In the wake of the terrible earthquake in Haiti, Christians from all over the world are responding with prayer, donations to aid groups, and deep empathy for the people of Haiti.
Shortly after the tragedy occurred, television personality Pat Robertson, speaking as a Christian minister, made some very irresponsible and inaccurate statements implying that the earthquake in Haiti occurred due to some kind of curse or punishment from God for "a pact with the Devil" supposedly made during the slave rebellion that led to Haiti's establishment as an independent country.
As a Christian, and from the standpoint of someone who works with human tragedy on a consistent basis, let me be very clear: Pat Roberson is wrong. God does not save up human failings like petty and evil treasures, lying in wait until he can strike people in vengeance. Rather, God is a God of love who suffers with humanity and chose to sacrifice himself for the sins of humanity.
God loves mercy and justice; God defends and protects the weak. This message is clearly stated throughout the entire Bible, but nowhere is it more eloquently expressed than in the words and life of Jesus.
I hope that anyone who reads the Southwood story will get the true meaning of the gospel, and will understand that the story of God's interaction with the world is a message of hope for all who despair, not a message of condemnation.
If you are hurting, you should know that God loves you and suffers with you.
If you are not in need, and especially if you're a follower of Christ, please remember that our love for him should be shown in love for others. Do whatever you can to show God's love to someone else, as often as you can, whether they are struggling for food, clothing, and shelter in your community, or reeling from a disaster half a world away.
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yes! amen. with us. beside us. God set the creation spinning. we create and let go. he set us spinning and then felt compelled to be with us. one of us, not above us. and still the spirit beside us everywhere we let work through us!
ReplyDeleteWell done. Well done you. And amen is right.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that so much aid is pouring in, but I still feel so sad for the people. It will take them many years to overcome this disaster.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe in Pat Robertson's god but neither do I see the mercy of your god in a massive earthquake. If a human being had caused this it would be called mass murder and a crime against humanity. If I experiment by looking at the event from a deist point of view, it certainly seems more likely that a god is punishing the people than that he loves them.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, thanks for your comment!
ReplyDeleteI think if we take the view that God caused the earthquake, it does seem cruel. I also would not want to follow such a deity.
Someone once asked Jesus a similar question about a local disaster in which a tower fell on a group of people. Jesus was asked whether God made the tower fall on the people to punish them. His reply basically was that things just happen and whether people are present or affected by them is a matter of chance. But what is important is what happens after something tragic happens. Is there a chance for God to be glorified by the actions of God's people?
In the case of Haiti, it's very sad that the earthquake occurred. We can't do anything to take that away. But we have seen a huge outpouring of love and concern towards the people of Haiti. People from all over the world have made donations of money and items. People from all over the world have also gone to Haiti to help. This is humanity at its best.
I don't think that natural events like the earthquake are purposely done by God to harm people; rather, I think that when such things happen, God inspires people to help. It's our world, and I think God wants us to take the initiative to take care of one another and improve the world. I think God wants us to do it for ourselves.
During his ministry, Jesus talked constantly of the "Kingdom of God," and of how, by showing love to one another and treating one another with mercy and justice, we can bring his vision of the kingdom of God to reality. A lot of people in Jesus's day were disappointed by that, because they thought he was meant to take over Israel and solve everyone's problems, and that's not what he was about at all. Jesus was more interested in teaching people how to be empowered by God's love to live justly and lovingly, no matter what the circumstances. To me, that is the power of Christianity.