In an Op Ed piece in today’s NY Times, “Between God and a Hard Place”, James Wood makes some interesting observations about the earthquake in Haiti and God. He calls to our attention two invocations that are particularly notable—one is from Pat Robertson and the other from Barack Obama.
Pat Robertson took to his lectern to opine that the devastation wrought on the people of Haiti was God’s retribution for the deal they cut with the Devil when overthrowing French rule. Crass but consistent, given Robertson’s observations about hurricane Katrina and legalized abortion.
Barack Obama also took to the podium to comment on the earthquake and aftermath in Haiti, and he too invoked God, saying, “we stand in solidarity with our neighbors to the south, knowing that but for the grace of God, there we go.”
Wood’s excuses Obama for implying that we stand ahead of the Haitians in God’s good grace, suggesting that Obama was merely parroting an oft used phrase. I don’t think so.
I remember when, back in 1966, I met Joan Baez—actually had lunch with her. Nice lady. In one of her songs, I don’t remember which, she emended the saying “There but for the grace of God, go I” to “There but for fortune, go I”. I must say, blind luck rings truer.
The meaning of the phrase with “God” at its center is not difficult to divine. Baez saw this clearly. I suspect Obama is smart enough to know what he is saying as well, but he opts for “God”, either as a political expedient or worse yet, a matter of personal faith, In either case, God help us.
