Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Billy Graham on the Subject of Suffering
In today's political climate, too many people shy away from religion, preachers or Bible-speak because right-wing wackos hijacked the faith. But link to a recent Billy Graham interview; read it; and just maybe your heart will soften towards them.
In the article by Newsweek, Graham talks about his visit to New Orleans – not just for a photo op – but to console 1,000 preachers who are trying to reconcile a loving God with suffering from Katrina.
Only a few days ago, a post by a blogger foolishly compared Billy Graham to his freeloading son, Franklin; and I told him the son was not equal to the father, as is often the case. For indeed, the idiot son of Billy, like idiot sons the world over (George W. Bush), often fall short of the mark.
The only worthwhile thing Franklin and Dubya ever did was beat out the competition on their way to the Promised Land of their mother's womb. By the fruits of their labor, you shall know them; and their narcissistic sense of privilege and entitlement give witnesses to my point.
At the age of 87 years old, Graham admits he doesn't have the answers to the question of suffering, for the Bible never fully explains. Only in the Book of Job is a glimpse descried, and that is that believers must abide in their faith when tested, no matter what.
Graham told Newsweek that if one believes in a sovereign, almighty, omniscient God, then one must accept that for His reasons, God allows suffering. But the most important thing to remember is that ultimately everything one loses will be restored.
This makes perfect symmetrical sense. For in the universe, every negative has a matching positive. So anything one loses has to be restored; this is the universal law.
// posted by Howling Latina @ 4:06 AM 
