I posted the following on my Facebook page:
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"Dallin H. Oaks said this at LDS General Conference: "[God] does not prevent all disasters, but He does ... blunt their effects, as He did with the terrorist bombing, that took so many lives in the Brussels airport, but only injured our four missionaries."
So God lessened the effects of the bombing in Brussels to save the lives of four LDS missionaries, but not to save the lives of thirty-two other people? He has it in His power to "blunt the effects" of something like this, and "He did" do that in this situation, but only for the LDS missionaries. I am not making this up or taking his words out of context. Go look it up. [It's the last two minutes of his Sunday afternoon talk.]
And if you think I am being a literalist with this man's words, I would remind you he is sustained by all members of the LDS church the world over as a prophet, a seer, and a revelator. And he was speaking at a general conference to all members of the church in his capacity of Apostle. Additionally, Mormons believe that God said, "whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." So what he said is the word of God.
If you are Mormon and believe this, I would like it if you could tell me why you think God would do this. DM me. I am genuinely curious."
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But it continues to disturb me, and I am writing now to work through the anger and frustration I feel. I am angry. I am frustrated. Because I used to be Mormon. A short time ago, I would have "believed" this. I used quotation marks there because I am not sure if I REALLY would have believed it, or if it would have just fallen in with all the other things I said I believed in, but never really thought about. Because, you know, I don't think all Mormons believe nonsense like that. And it is nonsense. I know many Mormons, and I respect many of them, and I know many of them are highly intelligent people. There are those as I have just described in my own family. I truly don't believe they believe that God chose to save the LDS missionaries and not other people, as Oaks just claimed He did. And if they do believe it in a general sense, they would begin to doubt it if they started to truly think about it. Thought. Logic. Reason. God did not "blunt the effects" of those bombs to save the LDS missionaries. Come on. But I also know Mormons will not pursue this line of thought. They will leave it. When logic and reason fly in the face of faith, logic and reason must be suspended. Faith takes over.
You want to know why this bothers me like it does?
Death is real. Death is hard. It is devastating to deal with. And thirty-two people lost their lives in the Brussels bombings. These people had families, friends, people who loved them. And it was indescribably difficult for them to lose their loved ones and will continue to be so. I feel for them. They deserve compassion. And Mr. Oaks, who claims himself to be a representative of Christ, who was speaking to the members of the church, yet truly to all nations in his role as Apostle, did not show compassion in his words. Would he have said such things to a gathering that included the families of those killed in Brussels? We all know the answer is no. And if it is no, he has no business saying it from the pulpit of the church, "the one true church upon the face of the earth," no business saying it as a representative of Christ with good news to all nations and all people.
Dearest and beloved Mormon family and friends: Oaks said what he said to leverage the fact the LDS missionaries were not killed, to further his message, to glorify his church. He took advantage of the fact that people died and LDS missionaries did not, to bring more effect, more power to his words. I hardly need to mention how utterly disgusting, despicable, and evil that is. For me, it is beyond comprehension and makes me embarrassed FOR him. You would reject these actions and this rhetoric, would condemn these words if they came from any person outside your church.
But I very well know you will not think about this, you will file it away, store it there with your other doubts. God will explain everything in the next life.
