Basic HTML Version
WhyDoesGod
Hide
Himself?
by
Clayton Steep
Why doesn't God- if he exists- show himself to humanity? Why doesn 't he
appear and put an end to all the suffering and grief here on earth?
A
A IR
of glasses for God
to wear? That's what
the handwritten sign
ir r everently sug–
gested.
l t was posted in the middle of
a scorched, wind-eroded field.
Severe drought had devastated
the area.
In desperation local farmers
hung a battered bucket on a weath–
ered fence pote and tacked this sigo
abovc it: "Please contribute coins
here to buy God a pair of glasses so
he can see the suffering of man and
beas
t."
The words were clearly legible in
the light of the blazing sun.
lt
wasn't that the farmers were
atheists. To the contrary, sorne of
them had probably gone to church
repeatedly to pray for rain.
But no rain fell on the parched
land. Not a drop.
Why? Oidn't God see? Didn't he
comprehend?
Simi lar questions must cross the
minds of many who find themselves
victims of violence in places such as
Lcbano n, Central America or
Northern Ireland. Or who are
homeless because of storms and
earthquakes. Or whose lives are
ripped apart by domestic strife,
drugs, alcoholism. Or who are lying
in hospitals and emergency rooms.
October 1984
Where in the world are 'there not
victims of tragedy and misfortune
who wonder: "Where is God? Why
doesn't he
do
something?"
That's really a fair question.
Where is God? Does he know what
is taking place here on earth? Does
he care?
Or perhaps is it that God is
indeed aware of the problems and
troubles we face, but his power is
limited so he can't do a whole lot to
remedy the situation? That's the
ex plana tion of t h'e sehool of
thought called " Process Theol–
ogy."
Jt
holds that God knows what
human beings are going through,
and that he has an enormous
amount of sympathy. But alas, he
doesn't have the power to do every–
thing he would like to do. He's not
really, according to this popular–
ized concept, "Aimighty."
Could that be true? l f so, why
doesn
't
he at the very least extend
his sympathy in person, explaining
his limitations, appearing visibly so
we can see him? Surely God has
that much power? Wouldn't that
act by itself tend to alleviate a great
number of the problems humanity
faces?
For one thing, if he were visible,
atheists and skeptics could hardly
continue to quibble about whether
he exists, could they?
And he could straighten out so
much confusion. Take the realm of
religion, for example.
So many of mankind's problems
are the direct or indirect result of
religious confusion. In various areas
of the world religion has perpetu–
ated, if not caused, squalor and
ignorance. Clashes between reli–
gious factions have spawned suspi–
cion, hatred and bloodshed. Th ink
of the numerous divisions- the dis–
agreeing sects, cults, splits, schisms
and denominations.
Couldn ' t God end all that if he
would simply appear and say:
"This
is how I want you to wor–
ship.
This
is the true religion"?
Why doesn't he?
And surely the prospects for
world peace would be considerably
brightened- efforts to avoid the
nuclear nightmare would receive a
tremendous boost- if God would
appear before the United Nations,
if he would spend sorne time in
world capitals.
With his su perior knowledge he
could lead the way to solving so
many of the baffling difficulties
with which humanity grapples. The
elimination of catastrophic ill–
nesses, pollution, criminality, men–
tal disease, social injustice, pover–
ty-it would al! at last be within
our reach if only God would show
himself and tell what he knows.
Why doesn't he?
lt 's time to face this issue
39