I have a confession to make. Up until yesterday I had completely underestimated the devastation left behind by Hurricane Katrina. I guess this is because after it hit Florida as a tropical storm, I thought it was pretty much over. I figured it would just die down. But it didn’t. It got stronger and stronger and finally made a right turn for the coast. Even then, I figured the damage was probably typical of what I had already seen this year in Florida. But finally I turned on the Today Show yesterday and I saw for myself how bad it really was. New Orleans has essentially drowned and it will probably be underwater for a couple of months at least. It looks like the whole area has virtually been “rinsed” off the map. It’s unbelievable how many people are probably dead, and those who have survived are starving, thirsty, and homeless. No running water, no electricity, no plumbing. I would go on, but you can probably get this kind of stuff at any given time in the media.
But I do have a commentary on the subject. It seems that already, in the midst of this tragedy, people are trying to act like they actually know how and why Katrina did what it did. Why do people have this urge to explain the unexplainable? Why do we want to answer questions that we have no authority of answering?
For instance, I’ve already been bombarded by the media with the issue of global warming and how it relates to this disaster. People have been jumping up and down in excitement because they have another natural disaster on their hands that they can politicize for the sake of their agenda on global warming. Do they really want me to believe that we caused this? Is there really something we could have done or not done to prevent an act of God such as this? There are a lot of people out there on TV saying “yes” and it amazes me. First of all, it amazes me how many people take global warming to be a fact of life when it is actually just a theory at best. There is virtually no consistent scientific evidence out there that proves global warming. Let me clarify something here, though. When I say global warming, I mean it in the sense that the activists mean it. Sure, the earth has it’s warming cycles, as well as cooling cycles—that’s scientific. What I refuse to believe is that human activity (burning fuel, pollution, etc.) has some sort of effect on the global temperature and weather patterns. There is no consistent evidence for this. For every theoretical study suggesting this, there is just as much or more studies disproving it. In fact, if global warming was taking place, we should actually have fewer hurricanes.
I guess what really gets on my nerves is the trend these days of blaming people for things that we have no control over. People want to blame human activity for melting ice caps and severe weather. They want to blame Bush for high gas prices. They want to blame America for everything that’s going wrong in the world. Why does the white American Christian male have to be the bad guy for everything?
I know this is getting to be quite a rant, but it just ticks me off when unjust blame is cast because people feel the need to cast blame. Katrina was the awesome finger of God that destroyed an entire region and thousands of people’s lives. Why did it happen? Why does God create tsunamis and tornadoes and earthquakes? I don’t know. But I’m ok with that. I understand a lot of people aren’t and they don’t share my beliefs and views on these matters, but that doesn’t make me wrong. Heck, I don’t care if I’m wrong as long as I’m proven wrong. So, for now, let’s just accept that such disasters do exist and instead of casting blame, let’s just pray for those who are suffering and look hopefully towards the future.
its a good kind of rant though Chris.
thanks
I wish I had more Science knowledge, but I sucked at Biology so I can’t really contribute a verse on the Global Warming Issue. I wish we didn’t have to have proof, but that’s still the world we like in. We like to know the how, what, and why to everything.
As for the white dude being blamed for everything, you pretty much summed it up in your paragraph. Just look at our history, including how we established the colonies at the expense of Native Americans. There’s also the whole slave thing too. And no, I’m not dogging Bush, but there’s never been a black, Hispanic, or Asian President of the U.S. I think even something so small as that would change the game. It’s hard when the U.S. is a mosaic of cultures, traditions, and ethnicities but politics doesn’t fully reflect this (neither does the church, but that’s a different story).
Lastly, it’s always good to rant because you release some of your passions.
Shawn, I sucked at Science too and, to be honest, it’s not like I’m an expert on the topic of global warming. Most of my opinions have been formed by things that I’ve observed, read, and heard, not personal scientific research.
Leave it to the liberal to ruin a good post, but I don’t think global warming is a hoax–I don’t really see why people would make it up. I do see why people wouldn’t like it, though. I like driving a car–I’d even rather have a pickup. I like aerosol–it’s enjoyable to spray something constantly. I like the modern conveniences. But I think we’ve gone on too long with so much attention to our own comfort that we are to blame for the environment’s weaknesses. I even think that’s biblical.
I don’t know about hurricanes being the effect of that, though–in fact I’m probably as skeptical of that as you–but oil dependancy and marketing is a human-caused problem. And it’s even a failure of contemporary white-male dominated American leadership. But, in the interest of full disclosure, I’d blame Bush for about anything (gas prices, war, my lousy golf game).
As for the hurricane as an act of God, I am nervous about pinning destruction on the Creator. Just like cooling and warming patterns, natural disasters are part of nature. It’s the terrible part of the fallen world in which we live. I agree, wholeheartedly, that our focus must be on the well-being of the victims. But part of that well-being is spiritual, and I would doubt anyone who lost family and home would be better off spiritually if we were to tell them that God caused the hurricane.
I hope I’m not mis-representing your take on the situation. I suspect we’re not as far apart on this stuff as it seems.
I love what you said Walt.
Then why don’t you marry it?
Sorry. Habit.
I knew you would chime in on this one Walt! Not because I thought you would disagree, but mostly because I knew you would have something to offer. But I would have to maintain my thoughts on the relationship between man and the environment. I’m not saying we, as the human race, have not abused the air we breathe….the metroplex has a pretty good smog going right now. What I am saying is that we haven’t done anything to our planet that our planet hasn’t adapted to and recovered from. Heck, we’ve had nucular bombs detonated and our planet has done just fine. People said nature wouldn’t survive, but it did. To inject some theology here, I think God does have His hand on this and I don’t think He’s going to let anything happen to this earth that He doesn’t want to happen. This leads me to your other thoughts on God’s role in natural disasters. I know that I think of God in more of a “hands on” sort of fashion than most people, but this is a perfect example of why.You said that such disasters are just “part of nature”. Well, isn’t God the author and master director of nature. Of all things for us to pin God on, I think nature is at the top of the list. When we see a rainbow or a sunset, we think about how amazing God is, but when we see destructive aspects of nature, we “get nervous” about pinning that on God. Why? Does God only deserve credit for good things in the world? I think not. In fact, I would almost venture to say that in my grief over this tragic event, I am in fact worshipping. I am worshipping because I am recognizing the awesome power of God in nature and I am witnessing pain and need in the world for God’s mercy. I’m seeing desperation. I’m feeling convicted in my life about what I “depend” on. Is this wrong? It’s a tragedy, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not under God’s sovereignty.
Good thoughts though Walt. I love having you post because it helps me cover issues from all the angles. Leave it to the liberal.
Hey Chris,
I didn’t suck at science, in fact my GPA in my bio minor was higher than my religion major, but I still think the popular gripe about global warming is crap. The best I can figure from looking at both sides of the science issue is that global warming in the sense that average temperatures are rising is factual. Average temps are up, but core samples from the ice caps show that planetary heating is cyclical (it happened before 6.4 billion people were farting and polluting the air), and also that periods of warming precede periods of drastic cooling. Core samples suggest global warming leading up to the ice ages, but that’s still a way off.
As for the theodicy questions, I tend to use terms like finger of God, and maybe it is, but I tend lean towards walt’s feelings. I have some trouble pinning this on the creator. I lean towards the idea that natural disasters are the results of the fall. It is our fault in that sense.
Good stuff Toby.
I was reading over my response to Walt (I should learn to do that before I post) and in light of Lex’s post today I want to reiterate my position that I don’t know why hurricanes, tsunamis, or even rainbows occur and I don’t want to try to explain it. I just feel like I was trying to do that in my last comment and I feel guilty about it. You see? This is why blogging is good! It forces us to look at our own words! So for the official record: I’m not saying God caused Katrina, but I’m not saying He didn’t, either.
“I’m not saying God caused Katrina, but I’m not saying he didn’t, either.”
Smart people (liberal or conservative) always end up living in the balance. You beat me to it on this one!
Great post, great comments. Let’s hope the day never comes that we aren’t having these discussions.
we suffer when we don’t work within the natural laws God has given…ie..building below sea level, force of the Mississippi river, building on the sand….leaving results to chance…was it the French who built on this location? That whole ecomomy invested deeply in the casino industry,etc..did God remove His protective hand?
Be prepared for the next animal hurricane katrina or find another one that’s similar. As the Boy Scouts say: “Be Prepared”!