So...it seems that the gal in the video that I posted yesterday - the one thanking God for answering prayers to convert atheists by causing the earthquake in Japan - was making up the whole thing.
Now, on the one hand, I am incredibly happy to find out that the video wasn't legit. But, on the other hand... Who DOES this sort of thing??? I mean, is this meant to be entertaining? Is it meant to be a political statement of some sort? Is it designed to make other groups of people look bad by pretending to be the most rotten apple in the bunch?
Parody or not -- "troll" video or not -- what was posted was just plain wrong. And the "oops, my bad" pseudo-apology doesn't really cut it for me...
Questions, Thoughts, and Random Mind-Wanderings of an Unmarried, Female, Music-Loving, Jeans-Wearing, PEZ-Collecting, CSI-Watching, PlayStation 2 Playing, Sleep-Wanting, Presbyterian Pastor.
Showing posts with label Japan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Japan. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
A Response to One Who is Thankful for the Tragedy in Japan
I was wondering when we'd start seeing things like this. And, by "things", I mean "crap". I guess I was hoping and praying that the wackos would keep quiet about the horrific tragedies in Japan. Sadly, we're not that lucky. I simply do not understand how it is that people can say these kinds of things.
(I warn you that this video is, in my opinion, incredibly offensive. If you are one of those people who is prone to throwing things when you get angry or such like that...well...you've been warned.)
To say that I am disgusted by this person's words is, perhaps, the understatement of the century.
At first, I figured that this must be a prank video - intended to parody so-called Christians like Pat Robertson and John Piper. But, alas, I don't think that is actually the case. I looked at her profile on YouTube, and I'm fairly certain that she attends (or is at the least greatly influenced by) the Chalcedon Presbyterian Church in Cumming, Georgia. I saw the word "Presbyterian" and nearly came unglued. I quickly checked to see what particular "flavor" of Presbyterian this church claims, and I discovered that they identify with the Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States. I have a few friends who attend RPCUS churches -- and the RPCUS is quite different from the PCUSA -- but I don't think that this person in the video is a good spokesperson for that denomination.
The real Christians that I know aren't cruel, hate-filled people who think that we should celebrate when tragedy strikes -- they are kind, love-filled people who reach out to friends and enemies alike in the name of Christ. The real Christians that I know don't believe that God is all about separation -- they believe that God is all about reconciliation. The real Christians that I know leave pronouncements of judgement and damnation COMPLETELY up to God -- they don't pretend that they can make those kinds of pronouncements themselves.
The creator of the video posted above calls Christians to prayer. And I say, let's do it. Let's pray fervently throughout this Lenten season. But, I would encourage us all to pray in ways that don't put words into God's mouth. Instead of praying for things like destruction and vengeance, let's dare to pray for those things for which Christ suggested we pray: pray for your own ability to forgive (Mark 11:25); and pray for your enemies and those who persecute you, so that you might demonstrate your love for them as God demonstrates love for you (Matthew 5:43-48). May we learn to pray in ways that answer God's call for us to love as Christ so loved us...
(I warn you that this video is, in my opinion, incredibly offensive. If you are one of those people who is prone to throwing things when you get angry or such like that...well...you've been warned.)
To say that I am disgusted by this person's words is, perhaps, the understatement of the century.
At first, I figured that this must be a prank video - intended to parody so-called Christians like Pat Robertson and John Piper. But, alas, I don't think that is actually the case. I looked at her profile on YouTube, and I'm fairly certain that she attends (or is at the least greatly influenced by) the Chalcedon Presbyterian Church in Cumming, Georgia. I saw the word "Presbyterian" and nearly came unglued. I quickly checked to see what particular "flavor" of Presbyterian this church claims, and I discovered that they identify with the Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States. I have a few friends who attend RPCUS churches -- and the RPCUS is quite different from the PCUSA -- but I don't think that this person in the video is a good spokesperson for that denomination.
The real Christians that I know aren't cruel, hate-filled people who think that we should celebrate when tragedy strikes -- they are kind, love-filled people who reach out to friends and enemies alike in the name of Christ. The real Christians that I know don't believe that God is all about separation -- they believe that God is all about reconciliation. The real Christians that I know leave pronouncements of judgement and damnation COMPLETELY up to God -- they don't pretend that they can make those kinds of pronouncements themselves.
The creator of the video posted above calls Christians to prayer. And I say, let's do it. Let's pray fervently throughout this Lenten season. But, I would encourage us all to pray in ways that don't put words into God's mouth. Instead of praying for things like destruction and vengeance, let's dare to pray for those things for which Christ suggested we pray: pray for your own ability to forgive (Mark 11:25); and pray for your enemies and those who persecute you, so that you might demonstrate your love for them as God demonstrates love for you (Matthew 5:43-48). May we learn to pray in ways that answer God's call for us to love as Christ so loved us...
Labels:
Forgiveness,
God,
Good News,
Grace,
In the News,
Japan,
Lent,
PCUSA,
Prayer,
Video
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