Cursed with a Curse

I've heard reports of people saying that the tragic earthquake that rocked Haiti was due to a curse.

Unfortunately, I'm not only speaking of Pat Robertson. Relative to my environment, I've locally heard reports of people saying such things.

I don't want to accuse the whole religious world for such comments, nor do I want to accuse all Christians for such comments.

While I've only heard the comment from Christians so far, I'm certain that not all Christians feel this way. My mom, who is Christian, disagrees with the idea that the earthquake of Haiti was a punishment from God. I'm sure she isn't the only Christian who is appalled by comments by the likes of Pat Robertson.

Geologists know that Haiti sits on top of two separate tectonic plates. While this earthquake couldn't be predicted days in advanced and was a shocking surprise, the potential of a massive earthquake happening to Haiti is of no surprise. Not only is this true for Haiti, but also with California (which had earthquake quite recently. Are these earthquakes connected? Not metaphysically. I mean in geological terms). And other places around the world also have the same vulnerability.

I've also noted a low mummer of spiritual people who claim to have had dreams that would have, could have, or did predict the earthquake of Haiti. And in turn, the earthquake of Haiti is the heralding of greater catastrophes, like the invasion of space aliens, human kind being caught in the struggle of waring forces, or simply the beginning of even more horrific earthquakes like the world has never seen.

A prediction does little good if no one hears of it prior to the foretasted event.
I'd like to see space aliens war against each other over the earth while we humans get caught in the middle. And then, on top of that, people logically conclude that somehow the earthquake of Haiti somehow predicted such!

(As the Lion would say) Oh, Really?

People have a right to voice their views and hold their opinions. But people need to know when their opinions are just that-- opinions.

The phenomenon of Religion is real. But the flavor of any given Religion is an opinion. People must not enforce their religion upon others, threatening the wrath of their god onto someone else. What can be said when I turn the tables and threaten with the wrath of my god instead?

Life on earth is far too diverse to assume your
religionopinion is absolutely right.

Those who project the wrath of their god upon the people of Haiti should be very careful. When tragedy befalls the cursesayers, what then? Will they say that God is only working in mysterious ways? Or, God is simply doing what is best for his child? Is he testing your faith? Teaching you? Or are you, too, cursed with a curse?


If you are one who prays, certainly do that for the people of Haiti. But, don't only pray; Consider supporting Haiti with a donation towards a charity that you trust.

And for those who don't pray, perhaps you already believe action is the preferred course. Well then, the only way to express that philosophy is to consider sending support to Haiti in the form of a donation to a charity that you trust.

The Passage of Time

As body of water recedes, the aquatic life is left without an environment. And as time goes on, the remains calcify and help transform the ground into rock.

Acid rain falls to the exposed ground and is soaked in by the newly formed limestone. The acidic water trickles down into the cracks and slowly eats away at the relatively soft rock.

Over millions of years later, an eight mile cave forms.

I sit beside my seventy-one year old mom as we behold the product of such wonderful phenomena. We traveled 400 miles to visit our hometown-- to visit old landmarks, old friends, and family members from far way. Between visits with friends and family, we stopped to admire this amazing monument of nature.

As we sat there, my mom tells me about how she met my dad at this cave. Live music played during parties held at the cave entrance. A busy concession stand, popular hotel and swimming pool were once nearby. The mouth of the cave provided a naturally made dance floor. Yes, this cave was a happening place many decades ago! During one of these popular parties, my future dad asked my soon-mom-to-be for her phone number. She rattled it off, thinking he'd never remember it. Little did she know; he was very good with numbers.

I realize that I probably wouldn't exist if my parents had never met. So as I took all of this in, this cave somehow felt like my true birth place (as opposed to the hospital that was only a few miles away).

I also wondered what fossils were inside this cave. Were there any cave drawings? (I found out later that the cave does contain drawings and glyphs.) I wondered how the trees on top of the cave entrance stayed in place. Were the roots inside all of that rock? How did the trees and other vegetation survive being rooted in the shallow dirt resting on top of rock?

I wondered how many millions of years was represented by the exposed strata of limestone. The layers reminded me of the rings from a tree stump; these neat slabs of rock reveled the timelessness of Earth.

I placed my hand upon the rock and knew that I had touched millions of years.


I touched the passage of time.

_____

Something similar happened when I visited the church from my childhood. Youthful people that I watched as a child had now become elderly. Silver hair had replaced the once dark hair. Sunken cheek bones replaced the full, round youthful faces that I once remembered.

New faces from the upcoming generation were taking charge of the church now. The pastor of thirty years had passed away now. I was a little child when I watched him preach Sunday after Sunday. But he's gone now and another youthful face has come to fill his shoes.

An usher handed me a visitor's card when I sat down in the pew. But, I didn't know what to do with it. After all, I don't plan to come back-- I'm no longer religious. Also, the church is 400 miles away from where I currently live. This is just a vacation with my mom and son. Besides, I grew up at that church; I went there decades ago. I sat right there in that pew, about three decades ago-- Sunday after Sunday for years.

Then I look over at my mom to see if she wanted to fill out a visitor's card. She looks so different now. Not the same youthful woman that I sat beside when I was a little boy in church. Then I observe my own son sitting beside my mom as I once did.

After service, everyone (who remembered me) commented on how my son looked just like me. Just like when I was a child.


Then I realized that I was witnessing first hand the passage of time.

____

While in my hotel room, I decide to catch up on some reading. I brought some recent National Geographic issues with me on our trip. All of them featured something from the ancient past. I read the article about the Ice Baby that was found in superb condition. I caught up on the article about the Sicilian mummies preserved from only a few centuries ago. I looked at their faces with amazement. Some of them only have skulls for faces. Others look as though they are only asleep and could wake at any moment. Others look as though they are already turned into dust. Yet somehow, they still maintain human faces and hair on their heads. Their sunken cheeks look hauntingly familiar. They bare the cheek bones of my aging loved ones. I will have them too, should I live long enough to develop them.

When I took in all of these experiences, I wondered what happens to us after we die. Where do we go? What happens to our consciousness?

Looking back at aged and lost loved ones gives us a hint. Peering back into the passage of time at mummies, fossils, caves, and exposed limestone strata seems to give an answer that constantly haunts humanity.

Given enough time, we simply become one with this Earth.

Rather than be filled with glum, I grew eager to make the best of my life-- starting today.

I want to make sure my time here truly counts as the passage of time encompasses my life.