| OK, so by now many of us have heard about the 7.6 quake that centered not far from Islamabad.
Although I personally frown on the "Act of God" explanation that some religiously-minded people claimed was why the USA suffered recently from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita because we (USA) have been "interfering" in too many other nations' affairs, has there been any religious leaders around the world who are using the same mentality in light of the recent earthquake?
Meaning, has anyone suggested that great Allah in all His Divine Wisdom has decided that muslims in this region hit by the quake offended Him in some form, and this is now His Retribution upon them for angered Him for whatever reason?
Although I wholly despise racism and segregative societal behavior, there were some muslims (and others, including a Jewish rabbi who has questionable ideas on other aspects of history) who voiced their opinions that somehow the USA deserved the suffering it endured at the hands of the two hurricanes, with some even labeling Katrina as a "warrior of the cause" in the jihad against America.
So using that same muslim reasoning, can we then suggest that Allah, or perhaps the Christian God instead (many would argue They are not one and the same), has vented His anger upon those in that region by smoting them with an earthquake?
Myself, I still believe mankind has perversed every religion to the point that it's 50/50 some truth and certainly some misconception, and no one person can absolutely say for 100% certainty what occurences in the world are true Acts of God (where an actual, omnipotent being of unfathomable conscience decided to smote humanity for whatever reason), and what are merely common happenings in the planet's environmental and geologic cycles: we mere mortals, just through our ignorance and lack of understanding, blame everything that we cannot justify or explain easily by labeling them Acts of God.
So let's hear it then from all those who suggest America's sinful nature and decadence brought this suffering from the hurricanes upon ourselves: who out there then believes that somewhere in Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan someone offended the Great God Allah and brought down His Retribution upon them?
The populations affected in the areas the quake assaulted were predominantly muslim as opposed to hindu or any other religious creed, so please do not consider this an attack on my behalf at muslims.
None of us want to personally believe we are evil in our hearts, and in each of our minds we want to believe the Higher Forces we cling to would be more precise while attacking our perceived unholy enemies, but certainly somewhere out there in all that earthquake-ravaged area, many are asking in prayer, "My God, what have I done to offend thee that You would send such tribulation upon me?" (basically, "what did I do to deserve this?") I know many people in the wake of the American hurricanes asked the same thing of their god(s).
So were any of these recent "natural" calamities true Acts of God because He's just generally angry at any given region of the world? Or is it all just part of Nature, which quite often reminds us mere humans that all our technologies and beliefs and science and military power mean absolutely NOTHING when compared to the forces the planet can exert?
Fear not, Pakistan: regardless of how many muslims in your ranks despise America, we will still send our emergency services, medical aid, food, and money to help you recover from this disaster, even as our own people are still suffering.
|