Catching Idle Butterflies

Who are you?

I just read an article about Pat Robertson where, in response to a city voting out their entire school board out of office because they supported "Intelligent Design" for their high school science curriculum, he apparently said on "The 700 Club", "I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover [Pennsylvania]: if there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God, you just rejected Him from your city.

"And don't wonder why He hasn't helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I'm not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city. And if that's the case, don't ask for His help because he might not be there."

My question to Mr Robertson is, "Who are you to even begin to claim what God may or may not do?"

And to even suggest God will abandon anyone, let alone an entire city because of a political vote, is audacious to say the least. I can't imagine a god so small and so petty as to turn a deaf ear when his children need help because, at least in Pat Robertson's eyes, they committed such an egregious sin. Jesus said there is but one unforgivable sin, and the people of Dover (assuming I agree that what they did was a sin in the first place) didn't come even close.

When Peter asked Jesus how many times he needed to forgive someone, His answer was seventy times seven. That's a lot of forgiveness! And for Jesus to tell us to do that and not apply it to Himself once again makes God look very small indeed.

Someone once asked, "Is God a Republican or a Democrat?"

Interesting question, and it has but one answer. Neither. God is not about politics, who won the presidency, who controls the Senate and Congress, or who lost their school board seat -- for whatever reason. God seeks out each individual heart with a love and longing we can only get the merest glimpse of. If Pat Robertson wants to change the world, perhaps he should spend more time seeking out those hearts on Jesus' behalf. That is, after all, the purpose of every Christian. Scaring those very people who need Jesus most that God will abandon them for a single vote will only push them away to the point they may harden their hearts to the true message of God's love, grace and mercy.

Besides, when has it been up to any school, secular or religious, to bring a child close to God? That, my friend, has always been the responsibility of the child's parents. Their job is to teach them to discern the difference between truth, fact and supposition, not only for the moment, but for when they grow up and live on their own.

Besides, as far as teaching Intelligent Design verses Creation vs Evolution I can think of better things to spend my time on. I don't know, perhaps teach my children about God and live a life according to how Christ would have me live as an example to them? And that's just the start?

Or perhaps I'm just crazy.