2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami -- Remembrance, Thoughts, Prayers (?), ‘Mass Karma’ & Tides in Sri Lanka.

 

Wow. I remember it well.

Amazingly nobody that I knew was impacted. I, however, knew the area of Sri Lanka, that was hardest hit, extremely well. During the 14 years I lived in Sri Lanka (i.e., 1953-1967) we visited that southwest area at least once a month -- even more often places like 'Mount Lavinia' closer to 'Colombo' (where we lived on the outskirts). So, this was close to home -- though I had left, Ceylon/Sri Lanka 37-years earlier (for good). The last time I had gone back (for my adoptive mother's funeral) was in 1992 -- & on that trip I had again visited Mount Lavinia. So, this was not somewhere abstract. I had also spent 3 summers in Thailand -- 1972, 1973 & 1974 -- & had visited 'Phuket', another area hard hit.

Yes, it bothered me.

At least when it came to Sri Lanka I had a very logical & plausible theory as to why so many, especially kids, died on the beach ... walking out towards the ocean just before the tsunami came roaring in. Lack of familiarity with tides. I know & appreciate this. Most don't. Sri Lanka, due to the shape of the continental shelf thereabouts, has MINIMAL, indiscernible 6" tides. Yes, tidal reach & height are 6" or less. So, with wave action, you don't see or notice tides. So Sri Lankans aren't used to seeing the ocean recede.

It did so BEFORE the tsunami. The ocean went out (i.e., back) quite a long way leaving fish thrashing in the wet sand. This was a never before seen NOVELTY. Folks went out to see (& literally into the sea). They were collecting the fish. Then the tsunami struck. 

This will never happen again. Now they know. Next time they see the ocean recede they will run the other way.

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There was lot of talk about prayers then & AGAIN TODAY.

I don't believe in prayers & suffice to say I do NOT pray.

To my way of thinking it was too late to pray after the tsunami.

Plus, couldn't God have stopped this in the first place. Why pray afterwards. You can't bring back the dead. That little trick, i.e., coming back from the dead, is exclusive to Jesus. 

Plus at least 75% of those that were impacted were Buddhists.

Who do Buddhists pray to? Please pray tell me. You can't pray to Buddha. He reached Nirvana -- i.e., he ceased to exist!

That is why I get frustrated when I hear that folks were praying today -- many of them Buddhists. Please pray THINK.

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Then, in 2004, there was the rationalization by Sri Lankan Buddhists that this was due to MASS KARMA! 

My adoptive father, a big muckety muck in Buddhist circles, was one of those strongly promoting this nonsense.

For nearly 40 years my adoptive father & I did not see eye to eye when it come to Buddhism. But we stoutly respected each other's point-of-view. We were tolerant.

But, I couldn't tolerate this Mass Karma nonsense. I told him so. I was pretty disgusted with that.

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Well, I said a lot.

Maybe some of you will have learnt a few things from this ... tides, prayer, & mass karma.

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