Thanking God (If You Can)

The past couple of weeks have seen horrific, deadly tornadoes through the south and midwest. And of course TV has jumped on the story like fleas on a mangy dog, video of death and destruction being the lifeblood of TV news (and to be fair, public interest). But troubling in the endless coverage are the many interviews, typically accompanied by tears and hugs (even by the reporters), of survivors who credit their prayers to and grace of god for their being alive. In the Joplin, Missouri, EF5 storm, with winds of 200 miles per hour, that killed at least 122 people and injured over 750, the deadliest tornado in the past 60 years in the U.S., Tussiana Mikell said that some people who were huddled in a cooler at a Dollar Tree store implored their lord: "There was a lot of calling on Jesus. People were crying, saying different things. I was calling out 'Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.'" David Smith also prayed to god, though not for his life but for his admittance into heaven: “I was just . . . shouting a prayer out to God. It wasn't a prayer to save my life. I just knew it was too late for that. It was a prayer for him to take me to Heaven, because I was sure I was going to die.” But after he dug himself out of the rubble, he was able to credit god with his life: “The only thing I can do is give glory to God that he chose me to live.” Too bad we can’t interview any of the 122 dead, many of whom I’m sure were also praying for their lives, or at least to get into heaven: “Bertha Rondell, an employee at Ralph’s Appliance Ranch, huddled in the corner of the business through the storm. ‘I was just praying to God to spare my life,’ Rondell said, ‘but he didn’t, and now I’m dead. And there isn't even a heaven. Son of a bitch.’”