God's hand in the tsunami

Here's a Brit with a very good point to make about how God and the tsunami interrelate.

To sum up his article in a two word answer, they don't.

Truly, this nasty wave that reached across the entire rim of the Indian Ocean and packed a horrific punch is one of thw worst human crises we have ever seen in world history. And given the public health threats from decaying corpses, many more are put at risk of disease and death.

But I have no idea why God allowed this, if God did this, or to what end it was done. None. The idea that God doesn't exist because a benevolent God would not permit such suffering is ridiculous. Not only is that poor reasoning, it presumes facts about God that are unprovable and indeed, unreasonable. One is required to believe that God sees the world as we do, that God has the same sense of "justice" that we do, and that God values the same things in the same ways and to the same extent as we do.

The tsunami proves nothing.

But perhaps, as the linked article notes, it shows that we are in an imperfect world. And it also shows us that life is not always about what we want, but about what our fellow folk need. It shows us that we are fragile. We are not almighty, and that we cannot fix all problems. It literally changed the geography of the planet, moving Sumatra by 90 feet and eliminating certain islands and island nations forever. Nothing we can do about that.

But the love of God is seen in this tragedy through the acts of people. God did indeed create us in his image, and despite our selfishness & imperfection, we are still able to show that we were created by one much greater than ourselves by behaving as he showed us he would do. We give, we help, and we put people back on their feet with nothing expected in return other than maybe a smile.

Let's hold the blame for the thing and focus thanksgiving on the cure that is being rushed to the far reaches of the Indian Ocean. Because God's hand is very visible there.