The first question Man asks God in the Bible is, "Am I my brother's keeper?"
Every book of the Bible that addresses the question, directly or indirectly, answers, Yes, you are your brother's keeper. You are responsible for the well-being of others, and when we care for others, we demonstrate our goodness and our love for God.
The heart of every good person, religious or not, was with the families of 9/11, the tsunami victims, the Katrina victims, etc. We care when our fellow human being suffer. Even if its the family of our biggest and greatest enemies---we care.
But at the same time, I believe strongly that God established Nature in such a way as to maintain a balance. Natural disasters, disease, etc., all exist to maintain a delicate ecosystem and overall plan for our world.
Why does a film crew allow a lion to eat a slow-moving gazelle? Don't they have compassion for that gazelle? Well, if they stopped the lion, they'd starve him.
When a member of the tv show "Jackass" sets themselves on fire----we help. Our tax dollars are used to put out the fire, rush him to the emergency room, and get him treatment. His stupidity affects everyone. Should our compassion kick in?
When a person without insurance knows about AIDS, and yet shares needles and has unprotected relations, we as a society help foot the bill. Should our compassion kick in?
There were reports of people in New Orleans staying in their homes and shooting at aid helicopters---if true---should our compassion kick in?
Should we risk the lives of a hundred people to save a handful of careless people?
Natural selection is a brutal force...it weeds out the weak (and a few of the strong) without regard to morality or context.
A recent article on Slate.com by Will Saletan discussed how thousands of children in this country are too obese to fit into child seats, but too short for seatbelts. In effect, they are human projectiles in the event of a crash. The author of the article wonders cynically, if that isn't an example of natural selection.
This absolutely turned my stomach, it isn't the child's fault that they're obese and children's safety should be our first priority.
But it is natural selection---- human beings akin to the slow gazelle in the jungle. If the parents make no effort to get a bigger carseat or slim down their child, the accident that causes their death isn't a "tragic" one, and it certainly isn't the kind of thing you can blame on God.
If a person gets lung cancer from smoking every day, it's the same situation. Unfortunate, but self-inflicted. How hard should we work to save someone in that situation?
How far does morality take us?
I have a feeling Christ would look down on me ignoring the pleas of a "Darwin Award" winner, no matter how stupid they are. Compassion is supposed to extend to all people, regardless. He died, according to my religion, on behalf of people that didn't even like Him, let alone love Him.
But I can't help but feel that in some circumstances, Nature is right and compassion should be focused on more deserving people.
What do you think?