The failure of God

Just. Righteous. Good. Loving. These are just some of the descriptors used of the christian god, and I imagine that those of other faiths would give a nod of recognition that they could easily be used to describe their gods. But do any of those words speak to the experience of all people, in all places?

Just. Even the prophets of old despaired that there is no justice in the world. The wicked prosper, and the righteous are trampled down.

Righteous. Can this be measured by our experience or knowledge? Job offered a challenge to god, full of faith that god would and could meet that challenge - and what did he discover? That god mocked his mortality, his finite understanding. God demanded Job to reach beyond his nature, beyond the nature that god himself had supposedly created, and mocked Job further when he could not. God thrust his might and power, his awesome greatness before Job. God in essence terrified Job with his indignation. It is no surprise that Job, already broken by his suffering, recanted his challenge ( a challenge offered in faith and hope) and submitted to gods obvious greatness. Righteousness? I am not convinced.

Good. The suffering of millions cries out to be heard, to be relieved. The silence of god is deafening. The relief of suffering is withheld. Starvation, war, disease, rape, murder, slavery .... these are not things from a distant past, but the terrible reality that faces millions of men, women, and children every day, every year. Is humanity not responsible for its own sins...yes and no. Yes and no. There is indeed much guilt in human history, but there are also many, many victims. Are those unable to heal themselves, to "save themselves," to be held responsible for their suffering and demise? Shall the child born with aids be blamed for his suffering? What of the mighty and strong that withhold help, withhold healing? What of a god that is proclaimed to be compassionate, loving, and good? Where is his healing hand? Does the suffering of a lonely prophet thousands of years ago atone for the millions of lives destroyed and maimed throughout history?

Loving. Ah, love. True love is truly sweet, very powerful. How is this known? Because of the sweet vitality of the imperfect love offered and experienced in human relations. And here lies the key. Love, to have value - to have meaning, must be experienced. To talk of love will fill the imagination, but unless it touches one in the realm of experience it will only be an empty sound, a hollow promise - empty of all true power. The gospel is full of talk of love. Of gods love. It is a message of love sent over time, thousands of years ago. But how far from our daily experience this love can be. I told you I love you once (thousands of years ago), and if I change my mind I will let you know. Is this the love of god? God loves me. Why do I have cancer? Well let me guess, maybe he is teaching me. Maybe I sinned. Maybe, maybe, maybe. I must guess because god will not tell. His love is silent.

How many souls have cried out to the Just, Righteous, Good, Loving god, only to be answered with silence. Is this the whole story of god? A word here and there scattered over the centuries, delivered to a privileged, secluded few? Perhaps there is more, but how can we know? We are but dust and so far have not been able to find the answers.