jg… if you honestly believe that there is “a blessing wrapped up in the hardships” of the millions dying in Zimbabwe, Iraq and other war/despot-torn areas then you, my friend, have absolutely no sense of perspective or compassion whatsoever. That you can look at these situations and suggest that, “Hey, it’s all good – they’re trying to stay alive, aren’t they? Their lives can’t be that bad.” That’s a tortured logic worthy of a Nobel Prize in Denial. Yes, just what I’d expect from a Christian sitting on their sofa in middle America without a care in the world. (I’m sure you’d have a big smile on your face contemplating all the great “meaning” in your life if you were starving in Ethiopia. “I’m OK with this hellhole, God. It’s Your willllll.”) I guarantee that if it were YOU in one of these situations that you wouldn’t be nearly as flippant about the life and death travails of others. But I digress…

Steve and Bugs, thanks for the responses. I guess we’ll see how this whole mess pans out… I’m sure it won’t be pretty… regardless of the fact that Christians were involved. Oh my!! One wonders how God let this happen to all of these Good People…