[thechat] Mythology was comics

[deke]

On 25 May 2001, at 8:08, Joe Crawford posted a message which said:

> But to me it looks like God needs a better PalmPilot - he needs to
> reprioritize his efforts. Time to put "preventing kids from getting shot"
> above "helping floundering web businesses."

My late first father-in-law was a saint. Only explanation possible, for
his wife was either Old Nick himself or else his chief acolyte.

His mother (in Indiana) was about to fly to California to visit her son
and teenaged grandkids she had never seen. In circling around the 
car to get in, she tripped over the bumper hitch, fell, broke her hip,
and went to the hospital instead of the airport.

She said, "It was God's way of telling me that I shouldn't go on that
trip."

Don replied, "It *that's* the way he talks, he can keep his mouth shut
around me."

His mother never forgave him.

But people give God a lot of credit and a lot of blame. I figure it's
sorta like someone who has an aquarium of fish. You feed the fish
regularly, and you keep the pumps running that oxygenate and 
clean the water. You might toss in some snails and some corydora
to improve the ecology, and maybe some seaweed to provide a 
place for baby fishes to hide so that they don't get eaten. You might
even toss in some medicine once in a while if it looks like Ick is
getting a foothold.

But even though you *care* that the big fishy is nipping at the little
fishy, you aren't likely to do much about it. Sticking your hand in 
the water to separate the fish is only going to delay the inevitable, 
and it's probably not a good idea to risk contaminating the water 
that way.  

God gave us the ability to do *something* about kids getting shot.
We can't completely eliminate it, but we can do a lot. As for saving 
web businesses from bankruptcy, he gave us the ability to do 
something about *that*, too. 

And interfering in that process might well do more harm than good.
If you try to help a little chick break out of its shell, you aren't doing
it any favors....

deke









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 "The church is near but the road is icy; 
  the bar is far away but I will walk carefully." 
                            -- Russian Proverb