Random Post: Internet Filters

Assigning Reasons to Tragedy

disasterFundamentalists take great pleasure in divining the hidden reasons behind tragedies. Everything from car crashes to cancer are found to have hidden causes of great significance. And usually it means someone is being punished.

Perhaps the most famous examples come from the sermons preached in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina as preachers thundered their message that New Orleans suffered God’s wrath because of its great wickedness. AIDS is obviously God’s judgment on homosexuals and Vietnam was caused by American’s hesitation to intervene in the Holocaust. Whether every person ever killed by a hurricane, volcano, plague or pestilence was also equally wicked is unclear.

One has to wonder how many sermons were preached about the tornadoes in Murfreesboro, TN last week. Were the sins of Middle Tennessee Baptist Church responsible? Only fundamentalists know for sure — and they’re not saying.


Posted by Darrell

4 comments...What do you think?

  1. Posted by Amanda 21st April, 2009 at 10:37 pm

    “And usually it means someone is being punished.”

    That or it’s a sign that the Rapture is coming soon.

  2. Posted by Roda86 21st April, 2009 at 11:23 pm

    Well, I will admit that most of the talk I heard about Katrina was on TV and being flung around by Charismatic preachers. I’m sure some fundy’s jumped on that wagon too.

    I hadn’t heard a good “they died because they rebelled” sermon until I was in the youth group of our last church one night. The young youth pastor, a grad of a very IFBx college, related a detailed story of a friend who strayed and was killed.

    I have had several friends die over the years. The very first friend that I lost was a young woman who loved and served the Lord with all her heart. She lived an outstanding life. Why did she die young? I guess I’ll only know when I meet her in heaven.

  3. Posted by susan 4th August, 2009 at 12:38 pm

    God does allow tragedies in our lives to get our attention and to draw us closer to him. This is not funny, it is the truth..

  4. Posted by Staci 15th November, 2009 at 6:53 pm

    If you can find some sin or behavior to blame for the misfortune of others, you don’t have to show compassion. Very convenient, and guarantees that you’ll always have your evenings and weekends free!

What do you think? Join the discussion...