[MeanWestTexan]

I never pretend to be smart enough to know the mind of God. I missed out on all the creating-the-world bit.

But I do ask myself, “What is the recorded reason that God permitting the Babylonian sack and captivity?”

And then I look at the Reform movement.

(And I say this as a terrible apostate.)

[Alouette]

“What is the recorded reason that God permitting the Babylonian sack and captivity?”

The Talmud claims that the Babylonian exile was caused by idolatry, and by failure to observe the sabbatical laws of the land. The destruction of the 2nd Temple by the Romans was said to have been caused by senseless hatred.

There's still plenty of that going around.