US House Chaplain Margaret Grun Kibben is at it again, making official government prayers in the United States Congress that twist and turn beyond any sense or reason. On December 1, Kibben stood on the floor of the House of Representative and forced United States Representatives to pause their work to listen to the following gibberish:
"You, o lord... as you envelop us in the wideness of your mercy, show us how to show compassion. God, you do not spare us the bread of adversity nor the water of affliction. Open our eyes to that which you reveal to us in these moments, open our ears that we would hear the assurance of your voice, and open our hearts to receive your salvation. For by your grace, you envelop us in the wideness of your mercy and in you we will find compassion."
Kibben was making a reference to a passage from the Book of Isaiah, chapter 30, verse 20, which reads, "Although the lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them."
Some interpreters of this passage think that the bread of adversity and water of affliction are the teachers who won't be hidden. Others say that the unhidden teacher is supposed to be "the lord", which is supposed to be the god of the ancient Jews, a version of which became the god of Christianity. It's really not clear. Biblical texts are vague.
The idea seems to be, however, that adversity and affliction are nutrional in some way, that people are better off when they suffer. Margaret Grun Kibben is praying that her god will send adversity and affliction to the American people. Affliction and adversity are salvation, mercy, and compassion, according to Chaplain Kibben's Orwellian faith.
Yes, the federal government of the United States of America is paying a six-figure salary to Margaret Grun Kibben so that she can ask her Christian god to make the American people suffer for the sake of her religion.
To me, that doesn't seem like a good use of taxpayer's funds.
