Hello Rowland: I thought you might like to read this article I wrote for our Church paper, with a view to possible publication.

Working for Jesus,

Wayne Dobratz, Pastor Trinity Lutheran Church Hampton, IA USA

Pastor's Page for February, 2001

I had some time to do some extra careful reading of the Newspaper while I was on leave in January. One article in the Wisconsin State Journal leaped off the page at me. It had to do with a name many Christians love to hate Madilyn Murray O'Hair.

It was she who succeeded in a lawsuit in 1954 to ban prayer in public schools. I've never been a big fan of that issue, but it is interesting to note that her son, William Murray--for whom the lawsuit was filed--became a Christian and asked for forgiveness from Christians for all the damage his mother did. He also wrote a book entitled "My Life without God."

But we haven't heard much of America's most famous atheist lately. That's because she and several family members were said to have been murdered in Texas in 1995. The Newspaper story said that authorities have been digging for human remains and have found some under the guidance of the man accused of the murders.

The "find" hasn't been authenticated yet, but there may very well be something to learn here.

It's not a good idea to make fun of God. "Blasphemy" was one of Ms. O'Hair's favorite sports. The Bible calls her a fool the fool has said in his heart there is no God (Ps. 14:1).

You reap what you sow. Paul asks the Roman Christians: What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! (Rom. 6:21).

It's a fearsome thing to have no fear of God. We read in Ps. 36: There is no fear of God before his eyes. 2 For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin. 3 The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and to do good.

While it is sometimes true that "the good die young," it's also true that those who have mocked God sometimes have a fitting end, especially if the offense has been public, as Ms. O'Hair's was for so long.

I thought of the parallel with Jezebel when I read that Newspaper story. Remember her? She threatened Elijah's life and he had to run for his life. God predicted that she would die as sordidly as she had lived. We read in 2 Kings 9 that after the death of Ahab, Jezebel tried to make herself attractive to Jehu, the next King. He told those loyal to him in the palace to throw her out of the window. Then the Bible says: So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered the wall and the horses as they trampled her underfoot. Jehu went in and ate and drank. "Take care of that cursed woman", he said, "and bury her, for she was a King's daughter." But when they went to bury her, they found nothing except her skull, her feet and her hands. They went back and told Jehu: "This is what the Lord said through Elijah, 'On the ground at Jezreel dogs will devour Jezebel's flesh.'" Jezebel's body will be like garbage on the ground, so that no one will be able to say: 'THIS IS JEZEBEL.'" (2 Kings 9:30ff NIV)

Enough said.