It never fails. Every time we witness a natural disaster, be it hurricane, earthquake or tornado, there’s at least one twit who feels the need to jump up and shout that it’s due to immoral behavior. Most recently, Christian preacher, John McTernan wrote a blog post and stated that Hurricane Sandy was God’s judgment on our country because we are legalizing gay marriage across the country. As an added bonus, he wrote that it could also be because President Bush co-sponsored the Madrid Peace Process which divided Israel. William Koenig, a self-proclaimed White House correspondent thinks the United States’ “God-defying attempts to divide the land of Israel” are probably the reason for the storm, as well. And, less we think it’s only the Christians who are loony, Rabbi Noson Leiter of Torah News for Decency, jumped in with the claim that the hurricane was triggered by the recognition of same-sex marriage.
Well, butter my butt and call me crazy. Who knew that was why ol’ Sandy decided to blow into town? I mistakenly thought it was because of a low pressure area forming over warm water and that Mother Nature can be a bit of a bitch when she wants to be. I’m obviously not as well-read, meteorologically speaking as John, William and Rabbi Brown.
What I don’t understand is why an omnipotent being would smack down a whole slew of people — even people who think that gay marriage is wrong, just to prove a point. Why would he kill babies because two guys on the next block want to get married? Can’t he just zap the supposed sinners and leave everyone else alone? I know there are people who will tell me that I don’t understand because I’m merely a human and therefore can’t comprehend the mind of God. If their God routinely kills people willy nilly just because he doesn’t like what they’re doing, I don’t want to understand his mind.
The really disheartening and scary thing is that there are vast numbers of people who agree that God sent a hurricane because of some sin or another. I hate to tell the people who believe that, but there are European countries that are more progressive than we are here in the U.S. Europe has legalized same sex marriage and civil unions in more countries than we have in states. They are seriously some sinning reprobates over there. Why aren’t they being hit with bad storms? Do they have some deal with the Almighty? He leaves them alone in trade for a hunk of Stilton and a fresh-baked croissant?
I think if there’s an omnipotent being out there who wants to kill people over immoral behavior, he needs to leave the people who just want the freedom to marry someone else alone and really hit the truly immoral among us. If he needs a list, I can supply one. And no more killing via natural disaster; he has to start offing people with something really Biblical. Barbecuing them with fire from the sky would work as would turning them into a pillar of salt. I guarantee that would get more people looking to the heavens than a hurricane. Until something like that happens, I’ll stick with the explanation that hurricanes happen because of weather patterns and not because some angry being in the sky is throwing a tantrum.
Rachel Birdsell is a freelance writer and artist. You can drop her a line at rabirdsell@gmail.com
Wasn’t That A Mighty Storm?
By Rachel Birdsell
It never fails. Every time we witness a natural disaster, be it hurricane, earthquake or tornado, there’s at least one twit who feels the need to jump up and shout that it’s due to immoral behavior. Most recently, Christian preacher, John McTernan wrote a blog post and stated that Hurricane Sandy was God’s judgment on our country because we are legalizing gay marriage across the country. As an added bonus, he wrote that it could also be because President Bush co-sponsored the Madrid Peace Process which divided Israel. William Koenig, a self-proclaimed White House correspondent thinks the United States’ “God-defying attempts to divide the land of Israel” are probably the reason for the storm, as well. And, less we think it’s only the Christians who are loony, Rabbi Noson Leiter of Torah News for Decency, jumped in with the claim that the hurricane was triggered by the recognition of same-sex marriage.
Well, butter my butt and call me crazy. Who knew that was why ol’ Sandy decided to blow into town? I mistakenly thought it was because of a low pressure area forming over warm water and that Mother Nature can be a bit of a bitch when she wants to be. I’m obviously not as well-read, meteorologically speaking as John, William and Rabbi Brown.
What I don’t understand is why an omnipotent being would smack down a whole slew of people — even people who think that gay marriage is wrong, just to prove a point. Why would he kill babies because two guys on the next block want to get married? Can’t he just zap the supposed sinners and leave everyone else alone? I know there are people who will tell me that I don’t understand because I’m merely a human and therefore can’t comprehend the mind of God. If their God routinely kills people willy nilly just because he doesn’t like what they’re doing, I don’t want to understand his mind.
The really disheartening and scary thing is that there are vast numbers of people who agree that God sent a hurricane because of some sin or another. I hate to tell the people who believe that, but there are European countries that are more progressive than we are here in the U.S. Europe has legalized same sex marriage and civil unions in more countries than we have in states. They are seriously some sinning reprobates over there. Why aren’t they being hit with bad storms? Do they have some deal with the Almighty? He leaves them alone in trade for a hunk of Stilton and a fresh-baked croissant?
I think if there’s an omnipotent being out there who wants to kill people over immoral behavior, he needs to leave the people who just want the freedom to marry someone else alone and really hit the truly immoral among us. If he needs a list, I can supply one. And no more killing via natural disaster; he has to start offing people with something really Biblical. Barbecuing them with fire from the sky would work as would turning them into a pillar of salt. I guarantee that would get more people looking to the heavens than a hurricane. Until something like that happens, I’ll stick with the explanation that hurricanes happen because of weather patterns and not because some angry being in the sky is throwing a tantrum.
Rachel Birdsell is a freelance writer and artist. You can drop her a line at rabirdsell@gmail.com