August 2000 Volume 81 Number 8
"serving the protectors"
| August 2000 Volume 81 Number 8 "serving the protectors" |
|
Chaplaincy |
|
| By Brian
Ashworth |
Free Will or Programmed Robots?
very LSA has stories to tell of tragedies which are often difficult to deal with, and even more difficult to explain. One of the really trying happenings is when someone takes their own life and there is no rational explanation. Charity bids us in these circumstances to say that, whatever the apparent reasons, the person could not have been of sound mind at the crucial moment and so was not fully responsible. On a world scale there are disasters like the large fireworks explosion in Holland which destroyed a whole community, or the fire at the backpackers hostel in Childers, the effects of which reached around Australia and overseas.
A fairly common question put to Christians is: “If God is good, why does He allow such terrible things to happen?” A question which is not easy to respond to and which must not be answered in any glib sort of way.
Over 3,000 years ago there was a man named Job who struggled with exactly the same question. He asked why. He was a God-fearing man who lived a good life - as far as human beings can do that - yet disaster struck him like a sudden tempest.
He lost seven sons and three daughters. He lost all his possessions and he had been a wealthy man. He lost his health. His friends criticized him and said it was his fault. Even his wife advised him to curse God and die. Poor Job.
In the midst of all this suffering he asked the question we all ask: “Why?” and, “Why me?” He didn’t know. From the depths of his pain and despair he cried out: “Why was I born? Why did I not perish at birth?”
The Book of Job is a long story of searching for explanations and trying to apportion blame. It tries to explain why suffering occurs and asks if God is interested anyway.
The pain that Job endured was finally relieved when he stopped arguing and turned to God in faith and hope. His burdens were lifted and that which he had lost was restored.
Events such as that fireworks explosion which caused havoc in a Dutch community, the butchery in various parts of Africa, racial oppression anywhere, road accidents and human depravity in our own country all keep the question before us: “If God is good, why?”
There are no short, smart and snappy answers. Much of what happens comes about because God has given human beings free will - freedom to choose. The results of that freedom are often appalling.
It was someone’s free choice to store too many fireworks in Holland; someone chooses to drive too fast or when he or she is not fit to drive. The alternative is that we should have been programmed as robots without any freedom of choice at all, which most of us would not want.
God understands suffering. He suffered terribly in Jesus. He empathizes with our pain and our feelings of sorrow, anger and anguish. We will never understand that to our own satisfaction. We have to accept by faith that He is a God of love and mercy even in suffering.
Next time the pain comes to you or someone else, remember it is better to face it with God than without Him.
Welfare Section 58 David Marr 8364 3567 Senior Police Chaplain. Academy 8 Mark Thomas 8296 9616 Adelaide: Angas Street 158 Bruce Grindlay 8295 2220 Adelaide: Hindley Street 62 Bruce Grindlay 8295 2220 Adelaide Hills Division 54 Adrian Stephens 8398 2510 Office: 8398 2517 Ceduna 214 Bob Borgas 086 253 503 Christies Beach 20 Vacant Clare 202 Michael Dutschke 088 423 681 Communications 172 David Hand 8376 5612 Elizabeth 52 Stephen Brooks 041 884 0739 Far North 210 John Folkman 8672 5011 Firearms/Records Dianna Bartlett 8337 8552 Focus 21 Richard Lawton 8362 4936 Gawler 52 Brian Tscharke 85 222 288 Glenelg 22 Malcolm Thomas 8377 0772 Henley Beach 18 Brenton Daulby 8443 8286 Holden Hill 44 Rod Dyson 8365 1170 Kadina 71 Vacant Kingston 208 Mount Gambier 208 Brian Ashworth (w) 87 231 353 (h) 87 252 537 Murray Bridge 200 Malcolm Bottrill 85 325 536 Naracoorte 208 Bruce Cliff 8737 2457 0417 811 702 Norwood 60 Lynton Wade 8362 2227 0418 831 703 Nuriootpa 204 Andy Kowald 85 621 011 Port Adelaide 6 Jeff Oake 8341 5930 Port Pirie 206 Steve Ardill 8632 3977 Prosecution Services 176 Vacant Port Augusta PS 210 Vacant Port Lincoln 214 Vacant Riverland 212 Robin Zadow 8588 1540 Salisbury 53 Vacant South East Terry Natt 8571 1114 Sturt 12 Chris Beal 8278 9578 Tea Tree Gully 48 Bob George 8395 9363 Thebarton Barracks 32 Joe Grealy 8338 3225 Transit Division Wayne Shepherd 8443 4895 Whyalla 218 John Dunkley 8649 3593
|
||||||||||
|
The Police Journal Online is an
official publication of the Police Association of South Australia and is
published monthly. Editors of kindred publications can seek permission from the Editor to re-publish any Police Journal Online article. Copyright 2000 The Police Association of South Australia sustance |