This article was originally written about Katrina and republished this week after Irma and Harvey devastated Florida and Texas. Notice the immense leap he just took beloved. He listed a handful of scriptures that deal with storms and now is pondering what could have motivated God to send or refuse to stop the hurricanes. Then he takes another absurd leap to conclude that it must have been done because of the anger of God. This is the insidious nature of a false teaching. There has been much truth leading up to these wild accusations against God that he has provided zero biblical proof for.
"Understanding this truth, many Christians have attempted to show specific reasons why New Orleans, rather than other cities, was apparently targeted for divine displeasure. I must confess that I am tempted to agree with them. The reports I've read from believers who travel each year to proclaim the gospel during the New Orleans Mardi Gras are sickening. One friend wrote: I have been to the French Quarter of New Orleans during Mardi Gras. I have been to the homosexual district and seen people "carousing in broad daylight." I have seen people parading naked down the streets walking in their filth and sin. I preached the gospel the night before Fat Tuesday earlier this year as hundreds of Roman Catholics made excuses for their sin and immorality before a holy God and justified their sin by telling me that they could sin all they wanted as long as they "went to confession" on Ash Wednesday and somehow it was all better in God's sight! ... New Orleans is the voodoo capital of the U.S.A. I have seen hundreds of fortunetellers on the streets, and many of them would rail curses at me after I handed them a gospel tract (one in particular spitting on it, pronouncing curses and cursing "my Jesus"). I saw thousands and thousands of idols and things which pertain to witchcraft and Satanism. Yikes!"
This is how the self righteous think beloved. This is the Pharisee in the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. Thank you Lord that I am not like those sinners in New Orleans. What about the churches in New Orleans? Did they matter to God? What about the Christians who were not partaking in these festivities? Did they matter or does God consider them collateral damage? What about the fact that on its way to wipe out those heathens in New Orleans, Mississippi got destroyed as well and that state is often considered one of the most religious? Did God miss? Once you apply a dose of common sense you see the ridiculousness of this argument. Here is the first comment to this article that sums up this point pretty well:
"God must hate the gulf coast. There are an average of 6 hurricanes per year that afflict the Gulf coast. He just hates that part of the country. Oh, and He hates the Kansas/Missouri/Oklahoma part of the country too because he smacks them with Tornados every year. God used to hate San Francisco in 1911, the date of the big earthquake and fire. But he is happy with San Francisco for the last 106 years. God really loves Oregon because they get neither hurricanes, tornados or earthquakes. So if you want to be on God's good side, move to Oregon." - Commenter
Keep in mind that a recent poll found Oregon the third highest liberal state in America. The truth is that every state and every city has sinners because we are all sinners. Also a word here about the permissive will of God. Servant asks the wrong question when he asks why God did not stop the hurricane. The real question is why He doesn't send hurricanes against every state. That is His mercy. I might add that one could conclude that when a hurricane is supposed directly hit Miami as a category five and ends up off the west shoreline as a category four that perhaps God was answering many prayers. Yes some lost their lives and many lost everything they owned but how much worse could it have been. Instead of blaming God for the negative we should be praising Him for His mercy.
"Perhaps you've heard that since 1972, New Orleans has been the host city of the annual "Southern Decadence Day," which would have been held this very weekend, as it has every Labor Day weekend for the past 33 years. It is touted as "one of the gay world's major parties," and a "gay Mardi Gras" when tens of thousands of gay men and lesbians descend on the French Quarter for unrestrained public lewdness and drunkenness. In 2003, it pumped $95 million into the local economy, which is why city leaders refused to shut it down in spite of protests by more decent people. Is it possible that after 33 years, God had enough and decided to shut it down?
New Orleans has also seen an incredible amount of looting, arson, rape, murders, gang violence and general lawlessness after Katrina, something that was not seen in the countries hit by last December's tsunami. One Sri Lankan observed, "I am absolutely disgusted. After the tsunami, our people, even the ones who lost everything, wanted to help the others who were suffering. Not a single tourist caught in the tsunami was mugged. Now with all this happening in the U.S. we can easily see where the civilized part of the world's population is." (Ouch!)" -- David Servant
More decent people. It must be nice to be so decent. I wouldn't know of course because as Romans 3 teaches me, none are righteous. Yes David after 33 years God decided to shut it down. Of course I guess He decided to leave in place all of the remaining horrific and deplorable sin in this country. No need to deal with the murders, rapes, and child abuse -- we have a parade to shut down in New Orleans! I guess He will get around to shutting down the genocide in other countries once He is done with the revelers on Bourbon Street. Everyone better watch out! Except Oregonians of course. They seem safe.
"Reports such as these certainly tempt us to assume New Orleans was more deserving of devastation than other U.S. cities. Yet we should keep in mind Jesus' cautions about making such judgments (see Luke 13:1-5). What other American city or town can claim exemption from deserving God's judgment? If God is sending a message to New Orleans, He is also sending a message to everyone in this country. Katrina is affecting us all, taking a bite out of each of our wallets. Gas stations here in Pennsylvania certainly aren't offering any discounts. Once again, God has clearly displayed His temporal wrath to the United States, and He wants all of us to know that, as Jesus said, "Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" What about the righteous folks in New Orleans, the true followers of Christ? Is God punishing them? That can't be the case, of course. But God is obviously testing them. I suppose He is also testing the rest of us who profess to be Christ's followers and have means to help our suffering brothers and sisters." (Luke 13:3, 5). -- David Servant
