The big question in my mind now is, do I really want to know?
I think it's a great responsibility on the man (or woman) that God chooses to speak to. However, it's probably an even greater responsibility on other people to believe that God has spoken through someone they see every day.
If I ever declare publicly that God speaks to me, those who know me will probably come to a faster conclusion that I am a kook than people who know nothing about me. In the end, alas, most everyone would think I'm a kook (other than, perhaps, other kooks who imagine that God speaks to them too!)
Okay, let me be honest now. God DOESN'T talk to me (but then chances are most people had already come to that conclusion before my BIG confession.)
So imagine how it had been for people who actually were prophets and mediums through whom the Lord above spoke and guided. Naivety isn't what it used to be, people are less and less wiling to take things at face value – especially if one talks about divine guidance. We have become so cynical these days that even if Jesus were to make a second appearance, who'd believe that it's really Him? I mean, it'd definitely be far from proper to just ask the “supreme being” for His identification or to perform a “miracle” on request.
Before I dig myself any deeper, I would like to divert the flow of this post towards the idea that I had originally hoped to present: I think the difference between a kook and an eccentric is defined by the amount of money being spent (and whose money it is).
When someone says that God speaks to them, you look at them funny, quickly move away and even quicker(ly) label them a 'kook.' However, when this same person decides to use millions of his own money to build something of biblical portions, like, say, an Ark for example – we redefine our label to read “eccentric,” or, better still, “eccentric millionaire.”
(Definitely more poetic and forgiving than “kook.”)
Let me give an example: We may think Bruce Wayne as an “eccentric millionaire,” but probably Harold Camping, of the end of the world is nigh fame, as a certifiable “kook” (unless of course, October 21, 2011 really is the end... in which case, let me be the first to apologise. “Sorry Pastor Camping. Happy Rapturing!”)
A Dutch man has recently fallen into the “eccentric millionaire” category for building the 'Ark' to exacting Biblical portions. Why? Because 20 years ago he dreamt that is native Holland was engulfed in a flood. Considering that the very existence of the low-lying country is based on strategic canals and dykes holding the water back, his dream was pretty close to ground reality.
He built an Ark to replicate Noah's efforts on the waterfront shipyard of his home town. While the design and size pay strict tribute to the original (as specified in the holy book), he has opted to currently populate the Ark with inanimate models of the actual animals (in pairs, naturally).
Almost complete, so far he has put in US$1.6 million (and two years) into the project, and hopes to open it up for tourists. He plans to make the floating faux zoo a first-class tourist attraction, complete with two conference rooms that will hold up to 1,500 people – which, in my mind, safely removes him from any possibility of his name ever being added to the list of 'kooks.'
He is also currently negotiating with London authorities to take the sea worthy craft onto the Thames as part of the 2012 Summer Olympics celebrations.
Click on the video below to watch the msnbc report on 'Johan's Ark.'
No comments:
Post a Comment