1. You're right Brian, It's a great write.

I listened to an self-proclaimed atheist on a radio show today who invoked that same conundrum of faith, but in his case, it was being used as a stick to beat those lowly Christians who would be so foolish as to believe that there could be anything greater than their own egos.

As emotionally draining as is to witness so much tragedy so far away, it is enraging to see thimble-headed people shamelessly dancing on the bodies of those poor souls on the Gulf Coast in a feeble attempt to make political mileage.

At a time when honorable people are picking themselves up, dusting themselves off, and trying to get on with their lives, it is beneath contempt for those who instead chose to play the blame game.

A pox on their houses!

Posted by: alphabet soup on September 8, 2005 04:02 PM

2. It is curious the direction that the news has taken. We have had disasters in the past that didn't become political jousts this quickly. I think anything short of a teleportation device would have been considered "slow" by the many who have no contact with relief efforts. You can't stage short-range helicopter rescues without groudn support, and that takes time to mobilize, and boats, well, how many boats have shallow enough draft to navigate city streets? I would imagine many rescue boats hit upon powerlines, detritis and other things, and there are no nautical charts, with draft soundings, for floodwater streets! The angry left refuses to look at this objectively, and is obdurate in its conspiracy minded hatred.

Posted by: Brian Crouch on September 8, 2005 04:07 PM

3. Brian,
Excellent timing on this essay. It's just what I needed to step back, calm down, and "renew my determination to develop greater care, compassion, and collaboration among people in order to more effectively subdue nature."
Thank you!

Posted by: cc on September 8, 2005 04:19 PM

4. Not the best essay that Lapin has produced. Most of the text has nothing to do with his original thesis nor does he bother to begin resolving the initial question he asked.
C+ for the effort.
Whether God or (for the benefit of alternative worshippers) Allah, Krishna, Odin, Poseidon, Baal or Mithra had anything to do with the New Orleans hurricane and consequent flooding afterwards is rather irrelevent. Sure, it's a fine discussion for old men around a fire or for philosophy majors working at Tully's.
Sure, we can be mere pawns on some inter-galactic chessboard being placed into circumstances like the clay figures manipulated by Zues in "Clash of the Titans".
But I'd rather focus on how to build infrastructure by diverting money away from worthless social programs.

Posted by: Reporterward on September 8, 2005 04:21 PM

5. Although I appreciate Rabbi Lapin’s essay, it is not biblical and I’m sure he would want to relay the true perspective of God and His character. After all Christians and Jews believe in the same God, Yahweh, the One God. I believe he somewhat misstated that God ‘did this cruel thing’, which is true, but He actually ‘allowed’ it to happen. Events and disasters do get our attention, but His motive was not to unify us but for us to turn to Him and ask for His help, His saving grace.

Remember Adam and Eve? They lived in a perfect world, until they made a fatal mistake and that was not trusting God. This brought sin (a politically incorrect word, never to be used in our society!), and things went downhill from there.. He is still giving us time to come to Him. But God is not interested in unity, He speaks to our hearts individually and we have to make a choice individually. The only unity God is interested in is through a shared faith in Him.

Unfortunately, anyone who is in the blame game (currently the left, msm, terrorists, etc) are on the losing side and won’t see this (or the war in the Middle East) as an opportunity for their own freedom from hatred, pain, frustration and hopelessness.

So don’t look for unity on this globe any time soon! I’d encourage the Rabbi to read Genesis again. God will continue to want to get our attention.

Posted by: Nancy on September 8, 2005 05:11 PM

6. Perhaps the question shouldn't be "Why did God let this happen?" but, "How does God want us to react?"
In the case of the hurricane, should we spend our time and money helping the victims or playing a political blame game? Do we help others or do we loot? Do we act or just sit back and watch others act?

How we act in times of crises speaks volumes about our character.

Posted by: MES on September 8, 2005 05:34 PM

7. Good post, Nancy. God is indeed a promoter of unity - first of all for individual people to be one with Him through faith in Christ. In that relationship, the Holy Spirit indwells each believer. Yet God remains an infinitely superior and seperate entity. Completely understanding the Trinity is beyond my current comprehension, but I believe it just the same. That's faith.

God also desires unity among his children - those who follow Him. But God also cautions believers from uniting too closely to unbelievers - for example, in marriage. If you are wondering, I am a born-again evangelical Christian with Baptist roots. I am also very conservative. ;-)

Now is a great opportunity for people to look beyond politics and to help those in need. Unfortunately, many are already railing against President Bush, his administration and federal oragnizations including FEMA. President Bush is resilient and he, like most of the people of New Orleans, will weather this trial. Pray for the people of the ravaged Gulf Coast.

Gary

Posted by: Gary on September 8, 2005 05:35 PM

8. Unity? What's that?

I thought the purpose of politics was for slimy politicians - like Hillary Rodham - to find opportunities to blame others for natural disasters.

Posted by: BananaLand (aka Iguana) on September 8, 2005 06:15 PM

9. Just a little away from this topic yet related in a way: Doesn't God promise no challenge beyond what you are able to handle?? With that in mind, what president has had to deal with the challenges W has? Sure the attack on Pearl Harbor drug USA into war but the causualty count was about half for the attack. (Yeah, I know the WWII count was massive) But take 9-11 and NO flood.

Posted by: PC on September 8, 2005 06:27 PM

10. Oops, I should have spelled it out. NO meaning New Orleans but then again it's so much bigger than that with the total hurricane picture. Ah, y'all know what I mean. Just show me a pres. that had that much on his plate.

Posted by: PC on September 8, 2005 06:36 PM

11. This is a topic that drives me insane. During 9/11 people said that they normally did this or that, but that day they did something different, therefore "God spared their lives". IF that were the case, then God also sentenced all those that died in the towers to death.

This hurricane, either God caused it or He allowed it to happen. It is neither.

God created this world and he created it to function in a certain way. Wild fires to cleanse the forests, wind to move seeds about, rain and the whole evaporation/rain cycle to provide water to plants. Hurricanes and Thorandos and such destructive things, I admittedly do not know their purpose, however I do know that we humans are well aware of how destructive they can be.

In spite of that knowledge, people build cities below sea level, they build expensive homes next to shore lines etc. and they want to blame God for their losses. Go figure:/

Posted by: Hanna on September 8, 2005 06:53 PM

12. Great read!

I passed it along to friends and family!

Posted by: Deborah on September 8, 2005 07:55 PM

13. If you want to believe this, that's fine. But you are saying that your belief in God is not based on evidence, because no matter what the evidence -- killer hurricanes, vile child molesters, brutal terrorists -- you simply define a belief system that fits that evidence. By contrast, if one were trying to look at the existence of God with an open mind, one would be able to imagine evidence that would support that theory as well as evidence that would diminish it.

Again, I am not trying to question anyone's faith. But any discussion of evidence is pointless.

Posted by: Bruce on September 8, 2005 08:23 PM

14. I dont know--i liked the essay--makes one think--thats the most important thing;

these questions have vexed me and others throughout history; at least it's an honest, thoughtful read--not a liberal spew of blame, displaced anger and shallow reasoning;

it's a reasoned attempt to explain the perplexing divine; 3 cheers for the Rabbi! and thanks for the wisdom;

Posted by: Jimmie-howya-doin on September 8, 2005 09:55 PM

15. Can't claim knowledge of our God's intent, but perhaps it is to define in no uncertain terms, who the true enemies of this blessed country are.

In a time when the expected behavior of a community (the people of the USA) is to unite for a cause regardless of race, color or creed - the liberal left has gone absolutely blame crazy. Few things have I learned in life, one is that blame has never solved a problem.

Yet the left has decided that this is how they will approach this disaster. Victims be damned, your true purpose is to give the left a big enough "I told you so" to put their ilk into the Whitehouse.

May the God that you deny, give you the damnation that you liberals so deserve.

Posted by: Jeffro on September 9, 2005 08:26 AM

16. After the tsunami our priest gave the best explantion I have ever heard concerning natural disasters. He explained to us that we should be viewing the earth, like ourselves, created as a living being, and as such it is bound to have hiccups.

God allows these type of things to happen not to punish us as many believe, but to bring us closer to Him. Sometimes we can only come close to God through our own suffering. Many people would probably not come to God at all if not for suffering they must endure. A purging of sorts. Actually this shows how much God loves us!

In addition it is through such events as these that allows others to react and have a chance to put their faith into action. Many of these people helping now may have misssed other opportunities to help in past disasters. I think Rabbi Lapin was right on the money with this essay.

Posted by: Danice on September 9, 2005 09:38 AM

17. Jesus helps many a footballer and basketball player win games. Ask around!!!!!

Posted by: headless lucy on September 9, 2005 12:28 PM

18. headless lucy-

"Either God is all powerful in which case He did this cruel thing, or else He couldn’t stop it in which case He’s impotent, and who needs an impotent deity?"

I believe this essay is about God, not Jesus and why disasters happen, not sports figures. Read the essay, it's really quite thought provoking - even for those without religion.

Posted by: Jeffro on September 9, 2005 12:57 PM

19. I appreciate the rabi's sentiment, but his message doesn't really need to be cloaked in the "He" religious mumbo jumbo. There are laws of nature over which people have no control, we should do our best to accomodate these laws (and use them to our advantage when appropriate) and we should come together and help each other in a time of need. Who needs god or any other spiritual leader to accomplish these goals?

The essay reminds me of a movie which I think is called "The Gods Must Be Crazy." If I recall, in that movie a Bushman in Africa comes across a discarded Coke bottle and is convinced that the bottle is the work of some divine being. It's an apt analogy for people who seek solace for natural disasters from supernatural sources. Katrina was a hurricane, not the act of a spritual force. It is up to us people to comfort the displaced and injured, understand what happened and hopefully prevent or lessen the impacts going forward. Seeking some divine message in this tragedy is simply a waste of time and frankly makes me suspicious of those spritiual leaders who advocate that there is a message.

Posted by: Luke on September 9, 2005 01:00 PM

20. Luke-

Thoughtful comments, good sentiment. I do believe your heart is in the right place.

This is an essay presented to those of religious faith. In my communication with relatives from the stricken area, faith is a major factor, providing hope for many who have lost most everything. God, in their belief, helps give them the strength to overcome, to help others that our in the same tragic situation and to keep as positive as is possible.

Be it a religion, or in your case, simple compassion for your fellow man, if it drives you to help others than great! More power to both.

Posted by: Jeffro on September 9, 2005 01:17 PM

21. Rabbi Daniel Lapin is a whore whose only in it for the money.

Posted by: headless lucy on September 9, 2005 09:50 PM

22. Headless, you're liberal roots are showing in your name calling rant.

Posted by: PC on September 9, 2005 11:01 PM

23. PC: Why are you saying these terrible things to Headless Lucy? Don't you realize that by doing so you become part of the Socialist Program? John Birch did not spy on Communist China and disappear for no
reason!! The whole thing is a carefully orchestrated VEGETARIAN REGIMEN!!!!

A word to the wise is sufficient!! WINK!!

Posted by: Harry Poon on September 10, 2005 12:36 AM

24. PC: Why are you saying these terrible things to Headless Lucy? Don't you realize that by doing so you become part of the Socialist Program? John Birch did not spy on Communist China and disappear for no
reason!! The whole thing is a carefully orchestrated VEGETARIAN REGIMEN!!!!

A word to the wise is sufficient!! WINK!!

Posted by: Harry Poon on September 10, 2005 12:36 AM

25. Lucy--
get stuffed; showing such disrespect for a rabbi tells me what you are; your kin were tossed out of Victorian windows from chamberpots;

challenge the ideas, fight with vigor, give us ulcers from well-reasoned debate but---respect the man's position; i do--even tough i do not share his official faith; do you call Mr Clinton or Ted Kennedy the same? or do you find the spine to give them the respect of their offices?

ignorant boor; you'll be a servant forever;

Posted by: Jimmie-howya-doin on September 12, 2005 08:28 PM

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