JAPAN is hit by ANOTHER aftershock. (check out the article)
Japan was hit by another aftershock today that measured around 7.0 on the Richter scale. By my count, that is one major earthquake, a tsunami, a large aftershock, and today's large aftershock...
WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING? Why does God hate Japan so much? I know that sounds dramatic, but does he throw darts at a globe and then go to town? Japan has become the new Haiti. As an agnostic man, I don't necessarily believe that "God" exists, but I don't discount the possibility. That's because I have no evidence either way.
That being said, on most days I would like to believe that there IS a God, but Japan's ordeal makes me want to believe the opposite. Why? Because if there is, then he is a huge ass hole. Let's disregard the naturally occurring parts of the scenario. Perhaps the worst thing to come of all this is the fact that Japan is now "bleeding" harmful radiation into the air and sea. This problem is moving beyond Japan and has already started to impact other countries. The only country in the world to be decimated by mankind's most powerful and destructive weapon, is now going to have to go through all that nightmare again. It would seem that every generation of Japanese is cursed.
So my question to all the believers out there is this: How can you believe in, or worship a God that causes, or allows this to happen? How do you rationalize that?
Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or he can, but does not want to. If he wants to, but cannot, he is impotent. If he can, but does not want to, he is wicked. If God can abolish evil, and God really wants to do it, why is there evil in the world? - Epicurus
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicurean_paradox
I think most believers actually don't rationalize it. Their belief is a matter of faith, and they accept that they may not understand everything happening around them. Basically, "God works in mysterious ways."
ReplyDeleteBesides that and the typical "God did it to punish the gays", the closest I've seen Christians come to 'rationalizing' these disasters is them projecting their own rational on to some straw-man ideology, so they can mock it. So, instead of God causing earthquakes and tsunamis, it's the fault of 'Mother Nature'. The idea being, "Haha, look at how stupid this idea of an all powerful being (Mother Nature) is!"
I've seen a couple of people say things like that, and it's astounding that they can't see how it relates to their own beliefs. It also shows they have absolutely no comprehension of a naturalist's outlook on life, as they assume the person has just replaced God with another, equally powerful, being.
There's always the thought that maybe our world WAS created by God (or a supreme being) and he just left it as is.
ReplyDeleteOr God was defeated long ago by the Transformers.
It just keeps getting worse.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/12/japan-elevates-nuclear-crisis-to-level-of-chernobyl/?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl1|sec1_lnk3|55497
I don’t believe that God causes bad things to happen, but I do believe that he uses bad things that happen to bring people to Him. For me personally, these last 3 years have been rough. I have had to go through the unexpected deaths of my step-dad, my 2 babies, and my dad. But I know that the trials I have had to go through during this time have brought my relationship with God to a bigger level than it’s ever been at before. Here is a link to my favorite song – it helps keep me going when I start dwelling on everything I’ve been through recently. Hey, and you guys should come check out Englewood – all of the new pastors are amazing! Kev and I go there, and Cassie, Cory, Jason, and Lacy do too (we all go to the 11 AM service) :)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUWbmtbzDno
Erin, I'm glad it's working out for you. And thanks for the invite, but I think that Englewood is a big part of why I'm ALMOST atheist.
ReplyDeleteThey're predicting aftershocks up to 9.0 for a year, so, this isn't out of the ordinary. If you think about it, that whole side of the "Ring of Fire" or Philippine/Pacific Plate is going wild. If I remember correct, Japan isn't the only area, on that plate rim, that has seen some serious plate shifts in the last year or so(New Zealand had one right before Japan I think).
ReplyDeleteI can't comment on the "God" question; I don't meet the criteria. I would be pretty quick to point out that a shifting of plates caused the earthquake. :P