Regardless of the election results
tomorrow, someone is going to predict that God is likely to strike down a) this
country, b) people who voted for the “wrong person” or c) everyone who doesn’t
believe God will actually act.
No one will say that God will reward
anyone. After all, in the view of the
truly faithful, God only attacks and takes His vengeance. That’s why He has hurricanes and earthquakes
in His arsenal. No bouquets, no
compliments, just a wrathful deity.
Just a fun-loving kind of guy. Apparently, the only reason to pray to God is
to avoid getting lit up by a lightning bolt.
Such views are naturally the
providence of fanatical American Christians.
Muslims seemed to have missed out on the idea that God simply plans to
annihilate everyone. So have Jews,
Hindus, Buddhists and everyone else.
 |
| Gohmert |
Fortunately, this country is
blessed with stalwarts of wisdom to set the world straight. For example, there’s Rep. Louie Gohmert
(R-Texas) who agreed slavery was terrible – nice of him – but insisted that the
current situation is “far worse.”
This country, he said in a phone
call to media, may be on the verge of vanishing because the government is
following biblical teachings. “We have
never as an entire nation overall been so far away from God’s teaching and so
openly rebelling, even from the top, against God’s teachings in the
Bible."
Of course, Gohmert has made claims
like this before. He announced that the
mass murders in a Colorado theater this summer were evidence of God’s
displeasure. Does that mean the
survivors have survived God’s wrath?
Should they be wary in the future?
Or did He fail to properly train the shooter, James Holmes.
Or maybe the whole thing was a
conspiracy as a lawsuit filed in July by an unidentified shooting victim – and
tossed out of court soon after – that billionaire Philip Anschutz, Aurora
Police Chief Dan Oates, Arapaho County Dist. Atty. Carol Chambers conspired
with Holmes to commit the crimes.
God, of course, would have had
nothing to do with that cabal.
Such
claims raise one question: How does Gohmert
know what God is thinking? Hustler magazine founder Larry Flynt
raised that’s same question in regards Indiana Republican senatorial candidate
Richard Mourdoch, who said that "even when life begins in that horrible
situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen."
 |
| Flynt |
Flynt’s reposte was to offer $1 million for "letters, e-mail, text messages or videos from God, or messages addressed to you from God transmitted by any third party, including the Republican National Committee or the Romney/Ryan campaign" that would to substantiate the claim.
"I assume that you would not
have made this statement unless you had been authorized by God," the ad
states. "No one who believes in God would ever use the Almighty's name in
vain. That would be blasphemy."
Mourdoch didn’t answer. Rep. Louie
Gohmert wouldn’t either if the offer was made to him.
They
just ”know” what God is thinking.
Prophets
of old could get away with such claims because no one knew better.
We
do today. The election doesn’t reflect
God’s voice. It reflects the collective
wisdom of the voters. Sometimes, they
make a wise choice. Then, we enjoy
reasonably prosperous times. Sometimes,
they don’t. Then, we suffer.
No
divine assistance is required.
Long-time
religious historian Bill Lazarus regularly writes about religion and religious
history. He also speaks at various
religious organizations throughout Florida.
You can reach him at www.williamplazarus.net. He is the author of the famed Unauthorized
Biography of Nostradamus; The Last Testament of Simon Peter; The Gospel Truth: Where Did the Gospel
Writers Get Their Information; Noel:
The Lore and Tradition of Christmas Carols; and Dummies Guide to Comparative
Religion. His books are available on Amazon.com,
Kindle, bookstores and via various publishers.
He can also be followed on Twitter.
You
can enroll in his on-line class, Comparative Religion for Dummies, at
http://www.udemy.com/comparative-religion-for-dummies/?promote=1
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