God, Evangelicals, The Anti Christ and Natural Disasters

We have a leader we are told by evangelicals that has been chosen by God. Some even compare him to some of the Old Testament who were flawed.

In the past, especially under Obama, evangelicals often said that natural disasters that have occurred were due to God's displeasure. Some still say so. Others, like Pat Robertson have changed their tune now that Holy Trump is sitting upon our seat of governance. 

Today Dana Milbank wrote an article about this. About the pastors who feel these disasters are the wrath of God. Of other pastors who are now reluctant to see divine justice in Irma and Harvey. 

Pat Robertson, who saw God’s hand in the Haiti and San Fernando Valley earthquakes, has also said U.S. political pressure on Israel causes natural disasters in the United States, and he warned that gay tourists at Disney World could cause a meteor strike. But he has been quiet about Harvey and Irma. 

Did lesbians cause Hurricanes Irma and Harvey?

Here's a theory, provided God and Christ exist:

If you buy religion, the New Testament, you should buy the whole package. You can't really pick and chose. Revelations is part of it. 

Trump and the evangelicals are opening the path for the anti-Christ. They cloak themselves in Christlike love whereas they are wolves amongst men. They are normalizing the deplorable, the setting up populace for the arrival of the anti-Christ.

It has been written "America, America, God Shed His Grace on Thee". Maybe not any more.

BG9 said:



If you buy religion, the New Testament, you should buy the whole package. You can't really pick and chose. 

I question the validity of this statement and that is speaking as an agnostic whom leans strongly towards straight up disbelief.  I often hear this from the more evangelical sorts of atheists and I just don't get the reasoning.  People can obviously believe whatever they want.

People who have a direct phone connection to God and his will scare me.

Maybe BG9 should have framed it as, "if you believe in the Bible as the literal absolute truth..."

But picking and choosing scripture is Pat Robertson's business model.

Klinker said:

BG9 said:



If you buy religion, the New Testament, you should buy the whole package. You can't really pick and chose. 

I question the validity of this statement and that is speaking as an agnostic whom leans strongly towards straight up disbelief.

So one should only believe in scripture what is convenient? Our modern ONE God and its belief comes from scripture. 

So believe the part that gives you God but not other parts that may not be convenient. Like hell, demons, eternal suffering damnation?

Yup. Climate change? Huge swings in temperature? Hurricanes? Carbon footprints? Oooh. I guess the boogey-man's a comin'!

unfortunately, holy rollers seem to have the big money these days. 

BG9 said:

Klinker said:

BG9 said:



If you buy religion, the New Testament, you should buy the whole package. You can't really pick and chose. 

I question the validity of this statement and that is speaking as an agnostic whom leans strongly towards straight up disbelief.

So one should only believe in scripture what is convenient? Our modern ONE God and its belief comes from scripture. 

So believe the part that gives you God but not other parts that may not be convenient. Like hell, demons, eternal suffering damnation?

Sure.  You can believe whatever you want.  I know a number of Christians who focus on the Gospels, the account of Christ's time on Earth and ignore Paul, etc.

From the Mormon perspective, even those traditional Christians who adhere most closely to the Bible are cafeteria Christians since they ignore the Book of Mormon in its entirety.

As for "should" I certainly am not going to tell anyone what they should believe.  To my mind, its all a bunch of fairy tales from Alpha to Omega, some of them inspiring and many of them horrifying.

While I am not entirely sure what this thread is talking about, here's a nice piece critiquing simplistic pseudo-theological interpretations of natural disasters: https://johnpavlovitz.com/2017/09/08/god-ahole-might/

I think the thread is talking about the temptations and hazards of moral superiority and infallibility.

finnegan said:

While I am not entirely sure what this thread is talking about, here's a nice piece critiquing simplistic pseudo-theological interpretations of natural disasters: https://johnpavlovitz.com/2017/09/08/god-ahole-might/

All those years of catechism classes,  of studying by rote Father McGuires Baltimore catechism, the one with the blue cover.  Of spelling bees ,  girls against boys in those days...........and it was all for naught.  I only needed a copy of this guy sp

outing off and I would have seen the light.   I could have been an accountant.

I take comfort from Psalm 109.

I take comfort in, "Blessed are the cheesemakers."

OR

"Blessed are the bewildered for they shall not know the difference."

Formerlyjerseyjack said:

I take comfort in, "Blessed are the cheesemakers."

OR

"Blessed are the bewildered for they shall not know the difference."

 

How true.

When I need comfort, I turn to this sermon:

http://snltranscripts.jt.org/77/77ksermonette.phtml

tom said:

But picking and choosing scripture is Pat Robertson's business model.

Absolutely correct.

I brought up this thread because of the political effect the religious have on GW remediation.

One group thinks God will take care of us, so let us not waste time remediation. Or that GW is a man made plot by world order cabals opposed to God.

Then there is also their belief that Sandy, et al., is punishment to the wicked. Which in their eyes can "justify" the denial of Sandy aid. They may not say it outright and the politicians who did not want Sandy aid probably don't actually believe that but you can bet there are many rubes faithful in the hinterlands who think like that. That the "wicked" should not be rewarded with aid. After all, doesn't Prosperity Gospel tell us that those who are good will be delivered security and prosperity?

I wonder how many Texans now crying for aid will support us when we need help? Will they go back to we the wicked are not deserving?

I threw out the anti-Christ because I felt like it. If they accuse us wickedness and therefore deserving of divine disasters, let us turn the tables. They stand in opposition of Christ while cloaking themselves in Christianity. So anti-Christ like.