On how many occasions have we heard someone thanking God for delivering them from some misfortune or other? On how many of those occasions have we found ourselves nodding in respectful agreement, in comradely submissive acknowledgment of his right to attribute everything to an omnipotent, benevolent deity?
When businessman Rajiv Bhatisavi turned on his radio on 31 July 1992 and heard that Thai Airways flight 311 had crashed while attempting to land at Kathmandu, he could barely believe his ears. He had been booked on the flight but had cancelled at the last minute owing to pain from a dog bite. His words on hearing the fate of the doomed jet? “Thank God.”
Just what was Mr Bhatisavi so grateful to God for? 99 passengers and 14 crew all perished when the wide-bodied Airbus A310 slammed into a Himalayan rock face. Perhaps Mr Bhatisavi believed God had arranged the dog bite for his benefit, to avoid his boarding a flight earmarked by His-Almighty-Self for destruction. Mr Bhatisavi's gratitude, then, seems remarkably self-centred. What are his thoughts on God's plans for the doomed 113 upon whom he chose not to set loose the hounds of portent?
Already I hear the objections. “Don’t be so uncharitable. Expressing belief in God aloud is a sign of niceness. Mr Bhatisavi was simply praising his good fortune in evading death.”
No, he wasn’t. If he had been, he would have said, “Gosh, I had a lucky escape there. I wish the other 113 people on board could have shared my luck but at least I am here, alive and well.” His expression of “Thank God” is tantamount to, “Bugger everyone else, whose destruction was planned by God for that day. I’m just grateful he chose to spare me.” Unless, that is, he was also thanking God for slaughtering the other 113.
It has to become acceptable to call people out when they thank God for sending others to perdition instead of them. Those uttering such balderdash are entitled to have their consciousness raised. Their remark is not harmless. It is not quaint and it is not admirable. To fail to call attention to their callous condemnation of the not-so-fortunate is to fail to respect the commenter as human. Automatic acceptance of self-interested remarks, legitimised only by religion, has to stop.
When businessman Rajiv Bhatisavi turned on his radio on 31 July 1992 and heard that Thai Airways flight 311 had crashed while attempting to land at Kathmandu, he could barely believe his ears. He had been booked on the flight but had cancelled at the last minute owing to pain from a dog bite. His words on hearing the fate of the doomed jet? “Thank God.”
Just what was Mr Bhatisavi so grateful to God for? 99 passengers and 14 crew all perished when the wide-bodied Airbus A310 slammed into a Himalayan rock face. Perhaps Mr Bhatisavi believed God had arranged the dog bite for his benefit, to avoid his boarding a flight earmarked by His-Almighty-Self for destruction. Mr Bhatisavi's gratitude, then, seems remarkably self-centred. What are his thoughts on God's plans for the doomed 113 upon whom he chose not to set loose the hounds of portent?
Already I hear the objections. “Don’t be so uncharitable. Expressing belief in God aloud is a sign of niceness. Mr Bhatisavi was simply praising his good fortune in evading death.”
No, he wasn’t. If he had been, he would have said, “Gosh, I had a lucky escape there. I wish the other 113 people on board could have shared my luck but at least I am here, alive and well.” His expression of “Thank God” is tantamount to, “Bugger everyone else, whose destruction was planned by God for that day. I’m just grateful he chose to spare me.” Unless, that is, he was also thanking God for slaughtering the other 113.
It has to become acceptable to call people out when they thank God for sending others to perdition instead of them. Those uttering such balderdash are entitled to have their consciousness raised. Their remark is not harmless. It is not quaint and it is not admirable. To fail to call attention to their callous condemnation of the not-so-fortunate is to fail to respect the commenter as human. Automatic acceptance of self-interested remarks, legitimised only by religion, has to stop.
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