Oliver R. Phillips
Having dialogued with many sincere believers these past few days with respect to the remarks by Pat Robertson, I thought I would share some of the themes that surfaced. What disturbed many was the possibility that the tragedy in Haiti was a result of a pact that was made between slaves and the Devil. Most uninterested persons are not cognizant of this incident, so I would give a Reader’s Digest account.
In a rather dubious, mythical, and unsubstantiated history it is alleged that on a painfully hopeful night, Sunday, January 14, 1791 at Bois Caiman near Cap- Haïtien, several slaves under the leadership of Dutty Boukman convened to seek divine deliverance from the hands of the oppressive French colonial powers. As the story goes, the slaves entreated the voodoo gods to grant deliverance in exchange for a 200-year allegiance. Pigs were slaughtered and the blood was drunk. This incident coincided with what historians suggest was the genesis of Haiti’s Independence War.
Over time, this oral account was fertilized by many well-meaning anti-voodoo advocates who perpetuated this as a reason to reject indigenous religion.
Be that as it may, it is sad that in the midst of the horrible and unprecedented suffering that is the lot of the Haitian nation and its people that we would suggest that God is vengeful and the earthquake is an honoring of the pact that was made by ancestors 200 years ago. Furthermore, as the story goes, this was a pact for a 200-year period ending in 1991. Surely, this thinking does not represent the sentiment and conviction of the broader evangelical community. If we are to suggest that this is indeed the handiwork of God, then we would have to justifiably explain the earthquakes that took place on January 13 in Indonesia and the Philippines.
Cultural history will attest to the admission that such activities as the alleged Bois Caiman incident have become a survival oral toolkit for slaves throughout the Caribbean and here in the United States.
So where do we go from here? How do we as local theologians explain to the inquiring minds such tragedies? Or to rephrase Rabbi Kushner’s mantra, why do bad things happen to good people? I would suggest that we should begin by resisting the temptation to individuate the Devil as the source of all suffering in our world. There are political and economic systems that often collude to benefit from the oppression of the poor. Isaiah 10:1-2 speak to this, “Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees; to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless.”
The Psalmist cried “You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the LORD is their refuge (14:6). I’m sure the Psalmist would remind us today that the easy explanation that God gives people what they deserve and that our misdeeds are the cause of our suffering is shortsighted and insensitive. An old sage reminded us that heresy is not errant dogma, but unbalanced theology.
To be fair to Robertson, he and his organization have been involved in compassionate ministries in Haiti for many decades, and is even now a significant partner in relief efforts. For this he must be commended with the same degree of distaste which is harbored for his seeming insensitivity to the Haitian calamity.
We pray today for the people of Haiti. It would take decades of nation building to bring any semblance of human and national dignity. Yet, we all praise the Haitian people for their spirit of resilience and hope in God that is exhibited by the daily rescues and recoveries that are recorded on television screens globally. Over and over again it seems that Haitian survivors, as well as those who frantically search for loved ones can be heard to echo the Psalmist, “I will lift up mine eyes to the hills; from where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth” (121:1-2). They don’t say that their tragedy comes from the Lord, but that their help comes from the Lord.
Let us all, as members of the global community of faith, be in solidarity with our brothers and sisters. God is on their side, and God, through our compassionate involvement will rebuild a nation to be a testament to God’s unfailing faithfulness.
Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
there is no shadow of turning with thee;
thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;
as thou hast been thou forever will be.
Refrain:
Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
all I have needed thy hand hath provided;
great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
sun, moon and stars in their courses above
join with all nature in manifold witness
to thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Thomas Chisolm
Tags: Compassion, Earthquake, Haiti, love, Pat Robertson
January 22nd, 2010 at 9:33 am
Good stuff. There is no doubt that in the history of mankind, God has exercised His judgment in destructive (redemptive) ways. I can not accept the conclusions some have drawn about this “pact”. But, with or without a full understanding of God’s role, our role is unmistakable: we must do what we can to ease suffering, to bring comfort, and to share His love.
January 22nd, 2010 at 9:38 am
Thanks for your comment Herb! Yes, you’re correct; God’s activities and motives are past finding out. We must dutifully reserve the area of infinitude to God and God alone.
January 22nd, 2010 at 10:35 am
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January 23rd, 2010 at 7:09 pm
The spoken word gives a powerful account about the motives and intentions of the speaker who delivers the word. Pat Robinson in delivering a condemnation of the Haitian people, condemns a loving God. In his condemnation, he allowed evil to control his thoughts when the world around him sought out the good in man.
The history of the Haitian people is one of strength and determination. Their survival along with their way of spiritual worship was transported with them from Africa to Haiti, where it festered and grew as the world isolated them.
It is very sad Pat Robinson did not use a better choice of words that seem less hateful, to rally all in the Christian community for full support to help a nation and people in its suffering.
January 24th, 2010 at 8:29 am
Mike, I sent you yesterday a document entitled “The Hate and the Quake” in which Dr. Beckles from UWI enlightens her readers about the historical background to the poverty of Haiti. It is a good read!
It reminded me about the statement I heard sometime back, “There is nothing new under the sun, except for the history we don’t know.”
January 25th, 2010 at 10:12 am
Oliver, I have just completed reading “The Hate and the Quake” thanks for sending this document to me. It is a powerful and well written synopsis of the Haitian people and their struggles. It is an excellent article and a must read that is told and should be known.
I have passed this article on to many of my friends.
January 25th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
Thanks Mike! It is a part of Caribbean history that is not often revealed. However, we cannot really appreciate the resilience of the Haitian people without such information.