6.08.2007 | God sends no cross that you cannot bear

In good secular fashion, Paula Zahn of CNN, as part of a panel discussion, asked the Democratic candidates for president who happen to be Catholic a few questions about their faith. Zahn was one of a panel of fakers and race hustlers (Jesse Jackson, who uses the title "reverend" as an excuse to divide us on the basis of skin color). Not surprisingly, the "liberal evangelist" Jim Wallis was also on the panel...

Zahn asked a couple of questions of Sen. Joe Biden, the first being a typical atheist's question: Did you blame God for your loss [of your first wife and daughter in an accident]? I don't know if Zahn is an atheist, but I do know that the typical first question of an atheist to believers is along these lines: blaming God for all bad things.

Sen. Biden earned my respect for his answer: God sends no cross that you cannot bear. This is just so, and whenever we think that we are being put upon by God, it is useful to consider Jesus and His cross. He bore the cross for us, to show us the way to a better life and to let us know that all may be forgiven if we but ask with a sincere heart.

Zahn then asked what amounts to a silly question: When it comes to the 9/11 hijackers, will you ever be capable of forgiving them for what they did? The senator gave a somewhat vague and wordy answer, the essence of which is "I have difficulty on forgiving that [the attacks]."

Forgiveness is never a one-sided thing. Despite the squishy thinking of many liberals, Christianity does not insist on forgiveness without repentance. It does insist that we forgive all sins when those who sin against us repent and ask for forgiveness.

The problem with the question? The 9/11 hijackers may be in hell and unable to repent and thus ask forgiveness. But their co-religionists in al-quaeda as well as a large majority of ordinary Muslims simply do not believe that any sin was committed.

Zahn and others may find this difficult, but God hates sinners who do not repent. Our job, as we attempt to walk in the ways of Jesus while here on earth, is to get evildoers to repent -- not to issue meaningless blanket forgiveness to those who continue to revel in their sin.