I was as dismayed as anyone, I think, when I heard about Pat Robertson’s ill-conceived and heartless pronouncement following the Haitian earthquake. I don’t think it’s sunk in yet, just how insensitive his comments were.
This morning I posted a brief comment on one of the writing forums I frequent:
As a Christian, I feel quite safe in saying that many Christians give Christianity a bad name. I’m sure I have, and do, and will, as much as I may try not to. Fortunately or un-, I don’t have a televised platform from which to broadcast my stupidity and bigotry. (Oh, but if I did ….)
For the record, Pat Robertson does not speak for me. “God so loved the world,” for me, must also be cast in the present tense.
I am profoundly grateful to God that He loved me before I knew Him, that He loves me now in spite of all my shortcomings, and that “His love endures forever.” And if my gratitude — my thankfulness for and reliance on what He did instead of anything I’ve done, on who He is instead of who I think I am — ever comes across as arrogance, I apologize and beg your forgiveness.
by 
Some people have to ask themselves, “Why did God do this?” They come up with their own answers: the people were heathens, they did abominable things, etc. These folks – the ones who answer those questions – don’t realize that we can never hope to fathom God’s choices or thoughts. As the Bible says, God’s ways are so far above us. All we can do is accept that these things happen, then act like Christians to help the people in trouble.
BJ