Limnic Eruptions

Today I learned about something called a Limnic eruption. To describe it briefly, this extremely rare natural disaster occurs when massive amounts of Carbon Dioxide are suddenly released from the deep, dark, depths of a lake. The CO2 is so overpowering that it manages to suffocate all oxygen-dependant living things in its immediate surroundings. There are only two Limnic eruptions on record, both in Cameroon - The first one, in 1984, choking 37 people to death, and the second one, in 1986, disposing of a staggering 1800 people and various animals.

A few weeks ago, I read and studied Albert Camus' novel, The Plague. This novel deals with issues of natural disasters and epidemics and examines the ways in which people interact with each other during an event of such urgent change. I couldn't help my mind from wandering from the newly developed images of what a small village ravaged by a Limnic Eruption would look like, to the philosophical ideas associated with natural disasters in general... since it was still so fresh from lecture. I decided I would explore my ideas a bit further through this entry.

In the event of a large-scale disaster or epidemic, some people try to escape so they don't have to deal with the problem. Some people decide to stay and help out. Some people do nothing. The people in this last category are the ones that interest me most. There is an important part of Camus' novel which features a priest giving a sermon. The priest tells the people that the plague is upon them and THEY are responsible for it. They have sinned. This was God's way of punishing them. Yes, even the young children.

So, I ask, if God is the one to bring this suffering upon a people, then it is assumed that any attempt at trying to relieve the city of the epidemic is futile. God has given and he will take away. Who are we to interfere with the daily affairs of the divine? I mean really, what else can explain something as random and sudden as a Limnic eruption? Especially in a lake by a small remote village in Cameroon. I bet most of those people haven't even ever heard of God. Did they really offend him THAT badly to deserve this punishment. And ironically, since we have no way of explaining it, we end up turning to God in times of confusion... hoping He will provide us with a 'sign'.

Or at least this is where the misconception is. I find that people are obsessed with finding a reason or an explanation for everything that happens in the world. For as religious as so many people claim to be, they still interest themselves with the work of science or the science of society to understand why things happen or why things exist the way they do. In striving ceaselessly to find all of these explanations, people often get lost and realize that the world wasn't made to reveal all of its secrets to us. And so when we can't find the answer, the solution, the explanation to something, we turn to God. God is the one thing that is comprehensive and magical enough to answer for the unexplained -- and ironically enough, we have attached ourselves to a 2000-year old book to explain God for us... because of course, even the unexplained needs an explanation.

I suggest for you to think about this whole situation differently now. Rather than constantly seeking out the explanation for everything that happens in your life, allow yourself to come to terms with the fact that you will NEVER know everything about the world, about the people in it, or about yourself. It is literally impossible. You've got to agree that if this all-knowing and all-powerful God that created us is capable of creating all the world and its mysteries, we should be significantly inferior in intelligence, and therefore never arrive at understanding our true purpose in life.

And THIS, is my favourite part of thinking this way, because while most of you are outraged at the apparent pessimism in my tone, no one has even begun to think about the freedom that this afords us. Like Nietzsche said:

Now obviously God's not actually dead. What this is referring to is our pre-modern dependence on God... and our tendency to continue to resort to Him when we can't find the answer or explanation to something. It's suggesting that if our option to turn to God for magical answers fades, then how can we live our lives? Wouldn't we be free to do whatever we want? Who will tell us what right and wrong is? Will we ourselves have to become 'Gods' to carry on?

Well, for starters, we will need to accept that we cannot fully understand why or how things happen in life. We will also then be prepared for bad OR good things to happen, irrespective of how much time we dedicate praying for good things (like winning the lottery). Next we will realize that winning the lottery is not necessarily the kind of thing we SHOULD be praying for, even if praying were effective. But finally, and most importantly... when the BAD things happen, we will be ACTIVE in finding a solution, not only for ourselves, but for others. We will refuse to limit our explanation to the primitive notion that God is punishing us for our sins, and we will work to find solutions to the obstacles that we encounter.

If there is anything I have learned in my life so far, it's that God does not work by punishing us for our sins and rewarding us for our good deeds like Santa Clause does once a year. Our creator is far more complex than this, and although it might work on a superficial level to tell kids to be good, or else, we eventually reach a point in our lives when we need a stronger reason to 'be good'. I don't discredit the notion of karma, however, as I do think that if we live our lives in a generally benevolent way towards others, that sooner or later good things will come. I also believe that we must be opportunist in seeking these good things though, because we may not always recognize them right away and we may confuse bad things for good things if we have a lapse in judgement.

Look, before anyone gets all wound up about this, I'm not ignorant to the fact that some of the most active people in true humanitarian work believe in God with their utmost potential, in fact, God is their inspiration for all that they do. This article is not even meant to discredit the value of faith or to bash religion at all. All I am asking you to do is to take on the same perspective in life that those activists have. They are certainly NOT waiting for God to pave the yellow brick road for them. If they want something, they work hard to get it. If you believe in the good of humankind, then BE a part of achieving it. Like Mahatma Ghandi once said, "Be the change you want to see in the world." In other words, don't hide behind your faith. USE it to have a positive effect on others and you will see how the world will become a better place.

:)