Stephen Fry rant

This is not heaven featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard -from the album Uplifted – recorded by Bob Ross

A friend posted this clip of Stephen Fry being interviewed on Facebook and asked for my comments, which I share below.

The God that Stephen Fry describes is not the God that I know. The God that I know is full of compassion, care, grace, forgiveness and love. Mr Fry blames God for numerous bad things that occur in this imperfect world and I am sure he could have named a lot more. However by blaming God, at least he would appear to acknowledge God’s existence or as least accept the possibility that God exists. If God is to blame for all the bad stuff in the world then who is to be thanked for all the good stuff? Logic would suggest someone or something in direct opposition to God…….. the devil? ?!! So is Mr Fry suggesting that the Devil is in charge of good stuff and God in charge of bad? Or is Mr Fry just getting his deity roles mixed up? Still he was very good (or was it bad) in Blackadder.

So that was my comment, but may I continue?

Jesus never said “Follow me and your life will be problem free thereafter.” What He did say was “I will never leave or forsake you.” If He was to take all the problems and suffering out of this world He would have to destroy it and create a heaven like place – well He has already created heaven and this world is certainly not it. Heaven is where God resides and where His will is done – a place of joy with no suffering and no evil.

Jesus’ promise for His followers here on earth is to give us His peace- He promises to draw close to us in our times of trouble – to be our comfort and our strength. God the Father did not exclude Jesus from pain and suffering when He was on earth – problems come to mankind as surely as sparks fly upwards- however because Jesus suffered just about everything – betrayal ,rejection, bereavement, excruciating pain and much worse complete separation from the Father- because Jesus suffered all these things He knows how we feel when we suffer – that is why He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother – that is why His Holy Spirit is our wonderful counsellor, advocate and helper. That is why in the final verses of St Matthew’s Gospel s Jesus says “I will be with you always even to the end of the age.”

By the way the words of Jesus in John’s Gospel chapter 3 verse 16 show the way in which one day we can enjoy heaven “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”