Friday, July 6, 2012

Study in Human Nature

I don't know why this continues to surprise me, because I've seen it so many times before, but I'm always shocked when it happens.

This afternoon a four-year-old boy had a seizure which put him into cardiac arrest.  As the helicopter was in flight to take the child to the hospital, his heart sick mother turned to Google+ on social media and asked for prayers.  She told people that didn't believe in a higher power to please just scroll on down.  She is not of my faith, but I know that God answers ALL prayers.  As a mother, I felt her pain.  I instantly bowed my head and said a prayer for this child, his mother, and all those who loved them.

On completion of my prayer, I scrolled through the comments.  In just an hour from her original post, there were 283 comments, 200 people had +1 (or liked) the post, and 67 people had forwarded the post for their followers to read and pray.  As I write this post, people are continuing to comment and pray.  Prayers came from many faiths--Christian and Muslim.  Some who don't believe in a higher power, left kind thoughts for a speedy recovery.

The reason for my shock:  There were several comments left for this grieving mother expressing the sentiment that instead of praying to some imaginary man in the sky, she should be hoping the doctors had learned their skills appropriately.  I am shocked at the heartlessness of those comments--especially since this mother had specifically asked that those who were not believers just scroll past.  Those on social media who insist on kicking a man who is down are just cruel people.  There is a time and a place for religious debate.  This was not the time, nor the place.  This was a grieving mother in a plea for support.  The longer I live in "civilization," the more I wonder how "civilized" we really are becoming.  All I can do is note the numbers of people who left kind messages and hope that by the end of the day, those messages far outweigh the unkind words.

6 comments:

  1. Gentileza dera gentileza...
    Que papai do ceu,em sua infinita misericordia abençoe essa mae...
    E te abençoe por se deixar ser usada por Deus...
    Beijos na alma meu anjo e amiga..

    Kindness had kindly ...
    Dad of heaven, in his infinite mercy bless this mother ...
    And bless you for letting yourself be used by God ...
    Kisses my angel and the soul friend ...

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    1. Obrigado, Michelly! Você é tão doce!

      Thanks, Michelly! You're so sweet!

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  2. Some people just have to comment on everything and inject their personal opinions. I like what they say about online arguments though. "What's the best way to lose an online argument? Get involved in one." People use the internet as a cowards way to impose themselves into other peoples lives. This is one of the major downsides of the internet age we live in now.

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  3. That's okay --- all things come back around. People are all the same, when things get tough we all cry for our mothers, and make bargains with a God we have not served very well.

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    1. Okay, that made me chuckle, Molly. Somehow I can't picture any of my kids crying for me. ;)

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