“We Do Not Blame God”

WHEN Pan American’s flight 103 was blown out of the sky by terrorists last December with 259 people on board, the Roman Catholic bishop of Galloway, Maurice Taylor, had bitter words for God:

“Father, if You are the God of love, why did You let this happen? Why did You allow the destruction of hundreds of innocent lives? The 10 who were citizens of Lockerbie? The many dozens who had never heard of Lockerbie, but whose lives ended so appallingly in the streets and fields of this part of Scotland? And why do You permit so many people to have to suffer the cruel tragic burden of bereavement?”

Dozens of students from Syracuse University in the United States were among the victims. Mildred Sachuck, housemother at one of its fraternities, said of the terrorists that planted the bomb: “We ought to blow ’em to hell.”

One press report said: “Flight attendant Paul Garrett, 41, had planned to open a boutique in Paris after 15 years with the airline. ‘The terrible tragedy is that this was going to be his last flight,’ said Jan MacMichael, a friend in Millbrae, Calif[ornia].”

The reaction of Paul’s parents, Ernest and Nadine Garrett, Jehovah’s Witnesses living in Millbrae, was in sharp contrast with the reactions of the Galloway bishop and the Syracuse housemother. The reaction of Paul’s parents is reflected in a letter they sent in response to condolences received from a fellow Witness in New York City:

A Worldwide Brotherhood

“How kind of you, Karl, to take time out from your busy schedule to send us such a comforting letter. It is one of many. We have heard from Witnesses in Norway, Italy, France, England, and Cameroon​—almost 600 cards, telegrams, and letters, and over 250 phone calls from around the world. Paul knew so many people, having been a flight attendant for so many years with Pan American airlines. Memorial services were held in Paris, San Francisco, and Jacksonville, Florida, with a total attendance of 1,385.

“The local Witnesses in our home congregation and neighboring congregations took over our household and shopped for food, cooked and prepared it, cleaned our home, took turns sleeping in our home, never leaving us alone for a moment for a period of two weeks to be sure that we were okay. Truly, Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide do have ‘love among themselves.’​—John 13:35.

“The Pan American representative who was assigned to our family to offer comfort and condolences commented: ‘I came to comfort you people, but I have been comforted instead. There is something different about these people from other people that I have observed on these occasions.’ When asked what she meant, she said: ‘These people truly care for one another.’

“We are thankful that we understand the Bible and know that ‘time and unforeseen occurrence’ do take their toll. (Ecclesiastes 9:11) Understanding this, Karl, we would never unjustly reproach God or blaspheme him for this tragedy, as the Catholic bishop of Galloway did. No, we do not blame God for the death of our son. The bishop, in effect, is saying that Jehovah is not a God of love.​—1 John 4:8.

“Nor do we seek vengeance against the terrorists, as does the housemother at a Syracuse fraternity that lost a member in the crash, who said: ‘We ought to blow ’em to hell.’ Such matters we leave with God, who says: ‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay.’​—Romans 12:19.

“And last, but not least, is the wonderful hope of the resurrection that will sustain us each day until we see our dear son again. ‘If a man dies, can he live again?’ asked the man Job long ago. Well, the Bible answered that question at Isaiah 26:19: ‘Your dead ones will live . . . They will rise up.’ We take comfort that our son died faithful as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, having a good name with God, a name that He will remember at the time of resurrection. (Ecclesiastes 7:1, footnote; John 5:28) We certainly feel sorrow over the loss of our son, but having the hope of the resurrection, ‘we do not sorrow as the rest do who have no hope.’”​—1 Thessalonians 4:13.

Paul is survived by his wife, Dominique. She lives in Paris, France, is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and feels as do Paul’s parents. She also does not blame God for her tragic loss and faces the future with courage and hope.

[Picture on page 15]

Flight attendant Paul Garrett