It seems that God (or whoever’s in charge) doesn’t care for empires and shuts them down when they arise. From Rome to Spain to England to Russia, they never last. But God can’t do it alone. He needs help, so he tricks people. Consider this:
In 2003, while meeting with a Palestinian delegation, George Bush reportedly said “God would tell me ‘George, go and fight these terrorists in Afghanistan’.” I don’t doubt for a minute that this happened. God tricked Bush into two disastrous wars to start the unraveling of the American Empire.
Events from this week make me think God’s anti-empire actions extend to personal business ones as well. Everyone has witnessed the dramatic unraveling of Paula Deen’s business empire. Here’s what I think happened:
Paula had a cooking show and books. So far, so good. But then the empire started as she branched into endorsements, health products, cook-ware, and assorted other garbage. And when she got a name-branded ham from Smithfield Foods, God said “Okay, that’s it. This is getting ridiculous.”
So he whispered in her ear “Go ahead and make those racist comments. No one’s gonna notice.”
Why do I think this? Consider these two eerily similar real-world events:
1) A pro golfer got rich from tournament winnings. Good for him. But then he built an empire that included Rolex endorsements, a video game franchise, energy drinks, golf wear, etc. So God stepped in and said “Go ahead my married friend, sleep with women on the side. No one will notice.”
2) A woman became wealthy through a series of books on cooking and entertaining. But then she built an empire that included a magazine, a tv show, a catalogue business, and merchandise at Kmart. Kmart must have been the final straw when God whispered “Go ahead and trade those stocks using insider information, no one will care.”
But there’s a happy ending here. These people bounced back and so will Paula. I think God wants us to be successful, but not gluttonously so. He wants us to be simple and grateful for what we’ve been given. Just like his son.
Paula broke the unwritten commandment: “Thou shalt have no ham that bears thy name” and she paid the price.
I’m waiting for him to wave his wand and take down ESPN. Talk about evil empires!
I think some people mistake the words of their own minds for the words of God.
God gets blamed for a lot of stuff that is actually the fault of less than perfect people.
I think you’re right Kathy. In Tom’s, George Bush example, it does sound like George might just have confused the voices in his own head with the voice of God.