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Eye on the World: safety in the air and on the ground
The crash of Asiana Airlines flight 214 at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday, in which two people were killed and 182 injured, has prompted widespread inquiries into how the failure could have been prevented. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) noted that the plane’s speed just before landing was much slower than it should have been, and that it was the pilot’s first time landing a Boeing 777 at that airport. The following day, an air taxi crashed at a small airport in southern Alaska, killing all 10 people on board. The cause of the crash is unknown, and the NTSB will begin its investigation on Monday afternoon.
We can all pray to support safety in the air and on the ground, and to recognize that accidents — no matter their apparent cause — have no power to separate anyone from God.
This recent Sentinel cover story, “Safety in the air,” was written by an airline pilot and explains how and why safety comes from God. God, divine Principle, is expressed through qualities like control and consistency — and this is as true in the air as anywhere else. Furthermore, God’s laws nullify chance, and His healing messages remove fear and worry from our thinking. That means that we can expect to see this Principle expressed through the adoption of appropriate safety measures and a safer overall flying record.
Another Sentinel article, also titled “Safety in the air,” expands on this spiritual perspective. It reminds us that while improved flying measures and safety procedures are certainly desirable, the most dependable safety comes from our recognition of God’s presence and activity. The author explains, “Each of us can help increase air safety ... through admitting spiritual facts and rejecting physical appearances. How does this replacing action help? By bringing to light in human affairs the operation of God's law of harmony, perfection, and allness.” Even in the wake of a crash, we can insist on seeing ourselves and others as subject only to the laws of God, which never falter or fail. This kind of prayer has an uplifting effect in our thinking and on the airline industry.