How do we move on after tragedy?

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Well it has been the worst of times for many and it is that the groups from various religious traditions.

Who helped to fill the spiritual void to look.

There is no answer to why this happened today we just have to work together stay together and try to be a confidence consolation for each other.

President Obama traveling to Connecticut to lead the nation in a multi faith display of unity for the victims.

I am.

Very mindful.

That mere words cannot match.

The depths of your sorrow.

Nor -- -- -- You're wounded hearts -- Religious groups are able to mobilize quickly after tragedy strikes but it's more than just having organizational skills without government red tape.

It's what religions are designed for.

They're designed -- to attach us citizens to eternal truths.

And to remind us that there's something greater.

Than our own individual need.

And our own individual desire.

When hurricane sandy hit and destroyed so many lines it was religious groups among others who came to help it's not so much religion but relationship.

To god and what we've seen a Staten Island is an unprecedented.

Movement of of church is coming together.

And it's beyond the nomination.

Chanukah celebration doubles as a charity event helping those who suffered at the hands of -- bringing a message of lying to a darkened world -- I can't say that is a perfect time for the storm -- storm is perfect.

But the most perfect how that if -- come after such a storm misconduct that gives us a tremendous message of hope.

And these tragedies.

These tragedies really remind us to lay aside our differences to focus.

Our common need and to give back to our community not just during the holiday season but all year long.

And that's what the panels focused on as well joining me now is father and Rebecca Roman Catholic -- and author of sole providers for the -- -- -- Limitless love.

Also the reverend Susan sparks -- Madison avenue Baptist Church.

And rabbi David chamber he's -- founder and spiritual director of Roman Roman moved.

Room.

OK that together they -- of a new god squad looking at the -- issues from.

Different perspectives but with one goal would help us all.

Get along a lot better is that right.

-- how guys and I kind of come together and it.

To think hey here we should take our show on the -- we should really kind of beat.

Scott a voice to so people how we can all sort of you know we have different version -- religious tradition backgrounds we can all get along.

We as a religious person -- in the media and -- always look for voices that have something to say.

And especially when you want to be inclusive and -- other traditions are saying about topics in the news events like we're talking about here today.

And so when I met the season and -- it.

They both.

Were those people for me.

And we can argue and disagree and yet we had a common desire to really bring the -- to whatever people's will to people's lives in a way that made it accessible.

And so more conversation would have off camera we -- well why not do this to.

Pat in a broader audience that I believe joke because there's a lot of dinners meet at a bar you know I had -- pressure issue.

Well religion causes so many differences between -- that I think it's it's such a -- and it's such a healing thing for voices from different traditions to come together and actually.

Try to move things forward is supposed to break them down yeah you know bridge.

Absolutely you know I'm.

Yeah one of the things that keeps coming out of the situation in Newtown Connecticut and then.

Those people who deal with -- -- -- -- might -- you know being -- clergy or -- it means almost recovery is that.

The question keeps coming out of these events is how -- a good god how could a person could god allow something like that to happen and rabbi maybe you can.

Start with that because that's the question everybody wants to know how could this happen -- why wouldn't -- prevent that happening.

Absolutely it's actually probably the most commonly asked question that I that I received.

And of course -- given it my own people who went through some of the Holocaust and so much of theology in the post holocaust world was focused on how to work with a god there was.

Seemingly absent.

This kind of very they're very big issue and somewhat bigger -- is there's a big difference between theology.

And presents.

As clergy and as members of faith.

We can offer larger vision and it often does that impact people for centuries of coming and rested -- -- -- on the shoulder religion and has offered a very big perspective.

But -- those big perspectives can get in the way -- actually healing and grieving.

We have to be really careful when you're speaking with someone.

That you don't offer kind of pat answers and theology is and who would have -- the obvious he's kind of defenses for god.

It's a different person be angry guy it's a different person to feel rage at god it's a good progress in the field grief and we as clergy and if people -- -- willing to sit with them but thorough in their own.

Yeah payment and then offer them a larger perspective and one of those perspective is that god actually wasn't there for -- in the the act cruel -- it was there in the act of a compassionate response to cruelty.

It's -- god as as Edwards took four is there in the suffering they're offering solace and hope.

For what happens after those horrible moments in terms of rebuilding kinds of.

Yeah reconstruction what -- finalized those people don't ask the questions until there is a tragedy that's kind of a long time because.

Had you know sort of -- have been president -- they might be able to filter or you know sort of take ten.

What's happening -- at that point but it mean.

Obviously it's right that's not the time to actually talk reality when something's.

-- -- Well I agree with what David -- I think there's another question no there's a question of why did this -- but I think the bigger question where -- really empowers people is from.

How do we get through this or how to -- when we do next and you know at least the message might traditionally gospels and Christian is a message of hope of resurrection of new life and surely.

We can't bring back these beautiful children but we can certainly try to uphold their legacy.

And through faith and through hope and through what our tradition teaches us -- we move forward.

We do we -- to try to make love and not guns make.

You know I a safer world make something that will make them like the legacy of the children live and be.

Mean I create this world and is something that is -- is closer to what we envision as Christians and assuming things.

I also think.

That when you start asking where was god implicit in that is that it was -- That -- got to somehow abstinent so this happen.

And I hate that in the sense that it seems to -- humankind for what we do to cause things like this.

I didn't -- the ideas I could it.

Is -- the gut reaction and knee jerk reaction is if there's an all -- all sovereign god that it how could -- stand by and watch that happen.

Because he gives people free will he sets its creation for us to do it will to -- -- she's bad his mental illness is people who break down from.

There's guns running rampant in our country that people aren't doing anything about.

There's all of these issues that you have to say are our issues to solve them and you have bad things happen I think.

God is with us -- the suffering god mourns with us but what kind of god would really be if we -- like a puppeteer.

He managed it also this wouldn't happen -- that would happen and that's kind of -- -- the afterlife connection and -- -- -- earnest effort wide review that was the -- system.

Sad and incredibly he made it.

And never got us Jose and Genesis is clearly know that god made humans fare well then we seek out of the firefighters received got in the rescue workers mixing god and the teachers -- they gave their lives that is true.

I mean that there's these are all options recovered again defending the notion -- -- -- -- -- -- how do you work with that I am -- easily argue that our -- about -- to grow up to.

That you know a guy that is involved and every moment -- her life.

You have to be fully explain the good things right if you don't believe in such a -- couldn't believe -- can -- and god at all all of these wonderful things so.

So -- you can you can live in that -- you -- -- -- -- I don't know I don't know there's room for mystery religion.

What are different -- traditionalists though.

Explain the presence of evil -- mean you've got to say that that what happened in Newtown Connecticut had to be evil right that's -- how do you explain evil.

In the presence of a good.

He makes sense of he -- with -- got a call evil what it is we can't just say there's no such thing as -- there's got to be to explain something like.

Very well we've certainly done it I think in mythic terms we've with a double let's look if you look at the scripture whether you've -- the -- as personified or not.

There's always -- the acknowledgment that there are two forces in the world good and evil -- -- kind of battle each other and from the scriptural tradition good wins.

And yet it doesn't absolve the evil or it doesn't take it out of the world.

So to explain it though is why -- human beings can be so flawed and she's evil.

Well why -- mental illness was this kid really evil was he mentally ill who was -- was the autism something that's so isolated him.

And -- evil work through this sort of weaknesses of human nature I -- is that the conduits through which you can do its work or -- is -- the actual mental illness sort of non.

Moral and -- anyway.

You know I mean is it can be called evil evil or -- we have to like always late with old mental illness.

Well it could also be this or circumstances and situations people's lives the pain and the suffering that may drive them to do -- evil acts.

You know you -- about a broken world a world that is has fallen and this is not whole anymore and I think so many so much of evils so much so send.

Suffering of people comes out of the fact that life has beaten them down life has given them pain and they react not that that's right or wrong but it drives and into -- lives.

We're gonna take a break right now I have another island tough crowd a little bit more with the -- -- here but before we go I want to.

I think if you they need to Connecticut is actually having a live nativity.

After -- church service earlier in the week and there -- is even in the midst of such tragic.

-- there they they put their focus.

Also on the season which is this season of the birth of Jesus so the any town residents -- -- -- live nativity after the first service.

Earlier in week four.

Prepare for residents to have a sense of joint.

In the midst of such sorrow we take a break on nother debate -- -- with more just for accidents.

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