It seems that in the American media Christians seem to get caught out sometimes by the lack of faith in others.
This was demonstrated recently when CNN’s Wolf Blitzer was interviewing a survivor of the Oklahoma tornado. Rebecca Vitsmun escaped from her house with her 19-month-old son just before the twister tore through it. “You’ve gotta thank the Lord, right? Do you thank the Lord for that split-second decision?”
Vitsmun hesitated for a moment, smiled, and said, “I—I’m actually an atheist.” Then she added, “We are here, and I don’t blame anyone for thanking the Lord.”
America experienced a 13% drop in religiosity between 2005 and 2012 and Huffington Post comments: “Blitzer would be well-advised not to assume that every interview subject believes in God.”
American columnist Jason F Wright encouraged Christians to stand alongside those who suffered in the disaster, writing: “Recovery in all its forms is God’s work, and there’s plenty to do. Let’s get started.”
Children
Dr Jim Denison, an American Christian commentator, has asked what has happened to the Oklahoma children who died. Concluding that children who die before they are able to understand and respond to the gospel are with God in Heaven.
He refers to Jesus’ teaching: “The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14). The sin which leads to judgment is our rejection of salvation through Christ, for the “righteousness of God comes through faith in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:22).
Denison says if a child has not yet reached the maturity to make this faith decision, he or she will certainly go to Heaven.
Happy reunion
Amidst the heartbreak, one touching story emerged. As a TV crew spotted a dog’s head poking out from beneath some debris, its owner Barbara Garcia, who had presumed her pet had died, said, “Well I thought God just answered one prayer to let me be OK,” she said, “but he answered both of them.”
Sources: Breaking Christian News and The Denison Forum on Faith and Culture