God and Natural Disasters

[Joe the meek]

That baby girl found in the field was just pronounced dead.

 

[Johnfromokc]

That baby girl found in the field was just pronounced dead.

God screwed the pooch on another human.

 

[Dana]

With all the recent tornadoes, you see "god" invoked a lot. This was an interesting article about a baby girl that was apparently found 10 miles from the family home:

http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2012/...eld-10-miles-from-familys-home-after-tornado/



In the comments section, I saw these interesting comments:





















Loved that last sentence of the last comment :lol

I guess people tend to make ridiculous comments to help themselves cope with tragedy.

That guy was spot on.

 

[BornReady]

God screwed the pooch on another human.

I think we should leave God out of natural disasters and simply mourn the victims. They were not cursed. And those who survived were not blessed. They were just lucky.

Edit: If God is involved then it is in the way people respond afterward by helping those who have lost loved ones and homes. Some say God moves in people's hearts to create compassion. If so, then we should note God is not prejudiced. He moves in the hearts of atheists too.

 

[BornReady]

I'm not sure why people think that if they pray to God or turn to Him in their time of trouble, that He is actually going to help.

A wise person (can't remember who) said prayer doesn't change the world. It changes you.

 

[Joe the meek]

A wise person (can't remember who) said prayer doesn't change the world. It changes you.

Keep in mind, I didn't say I don't pray, just that I don't expect miracles

 

[Joe the meek]

God screwed the pooch on another human.

Mother was 20, father was 21, baby who died was one of three children.

I can play the statistical odds, but I won't.

 

[MrHeinz]

I don't see natural disasters as evil or punishment from God. Natural disasters are necessary for the earth to exist in a state that is able to support life. Land mass is maintained through earthquakes and volcanoes. Storms provide water and keep the atmosphere electrically balanced. This is just how the earth is designed. Do away with any of these phenomena and you create an even bigger disaster. Does God save or kill anyone during these disasters? I don't think so. Alot of people are saved from tornadoes by these words: Seek shelter. I think alot of people are more aware of what to do during these situations and understand the seriousness of it. Also meteorologists have better equipment to predict and detect dangerous storms. Unfortunately some people still are killed by these storms. I don't view this any different than someone accidently falling off a tall building or getting into a car accident.

 

[MainerMikeBrown]

What irritates me is when someone has a lot of faith in God, until they become a victim after a natural disaster.

So when they hear of disasters harming and killing others, they don't loose their faith - but when something happens to them, they then suddenly loose their faith?

 

[CityGirl]

What irritates me is when someone has a lot of faith in God, until they become a victim after a natural disaster.

So when they hear of disasters harming and killing others, they don't loose their faith - but when something happens to them, they then suddenly loose their faith?

Strange, isn't it? Especially in light of the fact they are told with faith the size of a mustard seed they can move mountains.

 

[Joe the meek]

Strange, isn't it? Especially in light of the fact they are told with faith the size of a mustard seed they can move mountains.

Make up your mind, will you?

You're the one quoting scripture to begin with.

 

[CityGirl]

Make up your mind, will you?

You're the one quoting scripture to begin with.

 

[Joe the meek]

As I've said previously, just because you pray to a God, spend all your life doing "good" and helping those all around you, you could still have a lot of bad shit can come your way.

First you give me Psalms and now your talking about mustard seeds.

 

[Leananshee]

An aside: The quote about faith small as a mustard seed being able to command a mountain to move comes from the New Testament, actually said by Christ. Matthew 17:20, with similar verses throughout the Gospels. He also talks about thinking about a sin being as bad as actually committing it. It's about guarding your thoughts, because they are the germination of action. There's also the possibility that at some point in our evolution our thoughts become more of what we are than our physical bodies, in which case we'd *really* have to watch what we think. We're supposed to be little "I am"s made in God's image, right?

Back to the OP: I could keep quoting Rabbi Kushner's "Why Bad Things Happen to Good People", which is a good answer to the question. But the thing is, thinking good things are blessings and asking for them, likewise trying to pray away bad, or thinking of bad things as curses, is really backward. The only blessing you have is being alive and able to do good in the world for the time you have. You are not guaranteed one damned thing. Doesn't mean there is or is no God, it means that people, including the ones who wrote the Bible don't really understand what it really is. Even atheists don't know for certain that the laws that govern how the universe works aren't the equivalent of that or what they all are. Nor does anyone on the face of the planet, not the Pope, the Dalai Lama, not anyone.

 

[CityGirl]

As I've said previously, just because you pray to a God, spend all your life doing "good" and helping those all around you, you could still have a lot of bad shit can come your way.

First you give me Psalms and now your talking about mustard seeds.

I'm only providing the sources for the thinking of people who think that if they pray to God or turn to Him in their time of trouble he is going to help. It doesn't help when folks like Pat Robertson claim they weren't praying hard enough.

My philosophy is s*** happens. Good s*** and bad s***. Has nothing to do with divine intervention.

 

[Joe the meek]

I'm only providing the sources for the thinking of people who think that if they pray to God or turn to Him in their time of trouble he is going to help. It doesn't help when folks like Pat Robertson claim they weren't praying hard enough.

My philosophy is s*** happens. Good s*** and bad s***. Has nothing to do with divine intervention.

We're on the same page.

However, sometimes being humans we want answers and wants done NOW. I've found it surprising when I look back how things seemed to work themselves out pretty well even if I didn't see it at that moment in time.

 

[Johnfromokc]

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?

Then he is not omnipotent.

Is he able, but not willing?

Then he is malevolent.

Is he both able and willing?

Then whence cometh evil?

Is he neither able nor willing?

Then why call him God?”

Epicurus - BC 341-270

 

[MrHeinz]

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?

Then he is not omnipotent.

Is he able, but not willing?

Then he is malevolent.

Is he both able and willing?

Then whence cometh evil?

Is he neither able nor willing?

Then why call him God?”

Epicurus - BC 341-270

Define evil.