Of Miners, Miracles, and the Human Condition

It was a man active at the Sago Baptist church. He had been there as the heart-wrenching events unfolded this past week. He was one of the most impressive people I’ve ever seen on TV. He recalled the events with courage and loss but still accepted what he took to be God’s will in this matter.

But that raised another question in my mind: were these deaths an act of God or man-- given the terrible record of the mining company at issue and the even worse record of the Bush Administration in protecting the rights of workers? Right now, the evidence seems to point to a larger pattern of giving cronies too much authority and appointing anti-regulation regulators who simply do not take the needs of workers into sufficient account. Certainly, Miners Deserve Better than they are getting from President Bush, as this LA Times editorial piece argues.

We probably won’t know for sure what the immediate cause of the tragedy was until the investigation is complete. And my own reaction--call it knee jerk if you want—made we think as well. Some of us want to put a political spin on almost everything. While some conservative Christians seem too quick to blame God (witness Rev. Falwell's statements on Mr. Sharon), maybe some of us are too quick to look for political answers to fundamental human questions.

While a political response seems overdue and justified with respect to mining safety—it’s also important to be sure of the facts before reaching conclusions and to remember that even mine owners are people, too. They are subject to the same weaknesses as the rest of us. No doubt some of them are grieving now as well. We offer our prayers for them, as well as for the friends and families of the miners who were lost this week and for the full recovery of the single survivor. And let me also offer a personal prayer of thanks for the brave man on CNN who reminded me of why I strive to be a Christian.