A few days ago I learned that a fire had started in this area. It was spreading rapidly and by yesterday had consumed approximately 21,000 acres of forest. That is 21,000 of my lot. It is 263 of the government owned forest surrounding me. And it is 25 Central Parks. Simply put, it is a lot of land, An 11 mile stretch. Luckily it is a very sparsely populated area. Less than 100 people needed to be evacuated, no one died, and last I knew only 20 buildings had been destroyed.
Then I heard it-
"Why would God do something like that?" (At this point I need to say that when I mention "God" it is more in reference to what the most prevalent view is. There will be more on my beliefs and names at a later date)
It is something said everyday in all sorts of situations. Usually in response to an accident or death. I do believe that somethings are preordained. But preordained from our pre-birth decisions (again, more on that at a later date). It is OUR will, Not God's.
In times of trouble it is easy for even the most religious to forget, God gave us free will. And, for the most part, God said he (or she, depending on your beliefs) wasn't going to interfere any longer. A person could say "Well, what's the point in praying if God isn't going to get involved?". But that is an exercise of free will to pray. And if you are praying for something to be done, then God is not interfering. He is delivering an order, so to speak.
Take for example, a car accident. Imagine that a friend was injured when a drunk driver hit her car. God didn't do that. It was a combination of both the friend and the drunk deciding to drive that way and the decision of the other driver to drink. Suppose a woman is having repeat miscarriages because there is a genetic medical condition making the father's DNA incompatible with the mother's environment. That isn't God's will. It is would-be parents for making the choice to attempt to conceive. And one could argue that it is the would-be parent's parents for passing on the genetic material by producing offspring. That is human free will.
Even a forest fire caused by a lightning strike can be attributed to man's will. There was a time when Native Americans took great care and diligence in maintaining a sustainable and balanced forestry system. Yearly controlled burns cleared the flammable underbrush. This area was long due for a clearing. All the underbrush acted like newspaper under a campfire and traveled quickly through the forest. The result was State of Emergency declared from man's will to not maintain a proper ecosystem suitable for supporting human and forest cooperation.
Western Society is especially prone to blaming others and not taking personal responsibility for one's own actions. It is easier to be angry with others than to be angry with ourselves. But learning to accept responsibility for our own actions is one of the keys to getting out of the mire our society is in. While we are so busy blaming others we are not working on ourselves. Our ability to develop compassion and empathy are greatly reduced. We cease to grow. We cease to evolve into a better person. We cease to learn from our mistakes.
The next time something uncomfortable happens in your life, do not blame God. Evaluate what decisions brought you to the place where you are. It is sometimes a painful place to be, but out of pain comes strength.
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