Unsinkable

By Quenjule Slaven. 14 November 2016, 12:00AM

The Titanic was the largest, most luxurious ship of its time and famously called “unsinkable” by many. During its first voyage from England to New York City, the British liner sideswiped an iceberg around 11:40 p.m. on April 14, 1912.

Two hours later, it broke apart and took more than 1,500 lives to the bottom of the ocean and with it, the secret of how and why the ship sank. The ship carried enough lifeboats for only half of its 2,200 passengers and crew, which meant approximately 700 survived. 

Some believed that the iceberg had torn a long gash in the ship’s hull while travelling too fast, but when the wreck was discovered in 1985, there was no such tear found.  

Researchers learned that the Titanic’s hull was made of low quality steel that became brittle in the freezing North Atlantic waters, causing it to fracture easily during the collision with icebergs. (A lesson for Donald Trump using cheap steel imported from China to build his hotels…just stating the obvious!!)

The Titanic herself, from the beginning was an example of pride and faith in human achievements.  One passenger asked a dock hand, “Is this ship really unsinkable?”  The man replied, “Yes, lady.  God himself couldn’t sink this ship!”  Ironically, many others today express similar attitude toward human accomplishments, and don’t realise the need for anything else.  Hmmm……know a few people who act like this? 

This kind of behaviour made me think about what I recently learned in school of how some people use science as their religion. Humanism preaches that there is no force or intelligence on earth higher than mankind.  Humans must solve our own problems, for there is no one else to solve them for us. 

Evolutionists believe we are evolving to the point we can solve our own problems throughout time by mutating, like the X-Men, sort of. 

Other people believe wealth can solve all our problems.  Many want to trust human learning in science, technology or psychology.  They assume we can completely control our world and do anything we want, without depending on God. 

At other times, some start to look at their successes and ignore the need for their own spiritual growth. Yes, we may start to feel unsinkable at times depending on our own wisdom, but could this be another Titanic wreck in waiting?

The Titanic story may be old, but there are still many lessons to be learnt.  When the lifeboats were being loaded, the rule was “women and children first.”  

A few men acted with cowardice, but most did not.  Story after story told of men putting their wives and children into the lifeboats, then calmly walking away rather than insisting on getting in themselves. 

Tragedy may be a time when the worst in some people comes out.  But it is also a time when the best in other people comes out.  Take for example, a true story about one of the victims on the Titanic, Mrs. Isidor Straus.  

Mrs Straus and her husband were passengers on the Titanic. 

Not many women went down with the ship, but Mrs Straus was one of the few women who did not survive.   This was not because she lucked out, but for one simple reason, she could not bear the thought of leaving her husband. 

Her maid, Mabel Bird who survived the disaster said, “Many people panicked when the Titanic began to sink. 

Mr and Mrs Straus were calm and comforting to the passengers helping them into the boats.  Mr Straus begged and pleaded Mrs Straus to get into the lifeboat with me and the others but she refused to get in. 

She looked deep into the eyes of the man with whom she’d spent most of her life, the man who have been her best friend, her true love and always a comfort to her soul and said, ‘No, I will not get into the boat. 

We have been together through a great many years.  We are old now.  I will never leave you. Where you go, I will go.’  And that is where they were last seen, standing arm in arm on the deck of a sinking boat.”  

Till death do us part, this loyal and devoted wife, cling courageously to her husband and her loving husband protectively held onto his wife, as the ship sank…… together forever.  

By Quenjule Slaven. 14 November 2016, 12:00AM
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