This past Friday, I was away from home with several folks from my church, canning meat for the Mennonite Central Committee. It was a good time, meeting fellow Mennonite from around Missouri, talking about life while cubing seemingly countless turkey breasts. Others canned, cooked, and labeled the meat for distribution to wherever it might be needed around the world, whatever regions were facing food shortages. During the breaks, we enjoyed some amazing pies and baked goods, all of which local Amish and Mennonite women had donated. These events are always fun, even if the 5:00 a.m. start is something that I am not used to.
It was not until much later that evening, or perhaps even until the next morning that I heard the news about the mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. One deranged young man, armed with two pistols and a Bushmaster 223 assault rifle, having murdered his mother earlier that morning, murdered another 20 children and 6 adults before turning the gun on himself. In the days that followed, the media provided a deluge of coverage for the event and its aftermath. Grief, despair, and hopelessness were, understandably, common themes. The Onion summed up the nation's feelings best, more than likely without having interviewed anyone, "F--- Everything, Nation Reports."
Not to be contented with simply reporting on the events, there was a fair amount of pontification as well. Solutions came from all angles. Some politicians proposed that we should reassess our treatment of the mentally ill. I do not disagree with this approach, though I can only wonder how the same politicians who have spent the past few years gutting funding to programs that help the mentally ill can make such an argument, even as they continue to reduce funding levels.
Some politicians proposed that we should get assault rifles, which are purely designed to kill other human beings in the field of battle, off of the streets. Not that there were any specifics to these plans. Others, apparently unable to see the clear pattern of suicidal tendencies common to almost all of the gunmen behind these mass shootings, proposed that if we would only have trained, armed teachers, such tragedies could be warded off. I agree with a New York Times editorial's proposal that a certain amount of gun control is in order, in fact necessary, and that it would not represent a violation of our freedom, as some folks seem to allege.
Of course, given the time of year and the extent of the tragedy, theology was bound to enter the question. Some pastors, including one in Oklahoma City, discussed the ways in which our culture's perverse embrace of violence in all forms of entertainment, combined with or complete lassez faire access to firearms have helped facilitate such tragedies. Others have surely focused on the way such tragedies might bring us together.
Then there was the theological response from Mike Huckabee, who was convinced that the tragedy at Sandy Hook was nothing less than the predictable result of America turning its back on God over the past fifty years. I will not dignify Huckabee by providing a link to the relevant clip. It is too readily available anyhow. In similar vein, others have concluded that because God has been driven out of public schools, God no longer offers protection. Such a take on this tragedy statements are absolutely dreadful, but does deserve some kind of response.
1) At their center, such sentiments are designed to drive a wedge, not to bring comfort or ease suffering. While we are mourning the deaths of all these kids, why not add the guilt that they have turned away from God, and this is obviously some kind of divine wrath that they have incurred? Better yet, why not add a tinge of self-righteousness to the whole thing and pretend we have all the answers of what it means to be godly?
2) The idea of a cultural shift away from God is folly. There has simply not been the massive turn away from God that Huckabee alleges. What does that even mean? Given that Huckabee's definition of God is so closely aligned with right wing politics, we have too narrow a definition to be meaningful. Of course, there are quite a few who are utterly disinterested in any God--or Jesus--who could possibly inspire folks such as Huckabee--and others of similar ilk who claim to follow God--to the positions of misogyny, homophobia, and other bigotry that they embrace.
3) God has not been driven out of the public sphere. People are welcome to pray wherever, whenever they choose. They are fully within their rights to gather together and read the Bible wherever they choose. Only forcing others to participate is forbidden.
4) Most importantly, in the wake of such tragedies, if one asks, "Where was God?" one asks the wrong question.
God is not in the business of getting vengeance for people "turning their backs" by slaughtering innocents. God is not responsible for people making the decision to murder other people. God is not into instigating acts of violence. What happened in Connecticut, in Colorado, in Kentucky, in so many places across America, and indeed in so many places around the world, was not an act of God, but an act of man.
When Fred Rogers was confronted with the question "Where was God?" (Rogers does not use the word God on his website, instead asking "Why?", but given Rogers' background, the question might safely be inferred.) He would recall his mother's answer, "Look for the Helpers." In every disaster, there are folks cleaning up, helping to rebuild whatever normalcy possible. They become the face of God, of Jesus.
Put another way, instead of asking "Where was God?" We should ever be asking, "Where am I, and how would God use me to help?" Perhaps we should look at this a little more like Fred than like Mike.
