Posted on 09/01/2005 7:20:09 PM PDT by LifeSite News
NEW ORLEANS, September 1, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The popular adage, "there are no atheists in the trenches" sums up the truth that in times of disaster it is natural for people to turn to God, for help and also for an explanation. The devastation wrought by hurricane Katrina has brought that reality home to the United States, particularly in the affected regions.
. . . New Orleans City Council President Oliver Thomas after witnessing the horrors first hand and hearing talk of Sodom and Gomorrah commented, "Maybe God's going to cleanse us."
The theme of cleansing or purification has become a frequently discussed topic as the tragedy in the affected states unfolds. European papers have suggested that Katrina was the punishment the US received for failing to sign onto the Kyoto accord, Islamic militants have rejoiced that "private" Katrina has joined in the holy war against the U.S. for - among other things - the Iraq war. Some have even suggested that the hurricane was God's punishment on the U.S. for cooperating in the removal of Jews from the Gaza strip.
However, beyond these speculations is a more general acknowledgement that New Orleans, the epicentre of the disaster, was a "sin city" which harboured few rivals. The New Orleans "southern decadence" festival which was to take place Labour Day weekend, is described by a French Quarter tourism site as "sort of like a gayer version of Mardi Gras" which is "most famous (or infamous) for the displays of naked flesh which characterize the event," with "public displays of sexuality . . . pretty much everywhere you look."
(Excerpt) Read more at lifesite.net ...
Unbelievable. Please, for the sake of sanity on these boards, stop foaming at the mouth like some raving Y2K Democrat about how we're all doomed and the world will end. We've had hurricanes here in New Orleans for the better half thousands of years. Scientists (even liberal ones!) have stated that this hurricane is NOT, repeat, NOT "abnormal".
Boogeymen, ghosts, demons and banshees were not responsible (neither were Deities). It is part of a natural cycle (the results which were partly based upon poor management from LA Dems).
Why would God have to kill so many innocents?
I read the entire article and the link to the previous article. I have to say that it sounds very similar to what Islamic representatives have been saying. And I'm a practicing Christian.
Those people need help NOW. Not "blame the victim," or religious self-righteousness, or political second-guessing, or green (environmental) retribution.
Let's analyze it after the people are secure.
Was Gulport a "sin city"? What about Long Beach, Ms.? Christian Pass?
This "God is punishing innocent people because gays like to party" stuff is a distortion of who God is. It's used as a weapon by a bunch of self-righteous Christians who are perfectly willing to paint God as some cruel ogre for their selfish ends.
God got a 2fer with Katrina. New Orleans (sin city) and the Casino Coast of Mississippi(Las Vegas of the south).
What do you think?
Why blame everything on God? (just a thought, not a flame request)
You didn't ask me, but I think whoever said that is a prig, and uses God as a blunderbuss.
Boy, he better be a democrat, or he is going to be dog meat for saying that.
I am not. I was trying to ask those who think this was Gods way of 'teaching us a lesson'
Should have been more clear.
Waveland and Pass Christian have no casinos.
You realize how long casino gambling on a massive scale has been going on in Monaco? Hundred+ years.
I'm unaware of a single natural disaster affecting Monaco, ever.
Also you have to consider the Bible says nothing about gambling being a sin, of course.
I understand, no worries here.
I wish im too close to God to know why he allowed that... but in the future you and i will know why...:-)
As with all the hurricanes the last two years, and Andrew, South Beach Miami was missed.
Why not go for a three-fer? the hurricane went right by...why not intensify it before Katrina hit Florida and wipe out South Beach?
Instead it flooded the middle-class residential neighborhood of Homstead which had been leveled by Andrew, and then continued to the Gulf Coast.
Your God has bad aim, it appears.
Your right... Sodom and Gommorah's wickedness existed perhaps for a very long time also before God finally said "Enough".. or perhaps "Fire d' hole"...
Also you have to consider the Bible says nothing about gambling being a sin, of course.
LOL.. but try to read this:
Gambling is a way of practicing dishonesty. It is a form of taking what does not rightfully belong to a person. Interested in obtaining something for nothing, the gambler tries in every way to attain his ends, and usually is concerned to learn all the "tricks" he can. He is interested in "fleecing" those that are inexperienced. Gambling often takes the wages from innocent mothers and children and returns nothing. Along with gambling frequently goes cheating, and both are forms of dishonesty. Paul states, "Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth" Ephesians 4:28. Although the word "gambling" does not appear in the Bible, the practice is clearly condemned in numerous passages of scripture. Gambling is based on the evil desire to get money or goods which belong to someone else without giving fair value in exchange. The Bible calls this sin "covetousness" and makes it clear that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Romans 1:28-32).
Pleeze... Sodom and Gomorrah is just a fairy tale.
When I was last in New Orleans the thing that made the most negative impression on me was the number of shops selling Voodoo stuff . . .
True - but I'll bet you can't say that every one of the refugees are ones who consistently spoke out against the decadence either, can you? Sin is sin - whether it is committed by an individual or approved of by another individual (who perhaps does nothing but remain silent while the act of the sin is carried on by somebody else) or perhaps even if the individual disapproved of the sin, turned a blind eye because profits or their job depended on it. Let's not forget that the mayor who promoted 'Southern Decadence' was elected by the people (which assumes that the rank and file voters were giving tacit approval to bringing in this type of tourism).
In case you don't think that Christians have a responsibility in how they should behave when sin is happening around them, how else would you interpret this? Timothy 5:20 'Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.'
***When I was last in New Orleans the thing that made the most negative impression on me was the number of shops selling Voodoo stuff . . .***
It looks like Damballa did not protect them at all.
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