What’s Wrong With This Picture…
Published by Matt Glover May 26th, 2006 in Questions of FaithA man climbing Everest - a double amputee no less. Comes across a guy clinging to the last stages of life and walks straight past him, because he doesn’t want to hold up his expedition. “He was effectively dead,” the climber is later quoted as saying.
A woman is kidnapped from the back of her work place and all that is left is a pool of blood. Her body is found a week later. Several people later say they heard terrifying screams but didn’t investigate it or report it to police.
Sometimes I am ashamed to be called human…
See also To Be Frank.
This is quite sad, really. What kind of apathetic society do we live in? Luke 6 says 27″But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you.
When I first read your post I was going to reply with a ‘well, what good is it prolonging the life of one climber, only to ultimately claim more?’.
Several years ago I saw the movie Vertical Limit, in which a team heads up the summit to save part of a group that have become stranded. Of the six rescuers, three of them have something vested in the rescue. The other three were all aussies, something I found amusing at the time. But in the end, four people end up dying to save two. A stirring movie, but a lesson in futility. And in general, a lack of respect for human life - or at least it places one life’s value over another.
That was before I read the article across at TheAge. That they left this man on their way UP the summit is horrible. I’m sure that if they had turned back then and there they would have had ample oxygen supply to get them all home. Bugger expense and glory. I truly wonder how people like this could live with themselves.
But am I ashamed to call myself human? No. I am ashamed to call them that. Humanity is defined as: Having or showing those positive aspects of nature and character regarded as distinguishing humans from other animals. I just don’t think some people qualify.
it’s the love of money being the root of all evil thing. It’s too expensive- you get one shot at the top, and pay an incredible sum for it. Was flipping channels to watch some program and saw the end of home and away (well done, seven, for keeping to time *cough, cough*) and someone had to take a drunk person home. “If she throws up in my car…”
possessions, money, are more important than people.
Of course, since then, there are rumours of an Australian mountaineer, left behind and thought dead is actually alive, rescued by a Russian team and given oxygen.
That’s the thing with humans- unpredictable.
We are capable of great acts of humanity- but we are a fallen people, so sin gets in the way.
This is really sad!! how could someone just leave another person to die? i mean so what if they spent a tone of money on it! wouldnt they feel guilty for the rest of their lives, for just leaving him there? i know i would!!
What is becoming of the human race? u mean i know that if i heard screaming i would do something! i mean sure if it was just a normal little kids playful scream or something thats fine but u can always tell when something is really going wrong the scream sounds so much different! i mean arent those people who heard her feeling guilty? our world has come to a point where u can yell fire or something and no one will even seem to hear!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH US?!
this just makes me feel really sad… here are to examples of human neglect and one person got killed [although the other is only rumoured to still be alive]… think about it, these are just the stories we hear. im sure alot of other lives are lost to the negelect of our passion and abilty to care for others.
No wonder our world is so screwed up…
@Tigg: WHAT IS WRONG WITH US?!
- it’s called sin…
it’s why the world needs Jesus.
I reckon using ’sin’ as an excuse is too easy. Sure, it all happens because we live in a fallen, broken world, but it doesn’t have to. All humans have some amount of decency built into them, but they can (and do) choose to ignore it in favour of the pursuit of power or their own ego.
Saying it is the result of sin, in my view, let’s the double amputee climber of the hook. He was so driven by his ego that he would rather pursue the ‘title’ rather than help a dying man.
Calling him a jerk is too polite.
I think fear alters our ability to make moral choices. (Not all jerks are jerks maybe.)
Is it taught to us - that it is best not to get involved? Not seeing people as God has made them but as people who sue us, hurt us, beat us, are out to get us, steal from us, blame us, grill us, accuse us, lie to us and take advantage of us. It’s hard to throw caution to the wind and get involved. I’d like to think I would - I mean what’s the worst that could happen…. But I am not that brave.
Think of what Christ did for us. And he knew all our faults. Amasing love.
In ten seconds this message will self-distruct! (Please Matt.)
I don’t think calling it sin lets anyone of the hook, Matt.
Sin is serious. Sin means that we can’t spend eternity with God. Since God is perfect he requires a price be paid for the sin / bad stuff that we do.
Didn’t the psalmist lament “surely I was sinful from birth, from the time my mother conceived me?” Sin means that God can’t accept us.
But! BUT! God, hallelujah, took that cross that was destined for me- for us, that cross that I should have been nailed to- and put Jesus on it. Jesus died in my place and paid for my sins.
So yes, sin has lost its power, death has lost its victory because of Jesus, but sin is still serious. People are still messed up- even Christians aren’t perfect. Even though we know Jesus will win in the end- the battle for good and evil is still being waged in the world- from the deepest depths to the highest peak.
It was sin that led those 40 people to walk by that dying man, not lending a hand. It IS wrong, and horrible, and ugly.
Sure, we all have the capability for great things- God created us, after all. But calling it for what it is doesn’t let anyone off the hook- in my view it skewers them on even more.
I realize you are a youth pastor, Matt, and don’t need the gospel spelled out to you- but I think the church cheapens sin sometimes- “don’t do this because it will scar you psychologically” or “you will get pregnant/stds/aids”etc.
The wages of sin is death. (romans 6:23) DEATH.
we are extremely fortunate to have a God who loves us enough to save us from ourselves.