Haiti and "Acts of God"

[DeBunkem]

This at PFAW.org:

Just when you thought that Pat Robertson had said it all, he goes further. As you know, an earthquake hit Haiti yesterday, destroying much of its capital and killing thousands of people.
What did Pat Robertson do? He blamed the victims:

And you know Kristi, something happened a long time ago in Haiti and people might not want to talk about it. They were under the heel of the French, uh you know Napoleon the third and whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the Devil. They said we will serve you if you'll get us free from the French. True Story. And so the Devil said "OK, it's a deal." And they kicked the French out. You know, the Haitians revolted and got themselves free. But ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after the other.

This is something a typical Confederate preacher would have said before their defeat by our troops. They would have been much more rabidly vindictive, since their richer patrons counted on slave labor for a huge profit. When Toussant L' Overture led a Slave rebellion, the South nearly went apopleptic. It began to haunt their dreams, and abuse of slaves increased.

One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If
we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject
any evidence of the bamboozle. We're no longer
interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has
captured us. It is simply too painful to acknowledge
-- even to ourselves -- that we've been so credulous:
Carl Sagan

[McCulloch]

Is there a question for debate?

[Munchskreem]

Is there a question for debate?

I'll propose one: Is Pat Robertson justified in saying this? In other words, does God punish those who did not directly commit evil acts but simply "inherited" those sins from previous generations?

Related Question: What the heck is going through his head that he would come up with something like this?

[DeBunkem]

Is there a question for debate?

I'll propose one: Is Pat Robertson justified in saying this? In other words, does God punish those who did not directly commit evil acts but simply "inherited" those sins from previous generations?

Related Question: What the heck is going through his head that he would come up with something like this?

Similar to statements that he and other Southern Fundamentalist preachers said about Katrina and 9/11. These sick and twisted religionists still hold to "prosperity theology," a Calvinistic monstrosity that assumes wealth and good fortune is proof of God's blessing and that the converse is also true. This is more common amonst the religiose US population than one might think. How often do churchy folk say they have "been blessed" if they win on "The Price is Right" or inherit a fortune? How often do they credit Jesus alone for their rescue in a disaster instead of their human rescuers, who may have risked their own lives in rendering aid? Often they do so with the bodies of their "unblessed" neighbors lying off-camera.

[McCulloch]

Related Question: What the heck is going through his head that he would come up with something like this?

He is a literalist fundamentalist religious leader. There does not have to be anything in his head.

[Coyotero]

My favorite blog, the wild hunt (www.wildhunt.org) posted a nice article about this:


http://wildhunt.org/blog/2010/01/so-let ... haiti.html

Natural disasters, like the earthquake that struck Haiti, can often make us feel powerless. We send out money to the relief agencies, say our prayers for the afflicted, and hope for the best. When the cause of such suffering is our own planet, our Gaia, our home, we often feel like there is no outlet, no blame to assign. Into that breach steps folks like Pat Robertson (or Rush Limbaugh), who are more than willing to assume the villain role for us, so long as it means more attention and time in the spotlight. Mollie at Get Religion clued in to this phenomenon while looking at coverage of the Robertson controversy.

“Sometimes I wonder whether the whole Pat Robertson experience doesn’t fill some cosmic need that everyone has after a natural disaster or act of terror. We want to be angry, but in a safe way. Robertson provides this vehicle for anger that fits perfectly into the 24-hour-news cycle.�

Robertson, while certainly venal scum, is smart and media-savvy enough to know exactly what he’s doing when he says those outrageous things. Remember, when the late Jerry Falwell blamed 9/11 on “pagans� and “feminists�, Robertson was right there, nodding and agreeing. It’s a game. They poke our collective sadness and horror, and invoke our anger, a dangerous form of magic that makes the whole world talk about them.

So what about the comments? Here’s what Robertson said:

“Something happened a long time ago in Haiti … they were under the heel of the French, uh, you know, Napoleon the third and whatever … and they got together and swore a pact to the devil, they said, we will serve you, if you get us free from the Prince. True story.�

Is this even remotely true? A Christian distortion of Haiti’s African diasporic religion? Salon.com speaks with Andrew Apter, professor of history and anthropology at UCLA, who provides some clarity on the matter.

“Part of the revolution mythology is that one of the revolution leaders sacrificed a pig in Bois Caïmin in a voodoo ceremony and made a contract with Petwo [Haitian voodoo spirits]. It may or may not be true, but to call that a pact with the devil is a gross misrepresentation of what voodoo is. It’s about anything but the devil. He’s imposing an evangelical religious order on a much more sophisticated practice, and he’s turning it into a cheap invocation of Satanism. This is hate speech. It’s saying these people are damned.�

The sacrifice at Bois Caimin is a popular Haitian creation myth, one that modern-day Vodou practitioners re-tell with pride.

“Bois Caiman (French, Alligator Woods, Bwa Kayiman in Haitian Creole), was the site of a historic meeting on the night of August 13-14, 1791, which culminated in a traditional religious ceremony led by Houngan Boukman Dutty and the sacrifice of a black pig by Mambo Marinette, possessed by the lwa Erzulie Dantor. (Marinette has now become a lwa in the Petro portion of the Vodou liturgy!) This ceremony provided the final impetus for the uprising of Africans which led to the only successful slave revolt in the Western Hemisphere, and to the Western Hemisphere’s first independant black republic. In 1991 then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide held a re-enactment of the ceremony of Bois Caiman in the National Palace, provoking wide approval from the Vodouisant majority, and severe criticism from Protestant and Catholic Christian leaders, and members of the Haitian elite class.�

How much of it is actually true? Possibly very little of it, like all creation myths it is hard to prove, and the details change over the years. No doubt Robertson heard a vastly distorted version from a Christian missionary. The creation story, true or not, certainly has very little to do with Haiti’s many troubles over the years. Those who know and love Haiti, like former President Bill Clinton, know that Vodou enriches, not damns, that country’s culture.

“Why is Haiti so special to me? Haiti is completely unique in our hemisphere because of its history and culture. There are other French Caribbean islands, but none of them have Haiti’s particular Creole influence. None of them feature Haiti’s distinctive mix of West African religious and cultural influences, the most visible of which is the persistence of the voodoo faith, which is practiced alongside Christianity. Unfortunately, ever since the first slave revolt by Haitians in 1791, the country has been beset by abuses caused from within and without. It has never been able to fulfill its potential as a nation.�

If there is any silver lining to this terror, this destruction, it is that our religious communities, so long enchanted and fascinated by Haiti’s culture and indigenous faith, are galvanized into action to help it in this time of need. A moment of empathy and action that will perhaps grow into a deeper commitment and interaction. For now, if you can, donate to a reputable charity on the ground in Haiti (I’ll continue to update that post in the days to come), and pray for the wounded, the trapped, and the homeless.

Not only is the guy making light of a disaster that cost innocent lives, he's twisting the knife by basically blaming them for it, and publicly denouncing a belief system that's not his own.

[Jayhawker Soule]

.... This something a typical Confederate preacher would have said before their defeat by our troops.

And, in all fairness, the OP is typical of something someone like you would rush to post. The media is awash in examples of faith communities and faith-based organizations doing everything they can to support the relief effort. Untold hours of effort, countless acts of unrecorded charity, and you choose to focus on Pat Robertson. Yes. Robertson's comments are disgusting. Therefore?

[DeBunkem]

The media is awash in what the media wants to hype. Unmentioned (except by the Christian Science Monitor) is the fact that the first responders, who probably lost some of their own peers, were the "godless Commy" Cuban doctors. They have been in Haiti (about 400 of them) since long before the quake, helping to build a healthcare infrastructure. Cuba has some of the best doctors and free healthcare for all. Any fair-skinned or dark-skinned doctors shown on our media early after the quake were more than likely Cubans.

[DeBunkem]

Dupe

[asp59]

[center]IS GOD RESPONSIBLE FOR NATURAL DISASTERS?[/center]
[center]
Broken Hearts, Shattered Faith[/center]

“THERE were bodies everywhere, and we could not recognize where our house used to be,� said a Sri Lankan man after a tsunami destroyed his village in December 2004. In an article on the disaster, a religion editor said that he sometimes finds himself “praying through clenched teeth.�

Many view natural disasters as divine punishment. One columnist described a devastating hurricane as “the fist of God.� In the United States, some religious leaders described events like Hurricane Katrina as “God’s wrath� on “sin cities.� In Sri Lanka, militant Buddhists blamed Christians for the tsunami, deepening the religious divide. The trustee of a Hindu temple felt that the god Shiva was angry because people were not living the right way. A Buddhist religious leader in the United States said concerning natural disasters: “We don’t know why these things happen. We don’t even know why we’re here.�

When you see images of wrecked homes, lost lives, and broken hearts, do you sometimes wonder, ‘Why does God permit so much suffering?’ Or do you think, ‘God must have good reasons for allowing such things to happen but has not disclosed those reasons’? The following articles examine this issue. They also discuss some practical steps that people can take to reduce the risk of injury and death should a natural disaster threaten or occur.

[center]Is God Responsible?[/center]

“GOD is love,� states the Bible. (1 John 4:8) He is also just and merciful. “The Rock, perfect is his activity, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness, with whom there is no injustice; righteous and upright is he.�—Deuteronomy 32:4.

As Creator, Jehovah God has the ability to foresee all potential causes of harm, and he has the power to intercede. In view of these facts and the qualities attributed to God in the Bible, many rightly ask, “Why does God allow natural disasters to occur?�* As millions of sincere inquirers have found, God himself has provided a most reasonable answer in his written Word. (2 Timothy 3:16) Please consider the following.


They Rejected God’s Love

The Bible tells us that God gave our original parents all they needed to enjoy a happy and safe life. Furthermore, as they and their offspring obeyed God’s command to “be fruitful and become many and fill the earth,� the growing human family could count on God’s ongoing care.—Genesis 1:28.

Sadly, though, Adam and Eve deliberately turned their backs on their Creator by willfully disobeying him and choosing a course of independence from him. (Genesis 1:28; 3:1-6) By far the majority of their descendants have followed in their footsteps. (Genesis 6:5, 6, 11, 12) In short, humankind as a whole have chosen to be masters of themselves and of their home, the earth, without any guidance from God. Being a God of love who respects the principle of free will, Jehovah does not force his sovereignty on humans, even though their course may lead to harm.#

Nevertheless, Jehovah did not abandon the human family. To this day “he makes his sun rise upon wicked people and good and makes it rain upon righteous people and unrighteous.� (Matthew 5:45) Additionally, God gave mankind the ability to learn about the earth and its cycles, and to varying degrees this knowledge has enabled humans to predict extreme weather and other potential dangers, such as volcanic eruptions.

Humans have also discovered which parts of the earth are more prone to seismic or atmospheric extremes. In some lands this knowledge has helped to save lives through education as well as the development of better construction methods and warning systems. Still, the number of natural disasters reported annually has been rising steadily. The reasons for this are many and complex.
Living in High-Risk Areas

The severity of a disaster does not always relate to the power of the natural forces involved. The concentration of humans in the affected area is often of greater consequence. According to a report published by the World Bank, in more than 160 countries, over a quarter of the population live in areas of high mortality risk from natural disasters. “As you put more and more people in [harm’s] way, you make a disaster out of something that before was just a natural event,� says scientist Klaus Jacob of Columbia University in the United States.

Other exacerbating factors are rapid, unplanned urbanization, deforestation, and the extensive use of concrete to cover ground that would normally absorb runoff. Particularly the latter two can cause destructive mud slides and excessive flooding.

The human factor can also turn an earthquake into a major disaster, for it is not the shock wave of energy that causes most deaths and injuries but collapsing buildings. For good reason seismologists have the saying: “Earthquakes don’t kill people. Buildings kill people.�

Political incompetence can add to the death toll. In one South American land, earthquakes have demolished the capital city three times in the past 400 years. And since the last quake, which took place in 1967, the population has doubled to five million. “But building codes that could protect the population are either lacking or not enforced,� says New Scientist magazine.

That last statement well applies to the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A., which was built in a low-lying, flood-prone area. Despite the existence of levees and pumps, the disaster that many had feared finally occurred in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina struck. “Longstanding warnings� were either ignored or “met with a halfhearted response,� said a report in USA Today.

A similar halfhearted response has been manifested toward global warming, which many scientists believe may intensify weather-related disasters and raise sea levels. Clearly, political, social, and economic factors—things that are not of God’s making—must be taken into account. These human factors call to mind the Biblical truth that man is unable “even to direct his step.� (Jeremiah 10:23) Another human element is the attitude of people toward warnings—natural and official.

Learn to Recognize Warning Signs

At the outset it must be acknowledged that natural disasters can strike without warning. “Time and unforeseen occurrence befall [us] all,� says Ecclesiastes 9:11. Often, though, there is some indication—natural or official—that trouble is looming. Hence, when people know the signs, they can improve their prospects of survival.

When a tsunami struck the Indonesian island of Simeulue in 2004, seven people out of a population of many thousands died. Knowing that abnormally receding tides can precede tsunamis, most people fled when the sea retreated. Likewise, people have escaped violent storms and volcanic eruptions by heeding warnings. Because nature’s warnings sometimes precede official warnings, it is wise to be familiar with both, especially if you live in a disaster-prone area.

Sadly, however, there is a “tendency for people to deny danger even when it is obvious,� said a volcanologist. This is particularly true where false alarms are common or where a previous disaster occurred a long time ago. And sometimes people just do not want to abandon their possessions, even when disaster is staring them in the face.

In many regions people are simply too poor to move to a safer area. But instead of reflecting badly on our Creator, the realities of poverty point to human failings. Governments, for example, often pour vast sums of money into armaments but do little to help the needy.

Nevertheless, a measure of help is available to most people, no matter what their situation may be. How is that so? In that God, by means of his written Word, the Holy Bible, has given us many fine principles, which when applied can save lives.
Principles That Save Lives

Do not put God to the test. “You must not put Jehovah your God to the test,� says Deuteronomy 6:16. True Christians do not have a superstitious outlook on life, thinking that God will always protect them from physical harm. Hence, when danger threatens, they heed the inspired advice: “Shrewd is the one that has seen the calamity and proceeds to conceal himself, but the inexperienced have passed along and must suffer the penalty.�—Proverbs 22:3.

Value life more than material possessions. “Even when a person has an abundance his life does not result from the things he possesses.� (Luke 12:15) Yes, material things have their place, but they are of no value to the dead. Therefore, those who love life and who cherish the privilege of serving God do not take needless risks in order to protect property.—Psalm 115:17.

In 2004, Tadashi, who lives in Japan, evacuated his home immediately after an earthquake hit and before official direction was given. His life meant more to him than his home and belongings. Akira, who lives in the same area, wrote that “the real degree of damage depends, not on the material loss, but on one’s viewpoint. I viewed this disaster as a good opportunity to simplify my life.�

Listen to governmental warnings. “Be in subjection to the superior authorities.� (Romans 13:1) When an official order is given to evacuate or to follow some other safety procedure, it is wise to take heed. Tadashi stayed away from the danger zone in obedience to an evacuation order and thus avoided injury or death from aftershocks.

When there are no official warnings of a threatening disaster, people have to decide personally when and how to respond, taking into account all the available facts. In some areas local governments may provide helpful guidelines on disaster survival. If such information is available in your area, are you familiar with it? And have you discussed it with your family? (See the accompanying box.) In many parts of the world, under the direction of the local branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses, congregations of Witnesses have in place emergency procedures to follow should a disaster threaten or occur, and these procedures have proved to be extremely helpful.


Show Christian love. “I am giving you a new commandment,� said Jesus, “that you love one another . . . as I have loved you.� (John 13:34) People who show self-sacrificing, Christlike love do all that is humanly possible to help one another prepare for or survive a natural disaster. Among Jehovah’s Witnesses, congregation elders work tirelessly to make contact with all members of the congregation to ensure that they are safe or can get to a safe place. Also, the elders check to be sure that each one has life’s necessities, such as clean drinking water, food, clothing, and essential medication. Meanwhile, Witness families in safe areas open their homes to fellow Witnesses among the evacuees. Such love truly is “a perfect bond of union.�—Colossians 3:14.

Will natural disasters get worse, as some predict? Perhaps, but only for a time. Why? Because mankind’s tragic era of independence from God is about to end. Thereafter, the entire earth and all its inhabitants will be fully under the loving sovereignty of Jehovah, with wonderful results, as we shall now see.

[center]Disasters Are Nearing Their End[/center]

EARTHQUAKES, wars, famines, and disease—these are some of the things that Jesus foretold would mark “the conclusion of the system of things� in which we now live. (Matthew 24:3, 7, 8; Luke 21:7, 10, 11) Of course, those events are not acts of God. Neither Jesus nor his Father, Jehovah God, is responsible for them.

But God will be responsible for what the foretold events presage, namely, the coming of God’s Kingdom—a heavenly government in the hands of Jesus Christ—and the destruction of all who reject Jehovah’s sovereignty. (Daniel 2:44; 7:13, 14) Thereafter, earth will be made into a haven of peace, where there will be no fear of natural disasters. In a complete sense, God’s promise will be fulfilled: “My people must dwell in a peaceful abiding place and in residences of full confidence and in undisturbed resting-places.�—Isaiah 32:18.
[center]
Listen to God and Live![/center]

As explained in the preceding article in this series, acting on warnings can be lifesaving. That principle applies even more to divine warnings recorded in the Bible. “As for the one listening to me,� God promises, “he will reside in security and be undisturbed from dread of calamity.

Jehovah’s Witnesses strive to listen to God by reading his inspired Word regularly and applying its teachings. They invite you to do the same. Yes, all who obediently listen to Jehovah have no need to dread the future and the calamity that will befall the wicked. Instead, they can look forward to gaining everlasting life in Paradise on earth, where they will “find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.�—Psalm 37:10, 11.