It’s been almost a month since the tragedy in Connecticut, that no doubt affected each of us in a profound and heartbreaking way. The oft heard responses invoking “God’s plan” or “man’s free will” as explanations for this, and other, horrific events like Newtown have compelled me to write a response. Unfortunately, as non-religious secularist I find this tremendously difficult as I believe silence and action, not rhetoric and explanation, are the only adequate responses to such tragedies. Hence, I will let Anthony Pinn do the writing. Hope you enjoy his words:
These profound moments of tragedy slowly kill God, making it so difficult, if not useless, to speak of God in response to misery. Instead we are invited to silence. Deep silence, in which we struggle for human resolve to confront human problems. Please do not misunderstand me: I am not saying we should say nothing, that we should do nothing. I am not suggesting that complacency is the proper response, nor am I arguing that these events should be ignored. Rather, I am proposing silence concerning God, silence concerning efforts to make things better through theological twist and turns, and through the revamping of experience to fit religious categories and religious tradition.
Please read the full article here, thanks Religion Dispatches.
from bethlehem to shadwell 