... Of omens

The marriage equality bill passed here in New Zealand tonight. For some this is a time of deep spiritual rejoicing. For some it is a time of deep spiritual mourning.

This blog is not about that bill.

Rather, I'm distressed to hear that some people wrote to various Members of Parliament stating that the recent drought we had been suffering in many parts of New Zealand was a sign from God that He was displeased we were even considering such legislation. It was a warning - a shot across the bow, if you will. Our country would burn in the stinking heat of lasting drought, they said.

Except that tonight, as the bill passed, it was raining in many places, and the drought was broken. No floods, no destruction. In fact, if anything, the most needed weather in New Zealand for some time.

What does this mean? Has God changed His mind? If drought was a judgement, then what is the rain? Is He in fact blessing us for the decision instead? Or can the rain now be read as something else? And if so, what?

Here lies the issue with importing omens into these sorts of debates: too often they end up making those who claim to be Christians look incredibly foolish. Can God use the weather to being about His purposes? I believe yes. Does He? Again, I would say yes.

But does God today use weather to judge nations for perceived moral failings? I suspect not. And, for those rushing to quote Revelation to me: even if I agreed with the Hal Lindsey version of Revelation, that is an apocalyptic future that is not here yet (unless we have all missed 'The Rapture').

No, all that has happened by some using Omens to predict God's feelings about the marriage equality bill is that we Christians have all been tarred with the brush marked "silly".

And I for one find that incredibly sad. For it means that anything I would like to say as a Christian to the wider public - on marriage, on abortion, on the state of the planet, on injustice and inequality - has been silenced by religious zealots masquerading as followers of Jesus. I can only hope that, like the other partial means of knowledge listed in 1 Corinthians 13, their words too will pass away. And we can start again to find a voice for the real words of Jesus:

"God so loved the world"
"I have come that you might have abundant life"
"I am the good shepherd, who lays down his life for his flock"

Those words seem far better than pointing to weather omens. And perhaps they would have been more useful in this debate as well.

Oh wait. The rain has stopped! What could it mean...