Posted on 10/31/2001 6:28:14 AM PST by itsinthebag
I received the following e-mail message from a co-worker this morning. Comments and flames are both welcomed.
Did you see where Billy Graham's daughter was being interviewed on the Early Show a few days ago about the September 11th terrorist attack and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this happen?"
Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said "I believe that God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman that He is, I believe that He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand that He leave us alone?"
Let's see, I think it started when Madeline Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body was found recently) complained she didn't want any prayer in our schools, and we said OK.
Then, someone said you better not read the Bible in school... the Bible that says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said, OK.
Then, Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide) And we said, an expert should know what he's talking about so we said OK.
Then, someone said teachers and principals better not discipline our children when they misbehave. And the school administrators said no faculty member in this school better touch a student when they misbehave because we don't want any bad publicity, and we surely don't want to be sued. (There's big difference between disciplining and touching, beating, smacking, humiliating, kicking, etc.) And we said, OK.
Then someone said, let's let our daughters have abortions if they want, and they won't even have to tell their parents. And we said, OK.
Then some wise school board member said, since boys will be boys and they're going to do it anyway, let's give our sons all the condoms they want, so they can have all the fun they desire, and we won't have to tell their parents they got them at school. And we said, OK.
Then some of our top elected officials said it doesn't matter what we do in private as long as we do our jobs. And agreeing with them, we said it doesn't matter to me what anyone, including the President, does in private as long as I have a job and the economy is good.
And then someone said let's print magazines with pictures of nude women and call it wholesome, down-to-earth appreciation for the beauty of the female body. And we said, OK.
And then someone else took that appreciation a step further and published pictures of nude children and then stepped further still by making them available on the internet. And we said OK, they're entitled to their free speech.
And then the entertainment industry said, let's make TV shows and movies that promote profanity, violence, and illicit sex. And let's record music that encourages rape, drugs, murder, suicide, and satanic themes. And we said it's just entertainment, it has no adverse effect, and nobody takes it seriously anyway, so go right ahead.
Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves. Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."
Then there was the student who wrote "Dear God, Why didn't you save the little girl killed in her classroom? " Sincerely, Concerned Student... AND THE REPLY "Dear Concerned Student, I am not allowed in schools". Sincerely, God.
Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.
Funny how everyone wants to go to heaven provided they do not have to believe, think, say, or do anything the Bible says. Funny how someone can say "I believe in God" but still follow Satan who, by the way, also "believes" in God.
Funny how we are quick to judge but not to be judged. Funny how you can send a thousand 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.
Funny how the lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but the public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.
Funny how someone can be so fired up for Christ on Sunday, but be an invisible Christian the rest of the week.
Are you laughing yet??
Funny how when you go to forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it to them.
Funny how I can be more worried about what other people think of me than what God thinks of me. Are you thinking yet???
Are you laughing yet??
Are you thinking yet???
Are you pompous yet?
Are you condescending yet?
Seriously, what a bunch of gibberish and disjointed connections, none of which have anything to do with 9/11.
I think the "blame America" crowd is referring to America's foreign policy in the Middle East. So, I agree in that respect that it would be hogwash. However, I think Ms. Graham was possilby alluding to America's moral condition.
That's the point. I don't think Ms. Graham is blaming God. I think she is suggesting that we look at ourselves corporately as a country, and personally. Do we have our house morally and spiritually in order before we go and try to clean up someone else's? I think that's what she may have been trying to get across.
I wonder how many of the firemen and police who rushed into the burning WTC partook in these things. My guess is quite a few. Ever seen the inside of a firehouse?
If you want to know if God was there, look no further than these heroic men. He was in their hearts - and I cannot think of a more clear indication of his presence.To blame these attacks on the american cultural devolution is to legitimize the motivations of the terrorists. Many of whom cite the same trends as a force that "corrupts Islam."
I disapprove of the ongoing purge of religion from public life as many others do. But this did not cause September 11.
Thank you dubyagee. It made me stop and think. Perhaps a few others may too.
However, I think Ms. Graham was possilby alluding to America's moral condition.
Im sure she is. And Ms. Graham is an absolute idiot. Her point is that since she doesnt like the way America is behaving, God must have rubber-stamped Mohammed Atta and crews plans for the murder of thousands.
Only a sick and twisted mind could perform the logical and moral gymnastics necessary to come to that conclusion.
Are you pompous yet? Are you condescending yet?
Seriously, what a bunch of gibberish and disjointed connections, none of which have anything to do with 9/11.
I'm only the messenger. But that's okay. I welcome the flames too.
itsinthebag you asked where was God I think Mr. Bungle has answered your question, myself I could think of no better answer .
Tony
He (or she) was in the same place as always. Up there with Appolo and Zeus and Thor and Juno and all those other mythological Gods.
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