Grading people

Ever wonder why we seemed to have erased from our collective memory the events of the 2005 Kashmir earthquake in which over 73,000 people died, but yet can't get past the 3,000-odd associated with 9-11?

Scott Adams poses a plausible reason why this migth happen here. Could it be that some trgaedies are worse than others based on who was wiped out?

Your story ... part II

Ok, that was 10 comments more than there should have been on a post. So, I'm now starting a new comment thread here for us to pick up from where we left off, to reorganise our thinking, whateva. But now, I'd like us to get practical:

A little while back in a cell group, I had someone tell the group (when we were discussing hearing God's voice) that they did not have a problem with that. Why? Because God spoke audibly to her. Not just spoke, but met face-to-face with her on a regular basis.

Yep, I can hear it already: the sound of your cynicism hackling up much like a porcupine's quills. Did I hear you say "looney tune"? Stick with me, this is a real example. In such an instance how does one get past, or deal with, or confront, or do what ever you need to do with the instantaneous cynicism we feel when confronted with a story (here I mean both a story told, as above, as well as a meta-Story of one's life) that is so absurd?