Why did God save the American doctor and let 1,200 Africans die?( Writer Asks)
This is a rather short, thought-provoking article on Ebola as
published by the Guardian. It’s been raising questions on Social media
as the writer,Michele Hanson questions why God ‘if he exists’ saved Dr
Kent and let 1,200 others die ….
“Lucky Dr Kent Brantly, the American doctor who has
recovered from Ebola, having been given a dose of the experimental
antibody serum Zmapp, whizzed home to the US, and given another dose. He
is now thanking God for saving his life. Through the medical team and
drugs, he admits, but ultimately, it seems, God was in charge. And he
chose Brantly, not the other 1,200 mainly west African people who have
died horribly, which seems a bit picky.
It must be lovely for Brantly to be so sure of things. I tried, aged
10, to work out whether God was around or not, but couldn’t. “What was
his actual shape?” I wondered. And how could he be everywhere, all at
once? How big, for example, was his toenail? Did it cover Ruislip, where
I lived? I imagined him constantly on the go, distant enough for an
effective overview and able to home in on catastrophes and act. But it
was very hit and miss. Would he be on the spot when you needed him, like
Brantly did? On and on I went for years, trying to believe in him.
I even went camping with a tremendously religious youth
organisation, but despite the prayers and observances, even the devout
did some frightfully rude things in their tents. And there was no divine
retribution. I gave up on God, for ever.
Millions didn’t. They seem to be obeying his instructions
to the letter, which isn’t doing the world any favours. But at last, a
bit of good news. The Jehovah’s Witnesses are mellowing. They havea new
tactic. Instead of just knocking on doors, they’re also allowed to stand
beside their literature, smiling, near shops and stations, letting us
approach voluntarily. Marvellous. It’s a shame they didn’t do this years
ago, when my old friend was a Jehovah’s Witness. She was terrified sick
of being sent to knock on our door. Luckily it never happened.
If only all religions would take this hands-off approach and let us all
believe whatever we like. No pressure. I hope that one day, that will
happen. I would say “Please, God,” but I can’t.
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