posted by Laurie Mulvey
I have spent my adult years piecing together an ecumenical spirituality in which I use the symbols and teachings of many religious traditions to help me comprehend the intangible and unknowable parts of Life that we all encounter. But I have never fully grasped the central idea of Christianity—Jesus as sacrifice. I’ve never understood how one person’s suffering could somehow liberate another person, how the crucifixion of Christ could lead me toward salvation.
Until the earthquake in Haiti. I don’t have to recount the misery that is taking place in that small island nation. We all know that it is simply too much for anyone to bear. It is a calamity completely outside any idea I have of fairness or a spiritual force that might guide our lives if we are in “right relation” to it.
But as I hold still and listen to the news and the jumbled voice of a Haitian friend standing in the rubble with his cell phone and pleading for me to understand something impossible to understand (“No horror movie is as bad as this,” he says), I feel things shift inside of me. I notice that I’m less concerned with my possessions, my ideas, my hopes, the things I think I deserve. I am more willing to give, to help, to care about someone else. “What would someone from Haiti do?” I find myself asking, as the question invokes the otherworldly anguish of the images and stories that have become commonplace broadcasts from this broken land. Time and again, the question pulls me away from self-importance and into alignment with things like caring and community.
Maybe we are in the presence of another crucifixion.
Please understand that I am not saying that the earthquake in Haiti was the will of the Creator, meant to liberate the rest of us, or that it was the destiny of the Haitian people to be sacrificed for the betterment of our souls. Life is a series of random acts and events—and the earthquake was one of them.
What I am saying is that acknowledging this suffering, knowing full well that I cannot relieve it (“No aid can compare to the magnitude of what happened here,” my friend tells me), and allowing it to work inside of me may just be what the symbol of the crucifixion is pointing towards.
I still think my Sunday School teachers got it wrong: Jesus didn’t die for me. But truly recognizing real suffering just may have the power to pull me away from my “sins” (you know, things like desire and jealousy, greed and selfishness).
So, whether it is the image of the cross or the ruins of a nation, maybe the simple gesture of holding the anguish of another in our mind’s eye can transform us—if we just keep ourselves open to it.
I attended Catholic school from kindergarten through 12th grade and I remember always being taught that Jesus died to save us all. We had religion class everyday and learned a great deal about Catholicism. I agree with Laurie that the idea of human sacrifice seems a bit arbitrary, yet this is not the first mention of human sacrifice we read about throughout the bible. Yet, as a Catholic, we are taught to pretty much ignore all the bad things and are told to not take these things literally. Clearly you can see that I find some of the Church’s actions corrupt, but putting that aside, Laurie’s post really got me thinking.
Unfortunate disasters always seem to arise in times we are not really paying attention to the world around us. I don’t remember too much trouble in the world before the day the Twin Towers fell. The only things I remember about the days before September 11th were full of instant messaging and playing soccer. The tragedy of September 11, 2001 created hysteria throughout the country and world. A war started soon after and our nation was conditioned to act as one. In school, we would continue to pray for the families of those that lost loved ones, whether we knew them or not. Other unfortunate events such as the tsunami and Hurricane Katrina followed in the past years. Americans were once again called upon to help those in need. The devastating earthquake that occurred in Haiti was completely shocking. Yet even with all of the methods of communication (like texting, Facebook, and e-mail) I didn’t find out about Haiti instantly. I’m pretty sure I saw it as a status update of one of my friend’s mom. I find it kind of sad that I had to find out about Haiti in this way, but I have to believe that I’m not the only one.
Basically what I think I felt after reading the post is that I feel like we rarely take a step back to reflect on all the blessings we have in life; we are too caught up in technology, internet, and sometimes even ourselves to notice what’s happening in the rest of the world. It’s unfortunate that these situations occur and it’s great that we continue to reach out to those that are suffering, but it needs to be a daily effort not just an immediate response.
I think Jesus dying for everyone else to live was a sign that we should not forget to live to care for and protect others and not take for granted one second of our time. As Laurie’s friend said, “No aid can compare,” because the Haitians need more. They need our donations, relief, support, volunteers, and our prayers. Maybe my 6th grade teacher taught us something great through religion: reach out to everyone you can touch in a special way, be it through prayers or offerings, because you never know if you will be the one in need of someone’s help.
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This comment really did make me think a lot how fortunate I am to have what I have today. I grew up getting what I wanted and although I appreciated what I had, I don't know how I would react if all of that was taken away from me. Haiti was so underdeveloped compared to the US, and they lost all of the progress they ever had and they lost the chance to be a successful nation. It's all gone and they now have to start at the beginning again. When I first heard about the disaster, I didn't know the degree of it until i watched the news and saw the spread of programs asking for help and money. Every time you turn the TV on, someone is talking about Haiti and asking you to send money. I immediately wanted to donate, even if it was a small amount. I felt like I actually contributed something to the people in Haiti and I hope my money was of use. But one thing about this whole situation makes me a little uneasy. Katrina.
So a few years ago, the US, OUR HOME, was affected by a disaster that destroyed homes, lives, and families. And yet, I don't remember any of the support that we are giving to Haiti. There weren't commercials that took over the TV, signs posted everywhere, or half as much commotion. It was in our own country! I understand that Haiti was a developing nation and EVERYONE was affected. i understand that thousands upon thousands of lives were lost. I also understand that regrowth of this country will take decades just to get to the point of where they were before the catastrophe. What I don't understand is why do we feel more connected to a nation during disaster than we did to our own a few years ago. On Friday night, there was a Haiti relief program on TV on almost every channel on cable. TBS, ABC, The Weather Channel, MTV, virtually any channel you turned on, you saw celebrities performing and trying to raise money for Haiti. It was such an emotional program and really made me feel upset about the earthquake and made me want to help. But still, why didn't this occur for Katrina? Obviously there were relief programs for Katrina and donations, but not to this extent. It really makes you think and I know I didn't donate to Katrina. It makes me feel guilty almost and makes me think that we aren't as patriotic as we thought. Haiti needs our support indefinitely, but so did those affected by Katrina, and those who are still trying to rebuild their lives from years ago now. It is somewhat of a touchy subject undermining the actions of the US, but it's definitely something to think about.
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This blog brought up a great point. We are all victims of the sins of “desire and jealousy, greed and selfishness” like the blog has stated. We often have a hard time taking a step back through own instinct and reason to realize how quickly and frequently we fall into a “trap” of stressing out over the “little” things in life, such as not getting an “A-” on an exam instead of an “A”, we make rude comments and cross our arms when the line for coffee is “too long”, how a boy or girl we like will not give us the attention we crave and think we “need”, we stress out when we go shopping and can’t find the “perfect dress” or “cutest shoes” to wear to an upcoming formal. One person stresses out over these matters, and the rest of us follow in a line outwardly speaking about our “plights” and so-called “tragedies”. It’s a never-ending vicious cycle which all of us continually fall victim to and will keep falling victim to.
Often times, we do not even realize that stressing out and making such a big deal and commotion over such circumstances and slight dilemmas we term with the word “tragedy” are far from this term in the grand scheme of life. In actuality, according to the Oxford Dictionary, the term “tragedy” means “an event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress, such as a serious accident, crime, or natural catastrophe”. I think all of us need to remember this before we run our mouths or cause a big commotion over simple and easily solvable matters. When really put into perspective our daily problems are simple matters when compared to what really are true disasters at hand.
Along the same lines as the blog posted by Laurie Mulvey, an interesting question comes to mind. Why does it take a true tragedy such as what happened in Haiti to change our perspective on what the word “tragedy” really means and what the consequences and effects a tragedy really has on people and those directly affected by it. Why does it take something this large and big to make us think beyond what goes on in the “bubbles” and “little worlds” we live in from day to day? Why do we need these “signs” to make us realize our lives really aren’t that bad, and in actuality we have so much to be thankful for and that the simple things in life should be cherished and not taken for granted.
Remember, it only starts with one person’s words or actions to influence others. I just think we need to start putting each day’s thoughts, actions, and words into perspective with reality. I guarantee we will spread a fresh and positive outlook on life because nothing in life should ever be taken for granted, but everything positive, no matter how big or how small, should be cherished.
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There is no justification as to what happened in Haiti. The devastating aftermath of an earthquake that has left this already fragile country in ruins has undoubtedly caused a stir in the religious world as to why such a catastrophe has occurred. To claim Haiti was the victim of sacrifice, and to directly compare it to the crucifixion of Jesus would be entirely wrong. However, pointing out similarities amongst the two, with the intent of bringing hope and positive light to not only Haitians but to the entire world, could be uplifting and could bring spiritual guidance to those who care.
In order to delve deeper into this theory it is important to look at the aftermath of the earthquake. An entire country, too poor to support itself as it was, has been left in shambles. With over 150,000 lives lost already the devastation of this natural disaster has shocked the world, and may be among the worst natural tragedies in history thus far. However, if anything good can be taken from the situation, it should be! I would not necessarily call it sacrifice, but I would call it a brighter side of things.
Hundreds of millions of people worldwide have come together in support of Haitians. Thousands and thousands of doctors and average citizens have paused their lives and gone to Haiti to directly help rescue those who need saving and treat those who are wounded. People from over 100 countries have sent aid to Haiti. It’s important to look at the beauty of the situation: the different cultures, the different races, the different nationalities. All of these different people from different parts of the world have come together for one reason… to provide aid when it is most needed.
After September 11, America came together as a country. Support was so abundant that even crime rates dropped following the tragedy. Now, countries across the world are coming together to offer money, resources, and other aid to this country in need. To me, that’s a beautiful thing. What happened in Haiti is a terrible tragedy, but it’s amazing to see what it takes for a divided world to come together.
Moreover, I’m not sure if I agree that the recent events in Haiti could actually transform us permanently unless we have seen and experienced the aftermath. I have donated money to Haiti relief funds and I do follow the news with concern for how the country is recovering. Also, I do believe that this can affect the way we think about ourselves, about the life we live, and about the desires we hold. However, keeping Haiti in our thoughts and prayers strongly differs from actually making a change in our thoughts and actions. People will continue to live their lives the same way they did two weeks ago. It’s those who have directly lent a helping hand that will change forever.
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I never was a religious person, to say the least. I never attended church and my mother was the only person in my family who went every Sunday. I felt it was asking a lot to have someone believe in something that there is no evidence of. I always asked myself the question “if there was a God why would he let this happen”. The earthquake in Haiti makes me ask this question again. Why would God, allow his children to be massacred by an earthquake, when they were living in poverty already? Maybe it was to see what other humans would do if their brothers and sisters were in harm’s way? Maybe it was his way of sending a message? Whatever the answer, it is a question that all devoted Christians, or religious people for that matter, need to ask themselves.
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I think that there are an infinite number of ways to find within yourself the true meaning of God. A lot of people wish to put a face to the thing we call God, make Him easier for us to relate to. Since no person can ever be on the same plane as the almighty or whatever we have to bring Him down to earth. This has been done for as long as humans have been able to think. First it was pagan beliefs, God was the earth or wind or oceans. Then people started to be able to conquer these things with farming and shelter and boats and everything since. Then people moved on from worshiping and fearing the elements of the Earth because they were no longer considered to be out of the control of people, they became trivial. With nowhere but the stars to turn to people started believing in a divine creator who made them and all that was around them. They now had a new way to fear and pray to the unknown. God became more human, he had the power of creativity(a human quality) he had the ability to decide what was and what wasn't, he got to control how humanity lived and understood everything. People were at His mercy. Then one day God (literally) became human. He suffered as a human, died like a human, and returned to His place in the stars.
To some people this progression seems like a series of very different beliefs and values. Granted praying to God's Human incarnate and praying to the Mountains are two completely different things with two very different goals. But I believe that Humanity has been deceived this whole time. For ages we have put different faces on the same feeling. The feeling that somewhere, somehow there is something that we are all a part of that is much grander than we could ever be or dream to be or even fathom. Whether its having faith in Jesus to bring you to salvation, or praying to the earth Goddess to bring a good harvest or meditating to achieve nirvana and end rebirth and suffering, everyone wants to acknowledge that there is something that can't be understood. The only constant in all of these things is the involvement of self. Whether self comes through in the form of Faith or discipline or desperation.
Controlling the self and mind has been the basis for religion for all of history and it continues to be. But it seems to me that the ease with which people living in our culture and others have forgotten this simple fact, and has created a sort of lazy mentality in people. Laziness in controlling self causes people to loose what is out there that is bigger than they are. Yet people have no problem controlling others cause that is easy, especially with guns and modern technology. So instead of looking inward to find a solution to their problems people prefer to look out into the world and see what they can change in order to improve their life. There is no doubt that this catastrophe has touched a lot of people and caused them to look beyond themselves and realize that there are bigger more important things in the world than their own ego, but what is equally probable is that many people look at what happened and just pump their own ego with the thoughts that "at least it wasn't me".
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I would like to discuss something branching off what Laurie addressed. Many students replied saying they disagree with her beliefs. Growing up in a Christian family, I would have never doubted the idea of Jesus dying for us. To many people, my family included, this belief comes from a lot of faith and seeing change and the way other believers are. Looking at this from a completely non-theological viewpoint, no matter what the crucifixion was spiritually, it has affected millions of people. It sparked scientific, medical, and theological awareness and attention.
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I never really thought of exactly how a crucifixion could lead to salvation. Obviously, we do not physically crucify people anymore, but I do think we have our own ways of "crucifying" others. That was simply how they dealt with people back then, and now we handle people in other ways. These can be as extreme as lethal injection or the electric chair. Even seemingly harmless acts, such as ridiculing a person to a point that they choose to end their life, are persecution. It's okay to question your faith, but it is not okay to criticize or ridicule others for their beliefs. I do not believe that Sam did this, but I think others need to think before they write; stop thinking about yourself for a minute and think about how you will sound to others. Don't tell me to think about my faith and my choices (because I can guarantee that I think about it almost too much); tell me what you believe and let it blow my mind. Ask questions, learn something, and talk to people. Being tolerant of others is an important aspect to embody.
Questioning why the earthquake in Haiti happened gets a person nowhere. It is not like someone is going to pop out and tell everyone why. No person is to blame; it was a natural disaster, which means nature, not by person or spirit. Seeking to blame someone or something is not the right mentality; acting or doing something to make a difference is more logical — Go help Haiti instead of just sitting around thinking about why it happened. Being apathetic is worse though. If you do not take the time to find out what is going on in your world, the world is going to come around and smack you in the head and not think twice about it. Every little thing you do can change your life. Even by simply taking a different route to class, you walk past other people and without even doing anything you could be making them think of something by how you look or what you're wearing.
When any kind of disaster strikes from big ones, like a natural disaster, to small ones, like car accidents, they make you step back and think about what is important. They do not really mean to do that, but it happens none-the-less. We think about "what if that happened to me? What would I do? Am I living my life right?" People change their minds every day. This generation overall is extremely selfish and wants the easy way to success. It is sad that we have grown up believing that hard work does not pay off because things like the recession happen; and in the end you will get screwed. In reality, we need to give to receive. If you have it, you probably do not really need it as much as someone who does not have a home, due to circumstances outside of their control.
Everything does happen for a reason; even if that reason does not make sense to you or is outside of your control.
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The question you posed – “What would someone from Haiti do.” stuck with me most from reading your blog. I myself am not from Haiti. My parents migrated to the USA from Haiti in the late 70’s. My parents, my grandparents all whom which I live with are Haiti natives. They were born and raised there and likewise I have cousins, aunts, and family there still. Like the question you ask, I ask myself a similar question. What if. What if, my parents decided to stay in Haiti instead of migrating to the United States? Would that little boy looking for shelter and food be me? Would that wounded, injured, lost and confused family be mine? What if my parents decided to migrate but leave my aunts, uncles, and grandparents behind? Would my family be suffering a great and terrible loss?
Every winter my grandfather travels to Haiti because the weather is too much for him to bear here. The moment I heard about the earthquake, my heart immediately stopped. I could no longer move and thoughts began to race through my head. All I could do was pray, pray to the man above that not only my family was ok but also that other families and friends of families were ok. I cried several nights, just from the pain of not knowing and not being able to be in control of the situation. I donated as much as I could, clothes, sheets, water, money, yet it did not seem enough. Not knowing the fate of my family had me completely unbalanced. Everything became hard for me, sleeping eating; concentrating on school or work, nothing was simple!
The day I received word that my grandfather, and cousins were alive, I thought I would feel some type of relief. Sadly, I did not. I feel for the people that did not receive the news I did. I feel bad for my family that is still out there because even though their alive, they have no clothes, no shelter, no food, and they are struggling. While talking to a friend she told me to be happy their alive. That through out this trial and tribulation, god has chosen them to live another day and that it was not their time to go. While I am forever grateful for their lives, I still do not like the idea of them sleeping in the streets, in the rain, asking strangers for food. Now if what Pat Robertson said was correct than “the earthquake was because Haiti made a pact with the devil,” why would god let several hundred, thousand people live?
Personally I have never suffered a loss in family, I never had someone close to me die. I wouldn’t know how to even begin to cope with the death of someone I love and cared for. So till this day, I thank the man above for giving my family and the survivors of the Haiti earthquake second chances. And I also thank everyone who has donated clothing, water, money, food, and everything they have donated to the survivors, you are helping them to survive with your donations. You are helping Haiti’s Calamity. Thank you
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I feel that the Haitian people were suffering way before this disaster struck. They are the poorest country in the western hemisphere and more than half of their population is surviving on less than a dollar a day. The earthquake that hit Haiti only further accentuated the suffering that these people have been feeling for years. It is a shame and sad that it has taken a natural disaster of this magnitude to wake the world up to recognize and see these suffering people. My thoughts and prayers are with the Haitian people and I feel that this earthquake was an act of God that has brought the world to a place that has needed the world for some time now. There is great pain and suffering in Haiti, but these people are strong and I believe that they can bounce back. We as a world and as a community must be our brother’s keeper. We cannot allow people to suffer like this. There are a number of Haiti like countries in the world we just haven’t opened our eyes to see them yet.
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Like many of you who have responded to Sam’s blog, I too was brought up in the Christian faith. I was baptized as an infant, and attended church every Sunday throughout my youth and continue to participate in worship here a Penn State. As a child in Sunday school, the whole idea of faith in Jesus Christ was a hard concept to grasp. I was taught that, “God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that our sins may be forgiven.” I was instructed to believe in God, and that Jesus was the only way to heaven. Naturally, as a young child I went along with it and agreed that there was some “higher power” at work in our universe, and that entity happened to be God. I wasn’t until last semester here at PSU that I truly believed and devoted my life to Jesus Christ and his teachings.
It was an experience like no other coming to know Christ. Everything just seemed to make sense, and I started to see God’s hand in everything. But when tragic events affect our lives personally, we start to doubt God is present. With the recent events in Haiti, many people may have started to doubt their faith, but an even greater number looked to God for peace, comfort, and healing. We have all at some point in our lives blamed God for something, like a never-ending bad day, lost job, etc. But compared to the earthquake that hit Haiti, our problems seem so trivial. Why would God do this to one of the poorest nations in the world? Do these people not suffer enough already?
A verse taken from the book of 2 Corinthians in the Bible reads, “For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.” Basically, this verse says that through Christ we will receive peace and admission to heaven, but at times we will suffer to earn this privilege, for Christ suffered the weight of everyone sins upon the cross. I also believe that disasters like the one in Haiti serve to bring us together, caring for one another. And why do these events more than not affect the poorest people of the world. Would you willing help a nation of wealthy individuals, or a country of people who live off less than 5 cents a day. One of the Ten Commandments states that we should love our neighbors as ourselves. In today’s world, we forget how well off we are. All of us are so fortunate to be attending Penn State, but there are children around the world that cannot afford a college education, let alone a formal high school education. It is because we forget to care for each other that God reminds us of our duty to one another through natural disasters, like the earthquake in Haiti.
Though we all suffer to some extent, and many have felt the effects of the recent events in Haiti, would you not agree that it is a small price to pay for eternal glory in heaven? After all, Jesus willingly sacrificed himself for the forgiveness of our sins. Could you sacrifice your only child to save the rest of the world from eternal damnation?
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I also agree with Laurie. Sacrifice is the real truth behind the crucifixion. I also have seen my day to day life change. I cherish more things and the things I choose not to cherish I sacrifice to people that would cherish them. I think less of myself needing, which is actually wanting, and think that the money I could have spent is better put to use helping someone less fortunate than me. My family and I are not wealthy by the standards here but to any Haitian we are rich. That is the reason we choose to sacrifice whatever we possibly can to help.
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This topic is very deep to me especially because religion is brought up in this blog. I am a strong believer in Jesus Christ and I deeply believe that God sent his only son Jesus to die on the cross for my sins (our sins). I believe that everything happens for a reason, so maybe the Earthquake that struck Haiti is going to be a good thing for the Haitian society and community: the rebuilding of the Haiti might end up being better and more livable than what it was before. Don't get me wrong i feel bad that thousands of people have lost love ones, their homes, their jobs and their self esteem, I think that is just terrible and I keep the people of Haiti in my prayers. So although everything seem unbearable right now, I have a feeling that Haiti will grow into a more beautiful country.
And why is it that we wait until something terrible and tragic to a community of people for us to want to "help out" and "give back" or "lend a helping hand". And when I say we I mean everyone. Before the Earthquake hit, Haiti was not sitting on top of the world. Probably half of Haiti people were living under the poverty line. Now all of a sudden we want to watch our sins and realize how fortunate we are because certain things did not happen to us.
However this does make me think that we are capable and willing to help. This shows me that the U.S is a caring country and have tender hearts. I must say that I am impressed with how much people are doing to help. And maybe this is a way of God testing us to see if we have hearts as big as his. Maybe God is looking down on us smiling at how much we all have turn our attention to Haiti. But whatever the case might be God has a plan for all of us, we just have to follow our hearts and do what's right.
So although you don't think that Haiti's suffering is to not better our souls, I will have to say that it seems like just the opposite. The same as with Hurricane Katrina, when the Hurricane struck just about everyone was trying to help out, send in donations, raise money, raise awareness and so on. I hate for it to sound this way but that's the truth! Whenever a Country, a city, or specific group of people are hurt and injured, or something tragic happens, that's when we ALL feel bad and want to ease their pain. So let's just all be more open minded everyday and not just when it pops up on the news because like you said random acts happen all the time.
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I agree completely that this horrific event has caused some of us to take a step back and realize how blessed we truly are. At least it has done that for me. Sadly, even in times of misery there are those that still manage to not feel a thing.
I have heard people make little comments and even post things on their facebook about how it’s horrible that Americans can give millions to other nations when there are people suffering right here. While there are people suffering in the United States, we need to realize that humans are humans no matter where they reside and we should look out and help each other despite where are geographically.
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I grew up in a home where religion wasn't really talked about. My mother is a very religious woman but never wanted to push her beliefs on me. She wanted me to form my own beliefs, and if believing in God was one of them, she was fine with that. On the other hand, my father is agnostic. He thinks that there is some divine being, but he just doesn't know who or what. He never forced his beliefs on me either. Now I have been on the planet almost 19 years and my sister almost 16. Both of us are atheist. At one point in time we attended a church in the local town, but that didn't work for very long. I was starting to feel close to something. Whatever that something was, I still am not sure. I remember one Wednesday night service we were praying for Jesus to forgive us of our sins so we could follow in his path of salvation. I remember some strange, goose-bump raising feeling. I thought that the feeling meant that I was somehow close to God, and that was him reaching down to touch me. I thought that was a sign that he was there for me, and he wanted to let me know.
Then came the change of heart. My best friend lost his life in a car accident Sunday February 29, 2004 at 2:30 A.M. He went out on a joyride with five of his friends, and the sixth friend, the driver, only had his permit. At 2:30 A.M. on that Sunday, all seven of them passed away. Trey Hannah, Crystal Smith, Eric Sansone, Samantha Stawizynski, Lauren Sutherland, Jessica Wallace, and Michael Fradella were all ripped from this earth. For what? When I stepped into church that morning, all people told me was that it was God's plan. They told me that God needed them. This moment changed my life.
I felt myself immediately start losing the feeling I thought I felt that Wednesday night in church. I went to the memorial service held that Wednesday, and it was the last time I stepped foot in church. Thousands of people showed up to the service. They had giant portraits of each kid on a separate easel. The people at the doors handed out one red rose to the mourners. I walked right up to his easel and placed my rose next to his smile that I missed so much already. The thousands of people who were behind me seemed to follow. They placed their roses and laid their hands on my shoulder. They told me that he was with God and that God had a plan. I sat back down in my seat in the second row. I watched as pictures of me and my best friend flashed across the screen in the front of the church. I listened to Crystal's father scream as her face filled all of our eyes. I listened as people stumbled over speeches of love lost. I watched Michaels's father sit in shame as others blamed him and his son for the deaths. I watched Trey's mother– her face still in shock and disbelief. I watched all of this for the loss of seven children. I felt ripped from God due to this small town tragedy.
So maybe this tragedy is allowing some to feel closer to God, but to me, its just pushing me further from buying into that. Interpret it as you want– another crucifixion or a deal with the devil gone bad. It is still one of the largest natural disaster tragedies on the planet, and I do not believe it was to show humankind that some divine being has control over us. I believe it is a time we should band together, but not a time that was planned by someone bigger than us all.
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I completely agree with Sam when he said that seeing what other people are going through in other parts of the world can quickly pull you away from your sins and make you think twice. I think it is such a shame that there is so much crime in the world going on that takes away so much attention from the people that really need that attention. For all the people that lost their homes, families, lifesavings, everything all in an instant, we could be doing so much more to help them if we did not have to spend money on jails or courts or police to keep away the crime.
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I don’t think this was a random act. I know that people always that things happen for a reason, well I think those people are right. I have lived in Haiti and I have things that are unbelievable. Things I promise to myself I would never speak of. If someone told me they have seen those things, I would think they have gone mad. I think the Haitian population need God more than ever now. They need to stop believing in this thing call voodoo and start praying the Lord. A wise man once told me the Lord is gracious and compassionate; slow to anger and rich in love. I believe God can heal this nation. Peace it back together.
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You have realized almost exactly what my understanding of Jesus' suffering and death is. Before I get into it, I do wish to point out that I do not think there is one way to interpret the event of Jesus' death. To me, the sacrifice of life was to show us what exactly sacrifice is all about. In other words, that the more important things are the ideas of giving to those to who are less fortunate or loving blindly. As a Catholic, knowing someone died on the cross to relieve the suffering of my brothers and sisters teaches ME how to sacrifice. The idea that Jesus died on the cross for our sins is not what I relate to most. I relate to the idea that Jesus was setting an example. Could most of us do the same? I would have to guess, probably not. Everything seems small when compared to Jesus' acts.
Should it be that it takes tragedy to wake us up or teach these values? No, it should not be but maybe in today's world with our distractions and great self absorption it is what we need. I, too, am not saying that the sacrifice of so many lives and the destruction of a country was the will of the Creator or at all something good. I just feel that it teaches. I mean it did get us thinking, didnt it? What I am trying to say is that Jesus death was a symbol and reminder of caring, community, love, and sacrifice. Perhaps what has happened in Haiti can serve as a similar representation.
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I really enjoyed reading this post because it's not something you often think about. I went to a Catholic high school and was preached the Bible cover to cover, but nothing ever really got through to me. Like you, I could not comprehend how the crucifixion of a person thousands of years ago had any relevance to my life today. It was not until a experienced a personal tragedy last year that I started to have strong faith. I've been thinking about it since then, and I've come to the idea that sometimes, people need to experience their own "crucifixion" so to speak in order for their faith to take full force. As sad as it is, it was at least the truth for me.
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The atrocious earthquake and ongoing aftermath have opened my, as well as many others, eyes to the impact disaster can have on nations, particularly nations that are already facing great adversity and poverty. I would also hope that an awareness of the aftermath from the earthquake will allow more people to give, in more way than one. We are, for the most part students, who have somewhat limited financial resources but I do not think a lot of students realize the capacity we have to make a difference with our actions, not only our money. Although we may have limited resources financially, we are rich in many other facets. We can organize not only to raise money but also organize ourselves to take a trip to an area affected by natural disaster or great poverty, and we do not have to wait for another awful disaster to occur before we begin to give, and help others. I sincerely hope that this most current appalling demonstration of a natural disaster will only increase the level of volunteerism among young and old alike.
This also brings about a larger issue, when a natural disaster ,or a catastrophe caused by others occurs, we are so quick to donate funds which are of course extremely essential but they will alone not fix the problem, or help alleviate the disasters impact. Additionally, we often times forget all too quickly that the event occurred. I am confident that two months from now, when the earthquake is far from our daily conscious mind, the people of Haiti will still need our help. Additionally, it seems to be the vogue thing to do, donate money. Celebrities donate, normal everyday people donate but it almost seems like after they give their miscellaneous amount of cash they feel like they can move on knowing they helped. While I am in no way suggesting that everyone stops donating money to charitable causes, I am simply suggesting that we do more than just throw money to the most recent disaster scenario and then walk away thinking we have done all we could. I would like to see all of the people who donate to every cause and disaster to follow one extensively, even after all of the twenty-four news networks vacate the scene. To see how the people of Haiti, Darfur, the Gulf Coast, wherever react after the attention is off of them, after we believed we have fixed everything. I would wager a guess that these people still need help. I can almost guarantee that a devastating disaster that occurred in the United States a relatively short time ago, Hurricane Katrina, is still impacting men, women, and children all over the gulf coast region the hurricane devastated.
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As a child, I was taught that helping other was the godly thing to do. I was taught that since God saved us from a life of sin and pain, then it was our job as people to help one another when we are in pain or suffering. For those of you who believe in God or in some form of higher power, I'm sure that you can relate. However, so many of does not see any of this as true. No one ever wants to suffer. No one ever wants to experience the harshness of an unexpected event, but we all do or have at one point or another. Suffering is not the ideal way of living. However, I would like to know, when is it a good time to ever with suffering? When should we finally step up to the plate and realize that suffering does exist? Most people do not pay much attention to suffering until it them personally experiencing the suffering at hand. This is not the way to be. Suffering is not just personal– it is global.
I feel that we all suffer in our won ways from things that may or may not be apparent. We all like to feel that when we are suffering, we have something or someone to bare the pain with us. We all look for some kind of blessing to get us through the sorrows of the night. Some turn to God in times of suffering and some of us turn to people. No one way is better than the other as long as we have something that we can hold onto right? However, I want to know, is our personal suffering greater than the suffering of others? When we are suffering personally and feel that we have everyone in the world to hold onto, who do those suffering globally have to hold onto if we wont lend a hand?
The people of Haiti are suffering tremendously. They have nothing left, but the ruins of their once precious country and the memories of what use to be. They are now the ones looking for some type of blessing that will bring them out the turmoil they are standing in. Now I know some of us will say that God said there is a reason for everything or that I did not put them in this situation so why should I even try to get them out?
I ask you, please place yourself in their shoes. Would you not want someone to be there for you? Would you not want someone to give you a helping hand? I do not think that anyone would say no to these questions. Everyone wants to be helped. Sure people might say, well what will God do for me if I help them or what can I gain by helping them. Lets try stepping outside of ourselves and the selfishness for one minute and think. Helping others is not only the spiritual thing to do, but it is the right thing to do. It cleanses the spirit and shows God that we love him as much as he loves us. You gain the knowledge and feeling of knowing you saved or helped someone. I am not saying we will become saviors. However, we always find ourselves looking for blessings, well you must be the blessing you want to receive.
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I think what many people fail to realize with Haiti was the vast poverty and substandard living. It amazes me how a national disaster and lmass loss is what it takes to bring to the media and get some real help down there. To my understanding Haiti suffered BEFORE the quake and it seems like many people will start to care about whatever is put on the news last.
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Since a child I have always been around and been placed in religious settings. I attended Catholic school all throughout grammar school and even attended a catholic high school. I have come to realize that no matter what happens in life or how many times we sin we can always look to God. Though there are many tragedies and obstacles that come our way in life varying from losing a job all the way up to the earthquake in Haiti that may seem horrible and have us questioning our creator, I believe and have always been taught to have faith. Faith is a huge part in religion and I believe if you don’t posses this trait you cannot call yourself devout in Christianity or any other religion for that matter. Faith serves as a meaning for life in my perspective. If you don’t believe in anything what is your purpose for living? I know that whenever I get into trouble or an obstacle comes my way I find comfort in praying and talking to God even if the solution does not come right away. I believe that this is what many people struggle with when it comes to turning to the creator. They expect whenever something comes their way that is difficult or whenever they get themselves into a jam, they can just pray and God will make it all better. This is where the lack of understanding comes in. Prayer is what you make it. We as people expect that everything beautiful is supposed to be handed to us on a silver platter when in all actuality we have to work for it. Take this scenario for an example a teenage girl who steals from a clothing store regularly and doesn’t think twice about it, doesn’t get the scholarship that she wants to attend college. She is so grief stricken by this and can’t understand why this is happening to her. I’m sure many people would read this and say it is bad karma and that she doesn’t deserve it because she is a thief, but this is the case for many individuals in today’s society. We have to understand that we will not get rewarded for nothing and that God will place us in situations to test our faith in him. Then you might ask yourself what is the relevance of this to the story in Haiti. I feel that it is very tragic what happened in Haiti. However, I do not believe that people should look at it as God punishing their people, but as Sam said maybe it is a test. Being a devout Christian I have never looked at the crucifixion as any other way then what I was raised on believing and am not too sure I agree fully with what Sam states about it. However, being an open-minded individual I can see how this might be applied. We as people can be so self-centered and selfish and depending on your beliefs (mine a true Christian) know that Christ’s coming is approaching us. So I look at w hat happened in Haiti and then apply Sam’s theory to it and can understand and appreciate that maybe this is truly a way for us to be put one step closer to truly redeem ourselves and show that we our worthy to enter the gates of heaven. So in closing, Jesus did die for us no matter what way you put it because he died so that we may obtain an empathetic view of what it feels like to love and want to better the quality of life and suffering of another human being. And this is something that we should never question.
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The people of Haiti are suffering tremendously. They have nothing left, but the ruins of their once precious country and the memories of what use to be. They are now the ones looking for some type of blessing that will bring them out of the turmoil they are standing in. I ask you, please place yourself in their shoes. Would you not want someone to be there for you? Would you not want someone to give you a helping hand? Everyone wants to be helped. Helping others is not only the godly thing to do, but it is also the right thing to do. No we are not saviors, but we are people who can help one another in times of need. I know many will say, what can I gain from helping? You gain the knowledge of knowing you helped someone, you will feel a sense of happiness within your self, and most importantly you will know that you have done the right thing. Helping others is our way showing God our love for one another the same way he showed his love for us.
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I agree with some of these points, some I dont. I used to be religious and go to church every weekend and pray and believe in God. But I cannot grasp the concept that someone/something could let something like Haiti happen. It just boggles me how something like this could happen if there really is someone watching over us. This is one of the worst disasters ever to happen and for "God" to sit back and watch this happen and allow it to happen is rediculous to me. However, at the same time, some good has happened. It has brought our world together and has shown compassion I would not expect. Suddenly, everyone is willing to come together and help. I dont know a single person that has not contributed to the Haiti relief which is amazing. Everyone is coming together and forgetting their own problems in time of our nations rut which shows we are all people helping people. But I do not think there should be such a catastrophe for us to come together like this. People should always be willing to help those let fortunate. I dont think it is fair of God to do this just so we will come together and help each other out. How can things like this happen to poor people when rich people everywhere have a better life and will never understand what it is like to be that poor. This is not the way of showing us how compassionate we can be when we need to. None of us will ever realize the pain and suffering those poor people are going through and its stupid of us to think that we ever will. But then again, I am not blaming God for this. This is a natural disaster that cannot be stopped or targeted.
My heart goes out to all the people affected. I cannot being to understand the pain and suffering they are going through. It is times like these that remind me how lucky I am to live in this country and all the opportunites I have and just my way of life. These people did nothing to deserve this, yet it happened to them. I donated 10 dollars in class and felt good about myself. That is horrible. 10 dollars? What is that going to do? Out of all the money I have, I've not given more? I am selfish. Yet it is hard to even compare myslef of my situation with them. I have never know what it is like to be that poor and I never will, just like Donald Trump will never settle to live with my conditons. I feel like we all need to reaize how lucky we are and to be thankful we do not live like that. We all need to be more giving and compassionate, even without events like this forcing us to think about these issues. Everyone should at least give 20 dollars to help another person, another human being, Because after all, thats what we are, fellow human beings.
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As a child, I was taught that helping others was the godly thing to do. I was taught that since God saved us from a life of sin and pain, then it is our job as people to help one another when we are in pain or suffering. For those of us who believe in God or in some form of higher being, I’m sure that you can relate. However, it so many of us does not see this as true. No one ever wants to suffer. Suffering is not the ideal way of living. However, I would like to know, when is it a good time to ever deal with suffering? When should we finally step up to the plate and realize that suffering does exist? Most humans do not pay much attention to suffering until it is us experiencing it personally. This is not the way to be. Suffering is not just personal–it is global.
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I feel that we all suffer in our own ways from things that may or may not be apparent. We all like to feel that when we suffer, we will have someone or something there to bare the pain with us. We all look for some kind of blessing to get us through the sorrows of the night. Some turn to God in times of suffering and some of us turn to humans. No one way is better than the other as long as we have something that we can hold onto. However, I want to know, is our personal suffering greater than the suffering of others? When we are suffering personally and feel that we have everyone in the world to hold onto, who do those suffering globally have? The people of Haiti are suffering tremendously. They have nothing left, but the ruins of their once precious country and the memories of what use to be. They are now the ones looking for some type of blessing that will bring them out of the turmoil they are standing in.
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I ask you; please place yourself in their shoes. Would you not want someone to be there for you? Would not want someone to give you a helping hand? I do not think that anyone in this entire world could say no to both of those questions. Everyone wants to be helped whether they want to admit it or not. I am not saying that we as humans have to be saviors, or help others because we think we will be saving ourselves in the process. I am simply saying that helping others in need is the right thing to do. We as humans always say that we need blessings. Helping others is a blessing all on its own. So be the blessing that you want to receive.
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I ask you; please place yourself in their shoes. Would you not want someone to be there for you? Would not want someone to give you a helping hand? I do not think that anyone in this entire world could say no to both of those questions. Everyone wants to be helped whether they want to admit it or not. I am not saying that we as humans have to be saviors, or help others because we think we will be saving ourselves in the process.
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I ask you; please place yourself in their shoes. Would you not want someone to be there for you? Would not want someone to give you a helping hand? I do not think that anyone in this entire world could say no to both of those questions.
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I ask you; please place yourself in their shoes. Would you not want someone to be there for you? Would not want someone to give you a helping hand? I do not think that anyone in this entire world could say no to both of those questions. Everyone wants to be helped whether they want to admit it or not. I am not saying that we as humans have to be saviors, or help others because we think we will be saving ourselves in the process. I am simply saying that helping others in need is the right thing to do. We as humans always say that we need blessings. Helping others is a blessing all on its own. So be the blessing that you want to receive.
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As a child, I was taught that helping others was the godly thing to do. I was taught that since God saved us from a life of sin and pain, then it is our job as people to help one another when we are in pain or suffering. For those of us who believe in God or in some form of higher being, I’m sure that you can relate. However, it so many of us does not see this as true. No one ever wants to suffer. Suffering is not the ideal way of living. However, I would like to know, when is it a good time to ever deal with suffering? When should we finally step up to the plate and realize that suffering does exist? Most humans do not pay much attention to suffering until it is us experiencing it personally. This is not the way to be. Suffering is not just personal–it is global.
I feel that we all suffer in our own ways from things that may or may not be apparent. We all like to feel that when we suffer, we will have someone or something there to bare the pain with us. We all look for some kind of blessing to get us through the sorrows of the night. Some turn to God in times of suffering and some of us turn to humans. No one way is better than the other as long as we have something that we can hold onto. However, I want to know, is our personal suffering greater than the suffering of others? When we are suffering personally and feel that we have everyone in the world to hold onto, who do those suffering globally have? The people of Haiti are suffering tremendously. They have nothing left, but the ruins of their once precious country and the memories of what use to be. They are now the ones looking for some type of blessing that will bring them out of the turmoil they are standing in.
I ask you; please place yourself in their shoes. Would you not want someone to be there for you? Would not want someone to give you a helping hand? I do not think that anyone in this entire world could say no to both of those questions. Everyone wants to be helped whether they want to admit it or not. I am not saying that we as humans have to be saviors, or help others because we think we will be saving ourselves in the process. I am simply saying that helping others in need is the right thing to do. We as humans always say that we need blessings. Helping others is a blessing all on its own. So be the blessing that you want to receive.
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I would have to say that this blog has definitely caught my attention. After seeing things in others perspectives i can actually allow myself to challenge what i believe in currently. Growing up in the Philly, i realized that my family struggled. day in and day out my mother struggled from pay check to pay check, and currently still does. Through all these times, my mother always prayed. She always told me that she relied on her faith to get her through these hard times. My mother was catholic, but never pressured me to "follow" her footsteps. She gave me the freedom to explore and see what exactly i felt would be the biggest impact on my life. going from pentecostal to lutheran to even a mormon, my entire life i struggled with what "religion" i could affiliate myself with. It wasnt until graduating high school and coming here to penn state that i came to the grips that i was a non-denominational christian. I do not refer to any specific religion. i can kind of say that i take a bit of every other religion and try to apply it to what i feel is right. The story of Jesus has been taught to me in many different ways yet all entailed the same ending. Jesus died for our sins! After reading Sam Richards post i find myself not questioning but actually trying to understand the concept of this story. one man enduring the weight of sin and pain of the world on his shoulders, sacrifices himself for our salvation.
What has happened in Haiti is a complete disaster, and has definitely awakened a lot of issues that otherwise we would completely ignore. As a young child my mom always explained to me the hardships that she had to endure. She always said that she never wanted me to struggle in life. Yet she always said, though we have it bad, there is always someone out there who doesnt have even the basic necessities of life, that we take for granted. there is always someone somewhere who has it worse off then you. to say that recognizing real suffering may steer you away from your own sins is to an extent true. You never know how rough something can be until yourself or a person close to you has had to endure it! Everyone has their own opinion of what the story of jesus meant or what it's purpose was. it is just our responsibility to take it which ever way we feel benefits.
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I feel terribly for those in Haiti and I have given every dollar that my poor college budget will allow. However, when reading this post I thought of something closer to home. It reminded me of THON. THON weekend is the most magical time of year. For forty-six hours thousands of college students are "less concerned with my possessions, my ideas, my hopes, the things I think I deserve. I am more willing to give, to help, to care about someone else." For those forty-six hours their only concern is FOR THE KIDS. These kids have the burden of cancer all around them, yet they have the courage to fight, the courage to run around the BJC squirting water guns at complete strangers while laughing and dancing the days away. I know that THON has nothing to do with the hurricane in Haiti but it's just something to think about. We have tragedies in our lives everyday, so close to home. So I completely understand how "one person’s suffering could somehow liberate another person." It happens every year in February.
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I was raised in a catholic home throughout life, attended Sunday school as well. I was taught over and over again that Jesus died for me and for all of us on the cross. The end of his life was the assurance for ours. He died for our sins and one day will return. Over the years my idea of this idea has changed. His suffering has taken on more of not that Jesus died not only for my sins but like Sam said for my to recognize or become more aware of them. The disaster in Haiti, although words cannot express how catastrophic it is and the effects of it will continue to be, has served as a humbling reminder that I am not the only person living on this planet. I should do everything in my power to make a difference no matter how small it may be can have a ripple affect into be something huge.
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I don’t think that Haiti’s calamity has anything to do with god’s plan. I think these things happen without control of God, and that’s why they happen. I mean is god supposed to control every aspect of our life and make us learn everything we need to know overall as a person? I don’t agree, I think the earthquake happened and people learned from it. And maybe that’s what god wanted. To have people understand each other from going through this experience and grow overall. I am sure going through such a traumatic experience gives people to share with each other, and help each other out in harsh times.
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