7/3/2022

My Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            I just finished Meeting for Worship on Zoom with Friends from around the world. Today’s meeting included people from Burma, England, Korea & Michigan, plus me, here in CA. Our Friend in Burma asked how we could continue to believe in God when he lets atrocities happen. He then described a woman whose throat was slit by a soldier because she had been sharing revolutionary news. Our Friend is suffering from various health issues which I am sure are brought on by the stress of coping with the daily barrage of military violence perpetrated against his friends & neighbors. His apartment has been searched twice so he is leaving in a state of fear & is facing a spiritual crisis.

            We counseled him as best we could by encouraging him to use his worry as an opportunity for prayer & not to shy away from the suffering, rather to experience it fully so he could get beyond it. Anger can be a warning bell, a reminder that rage can be blinding & lead us to do regrettable things. Meditation & prayer offer an opportunity to move beyond the anger to restore our serenity so we can be a force for good. Thinking of God as a loving Father may not be helpful because it is hard to imagine how a parent could bring such suffering to his children. Instead, considering God as the loving force which brings us together & provides us with this magical living planet might be more comforting.

Having never witnessed atrocities, it is easy for us to make these suggestions. I don’t know how I would respond in the face of the brutality that the people of Burma face each day.

What advice would you provide to our Friend? How did you keep your faith when your loved ones were taken from you? What conception of God has fueled your spirit? A personal answer would be greatly appreciated!

HYITL,