Is Katrina God's wrath?
From WorldNetDaily...
"Although the loss of lives is deeply saddening, this act of God destroyed a wicked city," stated Repent America director Michael Marcavage in a statement. "From 'Girls Gone Wild' to 'Southern Decadence,' New Orleans was a city that opened its doors wide open to the public celebration of sin. May it never be the same."...
"Let us pray for those ravaged by this disaster. However, we must not forget that the citizens of New Orleans tolerated and welcomed the wickedness in their city for so long," Marcavage said. "May this act of God cause us all to think about what we tolerate in our city limits, and bring us trembling before the throne of Almighty God."
Statements like the above are careless, thoughtless, theologically unsound and, ironically, sin.
First, look at the idea of God using a natural disaster to bring judgment of a group of people. How many times is such an occurrence described in the Bible? We're talking a natural disaster, not the ground opening up to swallow some people or fire falling from the sky to destroy a city, but an otherwise natural occurrence. You won't find any, because God has this habit of doing things in a way that leaves little doubt who did it and why.
Next look at the way it was done. Why would God punish hundreds of thousands of good people in order to get to those who revel in sin? Seems a bit sloppy, and by looking at the universe He created it's obvious that God is far from sloppy. It also ignores the fact that God could just as easily sent multiple bolts of lightening to take out those He felt needed punished. Why a hurricane that destroys the homes of good people as well as churches?
Lastly, look at the morality of such a statement. As I've shown, it's incorrect. Jesus said in John 5:22 that God's judgment has been withheld, and put in Jesus' hands. Jesus in turn gave His life for us so that we could have eternal life. Why then would God use a natural disaster to punish people who no doubt would not even consider it as from God, let alone as punishment. The message Jesus brought was not about people being punished here for sin, but the chance to escape the inevitable punishment we all are destined for. Sinners are already condemned, why would it serve to punish them in a manner that they wouldn't even understand is actually punishment?
But such irresponsible statements do cause people to scoff. It sets a stumbling block for those who might consider Jesus message. Therefore it is sin on the part of those who pretend to speak for God and declare a natural disaster as result of His wrath.
Now, Jesus did warn of dire punishments for those who cause people to stumble. Michael Marcavage and the other preachers who've pretended to speak for God should take note of that.
Posted by Danny Carlton at September 1, 2005 07:28 AM