Atheist - Agnostics Retreat
A place to chill and get away from the preaching :)
- created by Philfreeeuk
Disasters
Return to DiscussionsI will post this here in what I hope are the friendly confines of a group of like minded folk. Since no matter how I phrase it, it might be seen as insensitive, I won't put it in the general Forum.
I find a certain irony in the fact that many religious people, especially Christians, will offer prayers for the people who are suffering as the result of a devastating natural disaster. But those prayers are offered to a God whom they believe to be omnicient and omnipotent, and as such, had to be the cause of the disater in the first place. What are the prayers for? Is it a request that He/She/It relieve the suffering that He/She/It caused, or at the very least allowed to happen?
This is an age old question, and won't be resolved here. I wonder what other group members think.
What are the prayers for? Is it a request that He/She/It relieve the suffering that He/She/It caused, or at the very least allowed to happen? This is an age old question, and won't be resolved here. I wonder what other group members think.
When someone makes a surprising recovery from a serious disease, condition or injury, some people will say, "It's a miracle!" and attribute the recovery to faith and prayer.
When someone winds up dying despitefaith and prayer, it is said to be "God's will." End of story.
Disasters seem to bring along similar reactions. Why was Haiti singled out for destruction? In some circles (Pat Robertson comes to mind), it is said the people of Haiti made a pact with the Devil. Luckily, other people, including more clear-headed Christians, show better judgment.