On May 3, 2008, a powerful cyclone crashed into the shores of Myanmar in Southeast Asia. In the days that have followed, individuals, relief agencies, and governments from around the world have sought to aid the millions of people who are still suffering as a result of the storm, but have been prevented from doing so by a local government that is well known for it's corrupt nature, drug trafficking, sex trade, and a variety of other human rights abuses.
As I've watched the news over the past number of days, WorldViews articles from the past two weeks kept coming to mind as I tried to comprehend what I saw, read, and heard about.
The first article deals with how the Bible would call us to understand the cyclone itself. Here, my mind flashed back to jpeterings article, To Subdue, which emphasized the Bible's teaching on the radical difference in the world before and after the Fall of Genesis 3. Using the language of the Apostle Paul in Romans, in this post-Fall reality, all of the creation suffers because of the Fall and is groaning as if it were experiencing the pains of childbirth. Could it be that the cyclone itself was the creation groaning?
As an explanation for the sometimes violent creation continued to roll around in my head, my mind shifted to the response of the military controlled government of Myanmar and their limiting not only the amount of supplies that come into the country, but also the number of disaster relief experts. As I did, my mind shifted to my article, The Faith Debates, and the following discussion on what it means to use reason to govern well. While it's obvious to all that the Myanmar is failing to use reason, what would a reasonable government do during this time, that is, not only work to save the lives of those they govern, but also protect the interests of the people beyond the disaster?
What are your thoughts?
A Couple Thoughts
Creation groaning seems like a good illustration for what happened. The first thing that came to my mind was my stomach. Or, more directly my GI track. I thought about what happens in there when I eat something that disagrees with me. Then I thought about the world like my stomach and it eating sin, which is something that disagrees with the world.
I was, also, wondering about helping people and protecting the interests of the people beyond the disaster. Should there be an element of protecting the people beyond the disaster or should they give up their protection to help others in need? How can you help someone else and protect your own interests? I guess this leads to the question of what are interests to protect.
Different interests
I don't think the junta in Myanmar is "failing to use reason". Half the people who would vote against their referendum have been wiped out and/or will die from starvation and malnutrition because of the cyclone. Additionally, if they let aid organizations and foreign governments in, then all of their atrocities would be even more clear to the world. No, they're using reason all right. It's just the interests of the junta are not the interests of the Burmese people.
very true
Thanks for point that out. It was on my mind when writing, thus the question at the end of the post, but all the thoughts and words weren't jiving.
You final comment brings us back to the discussion of what it means to govern well, and where the interests of government officials should lie.
governing well
That brings to mind the story of Jesus washing the disciples' feet. There he was, the God of the world washing the feet of imperfect human beings.
To govern is to be in a position of leadership. To lead well is to be a servant to the people, and to set an example for those that follow. Knowing that, one would expect that to govern well, the interests of a government should be putting what is best for the people first.
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"I do not seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe that I may understand: for this I also believe, that unless I believe I will not understand." --Anselm of Canterbury
Another Groan
Please keep those in China and their families in prayer and thousands suffer from the result of the creation groaning again.
Reactions
It's remarkable the difference between how China is reacting to how Burma reacted.