I notice the Christian response to the lightning strike on the giant Jesus statue burning it down in Ohio has been admirably rational, with an almost atheistic disregard for signs from God. Suddenly, the same people who think that if you hallucinate a burning bush, you must be God's prophet, and if you kill a fig tree, you must be the Son of God understand that a violent weather phenomenon spectacularly destroying something highly symbolic is, in fact, just a weather phenomenon.
But I have to suspect that this sudden about-face on the divinity of random events with symbolic targets might have to do with the nature of the symbol that was burned down. I mean, if instead of a several hundred thousand dollar statue of Jesus, it was an expensive new abortion clinic, or stem cell research site, or holy building of a different religion, or an atheistic politician, do you think there would be this Christian outpouring of rationality, or do you think a few people might consider it a 'sign?'
But I have to suspect that this sudden about-face on the divinity of random events with symbolic targets might have to do with the nature of the symbol that was burned down. I mean, if instead of a several hundred thousand dollar statue of Jesus, it was an expensive new abortion clinic, or stem cell research site, or holy building of a different religion, or an atheistic politician, do you think there would be this Christian outpouring of rationality, or do you think a few people might consider it a 'sign?'