When the “Great Tsunami” hit the Southern region of Asia last year, I heard a number of religious pastors and leaders claiming that this calamity was as an Act (“wrath”) of God. My question is, would the same people, or groups, state that the catastrophes currently hitting the United States (Hurricanes: Katrina and Rita) are a direct result of an Act (the wrath) of God?
Are their comments and theology skewed by prejudices, inaccurate interpretation of scripture, erroneous presuppositions? Alternatively, are they correct in their premise of why these disasters occurred?
I welcome your comments and insights.
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2 comments:
I was thinking on the same lines when I also posted about it. At church last Sunday we had a quest speaker come and talk about it. He left no doubt that he thought that it was Gods wrath/punishment for their sin. He went on and on about how other cities will soon also see the wrath of God because of their sins. Needless to say it was a bit extreme.
I however am not sure where I fall. I do know that it is within His power to do so. However I am not sold on the idea that God would kill people that did not "have it coming". The only times I can think of that God destroyed/punished someone was as a result of long-term turning/disobedience from Him.
Like I said before, I am not sure but I do think the question needs to be asked.
As far as God only killing someone that had long term disobedience, what about Ananias being struck down for not tithing properly or poor Uzzah being struck down just for trying to catch the ark? What do we do here with these cases?
I think what Mike hit on was so important, that we reserve the ability of God to act in such a way if He wills. God does hand out punishment at times. However, I think equating God's direct wrath to a natural disaster is a dangerous practice. There were many righteous people who were killed as well, not just unrighteous. And God punishing those who were faithful and obedient doesn't make a whole lot of sense in my opinion. I think we are better off to look at sin's effect on the entire created order. It's hard to imagine how sin has corrupted nature, but the Bible tells us that that is exactly what has happened (as does orthodox theology). Sin effects the whole universe, not just our humanity. Somehow through our stupidity (perhaps global warming?) and disobedience, we have messed up God's creation and it has gone haywire, so to speak. God's justice is handed out through the "natural" consequences of our actions. Did He "will it to happen?" I don't believe so. But is the system already set up to allow our sins to carry consequence? Absolutely!
The beauty of all of this is to remember that God's redemptive plan for the world includes the entire created order as well. Not only will humanity be redeemed, but the waters, the earth, and the waves will be put back in their rightful place in God's universe.
Besides, we all know that Bush called Katrina up and was like "hey, come hit our shores! I don't like black people!" Riiiiiight
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