Where was God?

This post is not a political statement. At least I don't think it will be. It is not a flagrant display of Christian privilege. It is not any sort of prideful lash against non-Christians. 

The combination of Christmastime and the national tragedy in Connecticut have spurred quite the conversation in numerous online forums and networks. Friends and acquaintances from all places on the pendulum have posted comments, thoughts and feelings for and against God, Christmas, beliefs, values...all in an attempt to define, perhaps even just for themselves, what it is that they believe when faced with opposing views in society. Questions arise in hearts and minds that make it difficult to make sense of what we personally believe and what we see in society. And frankly, events of evil, pain, and suffering do not make defining what we believe to be true any easier. 

I don't think I can adequately define, even for myself what I truly believe about politics, good and evil, Christians and non-Christians. But I must try to make sense in a senseless world because I don't have the option of removing myself from it and miraculously altering it for the better. 

I have come to believe that there is indeed right and wrong. Throughout various cultures, be they Christian or not, values and morals show up. Nowhere in the world is killing right. Nowhere in the world is hatred good. These values had to come from somewhere. They were instilled in our very hearts. Only a Creator could do such a thing. Individuals' beliefs and values cannot and will not make any sense at all if we push culture away from beliefs and values of any kind, which is what seems to be happening in the world. In attempt to offend no one, we devoid everyone of the possibility of carrying and acting upon the beliefs and values that we know to be true. We cannot be individuals with values living in a valueless society. 

I'm not trying to indoctrinate anyone with my own beliefs. I am merely trying to love. I acknowledge that not everyone is Christian and not all non-Christians are bad; rather, most are good. Our Creator has given us hearts that understand good and bad, right and wrong. These values must act as a foundation not only in our personal lives, but also in our collective lives because we cannot separate the two. They are intertwined. They are the elements of one coherent life that we all are trying to live. And we've tried so hard to separate them that we've become confused and forgotten the most important foundational value of all: love. 

A society that won't stand for anything will certainly fall for anything. And today it seems that we've fallen for the lie that we're better off without values, beliefs, and love, when nothing is more true than the very opposite of that. 

I refrained from sharing this video on Facebook, where it seems to be circulating pretty virally, but I knew that in that forum, I would not have the opportunity to frame it with the thoughts from above and thus most likely be subjected to a barrage of comments about Christian privilege and arrogance. So, I share it here with you within the framework of the beliefs and values that I have expressed and try to live by despite them making little sense in the society that I must face everyday.