Harvest time

     I get a real hoot out of people, usually fundamentalist preachers, that blame some natural calamity or disaster on a group of people they deem as sinful, unworthy, or morally reprehensible, usually the gay community. Ok, hoot is the wrong word. Disgusted, angry and appalled would be more accurate.  I have deep issues with God using his infinite power to punish anyone and especially what would probably be a good number of  innocent bystanders as well. The arrogance of people who proclaim to know God's intentions; who proclaim to know what is God's judgment and to proclaim limits on God's love. It is more than just wrong, it really is blasphemy of the highest order.

      Even if a group were to be judged as sinful by God, again, why would God punish innocents alongside the evil doers? I 'm not buying that at all. Balderdash!

      However, if ever I have read a close justification of a final judgment, this passage from Matthew rings pretty close to truth as I see it. Don't uproot the good with the bad, that makes sense. Wait until the harvest, then separate the good from the bad. Again, that makes sense.

       Of course now we'll have some piehole pronouncing how they know the date and time of that final harvest - judgment day. History is replete with them, I don't  see this form of arrogance ending either. I would note that Jesus said that not even He knew the time of the end - that only the Father knew that.

       I think it is better if we spend far less time judging, let God do that. God, not anyone in his name ( save the Lord himself ). Let us focus on emulating Christ and loving. and loving some more. I will willingly place myself in God's loving arms when I pass and trust in his mercy, safe in the knowledge He knows my heart. Does that sound like a good plan?

Matthew 13:24-30

He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, “Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?” He answered, “An enemy has done this.” The slaves said to him, “Then do you want us to go and gather them?”  But he replied, “No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’