The Wrong Seat
George McGovern was the son of a Methodist minister and grew up in a household that took faith and morals seriously. After the war he attended theological seminary to pursue an interest in applying Christian ethics to practical life. He was a student minister for about a year, until he decided on a different career path that took him into teaching and eventually politics. In a 2003 article he talked about his service in the war and his ambivalence about God’s role in it:
As a World War II bomber pilot, I was always troubled by the title of a then-popular book, God is My Co-pilot. My co-pilot was Bill Rounds of Wichita, Kansas, who was anything but godly, but he was a skillful pilot, and he helped me bring our B-24 Liberator through thirty-five combat missions over the most heavily defended targets in Europe. I give thanks to God for our survival, but somehow I could never quite picture God sitting at the controls of a bomber or squinting through a bombsight deciding which of his creatures should survive and which should die.287
I agree with the observation that God doesn’t squint through bombsights or pick targets for destruction in war. The title of the book mentioned doesn’t necessarily imply that either, but is instead intended to convey the idea that God was there with the author, protecting him during his missions. Others, including myself, have also been troubled by the title of this book, but for a different reason. If God is our copilot, then the implication is that he is along for the ride, watching out for us and protecting us during dangerous moments. However, if he is the pilot, then he has the controls. The bumper sticker says it best:
If God Is Your Co-pilot,
YOU ARE IN THE WRONG SEAT
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
—Jeremiah 29:11