So, the terminally ill Jade Goody is splashing over all of our news stories. Funny how there are other women who die of cervical cancer each year, yet still do not get the same coverage...
but the one thing that really made me want to write something was overhearing what Max Clifford, Ms Goody's publicist, had to say about her recent desire for her and her children to be baptised.
Over the past weeks Jade appears to have turned to God for help - perfectly understandable, and I of course have no problem with someone coming to God, especially in their time of need when they truly need to know his love and grace the most. But this was the quote: "I want to be christened, I want the boys to be christened, hopefully they will get to know Jesus... [not bad so far... just the small error of using the word "Christened" rather than the word "baptised"]... so that we can keep in touch when I've gone somewhere else"
Excuse me? Do you mind not making a mockery of my faith please? Has not one, responsible chaplain, told her that this is not how it works? There is not one single verse in the bible that says that the dead can speak to their children - oddly enough, the only "ghost" in the bible ever mentioned is the Holy Spirit - but I think that the sedation has gone a little to her head. This is not how it works, I am afraid. And I would rather statements like this do not make the news headlines, supposedly proclaiming what one deluded woman thinks christianity has to offer - the ability to converse with the dead.
Of course, Ms Goody and her publicist would certaily be forgiven if she was referring to when her children have grown up and died also, then they will see her in heaven - provided she has truly accepted Christ's sacrifice for her, as have they. I pray that they will all see each other in heaven one day - and that they too may rejoice in the glory of Christ, the saviour of the world...
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Did it ever occur to you that maybe her faith was genuine and that in her last moments alive on this earth she wanted to do all she could to ensure the best for her children. whether that be theologically correct in your books or not.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your reasons and your concerns dave, but this woman is dying, and she might not have as much knowledge about theology as you and yes, she might have got some aspects wrong, but shes about to leave her children forever, who can blame her for trying to find some hope somewhere. have some respect.
You might be interested in reading this post about the situation. i find it alot more generous.
http://godisnotelsewhere.blogspot.com/2009/02/what-we-owe-jade-goody.html
It has occurred to me that her faith is genuine - I am not in any way objecting to her becoming a christian, or in any way trying to find hope - my complaint is that this has been broadcast saying that this is what christianity says, because this is what one woman in the public eye has said she believes Christianity to be. To most people, this idea would be percieved childish and naive (I am not saying that she herself is, as she is going through some serious emotional trauma, so it would be understandable for her to hold onto small hopes that most people would reject), and therefore give people the impression that Christianity is full of childish and naive beliefs. This is my argument. Had this idea been protrayed by anybody else in the media, dying or not, as being part of what Christianity has to offer, I would have made the same post.
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