Post 27: "The Judges" Reflection

"The Judges" is probably the chapter which tests the family the most thus far. Ruth May contracts malaria, the village is swarmed with countless numbers of nsongonya (or ants), Tata Ndu wanting to marry Rachel forces her into a relationship of mixed feelings with Mr. Axelroot, and most of all, Nathan pushes on with his mission of a Christian Kilanga, ignoring the plane out of Kilanga since Belgium gave into a Republic Congo. The thing which puzzles me the most is why Nathan either is oblivious to this, or blames it on each of the family members. For example, when Orleanna became pregnant, it was her fault: "He was profoundly embarrassed by my pregnancies. To his way of thinking they were unearned blessings, and furthermore each one thinking they were unearned blessings, and furthermore each one drew God's attention anew to my having a vagina and his having a penis and the fact we'd laid them near enough together to conceive a child" (198).

Another thing which Nathan seems to do is similar to the Nostradamus effect. By this, I mean that he makes claims such as if the villagers don't do anything they will be punished by God, or something of that sort, and then if something coincidentally happens in such a way where Nathan's point is supported, it would seem as though God actually was on his side. The best example I can think of off the top of my head would be in "The Revelations," where when Adah was "spared" by the lion, more people started going to church. Nathan could claim that it was her undying belief in God which saved her, which he probably would not find out was true or not for I doubt he'd have the patience to have her write down the account of what happened or listen to her explanation extensively from a family member. Similarly, Nostradamus wrote prophecies which didn't get fufilled until hundreds of years later. Being a skeptic, I ask if he was truely writing prophecies, why could he not write a date? Why could people not point out that event occurring before it happened? Some people claim Nostradamus predicted the terrorist attack on 9/11. If he truly predicted this, why couldn't people prevent this attack? Similarly, why can't Nathan state that "if you believe in God, even lions cannot kill you," or something of that sort?

I think that Nathan would reply that God works in his own way. However, when the village gets swarmed by ants, or when hoards of people and households die from the kakakaka, why does God not save them? Even if they worship pagan Gods, why would a truly loving God sacrifice people to influence people to worship him? What do you think Nathan would say?