God must love lawyers
Hang with me on this one: we have a few snowcapped mountains and deeply wooded valleys to cross before we get to get to the end.
Right wingers tend to believe in social Darwinism, although most prefer not to use the term. They also, as a group, tend to favor attributing earthly things to God’s will: George W. Bush blaming God for his decision to go to war in Iraq and all that.
Well, as fate would have it, we’re getting ready to have one hell of a social Darwinism moment here in the United States — a deep recession/depression in which lots of people will suffer failures like losing their jobs, their homes and their security.
Under the teachings of social Darwinism, in all its glorious stupidity, the strongest and most virtuous are the ones who will rise to the top (or at least do well) in these trying times, while the weakest and most undeserving will fall to the bottom. This, they believe, is God’s way (all that inconvenient stuff about looking out for the poor in the Bible notwithstanding).
Here’s the thing: guess which group of people in the United States tend to be among the least affected by a recession? Yup, trial lawyers like me. People don’t stop suing each other in economic hard times. In fact, they tend to sue each other even more in such times.
So, when it comes to an economic downturn, like the one we’re in now, trial lawyers tend to rise to the top (or at least not fall to the bottom). Thus, clearly, under the principles of social Darwinism we must be one of the strongest, most virtuous and most favored by God groups of people in the nation.
I’m sure right wing social Darwinism advocates will heartily agree, aren’t you?
December 4th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Speaking of Social Darwinism, will someone (sane,) explain to me why we are in Afghanistan & why Obama wants to send more people there.
December 5th, 2008 at 2:17 am
Dear Steve, I dont begrudge people a good living for working hard. But, be sure to donate to the food pantries in your area. Peace, Pat C.
When I worked in the ER, back in the mid-seventies, a 16 yr. old Amish boy was brought in with terrible, terrible trauma to his face and skull. He and his father had been using a gasoline-powered chain saw, a big one, and it got away from them. It tore into the boy’s face. When they brought him in, after a helicopter ride from around Elkhart, he didnt look like he had a face. One eye was gone, the rest was indescribable. The Chief of Plastic Surgery came in and said he has not seen anything that bad in Korea, at least on a living person. The family accompanied the boy. They said it was the will of God. Well, I kept my mouth shut, because to do otherwise would have been cruel and unprofessional. But, their response was unacceptable to me. First of all, their religion teaches them that they are not to use gasoline-powered machines. Secondly, a slim, slight 16 yr. old has no business trying to handle a large chain saw. It was THEIR error, not God’s will. I suppose their religon gave them comfort in a dreadful tragedy; but it sure did pass the buck. I saw the boy about a year later, when he came in for one of many follow-ups to the Plastic Surgery Dept. They had patched his face back together as best they could; but he still looked ravaged by the accident. I dont know if any of you have ever read those “Life After Life” books, about the incidences where people have had near-death experiences. I find them fascinating and comforting. Whatever the cause, it gives you an opportunity to ponder the vastness of existence, the fact that we arent even asking the right questions, finite beings that we are. In a fair number of these experiences, those who had them, saw a Being of Light. Some said it was Jesus, some said it was Allah, some said it was God, some said it was a beloved relative. But, if they were out for a longer time, many said the Being asked them:”What did you learn?” There was no judgment, no Hellfire and Damnation, no Pearly Gates, just:”What did you learn?” That to me IS the meaning of life: What did I learn? If you pass the buck to God, you aren’t learning. Perhaps he gives us the opportunities or situations; but we make the choices, we suffer the consequences, good or bad, and if we are to be at peace in this existence, we learn.
December 5th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
larkrise
What a story.
“the fact that we arent even asking the right questions,”
“just:”What did you learn?” That to me IS the meaning of life”
You are so right. That bothers me too when people act as if they have no real rsponsibility for even the things under their control. It used to be “the devil made me do it.” but nowadays, “God made me do it.” works just as well. The hypocrisy of the wacky right wing Christians completely boggles me too. Why don’t we hear them talking about how God has chosen Obama?
Or that bush’s arrogance and dishonest “leadership” has been a lesson for all? What have they LEARNED from the economic crisis? the occupation?
the miserable presidency of bush? I guess when you are filled with so much certitude and so little understanding and compassion, you don’t need to learn anything, you just accept what comforts you and affirms your narrow views and you deny and fear anything beyond your dogma and experience.
Here’s to trial lawyers against social Darwinism!!
December 5th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Lark & hope: I truly did die one day many, many years ago. I saw myself floating up into a brilliant light and at the same time looking down at myself lying down on the couch where I had fallen asleep & realizing “if I don’t go back now, I’ll never get back!” I awoke in an instant after that vision, but the experience has stayed with me.
I spent several years working in hospitals in various capacities & have seen more than my share of trauma victims from E.R., to Surgery, to the the floor, to Inhalation Therapy. I remember seeing a healthy young man of perhaps 30 who had some sort of infection in his hand that required an amputation. He refused on religious grounds until his whole arm became gangrenous & he finally gave into the pain and had his complete right arm amputated. The whole medical scene finally got to much for me so I quit.