Acts of God

It's hard not to notice how many tragedies the world has experienced over the past year. We've seen bombings, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis. Even the volcanoes are rumbling more that usual. You have to wonder what's going on. Why now? What's happening on earth to make the heavens angry? I think it's time we all take a step back and look at what we're doing to the world and to each other.

We all know that terrorism is running rampant throughout the world, and bombings, fighting and deaths are happening everyday. The United States is losing soldiers on a daily basis, as is the Iraqi people (regardless of whether they are guilty or not). We recently had the bombings in London, and today there were bombings in Thailand. Reports showed the other day that thousands of corporations worldwide had been funding Saddam Hussein in a supposed oil for food program that was supposed to help suffering Iraqis. Let's do the math: Saddam Hussein + corporations + billions of dollars + oil = trouble and corruption. What were they thinking?

Our own almighty powerful US government is now so full of corruption, you can't even joke about it anymore. It's gone way beyond politicians taking expensive vacations to secluded islands. How many indictments are there now? I've lost count. Who do you turn to when you can't even trust the people who are supposed to (and are paid to) look out for you? Well, for those who have any morals left at all, the answer would be God. And isn't he ticked off!

I'm an Episcopal turned Catholic, and I go to church as often as I can, sometimes even making masses during my lunch hour to make up for missed weekend masses. I believe in God and I'm not afraid to admit it. I'm not one to judge, so if you believe in Allah or Buddha, you have every right to. My family and I have made our choice and we're happy with what we believe. But in the end, you have to admit that there is someone up there looking over us and keeping track of all the evil in the world. Even the atheists can't deny that the number of natural disasters in the past year are just a mere coincidence. Or how do the lawyers say it, "Acts of God"?

Natural disasters are good for one thing: pulling people together. The world flocked to southeast Asia for the tsunami last Christmas and to the aid of Pakistan after the devastating earthquake last month. People made donations and sent supplies. My husband spent hours sending messages of hope to people via MySpace after the tsunami. In return he received many thanks and made some friends along the way. It was an innocent, caring way to show the world he cared. The lost and displaced people in southeast Asia took time to remember him in their prayers. You mean to tell me that decency still exists? Of course, though, we can't forget the United States and the record number of hurricanes this past season.

The last time I checked, we were up to Hurricane Beta. We have had more hurricanes this season than in the entire time they have been tracked and recorded since the mid-1800's. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita tore apart the American Gulf Coast, and recently Wilma unleashed her wrath on Florida. How sad is it to know that our very own government took as long as they did to get down there and help those people stranded and dying in the disease infested flood waters. And where was God when this all happened?

God was there. He watched it happen. He's watching the corruption everyday, and He's trying to send us a message, but because so many people don't believe, don't care to believe or just don't give a damn about anything, it's going to keep happening. God hasn't verbally spoken with someone on earth (other than Jesus) since the Old Testament. Granted, that's a long time, but just because He isn't being verbal doesn't mean he isn't communicating. What's that age old communication 101 question: One cannot not communicate. Well, God is communicating but no one is paying attention.

The corruption in this world, and I mean the entire world, is so great that it's clouding our vision. We can't see the good because we can only see the bad. We have no option. We're fed it everyday through the television, the radio, the internet. We're so used to it, we don't know what else to look for anymore. And of course this is the time when people want the phrase "In God We Trust" removed from government buildings. They want the Ten Commandments removed from the courts and judicial system. They want God removed from the Pledge of Allegiance and from schools. I'm sorry, but I'm not pledging allegiance to anything as corrupt and dysfunctional as this country. Call me unpatriotic or an anarchist, but I refuse. God has been around far longer, and He has a far bettee track record.

It's going to keep happening. The world is crumbling under our feet and we refuse to accept that it is. I check the volcano-cams and geological surveys everyday. It's happening. The storms are getting bigger and more destructive. The winters are getting colder and the deaths are growing in number. Open your eyes, open your ears. A message is being sent to try to get us to change our ways. God is watching and he's keeping score.

Pirate fact: It is highly unlikely that pirates kept parrots as pets. Parrots would be too messy if left on the shoulder of a pirate, would probably get in the way of work and would most definitely be consumed during rough times at see. Fancy a wing or a breast?