Being Christian

Some people in this past week have brought shame to Christians by claiming to profess the reasons as to why God struck New Orleans. It's disgusting - who on Earth is so perfect as to know the heart of God to be able to say with any kind of accuracy why he let Katrina happen? It could be a myriad of reasons, but I would hardly claim that it was because New Orleans was setting to host an event for gays, or for its level of debauchery. Please. Ooh, I can't resist - not just please, but: Bitch, please! Sit down and shut up! I am far from perfect. I have my weaknesses, and I know what some of them are. Sometimes I actually cave in to them. If I do not repent, I will be just as much toast as the people that died in New Orleans. That's the price of our sin. It's doled out equally. I am just as much a sinner as the worst thief or murderer in New Orleans. New York or San Francisco or any city is just as depraved as New Orleans. It's all the same! Let's not be morons to elevate one sin above another, just so that we can feel better about ourselves. There is only one unforgivable sin, and homosexuality isn't it! I found a great post by a gen-X Catholic priest in Arlington that speaks to this issue. It makes me glad to know that there are people like him out there - speaking with a calm and Bible-centered voice, that isn't a demagogue or a zealot. Here is an excerpt:

In other words, what did those horrible people do to deserve the hurricane that God dropped on them? I've known too many good people who have suffered terrible things (look at the martyrs!), and too many rotten people who've sailed through life fairly unscathed, to believe that God metes out sure rewards and punishments in this life. That's what heaven, hell, and purgatory are for. Rather, I agree with Jesus Christ that God sends rain upon the just and the unjust alike. People who sit around talking about divine punishment during natural disasters are like the ones who saw the blind man sitting in the street and asked Christ whether he was blind because of his own sins, or because of the sins of his parents. Neither, according to Christ.

Now, I am pretty staunchly Protestant and don't believe in Purgatory. But the central point remains - life is not fair, and God allows bad people to flourish as well as the good. Punishment isn't always meted out in this life. Some people sail by without trouble, but ultimately we will all meet our maker and be held accountable for the things we did in our time on Earth. There is some justice - just not always apparent in this world. It should go without saying, but this is what I believe. You are certainly free to make up your own mind. Thanks to DC Blogs for the reference to the good priest's site.