Little Karen Avery is on my mind once again this morning. If you haven't read any of my previous posts on my experiences with the Jeff Lundgren cult, Karen was the youngest victim to be murdered by Jeff along with the rest of her family. In some ways, Karen could be the poster child for all the evil and tragedy that exists in the world. It is so difficult to understand how God could let such terrible things happen. How could the murder of little Karen Avery be the will of a loving God? Doesn't such an occurence argue more favorably for a God of anger and vengance? It often seems that way in our limited, human understanding.
Once again in my mind's eye, I hear Karen talk to me. "This is not about what God did to me! I chose this path! This was what I volunteered to do to help set others free! This was what I did so people could dialogue and learn about issues like justice and anger and control. I died so others could learn their life lessons! I died because I love!"
I believe this earthly life is designed for learning and growth. We plan our experiences in great detail, knowing the experiences are not always meant to be pleasant but can always be used to further our understanding. This belief contradicts the belief in an all-powerful God who orchestrates every situation--the way many people seem to view God. This is not to say I don't believe in the hand of God to move on our behalf. God will act on our behalf when we ask Him to. Rather, I think we are given much more power and choice to act in this world than that notion implies--even the power to create. Free will wallks hand in hand with the act of creation.
Acts of senseless violence and destruction occur all the time. US Representative Gabrielle Giffords was shot and many people were killed or injured in that tragic Tuscon attack. Thousands of people have died in the recent earthquakes and tsunami in Japan. On a smaller scale, people die in car accidents or in tornados. Some are killed in wars or in drug deals. What we judge to be bad or evil is not the wrath of an angry, all-powerful God but the natural flow of experience which is designed to take us to higher states of awareness. It is only when we internalize this idea that we see tragedy for what it is: the process we use to gain strength and wisdom. This is why we are counseled to "praise God for all things".
Maybe tragedy is the will of God--a God who loves us and desires our increasing understanding and growth.
Showing posts with label nature of evil. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nature of evil. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
The Other Side of Evil
January 8th, 2011 was a day of inexplicable evil in Tuscon, Arizona. Six people were left dead and many more were injured when a lone gunman fired at a crowd gathered to speak with U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords. Giffords, the intended target, suffered a critical gunshot wound to the head. While the country screamed about the senselessness of the crime, my thoughts were in a different place. I truly believe we choose our life experiences--particularly the big ones, and I was wondering what the purpose of such a horrifying act could be.
My thoughts and prayers were with all the victims and their families, but when I heard that Representative Giffords was still alive after being shot in the head, many of my thoughts focused on her. Within the next day or two, I learned that the bullet had affected just the left side of her brain (which is also why it did not kill her). What intrigued me about this fact was what I knew about the left side's function.
Several months prior, I had watched an insightful video of a talk given by a brain researcher named Jill Bolte Taylor. (You can watch this amazing video here: http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html ) In it, she talks about the experience she had when a stroke affected the left side of her brain. Being a scientist, Dr. Taylor had a rather concrete, rational view of the world. The left side of the brain is where most rational thought comes from. When the stroke began to shut this rational side down, Dr. Taylor experienced a world she had not experienced before--the limitless consciousness of the right brain. She finally understood there was more to life than our individual selves. There is a place where we truly are One with the Universe and everything in it.
I obviously don't know Representative Giffords personally, yet from reports I have gathered she is an incredibly hard-working, thoughtful, rational sort of person. When I learned the rational part of her brain had been affected, my first thought was, "Maybe this will give her the insight she needs to make decisions based on an expanded awareness of the Universe instead of the usual limited thoughts of the rational mind! This is exactly the way politicians need to think in order to get us out of the mess our rational minds have gotten us into!"
Granted, this is speculation on my part, but I can see the possibilites! It is no accident Giffords is still alive and making rapid progress. Just because the experience hasn't come full circle yet doesn't make it bad. If nothing else, she has already inspired countless individuals around the world by her courage, strength and determination as well as focused a spotlight on brain injury (in my view though, this is probably just icing on the cake). There is no doubt the experience is changing Giffords.
When we see something evil, we tend to focus on the misery such an experience brings. I'm here to say, there is another side to evil. It's the side that says, "We can endure, we will get stronger and we will learn in the process!" The other side of evil makes us better, and better is what we came here to be.
My thoughts and prayers were with all the victims and their families, but when I heard that Representative Giffords was still alive after being shot in the head, many of my thoughts focused on her. Within the next day or two, I learned that the bullet had affected just the left side of her brain (which is also why it did not kill her). What intrigued me about this fact was what I knew about the left side's function.
Several months prior, I had watched an insightful video of a talk given by a brain researcher named Jill Bolte Taylor. (You can watch this amazing video here: http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html ) In it, she talks about the experience she had when a stroke affected the left side of her brain. Being a scientist, Dr. Taylor had a rather concrete, rational view of the world. The left side of the brain is where most rational thought comes from. When the stroke began to shut this rational side down, Dr. Taylor experienced a world she had not experienced before--the limitless consciousness of the right brain. She finally understood there was more to life than our individual selves. There is a place where we truly are One with the Universe and everything in it.
I obviously don't know Representative Giffords personally, yet from reports I have gathered she is an incredibly hard-working, thoughtful, rational sort of person. When I learned the rational part of her brain had been affected, my first thought was, "Maybe this will give her the insight she needs to make decisions based on an expanded awareness of the Universe instead of the usual limited thoughts of the rational mind! This is exactly the way politicians need to think in order to get us out of the mess our rational minds have gotten us into!"
Granted, this is speculation on my part, but I can see the possibilites! It is no accident Giffords is still alive and making rapid progress. Just because the experience hasn't come full circle yet doesn't make it bad. If nothing else, she has already inspired countless individuals around the world by her courage, strength and determination as well as focused a spotlight on brain injury (in my view though, this is probably just icing on the cake). There is no doubt the experience is changing Giffords.
When we see something evil, we tend to focus on the misery such an experience brings. I'm here to say, there is another side to evil. It's the side that says, "We can endure, we will get stronger and we will learn in the process!" The other side of evil makes us better, and better is what we came here to be.
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