sakrilege

That's not what the Ontario provincial Health Minister thinks, SARS prompts Toronto Easter precautions.

Sabine Grant

Bree... I have a wild theory about the mass media frenzy SARS has been recieving. The illness became known in the US news around March 16th.... at a time we were being immersed in the fear of possible biological warfare thru the same media rather controled by the government. At a time, this administration made claims of biological weapons in the hands of Iraq. What an interesting timeline to focus on the effects of a worldwide mysterious illness.... nothing better than to set the mood for the millions of americans who might not have been so fearful of biological warfare.
Mass media manipulate information to set our minds on the focus they wish for us to have. Surprisingly enough if you watch the french or italian news on the Internet as I do, the focus is not on SARS.
Not to demean how devastating SARS could be if unpreventable, but it certainly helped bring some reality to the fear of biological warfare.

Sabine Grant

Are you asking me what I personaly believe or what common christian theology teaches?
I will give you my personal... I do not believe that God has any obligation to protect me personaly from any hardship whatsoever. I believe though that in the course of hardship, God is enabling me to sustain that hardship with means I would not have otherwise. I think of it as a character building experience. This is for me personaly and thru my personal relationship with God. That is not necessarly what applies to another human being. I do not demand miracles, signs, supernatural events. I try to consider that what I want may not be what God wants for me. I question His decisions at times because they do not fit what I want. But with more time I often realize why " I did not get what I asked for". So it never entered my mind for a minute or more why God would allow me to get sick in His Presence...why christians can be struck by disasters...why a pastor and his wife were the sole survivors of a car accident where their 4 children died and persisted to continue to share God's Love with others...the answer is : because God has a greater plan than what we can comprehend. ( that is more on the side of common christian theology). No doubt that couple grieved and probably questionned the death of their little ones... but they overcame the need to remain angry and bitter and desperate. Somehow, they had the strength to demonstrate God's Love despite of God's decision. It seems senseless.... so very anti human nature.

Meeting them in person some ten years ago changed my expectations of what God is supposed to do for me...

beth

Sabine, I have seen many devout believers attend church in conditions that they would not even attend work in, let alone shop, see a movie, etc. I was stating that people attend church burning with the flu. Since it is a much smaller area with poorer ventilation, it is easier to catch the illness. Also, in church one is more likely to come into contact with illness via handshake, hug, or kiss. People see no problem attending church while in contagious states because they feel that their suffering is a sign of devotion. Also, I don't believe in the god who was affore mentioned, so I don't see that he will protect. I have bronchitis, I was unable to attend services this morning. I was told by others to come anyway since they are 'protected'.

Sabine Grant

If you called me to cancel any gathering we are supposed to attend because you are ill, I would encourage you to stay home, get some rest and if it is that important to you that you get your spiritual food, I would visit you at your home. ( if welcome to do so of course). Interestingly enough Christ commands his followers to visit the sick... He does not command anyone to drag them to church or drag themselves to church.
I do not think the response you recieved from those folks is standard for most christians. The usual answer is " we will be praying for you and we will miss you". You may even find a church where they will deliver a meal for you at home and ask you if you need any help.
I am curious... the church you were planning to go to.. what denomination?
As I live in Tampa do not give me the name of the church as I try to visit churches without any prejudicial notion. Just the denomination.
merci !

beth

independant, non-denominational, charasmatic

Vitalij

Even if my words of a laymen (rather than literary dressed true Cosmic Informations from the shock-site) can be to some extent misleading, I still do not see the reason for your conclusions.

The country where particular person (that is, certain consciousness dressed up in a particular body and brought up in given family/society/... with particular lifestyle/beliefs/...) is incarnated is the optimal place for his/her spiritual growth while working off his/her Karma. (Place of residence can be changed, isn't it?) Everything is very individually tailored and for the side observer it can be too difficult to grasp what is going on. The lower can not understand The Higher due to the difference in spiritual levels.

Speaking of North America and USA in particular. Considering its "Titanic"-like fate, it is questionable whether its polulation would not "trade" their "positioning" on this planet with somebody from Africa when the whole continent or its parts will be going under the water.

Vitalij
shock-site "Earth - the planet of biorobots"