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 A flood survivor is surrounded by debris on the Philippine island of Leyte.
November 11th, 2013
11:16 AM ET
Where was God in the Philippines?By Daniel Burke, CNN Belief Blog Co-editor [twitter-follow screen_name='BurkeCNN'] (CNN) - The disasters are always different and often devastating. But the questions they raise are hauntingly familiar. In the days since Super Typhoon Haiyan swept through the Philippines on Thursday, survivors are frantically searching for lost family members and international aid groups are springing into action. Officials say the death toll may rise to 10,000 in the heavily Catholic country. Meanwhile, many people are asking: How should we make sense of such senseless death and destruction? Was God in the whirlwind itself, as the Bible hints, or present only in the aftermath, as people mobilize to provide food, water and shelter? These questions may not be new, but we keep asking them, perhaps because the answers remain so elusive. For many Americans, a paradox sits at the heart of their thinking about natural disasters. According to a survey taken after 2011's earthquake and tsunami in Japan, most Americans (56%) believe that God is control of everything. But more Americans blame hurricanes, earthquakes and other storms on global warming (58%) than on an angry and punishing deity (38%), according to a 2011 poll by the Public Religion Research Institute. “These kind of questions about God being in control and there simultaneously being suffering are the kind of things that keep seminarians up at night," institute CEO Robert P. Jones said in 2011. "They’re thorny theological issues." READ: Typhoon Haiyan: Survivors in Philippines face grim struggle as death toll rises The Bible's Psalm 107 says that “For (God) commands, and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves thereof. ... He turns rivers into a wilderness, and the water springs into dry ground." But, as the poll shows, most Americans have moved past the idea that God causes natural disasters, wrote Stephen Prothero, a frequent CNN contributor, in a 2011 column. "When it comes to earthquakes and hurricanes, our authorities are geologists and meteorologists," Prothero said as he rode out Hurricane Irene on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. "Most of us interpret these events not through the rumblings of the biblical prophet Jeremiah or the poetry of the Book of Revelation but through the scientific truths of air pressure and tectonic plates." For atheists, storms like Haiyan are proof that God doesn't exist, author and activist Sam Harris said. "Either God can do nothing to stop catastrophes like this, or he doesn’t care to, or he doesn’t exist. God is either impotent, evil or imaginary," Harris said after Japan's tsunami. "Take your pick, and choose wisely." God may or may not be in withering storms, but many religious leaders say they sense a divine presence in the aftermath, as people across the world mobilize to lend a hand. Rabbi Harold Kushner is one of the most famous names in the realm of theodicy, a branch of theology that tries to explain the unexplainable: why a good God would allow bad things to happen. After Japan's tsunami, Kushner called nature "an equal-opportunity destroyer," making no distinctions between sinners and saints. But Kushner, author of the bestselling book "When Bad Things Happen to Good People," said he sees God's hand in the resilience of people whose lives have been destroyed and in the "goodness and generosity" of strangers who donate and pray for the survivors. READ: How to help victims of Typhoon Haiyan That still leaves a tricky question, though: Why do humans suffer, sometimes terribly, in the first place? There's no good answer, says the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and best-selling author. "Each person has to come to grips with that," Martin said. "It’s not as if some magic answer can be found. But the idea of God suffering along with us can be very helpful." Muslims, on the other hand, see stormy trials as tests from God, said Sayyid Syeed, national director of the Islamic Society of North America’s Office of Interfaith and Community Alliances. "Muslims believe that God tests those he loves, and these tragedies also serve as a reminder to the rest of us to remain grateful to God for all our blessings and cognizant that we must support those in need," Syeed said. Vietnamese Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh, whose native country remains in Haiyan's path, said such storms remind us that our lives are impermanent and the importance of treasuring each moment. "This is the best that we can do for those who have died: We can live in such a way that they can feel they are continuing to live in us, more mindfully, more profoundly, more beautifully, tasting every minute of life available to us, for them," Hanh said. Stephen Prothero, Jessica Ravitz and Eric Marrapodi contributed to this report. soundoff (3,827 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 Next »
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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no where
i know these are legitimate theological questions, but don't people get bored? after every earthquake/typhoon/storm/flood, etc CNN puts up a "where is God" article on it's front page with more or less the same content. maybe we can focus on how to help those affected by the disaster first and worry about theological questions later?
Yup. The message of all religions is to help your fellow man-kind. People who believe in God want to log on to the internet and argue that he is there, while all the while ignoring the message. They should be helping their fellow man-kind.
It's a good thing there is no such thing as "god". If there was such an evil creature, I wouldn't bow down to him if I ever met him. Can't believe that any creature would allow things like this to happen, even though he has the power to stop it. According to christians, there is a reason for this, but it's beyond our meager understanding....just trust in the invisible spirit they tell us. What a great track record we have in doing that huh? Prayer works? Really?
Prayers work but you must be in tune with God. You cannot justify this Universe and everthing in it without God. Einstein's theory has proved that time began and before was eternity. This is exactly what God says in the Bible more than 3000 years ago. Reason for calamities is allow all possiblities so that one beliefs without knowing God's existence. If one knows Gods existence than why should humans have a free will and wisdom? The requirements here is to use your free will and wisdom to recognize God's existence and walk towards Him with awe and williingness and not because of any enticements (miracles, etc.) or coercion (use of force to convince). This Universe cannot come into existence without an Almighty Creator – God
fred, where were you when your god was handing out reasoning ability, and why does your god need you to bend over and stand wide for him and keep trying to sell others on him?
You see, Christians don't need reasoning, logic, or intellect. They have their imaginary / invisible spirit that makes it all OK in the end....for THEM.
"reason"
occurs 71 times in 69 verses in the KJV
Is that before or after the talking snake?
you're a moron
In Bible God provides reasons quite clearly however does not force on anybody to believe. Humans have free will and wisdom to understand these reasons. Some do some dont. Some will be in heaven and some will not.
One simple method of remembering the word "theodicy": the combination of "theology" and "idiocy."
Ok, I'm here to help!
Where was god?
You might as well ask, where was Mickey Mouse!
The two are about the same. Mickey Mouse is an invented character that was designed to make us feel good, and so was "god".
Now, I know all too well that people don't like to hear the facts of life, but that has no effect on the facts either.
This is really simple, see? You are born mortal and you die mortal, there is no heaven but what you make of it here on earth.
Enjoy your moment in the Sun!
Here's a list of ways god suggests we kill children (with Bible references):
Mathew 18:6 Tie stones round their necks and drown them
Lamentations 2:20 Mothers should eat daughters
Ezekiel 5:10 Fathers should eat sons
Genesis 19:24, Leviticus 10:3 Set fire to them
Exodus 12:29 Just smite them all dead
Deuteronomy 21:21 Stone them to death
Joshua 10:36 Use a sword
Nahum 3:10 Smash them in the streets
Matthew 19:29 Just abandon them
Revelations 2:23 Just kill them with "death"
Deuteronomy 32:24 Poison them
What a swell guy this "god" is. And then he kills untold thousands in the Phillipines. Oh… and don't forget how he gave us leukemia…. And a little worm in Africa that burrows its way into the eyeballs of children and renders them blind.
And you religious people really want to worship this monster?
amen
God is dead
When man created the Abrahamic God he knew nothing of solar systems, galaxies, microbes, electromagnetics, information theory, quantum mechanics, etc. It's curious how none of those things are mentioned in the bible, obviously that God would have fully known about all of them and more. This God would also have known that slavery would be abolished, women would become regarded as having equal status to men, etc.
Instead, the bible says bats are birds, the earth was created before the stars. The bible sets the rules for slavery, the bible declares women subservient to man.
The only reasonable conclusion is; If there is a God, it's not the Abrahamic/Christian God.
I once asked Spirit why tragedies happen. Where is God in all of that? I didnt like the answer I received, but it was true. The answer I got was; "Because people respond to tragedy." I wasnt quite sure I understood that and I saw in my mind how when there is an earthquake, a tornado, what have you... People reach out and help each other. People look into each others eyes and have compassion, understanding, love. Things normally absent from everyday life. So my next question of course was when will the tragedies stop? And the answer was "When people no longer need tragedies to feel love and compassion for each other."
Yes, nothing better than killing people to teach people to love and be compassionate.
And did God reply via your internet connection or are you just insane?
Yes, once there is universal love between all the species, and the lions are dancing and singing with antelope, then all disasters will stop.
In fact, all weather will stop. It will no longer rain, cause that can cause accidents. There will be no sun, since that can cause death.
In fact, everything will stop. Except the lions and antelopes, who will dance and sing all night and hump a lot.
Have you ever seen an antelon fawtten? they're the cutest!
"Things normally absent from everyday life. So my next question of course was when will the tragedies stop? And the answer was "When people no longer need tragedies to feel love and compassion for each other.""
Wow the negativity that comes from religious people about others in this world is pathetic. Do yourself a favro and STOP watching so much TV and actually get involved in your communities. You would realize you don't need diasters to find love and compassion for others. Wow you are one sick person.
"True" as in, you would like to believe it. However, there is no "truth" in it at all.
Wow...What color is the sky in your world?
What does people's love for one another have to do with differential air pressure?
If you want to understand reality better, then you're going to need a better book.
The blog editors phoned in another formula non-story. "Where was God when (fill in the blank)." Guaranteed comment-churner, and doesn't require any effort.
I guess editing the Belief Blog gives the janitors something to do when they finish cleaning the bathrooms and have some time left. You sure don't need and Edward R. Murrow here.
Um, since the commenters digressed, where do we all and the universe come from?!
From between your mothers legs. That is where humans come come, and many other animals.
Why would you spend time dwelling on stuff like this? Study science – there are excellant works about reproduction, evolution, etc... produced by among the most intelligent people on earth – scientists.
Oh really?! Hmm, and where did ⚤ come from?!
♀♂
Over 150 million years, life developed, adapted, mutated, transformed, and those little appendenges developed.
A guy named Darwin was also a scientist, and his studies are pretty thorough, such that all the scientists in the world agree with his work.
I haven't read that many figures about how many sheep-herders or farmers have read his books, and frankly, I'd be surprised if many people with lesser education could follow more than a page or two, as they do require moderate intelligence.
Obviously, you are not aware that the "Evolution of Species," Darwin's work, does not explain male and female, to this day!
Yeah, I learned all about that in science class in high school. Cells develop 'male' and 'female' in order to reproduce and survice – rather basic form of evolution.
Really fascinating stuff the types of mutations that occur during evolution.
Well, I am not here all the time but you seem novice on the topic of the Origin of life and matter!
Also from between the legs but from the back side
That is the God-of-the-Gaps argument. And thats fine if you want to go that way, but you should know, your God is relegated to an ever decreasing pocket of scientific ignorance.
Economic science has made a black hole in the pockets, alright.
Currently, we don't know.
It's okay to admit to yourself that no one knows...
Magic.
Vic
Figure it out for yourself Vic, then get back to us, but if you are too lazy the answer is , no one is sure yet, we only have theories.
Our existence and the universe we are in are clear signs of God.
Vic
"Our existence and the universe we are in are clear signs of God"
Our existence and the universe we are in are clear signs that we are in the matrix.
Our existence and the universe we are in are clear signs that the force is strong
Our existence and the universe we are in are clear signs of the man behind the curtain
Our existence and the universe we are in are clear signs that we are in the dust at the end of the flower being held iun the trunk of an elephant named Horton.
ALL just as valid as your statement
Ohh here we go again. Another article that pretends god is real. If you really think he loves us and is there...he wouldn't allow stuff like this. If I had the power I would stop all bad things from happening....am I more moral than your god?
You are more than any god. Nay, you are more than ALL gods!
Unfortunately, Chris, your comment proves that you are so stupid that you wouldn't recognize God if he jumped up and bit you on the leg.
If God has to jump UP to bite my leg, I have had a very wrong idea of what he is....
Please educate us on how to recognize a god.
Where was God? He was busy not existing.
Dumb question.
God is a belief, a person's personal opinion.
Opinions do not display. They are not seen. They only exist in someone's mind.
Now, back to the real world. Typhoons are not opinons.
Here we go again with this....
Where is "god" indeed...
This is what happens when you put your faith in mythology, imaginary / invisible spirits, sky fairies, etc....you get NOTHING...because they don't exist.
Give us some doctrines from the man made gods. What did they day about typhoons??
There is lot of man made mythology & distortion out there. However, this does mean that we should not have the ability to seek out the ' needle from the hay '. This is why we have wisdom & free will to seek out the truth. It is impossible to justify the Universe & everything in it based on athiestic views – but an Almighty Creator can. This Almighty Creator has left many signs which allow His recognition using intelligence. There is no other alternative out there – athiesism is a folly which has been practised by humans from day 1 without leading anywhere.
All of you Athiests who see negative things happening in the world and link this to Gods non-existence should see the world in more depth. If God had created a perfect system in this world than there would not have been a need for Heaven & Hell & also this would have allowed having a proof of God. This is not this world & our purpose is all about. We can go through many trials & tribulations in this life as this is only a test. Some carry out this test BLINDLY & some can see the signs of Almighty Creator all around. The problem comes from Christian definition of god as a father son .... Real God is only the Creator – only ONE.
lol??
The naturalist position is visible nature screams out for evolution.
The Christian position is 180 out of phase with this.
"Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:"
Look! Stuff! Proof of God!
Where was the government who had ample warning?
They really don't have the resources to do much of anything about it.
John, I'm not sure about that. It is possible for government to halt 250 mph winds.
Just ask the TeaBillies – they were pretty unaminous in their belief that President Obama caused hurricane Sandy to get reelected. So if our good President was able to divert a tropical storm 800 miles for political gain, why couldn't the Philipine government simply reroute the typhoon elsewhere?