God is not vindictive – He's just giving His verdict on our vanity and bad taste

[cbayer]

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/13/god-giving-his-verdict-on-vanity-and-bad-taste-david-mitchell

As a recent house fire suggests, the Lord has no time for vulgar interior decor – and He has a particular thing about crystal…

David Mitchell
The Observer, Sunday 13 July 2014


Illustration by David Foldvari.

How can there be a God, people often ask, when such terrible things happen in the world? Maybe it's because that's what He's into. But how can there be an evil God when the world is so beautiful? Well, perhaps He's a bit mood-swingy. Perhaps She's indecisive. Perhaps there's nine of Him and They work in shifts. Perhaps there's 12 of Her, failing to find a consensus. Perhaps It's a giant invisible omnipresent octopus that doesn't understand how much earthquakes hurt. Perhaps there isn't a God at all. I do get the point that that might be it.

Still, it's difficult not to infer a narrative from events on which the media have imposed a narrative. Everything seems so significant, whether it's the Middle East or the death of a relative. How can you drop your phone, miss a bus and then get sprayed with puddle water by a passing Lexus without feeling that someone's trying to tell you something? To think otherwise would be an unconscionable suppression of the self.

Last week, some news broke on which no narrative was imposed. No unsubstantiated inferences were drawn. Conclusions of any sort were studiously avoided. But why?

The events are simple enough. On Monday morning, at a house in Clapham, while the homeowners were at work, the sunlight shining through a bedroom window was refracted by a crystal doorknob on to a dressing gown, which consequently caught fire. The ensuing conflagration caused thousands of pounds worth of damage. I said it was simple, not predictable.

more at link

[longship]

1. I would very willingly buy into the bad taste argument.

An absolutely amazing essay. Lots of snark. But a good deal of humor.

A great post.

[cbayer]

2. Glad you liked it, longship.

I also enjoyed it. It's not that often that I find a good humorous piece about religion.

And it's not even from the Onion!

Hope you are doing well.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

3. I like the first comment after the story

I think David has confused God with Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.

[cbayer]

4. I had never heard of him. Seems like it might be a UK joke.

:blush"

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

7. Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is a British interior designer, noted for his love of clutter

[cbayer]

8. Hmmm… not surprised that I have never heard of him them

[locks]

6. I see LLB has sold his Cotswolds home

I wonder if God told him he'd better or He would burn it down. When I first read about it I wondered why they needed so many Changing Rooms.

[okasha]

5. If so, I "have a little list,"

headed by anything painted Pepto-Bismol pink.

[Warren Stupidity]

9. The ridiculous standard conception of god could only be a psychotic amoral vile creature

That if it existed, which is even more ridiculous, should be disbelieved in on principal.