Hating God

Another prompt!

• ‘Frankly, Rosebud, you can’t handle the truth!’ Have a favorite line from a movie?

  I think one of my most favorite lines is from the movie “Lethal Weapon”. Danny Glover says to Mel Gibson “God hates me.”

  Mel, without missing a beat, says “Hate him back-it works for me.”

  How great is that??

  When I found out my first two sons had mental disabilities, it was pretty devastating. I was divorced from their father, living back home with my parents and very depressed. I was working part time as a nurse, on varied shifts. I was exhausted. Then the behavior issues with the boys began to show up.

  My oldest son was so hyperactive that by age three I was asking the doctor to put him on Ritalin. He said no, that he was too young to diagnose. One babysitter after another would keep him one day and quit, saying they could not manage him. My mother ended up being the one to care for him most of the time while I worked.

  At the same time, his younger brother was diagnosed with “PDD-NOS”-Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified. I followed the recommendation of the education agency and put him in special education preschool, full time. He was three years old. I got him in to speech therapy and occupational therapy. It seemed like I was constantly at a school meeting or therapy session. By this time I had my oldest son in a church daycare program. But his behavior problems persisted. The only difference was that they did not kick him out.

  So, that gives you the background for what I am about to say.

  I hated God back then. It was a shock even to me when I realized that.

  It happened one night when I got home from work. I went upstairs to go to bed with the boys. I slept with them because the younger one would get up in the night and wander. I was afraid I might not wake up and he would get hurt.

  So, I went to climb in to bed, but instead found myself just staring at my sleeping boys. Suddenly, I was filled with anger, almost a rage.

  I looked out the window at the stars and hissed at God “YOU did this! You gave them to me and you knew better! You knew I could never give them all they need and you gave them to me anyway-I hate your guts!”

  It felt liberating in a way to chew his ass out. I finally could say how I felt-no guilt, no fear. I just put it out there.

  Those boys are now 22 and 20, respectively. They have problems to this day. It has been a very long journey. Did it end up with me having faith in God again? Not really. I did for a time. But it has never been a strong, lasting faith. Now, it is really not even a belief in God. I have seen too much. No loving god would allow people to suffer as they do. That has been my conclusion. He is either not in control of things or he IS and that means he’s a jerk. I would rather believe he does not exist at all.

  “Hating him back” worked for a while, though. Thanks Mel! I needed that advice!