Newsblog: God takes two missionaries, spares three?
Peru’s military mistook Baptist missionaries for drug smugglers and shot down their plane, killing a mother and daughter. Evangelical group calls crash a ‘tragic error’. Some quotes from the organization’s leaders:
“It’s an amazing story of God’s mercy and goodness. We could have lost five missionaries out there yesterday.”
“You go into it trusting him [God]. If he decides to take you, you accept that.”
This organization, the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism, does much for needy people in foreign countries, setting up literacy programs, schools, clinics, and churches. But it’s hard for me to see how this view of God is helpful to people. How can it be comforting to the surviving husband and son to tell them, essentially, “Look how good God is to have spared you.” It may be that they’ll grow stronger in their faith and go on to live productive, happy lives. But I’d guess that many others (most?) who are brought up to believe in this type of God, totally abandon their faith and live out their lives alienated from this source of spiritual strength. Ted Turner is a good example.