Praise God for the Disaster in Haiti! Isn't God Good? Thank You Jesus!

By John Loftus of Debunking Christianity

As a bit of sarcasm that Voltaire would appreciate let's all praise God for the disaster in Haiti. God is sovereign. He knows what he's doing. In fact this has been long overdue.



If this is a punishment sent by God then God's punishments are good, aren't they? We're all sinners so we deserve to die, right? People deserve what happens to them because Adam and Eve sinned, or because our parents sinned, or because of original sin (whatever that can possibly mean in this context for the children). God's goodness and glory are displayed in the sufferings and deaths of the victims along with the grieving surviving family members.

In any case, it's disasters like these that God sends to draw people to him, sort of like beating your wife in order to get her to love you, right? God is perfectly good. Glory be to God! He always does that which is perfectly good. So this is not a tragedy, not a disaster, not an "evil". This is all good! Praise God! Evil is nothing but a privation anyway, according to Augustine. It doesn't really exist!

Let's thank God and do nothing to prohibit his judgments on the people of Haiti, because it's God's will.In addition, consider this as a perfectly good divine method of population control. Every once-in-a-while God just has to do this because populations get out of hand and because of this they might upset the so-called perfectly fine tuned ecosystem he created. Never mind for a moment that a more humane way to control population is to control our sex drives, or female ovulation cycles, so that we don't even have a population control problem in the first place. And never mind that there is no reason for a miracle working God to be concerned with such a fine tuned ecosystem when he could sustain the world and control population growth by means of several perpetual miracles. He could even have averted that earthquake with one, like he should have done with the underwater earthquake that created the Indonesian tsunami of December 2004, which killed a quarter of a million people. If God had done this, then surprise! He still would remain hidden because no one would ever know he averted it, simply by virtue of the fact that it didn't happen!

No, God knows what he's doing and his ways are for the very best. We cannot even fathom how good God's ways are since he's omniscient and knows best. He has perfectly good reasons why he remains hidden, even though by means of a perpetual miracle God would have remained hidden here (but we're taught not to ask these kinds of questions). We know God is good by faith because we certainly cannot figure this out using the rational powers he created in us, even given his perfectly good revelation in the Bible.

Anyway, those damned Haitians are bad people, as Pat Robertson said. They made a pact with the Devil and deserve this. No wonder they don't have divine protection. And as a Christian I Just Do Not Give a Damn That People Die. Any true Christian who dies in this disaster will go to heaven anyway.

Besides, Jesus told us that when we see such things we should look up into the sky dome of heaven and be thankful, for this is yet another sign that Jesus is coming. Just ignore the many other previous disasters that have taken place like the Spanish Influenza outbreak of 1918 and the failed apocalyptic predictions that came with it of the end of the world. In fact, let's hope and pray things get worse because we'd rather be in heaven than here on earth. And ignore also the fact that if the world comes to an immediate end there are still billions of non-Christians who have not yet been reached with the saving knowledge of Jesus, many of whom could still be reached if God grants them more time. Ignore also that most these victims will burn in hell forever. God's patience cannot last forever. Who cares if he calls a halt to this world whenever he does? I don't. I only care about me. I want to go to be with God soon, today if possible. The people who wind up in hell deserve what they get, even those who die in this Haitian disaster. Let them burn. I'm just thankful that in God's graciousness toward me he didn't end the world before I got saved. Isn't God so full of it [grace, that is]? It's simply amazing!

So let's thank God and do nothing to prohibit his judgments on the people of Haiti, because it's God's will. And let's look to the sky for Jesus and help raise money for doomsday ministries that tell the world of the coming disaster upon the heathen for whom this disaster is being sent. We'll be raptured out of this mess, and even if not, his grace is sufficient for us. We know where we'll go when the time comes.

Be thankful and praise God in all things!

Comments

Dave Van Allen said…
And now the headlines are all about Haitian's turning to God in prayer... as if he didn't do this to them in the first place...
Dave Van Allen said…
Personally, I think this is a sick and demented attitude that some, if not many Xians seem to have. IMHO, we humans need to be helping these people in some manner, not telling them that they were bad and thus why the earthquake, which is simply not true. It was just an act of nature and has a scientific explanation. I find it horrifying that some people have such attitudes about others who experience a natural disaster. :(
Dave Van Allen said…
And, well, he didn't.

But, he's not going to help them, either.

He just isn't.
Dave Van Allen said…
"it's disasters like these that God sends to draw people to him, sort of like beating your wife in order to get her to love you, right?"

Exactly! I have a friend that thinks it was God's mercy to kill his pride at an early age by popping his eye out when a toy pistol was thrown to him. You see, he wanted to be a cowboy like in the movies. This obvious display of pride had to be crushed so the boy could see his wretchedness and turn to God for mercy. Yeah... that's not at all psychotic or twisted reasoning. What a display of divine intervention!
Dave Van Allen said…
That's very sad.
Dave Van Allen said…
If god did this he's a cock who's not worthy of anyone's worship.

The real sick thing is people who twist this idea to justify their inaction, and blame the victims.

If this happened in a White, Anglo-Saxon Protestant country, would so-called Christians be responding with the same attitude?
Dave Van Allen said…
I guess their justification for telling them that god is punishing them is because it requires less work than praying.

2000 year old beliefs = What science?
Dave Van Allen said…
Apparently hatred is less work than caring and putting out an effort to help others or at least express sympathy if they are unable to physically or financially help.
Dave Van Allen said…
I've been thinking about this since the earthquake. Haiti is a highly evangelized country. Many churches in the U.S. and elsewhere send aid -- usually disguised as missions -- to Haiti. Do you think any of them are wondering WHY god destroyed THEIR good works?

Yeah, I know -- they're probably saying god works in mysterious ways. Me, if I were still a xtian, I'd be giving god the big f*ck you.

And looking for a place like this website to join.

BP
Dave Van Allen said…
buffettphan -

What does DH (your hubby) have to say about it? Does he side with good ol' Pat?

I was trying to think of what I would have said back in the day. I honestly can't think of anything. That is one of the reasons I came out of the church, I could never come up with good reasons why bad things happen to innocent humans.

It was such a joy to realize God didn't exist.....I didn't have to keep coming up with excuses as to why he was such a bastard!

XPD
Dave Van Allen said…
Preach it, brother! Truly you speak the word of the LORD!

Praise HIM for the GOOD times, and praise HIM for the BAD.

Hallllll-leeee-luuu-jaaaaah!!!!!!
Dave Van Allen said…
XPD,

DH hasn't said a whole lot. But he believes that 'all things happen for the glory of god'.

I have managed to convince him that PR and his ilk are only in the gospel-business because it's easy money. However, that doesn't stop hubby from tuning into the all the stupid religious shows on tv.

One little interesting development of late -- Hubby's blood pressure has been skyrocketing lately. I've been working the angle that it's because he's so stressed out by his belief that I, his dear ol' sweet loving wife of over 35 years who has put up with all his shenanigans, is going to hell and that he's having a difficult time reconciling that with the logical side of his brain.

Sounds reasonable to me.

Take care,
BP
Dave Van Allen said…
"Strange but true: those who have loved God most have loved men least."
-- Robert Green Ingersoll, speech (1881), quoted from Jonathon Green, The Cassell Dictionary of Cynical Quotations
Dave Van Allen said…
All these Xians who "hate this world" and want to leave to be with Jeebus. I wish they'd stick a shotgun in their mouths and get on with it already...

Oh, wait, that's against the rules, isn't it? Can't hurry along the process...

That's some catch, that Catch 666....
Dave Van Allen said…
That was a bit mean, John. If your parents are Xians, do you really wish they would do that?
Dave Van Allen said…
That is such a good point, though, as Mriana said, a little mean. Just another one of the massive contradictions displayed by the faithful.

If you love jesus, you should be thrilled when someone--anyone dies, and should look forward to it yourself. But they still go to doctors, or faith healers, or what have you.

And if you love jesus and are so certain he loves you back, why do you care about anything? With such a belief, this life is just a short wait in the lobby before the really good shit begins. Why care about eating, living in a house or going to work?

Your statement was a bit mean, but I can't help but to agree, at least in theory if not in practice.
Dave Van Allen said…
So many people in the world praying to so many different gods, and yet disasters still happen; and after the disaster, when all the faithful fall onto their knees in prayer, the aftermath still gets worse.

Not one of those gods has the power to help. Or maybe they just don't care.

What will it take for people to see that prayer is absolutely useless?
Dave Van Allen said…
Interesting how the fundiwhacks still look both ways when crossing a busy street. If they REALLY believed in divine protection and/or REALLY believed they'd be going straight to heaven after being hit by a car, wouldn't they cross the street with their eyes closed?
Dave Van Allen said…
Because he doesn't exist.
Dave Van Allen said…
???

You do realize that the article is sarcastic?
Dave Van Allen said…
Now, you know good and well that we are not to tempt god. As Haitians lie dying, I wonder how many Christians prayed to god to find a better job, or to heal them of their cold? FREDDY
Dave Van Allen said…
Lol. Yes . . . As was my comment.

If either were serious I would puke!
Dave Van Allen said…
Just checking! ;)
Dave Van Allen said…
Even my nonagenarian neighbor who is a real church lady said, "That Pat Robertson is crazy. I think he must have gone senile, all the crazy things he says!"

This came from a 91-year-old--sharp as a tack.

I asked her why she think this earthquake happened, and she said, "Well a bunch of fault lines run right under the island. I'm surprised it didn't happen before. Didn't you see the pictures of the maps?"
Dave Van Allen said…
I never could come up with anything intelligent to say. There was nothing to say, because it went against who god said he was. I just stopped trying.
Dave Van Allen said…
If you love jesus, you should be thrilled when someone--anyone dies, and should look forward to it yourself. But they still go to doctors, or faith healers, or what have you.


unless, or course, your a calvinist, because it's 50, 50 where they're going!
Dave Van Allen said…
I think they already know that. There was never any excitement about prayer in my Baptist church. It was like ho hum. Only food could get them to go!
Dave Van Allen said…
Well, yeah. That's what I meant by He Just isn't. But, I can see how that wasn't clear.
Dave Van Allen said…
Weird. I put 6 spaces in between the words to give it emphasis, but the program evidently corrects my "mistake".
Dave Van Allen said…
Or save them a good parking place. My ex-friend used to pray for every little thing and end each sentence with, "Pray for me."

"I have to register my six kids for school. Pray for me." That sort of thing.
Dave Van Allen said…
My mother and I are not speaking but I can bet you dollars to donuts she agrees with this crazy man. I know you didn't ask me ;)

I am so grateful to have a husband who isn't that way. His family is Southern Baptist and he used to go to an Episcopal church as an adult, but since becoming a philosophy/ethics professor he went the atheistic route. Back in the day, I would have been going door to door in the neighborhood taking up donations for those poor folks and/or donating clothing. Money is more practical and we are in a position where we can donate straight out.

He and I used to be broke but still felt the need to do something to help even if it was just giving $5 to help. I was that way even as a child, and my daughter donates part of her allowance when something like this happens so she seems to roll that way, too :)
Dave Van Allen said…
One's already dead and the other is a non-believer and estranged, so I don't much care what he does anyway.

Sorry you all think I'm being mean, but it just INFURIATES me when I hear some buy-bull burn-out trashing THIS world over their non-existent faerie-tale one. I often wish there was JUST enough "life after death" so they'd know that they LOST "Pascal's Wager".
Dave Van Allen said…
It doesn't work that way! PRAISE him for the good, come up with some JUSTIFICATIONS and lame-assed excuses for the bad. He "allows" things - really terrible, horrible things to prove he is good, whatever the hell that means. My former classmates turned religious nutcases always fall back on this. I know you are being sarcastic. I wish those people were also being sarcastic, but sadly, they are not. To quote my DH: "The stupid. It burns."

Here is one little gem that was on my wall 3 or 4 days ago:
"my mom didnt get excepted in the cancer trail like we prayed for but God is good she only through up twice today!" (direct quote). How is it that god takes all of the credit for anything even remotely good (I had a good poop today, praise GOD!"), but he/she/it never seems to take any credit for the bad (unless it is punishment or to "glorify" him/her/it through massive carnage). I read things like this daily on Face Book and in emails and prayer requests, complete with bad grammar and word salad. It makes me want to hurl - after I get done smacking myself in the forehead a few times first.

Yep, makes perfect sense!
Dave Van Allen said…
To be honest, I find this is a more genuine and less harmful reaction than the people who are genuinely concerned about the situation and "send their prayers."

At least the indignant people who are quick to condemn the victims for a natural disaster wouldn't contribute time or money to aid them anyway. The people who are praying for the situation actually do care, but their efforts have been undermined and circumvented to petitioning a being that, as John was good to mention, could have easily prevented this in the first place.

They get the same satisfaction of helping as the people who are actively working and donating to help the Haitians. Our evolutionary response to self-reward altruism is incredibly beneficial to humanity as a whole, but only when it's not being fooled into a placebo cure.
Dave Van Allen said…
Likening God to an abusive husband in this manner is always prescient. Both only display love with strings attached, both have mercy that requires groveling, and both damage people who they say they love and care for because they know best.

It's absolutely uncanny. What's even more sad is that believers exhibit the exact same excuses and behaviors as people with battered women syndrome: always excusing the behavior and pointing to the good things they perceive their husband doing, even if they come directly after a beating (getting them an ice pack after a punch to the face, for instance).
Dave Van Allen said…
RenDP -

No problem, thanks for the response.

You said, "....but since becoming a philosophy/ethics professor he went the atheistic route." (:D

I think that is terrific! All we ever hear from the trolls that stop by here (more often than we would like) is that you can't have morals and ethics without religion (or at the very least, belief in God).

I know from a personal point of view that I am more forgiving, less judgemental, more loving and accepting of others, etc., than I ever was as a fundamentalist preacher.

20 years ago I would have been saying "Amen brother Pat, preach it!" Now I say "Hey man, stick it!"

You are very fortunate to have a mate that is on the same page with you (I do as well). Unfortunately there are many on this site who can't say that.

XPD
Dave Van Allen said…
Dang! Foiled again!

God is always miraculously messing things up!
Dave Van Allen said…
I guess I was never one for out and out mean-spiritedness.
Dave Van Allen said…
'But I wonder just how many people settle to just pray, instead of give real support?'

From my personal experience, too many people. :|
Dave Van Allen said…
Sad, but true!
Dave Van Allen said…
It is amazing how critical you are about something you do not know. You talk about God as if you know him. You don't. You talk about something you do not even understand and yet you breathe out your curses as if it means something. Evidently God must exist if you talk so vehemently against him. Why even waste your breathe against someone or something that does not exist? Evidently you must believe in him since you demand him to behave like you. Your words are proof to yourself there is a God or you would not even talk about something that does not exist and demand that he be like you. How pitiful to listen to your complaining and murmuring about someone that you say does not exist. Maybe your god Mr. Loftus will make things better for you. Evidently you must believe in him since you follow his way and his words. He must know what life is all about because after all he wrote a book about it. How sad to see the human race bow done to a man and complain about someone that supposedly to them does not exist.
Dave Van Allen said…
Sad, but true!
Dave Van Allen said…
'But I wonder just how many people settle to just pray, instead of give real support?'

From my personal experience, too many people. :|
Dave Van Allen said…
I like that too; and as far as righteous vandalism goes, geography makes little difference. My Darwin fish was removed several times in Blue Illinois, and now that I'm in Michigan, I've had plenty of spit and hate mail left on my car because of my atheistic stickers. I take all of that as further evidence that I am on to something....
Dave Van Allen said…
Make them prove it!

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