I am still trying to decide what I am feeling having finished this book tonight. I have mixed emotions but I don't know how to feel. It's the same as when I read Shake Hands With The Devil by Roméo Dallaire. That book was about the Genocide in Rwanda. Cooper Anderson's book is about tragedy of similar proportions.
You can read a much better review of the book than I could ever write here.
I am glad I read this book. I am not sure if I like it or not. I like it in the sense that I get to know a real person, and Anderson is a real person. I like him. I like how he thinks. I like how he hurts and processes pain. That is what this book is mostly about - pain. Yeah, he covers wars, famine and Tsunamis, but he shares about his life, his father's death and his brother's death by suicide. He shares his pain. And I guess on some level, I feel his pain.
I also like reading about tragedy. I don't know why. I just do. And I don't like reading about tragedy in a happy sort of way, but in a way that I learn about our world's reality. That I get to hear about people I may never meet but who lived on earth. Who may or may not have made a difference in this world, but that died before we could even see if they would. So, I like reading about it but I read with great sadness. Sadness that people are like that. That people have no problem killing. That people don't care about other people. I read with sadness cause there is so much death.
And I don't always know how to respond to tragedy. Should I be compelled to do something? Am I compelled? Am I doing anything? I made the comment to Angela today that I should go find a tragedy and offer help. Why would I say this? Is it because I want to see tragedy as a "looky lou"? Is it because I care about people? Is it because I like to be helpful? Is it because I want and adventure? Is it because people need Jesus in tragedy and I can be Jesus "with skin on"? I don't really know. Maybe all of those reasons.
I sure got the feeling that Americans elevate themselves higher than any other race. He didn't say that of course but as he is reporting on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, he is quoting people who say that they can see stuff like this happening in Rwanda, Iraq, Sarajevo or Sumatra, but not the US. They are referring to the fact that bodies were left to rot for days after Katrina hit. No one would pick them up. It looked like a war zone. Should we be surprised that such tragedy can hit close to home? I don't think so. We are not invincible.
I remember news reports of irate men and women who were furious that the government only gave them $2000 after Katrina. They said it was nothing and demanded more. Now, I agree that $2000 is nothing in the wake of having your home destroyed or family members taken from you. It's just that it seems to me we have become a culture that feels they deserve everything. That they deserve this and they deserve that. I could go to scripture to make a point but instead I'll just say that this spirit of entitlement seems wrong to me. I don't deserve anything. I am thankful for what I have. If the rubber meets the road and I am in a position of great loss, be it death or destruction, I hope I don't expect any compensation from anybody. I hope I don't demand that I receive help. I will hope for it, maybe even ask for it, but I hope I don't feel I deserve it - that I am grateful for it.
So yeah, I hope that gives you an idea if you would be into this book or not. I know some of you will read it cause I am bringing it to you when we come to Saskatchewan. I will be curious to know your reactions to the book.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Dispatches From The Edge
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4 comments:
After this Revelation class, I also really appreciate this idea that we don't deserve anything. Unfortunately, I think us as believers often know more about what it means to be a Canadian/North American, than we do to be a Christian. We have no rights. We have the privilege of asking God for our needs but we rely solely on what He gives us. Further, we have a responsibility to recognize thatWe do like comfort. We like it, and we sometimes expect God to bless us like He did for the Jews in the Old Covenant. What are we promised in the new covenant tho? Suffering is one thing. So maybe praying for deliverance isn't always the right answer...but there is sweet freedom and rich blessing in confession (individually, and on behalf of our churches, countries, continent)...just a few thoughts :)
-David
Those are sweet thoughts, Dave.
You said "So maybe praying for deliverance isn't always the right answer." I think I know what you mean but I still believe we can pray that way. If it's not in God's plan, it won't happen, but my Bible says that we can and should bring God all our cares and concerns to God. We just have to be ready to accept the answere. Sometimes we will recieve, and sometimes we will not.
Yeah, suffering is to be expected. Jesus warned us and even called us to suffering but there are good promises too! I love the promise of the Holy Spirit for starters. And the promise of freedom as you have allready suggested.
I havent read the book but still know that there is so much killing, death , starvation and so on in the world. Yet no one seems to acknowledge the fact Calgary has over 40000 children living in poverty, or our rising homeless population. Nothing is done by the goverment or they simply make things worse. It's never reported or publisized for feer of what people might think. yet we seem to sympathize for those overseas because it seems they have it so much worse. God has given every one strength. We use this strength to live day to day. He will never let us go through anything he hasn't equipped us to handle. So why then do we feel for those who are stroinger than us? People in 3rd world countries who live through war, famine, disease, heartache of losing loved ones for senseless reasons, have more strength than any one person in North America. God has blessed them with more strength than we could ever dream of. Our struggles are so insignificant I really don't know why we bother complaining. Remember what Jesus said about those who have. And that those with nothing will have every thing... the first will be last and the last, first. These people have more than what the world could ever have to offer. We feel for them because they dont have the fancy car or home. They are missing out on the latest music or movie... but in reality, we are missing out the love of life of which God gives us. we are blinded by what the world offers and yet we still dont get that what God wants us to do. Our major desicions revolve around what we want to eat for dinner. The rest of the world doesnt have that option. I'm ranting as usual. We'll talk soon... maybe even see you at church one of these days..hahaah. I've been hunting, sick, working most of this fall. So hopefully I will have my weekends back soon.
A couple of questions, Owen:
What does living in poverty mean? (I am not being facecious). I would like to know whe sets the standard. Because I wonder if these kids living in poverty do have all their needs looked after. Should governmenst be looking after everyone's needs or go above that? Should they even be concerned at all?
Yeah, I do sympathise for those overseas. Anderson wasn't just talking about tragedy overseas, he was talking about the devastation that Hurricane brought home to the US. He was making the point that Americans feel invincible and then they can't get their minds around the fact that they are more vulnerable than they think. I would include Canadians in there too.
I definitely agree with you that we miss out on the Love God gives with our nice cars and nice homes, while we feel sorry for those that don't have those things in other countries, while, they are more "rich" than we can ever be. This is often why I ask myself why we feel we have to help other countries soo much when our help consists of doing whatever we can to get them a nicer house, better clothes and such. I know that is not always the case but I think our help needs to extend beyond sending a shoebox of toys, if you know what I mean.
So, I am ranting with you.
I'm in Saskatchewan for two weeks so we'll do coffee when I get back.
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