Don't Even Try To Speak for Me

It seems that everyone is a theologian these days and some like to think they speak for all Christians. Well, the only one who can speak for me is me. And the same should be true for you. In the wake of the horrible tragedy in Newtown, Conn I feel compelled to express my thoughts on a few of the comments that have been made by politicians and "evangelical church leaders", specifically Mike Huckabee and James Dobson. I beg to differ with your assertions. Huckabee, the one whom I choose to call God is not banned from any institution by legislation or even the Supreme Court. I believe God was grieved just as we were grieved by the actions of one individual. I believe God was The First Responder, and God cradled in God's arms the victims and their families initially and now for all time. As the result of Free Will an individual took it upon himself to launch an attack against humanity. We will never know the mind of this individual or the mental state, but this did not happen because God was banned from schools. It was the horrible actions of one individual. I'm pretty sure school personnel and school children pray every day. It is the idea of forcing any person to conform to a particular expression of faith that is banned. God does not force God-self on any individual, why would we think we should be able to do so? God is bigger than any box that we might design in which to place God. What you call prayer, someone else might call empty words. I might address God by a different name than you, so please do NOT assume that you can speak for me about where God is and where God is not. And Dobson, what gives you the right to speak of God's judgment as if you presume to know the mind of God? You are entitled to your opinions, but sharing them as if you alone are wise enough to pass judgment on a whole country, culture, or even upon one individual is beyond my understanding, especially my understanding of the Gospel. The notion that innocent children were slain because of Gay Marriage or Abortion is insulting to my faith as a Christian and not at all helpful to those who are grieving. On this Tuesday night I continue to remember those whose lives were cut too short by a gunman. It happened Friday in a place called Newtown. It happened again Sunday in a place called Topeka. I hug my grandchildren a little tighter. I tell my friends who work in the schools and my friend who is a policeman thank you. I grieve and lament with the parents and grandparents in Conn. and Kansas. With a song of lament in my heart, SoulSongWriter