the entire family crossed the Tiber and never looked back. Aside from the beauty of the Rite 1 service - we see no reason to ever go back to a place whre weekly prayers and parish resources were offered for Aids victims while the Sunday school was run on a shoestring.
I mean no disrespect to all faithful Anglicans around the world. That being said, it doesn't surprise me that a church originally founded by the moral giant Henry VIII would produce modern leaders with the morals of Nietzsche.
Of course we must be tolerant of those who disagree with us but, we must have some basis for toleration and for the likes of me I cannot find any thing of substance in Mr. Williams remarks to extend toleration. His faith appears to be blatant "PROTESTATION" or Protestant, if you prefer and, all wrapped up in emotionalism. At least an atheist addresses the issue of God seriously enough to argue against His existence. Mr. Williams, is no better then a vacuum machine and, what does one do with that which is collected in a vacuum machine's bag? What a consumate bore or, should I say bag-o-wind?
I can't say I blame you. I've seen lots of faithful people leave the church the last few years. I choose to stand and fight, I pray that the real Anglican mission in the USA will be revealed and we can carry on without the revisionist.
please read #115, thank you
Yeah, I'm beginning to be puzzled, too. Not at the grieving over it, but at the bizarre elements of the worldwide response: Morons acting as if aid is a competition, absurd attempts to make political capital from it, the growing number of articles basically blaming God, and as you said, this behavior that's treating it like the first disaster we've ever seen. Think it could be that we're simply immersed in a volume of communication that's never been possible before?
As for the archibishop's comments, what amazes me is that "churches" exist who obviously promote their people with a total lack of concern about their relationship with God. It's as if that's not even a consideration, as if these jobs were nothing more than typical corporate jobs in which one slogs one's way to the top of the corporate ladder. I guess I shouldn't be amazed, though. The Bible clearly warned of the great "falling away," the apostate church.
MM
Pointless, dangerous, futile, stupid and sad
Being unprepared for the Savior's return is like spending eternity in hell and wishing you had not rejected the free gift of salvation.
Avoidable, endless, tormenting, short-sighted and tragic.
dont most people that have secular beliefs in God think that he doesn't intervene in everyday events? If that is true why are they complaining. They must belief more than they are letting on...
Do you not believe in Jesus?
What is Hell?
It's too bad that the Anglican Church does not have a Christian as it's Archbishop of Canterbury, at least they should have someone in that position who has read the Bible.
I would answer the good bishop with another question: "What are you going to think when the Lord arises to shake terribly the Earth?" (Isa 2:19,21; Heb 12:26)
It's His earth. He can shake it if He pleases.
With an Unspiritual leader like him no wonder more Brits cite their Religion as Jedi.
Um real life isn't like Donnie Darko
bump for later read
For all we know some of those among the dead could have been terrorist who had the ability for mass destruction and we were just saved an even worse disaster and loss of life>>>
I thought the same thing myself the other day and just as I thought my best friend said the same thing out loud.
We are looking thru a glass darkly......
There is also the part where it warns, "Flee to the hills, do not turn back even for your coat."
It is a sign of respect for the Almighty that is about 5000 years old at least.
If you do not want to do it that is fine but please learn what it means before you leap to conclusions.
I know what it means. And in that full awareness, very much disagree with its usage.
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