We cannot look at the child who has been raped and offer the theological maxim that God will draw something good from out of this. We cannot think of the children consumed by the fires of Auschwitz and Hiroshima and manufacture some easy gratitude. Gratitude does not take away the horrors of violence.

Summary

This quote emphasizes that certain traumatic events, such as the rape of a child or the tragedies of Auschwitz and Hiroshima, cannot be justified or minimized using theological explanations or attempts to find gratitude. It suggests that these unimaginable horrors cannot simply be dismissed by the idea that God will bring something good from them. The quote highlights the enduring magnitude of violence and asserts that gratitude alone cannot diminish the immense suffering inflicted upon those affected by such acts.

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