Solar Eclipse-Shadow of Sin or Proof of God’s Glory?

My God is an awesome God. He doesn’t hand out punishment like a strict parent. He is a guiding light, not a dark presence. I know many people think the solar eclipse is some sort of warning. A sign to our country that we are sinning, and the shadows cast for a little less than 3 minutes are a harbinger of doom. The fact that we know when the next solar eclipses will take place during this century kind of cancels out that notion to me. If they are a sign of evil,(we have four total eclipses to experience in the next 30 years)then we have lots of bad behavior coming our way. Throughout history different countries have translated the same meaning and been wrong. I realize we are facing many evils right now as a country, but seriously, there have been darker days in our short history. The exploitation of the Native Americans by Columbus and other European travelers. The way they purposely spread disease, took land and displaced the people who were here first, is shameful, and evil by definition. And the fact that it continued for many years would have warranted several solar eclipse; instead there were only a few short ones recorded during that time. But we were just getting warmed up when it came to exploitation. Slavery became a way to profit greatly. Early Americans( and other countries too) tore African people away from their homelands and made them work under horrible conditions. Families were torn apart. Slaves women were raped. Many slaves were whipped and horribly maimed. It was a horrible stain on our history that resonates even today. Then came the Civil War. Man against man, neighbor against neighbor, friend against friend, brother against brother. So much blood shed over issues that could have been worked out before thousands died. The sin of slavery alone should have brought on days of darkness. Add to that the Civil War, and the displacement of Indians once again not long after the war, and you have several more days of eclipse darkness. There were only 3 recorded total eclipses of the sun in the 19th century. Is that kind of sin on the forefront of what defines as a country today? I think we are moving in the right direction. We have far to go, but we are on the right path. Yes, human exploitation still exists, bigotry is how certain groups define themselves, and human suffering is not in short supply. But there are more people on the other side of that equation, the side of virtue, and kindness; people who fight for the qualities that make this country great. Fight with their minds, using ideas as spears, and tolerance as shields. Yes, we still have a ways to go, and it feels like we are so divided right now; but I honestly feel that there is far more good than evil in our country. So, what does the solar eclipse mean? There are several solar eclipses that take place on this planet. Most are not seen because they take place over oceans and desserts or areas uninhabited. If a tree falls in a forest does it make a sound? Heck ya it does! No one needs to be there to hear it. The tree isn’t made of Nerf. I think every eclipse has meaning, seen or unseen. Isn’t that what faith is all about? Belief in something without physical proof it exists. I think the eclipse is a sign of God’s glory and the amazement that comes when universal bodies align just right. A brief shadow of darkness followed by a bright light. It resembles the light of salvation that comes after a prayer of deliverance. I choose to believe in a God who guides rather than punishes. His blessings are many and His light shines eternal.