Suffering brings up a myriad of questions and emotions. Rev. Richard Hogue of Liberty Grove UMC, articulates it well:
"I readily confess to being as bedeviled by the question of suffering as the next guy. Even when I’m able to explain some particular instance of suffering to some degree of satisfaction, I’m still left with the larger questions: Why is suffering so unevenly distributed? Why do Americans worry about computer bugs while Venezuelans worry about whole villages washed away by mud? Why is the magnitude of suffering so great? Why did war claim over 100 million lives in the 20th century, including 6 million non-combatant Jews in the holocaust? Why are some people made noble by suffering and others destroyed by it?"
When faced with suffering, either our own or others, what answers have your experiences given you?
[related to sermon "Suffering" 10:00am Sunday, January 11th @ Good Shepherd UMC, Westminster, CA by Pastor Lynn Munson]
posted by simplewitness @ 1/09/2009 11:15:00 AM
1 comments
1 Comments:
During these last several weeks have been negative news to shake the United States.
The material that caused the disaster Hurricane "Ike" in Texas, the collision of two trains occurred in Los Angeles where 10 people died, the financial crisis that is leading to bankruptcy for large companies like Leman Brothers and others, the crisis that still inmobibliaria endures, high inflation and mismanagement of course that President Bush has given the nation, all these things could be classed as "shock" the pride of the American people used to live in waste and wantonness.
And if they join the thousands who died from the attack on the twin towers, or more than a thousand people died from Hurricane Katrina, or the moral degradation that is coming to American society. All this evidence lugubre the scenario that today the United States.
The next president to be elected may not change much this negative reality.
But the Evangelical Church in the United States can not do something to change this, but even when these churches seem more concerned about their property and political alliances that change the poor spiritual reality in the United States.
This nation for many years has shown hostility to Latino immigrants who enter the country, and warfare with other Arab countries especially.
The administration of President Bush is leading the U.S. confrontation with the world, and probably also look to do with God.
The methods used by the anti-American government and also its people's traditional generosity desdicen previously demonstrated the United States, but now seems to show much pride and arrogance.
Of course one can not generalize to all people.
However, the beating that this nation is experiencing both economic and climatic are a clear warning from God that the United States correcting their wrong policies that have for the world.
Otherwise it is likely that in a short time will get from the trial of God over this nation as it sobrevinieron to other countries such as China or Burma.
The true Christian churches in this country should check the distance in a very clear and with more strength to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to avoid being influenced by the prevailing darkness in this nation. A dark and that is affecting many countries.
It is time we hear the voice from heaven speaks to our conscience by saying: "Come out of her, my people, so do not be partakers of her sins, and receive of her plagues, for her sins have reached to the sky, and God has remembered her iniquities. "(Revelation 18,4-5)
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