March 18,2011 | The Clarion
Page 5
Shinohara speaks on Japan
By Brian Burgess
Managing Editor
Coach Shigeyoshi Shinohara was in college in
Japan during the 1995 Osaka quake that many
are comparing to last week’s.
Originally from Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan,
several hours from the site of the recent quake,
Shinohara knows it must be tough for the
Japanese people.
The area affected is mostly a fishing area. Of
course, it is known for its nuclear energy.
Once he heard the news of the quake, Shinohara
knew from his experience in ‘95 that a tsunami
would follow. He tried to contact his friends and
family but couldn’t get through at first.
“I’m lucky that my family is okay,” he said.
Shinohara’s hometown was fortunate to receive
little of the damage caused.
“Students and staff have been very caring,
I want them to know I am thankful to all of
those who have expressed their concern,” said
Shinohara. “I want Japan to know people here
support them.”
Shinohara added, “the people in that area are
patient. I’m confident they will endure.”
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Brian Burgess
Managing Editor
“I’m not saying that God, is, you know, causing
earthquakes. I’m not not saying that either..
Whether you call it Gaia, or whether you call
it Jesus, there’s a message being sent and that
is, “Hey, you know that stuff we’re doing? Not
really working out real well. Maybe we should
stop doing some of it,” Glenn Beck said, laughing
to himself this week on his radio show.
That’s right, according to Glenn Beck, and
surprisingly many others, the tsunami Japan
suffered this week is an attempt at cleansing or
punishment by God. You know, that benevolent
father who loves the little children as long as they
are straight, white, rich and Christian?
It seems that God, who is never wrong and is
always looking out for his pals (Pat Robertson,
Beck, Timbaugh, etc.), is responsible for the
vile, terrifying, and terrible events in the Tand
of the Sun. What’s more, for once, I find myself
agreeing with Beck.
The fact of the matter is, with the assumption
that the Bible is completely accurate, God created
everything. To be clear, that includes Satan, evil,
tsunamis, and Japan itself Common answers to
this problem are that Satan is behind it, God is
punishing those who deserve it, or that it’s just
the way of the world.
In effect, though, that places the blame on God
in some fashion, as God created Satan (and knew
he was going to do this and allowed it), God
created the world (and knew this would happen
and allowed it), and if God did it himself then I
need say no more.
My point is that when we accept that the
Christian God exists we accept that he is
responsible for everything, not just the good
things, in some capacity. When you pray to
this deity you are asking forgiveness and aid
from a God who is “jealous and proud of it;
a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak;
a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a
misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal,
genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal,
sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent
bully.”
I find no answer that satisfies how a God
can exist who created everything yet not
be responsible, in some form, for suffering.
Therefore, if that God does exist, I have very
little respect for him and refuse to give him praise
when I could better spend my time cleaning up
his mess.
Devil’s Advocate so unreasonable you’d rather
discuss kayaking with a WLEE student? Send
your responses to clarion@brevard.edu
The Sesquipedalian literary society presents;
Skullduggery (n)
Definition:
Underhanded or unscrupulous behavior; a devious device or trick
Origin:
Origin unknown, but it’s first known use was in 1867
Usage:
Without skullduggery, politics would not be in the least bit
interesting.
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