August 6th
August 6th in recent history is the day in 1945 when the U.S. Air Force Bomber “Enola Gay” flew over the Japanese city of Hiroshima, dropping an atomic bomb on to that city.
It is believed that 70,000 people were killed instantly, and another 70,000 died as a later result of the bombing.
We are all of course familiar with photo’s of the atomic bomb cloud.
Surviving witnesses of the Hiroshima bombing also recalled a dazzling light.
August 6th in the Christian calendar is known as the Feast of the Transfiguration.
The feast recalls the Gospel stories in which Jesus, with Peter, James and John climbed Mount Tabor, whereupon the face and clothing of Jesus are transformed before the eyes of the disciples: his face shining like the sun and his clothing becoming “dazzling white”.
A little bit later in the story a cloud covers Jesus and a voice announces that he is God’s beloved son.
Ironic, isn’t it, that dazzling light and a cloud are features of both stories?
So on the Sixth of August we have two tales.
Hiroshima: a story of death and destruction.
The Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke): a story of the beloved son.
They illustrate the stark choices facing all humanity.
THE HIROSHIMA CHOICE
1. global warming,
2. the polluted and dying rivers lakes and oceans,
3. the shortage of potable drinking water in all too many places;
4. the hatred, violence and murder between “us and them” throughout the world (and the ready availability of deadly weapons);
5. The unchecked growth of world population;
6. The diminishment, death, and extincting of so many species &c, & c, & c
- all these portend destruction which is unimaginable.
THE GOSPEL CHOICE
Living together as the beloved children of God to create a world in which we declare that
1. More is not necessarily better for us, and much more is clearly bad for us.
2. We think not just of today, but of our grand-children’s grand-children.
3. We understand that our primary religious duty is not to make more and more babies, but to love and care for the ones we have.
4. We affirm that the smallest of organisms are as important to the world’s future (and to God), as are we humans.
I AM PLACING BETS ON THE HIROSHIMA CHOICE.
It is believed that 70,000 people were killed instantly, and another 70,000 died as a later result of the bombing.
We are all of course familiar with photo’s of the atomic bomb cloud.
Surviving witnesses of the Hiroshima bombing also recalled a dazzling light.
August 6th in the Christian calendar is known as the Feast of the Transfiguration.
The feast recalls the Gospel stories in which Jesus, with Peter, James and John climbed Mount Tabor, whereupon the face and clothing of Jesus are transformed before the eyes of the disciples: his face shining like the sun and his clothing becoming “dazzling white”.
A little bit later in the story a cloud covers Jesus and a voice announces that he is God’s beloved son.
Ironic, isn’t it, that dazzling light and a cloud are features of both stories?
So on the Sixth of August we have two tales.
Hiroshima: a story of death and destruction.
The Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke): a story of the beloved son.
They illustrate the stark choices facing all humanity.
THE HIROSHIMA CHOICE
1. global warming,
2. the polluted and dying rivers lakes and oceans,
3. the shortage of potable drinking water in all too many places;
4. the hatred, violence and murder between “us and them” throughout the world (and the ready availability of deadly weapons);
5. The unchecked growth of world population;
6. The diminishment, death, and extincting of so many species &c, & c, & c
- all these portend destruction which is unimaginable.
THE GOSPEL CHOICE
Living together as the beloved children of God to create a world in which we declare that
1. More is not necessarily better for us, and much more is clearly bad for us.
2. We think not just of today, but of our grand-children’s grand-children.
3. We understand that our primary religious duty is not to make more and more babies, but to love and care for the ones we have.
4. We affirm that the smallest of organisms are as important to the world’s future (and to God), as are we humans.
I AM PLACING BETS ON THE HIROSHIMA CHOICE.
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