They are simply natural disasters!
what is responsible for earthquakes is plate tectonics. What is responsible for the magnitude of the disaster associated with the earthquake is the fact that people choose to live and build in known earthquake prone areas, and moreover at least in Haiti’s case, refuse to build earthquake resistant structures. Compounded with more human greed, ignorance and corruption, the resulting disaster is even greater. Notice the loss of life is much less in Chile where the actual physical destruction was greater and over a wider area.
Suffering is a test.
so who moves the plates or causes the plates to move - what sort of a devil have we here “for even the stirred up winds and waves obey him” - twinc
exactly as per Psalm 135,the Lord God calms the winds and waves after Satan stirs them them up as he stirs a lot else up as the world’s biggest stirrer - according to some everything happens,even nothing, for nothing seems to happen here - so should we thank God or the devil ? - twinc
it seems that after all we as Catholics have been told and taught many have failed to grasp that Satan is engaged in a long relentless war against God and many humans have joined him not only in this war against God but against fellow humans.We can check it out at Eph.6:12. I[we] will not serve we still hear the cry and the echo,echo,echo,echo - I wll be like the most high - twinc
Satan does not move the plates. Don’t be ridiculous!
The “Natural order of things” causes the movement of the tectonic plates.
Let’s assume for the moment that it was Satan’s work that caused those calamaties(which seems to be the way you’re pushing). What does that signify for us? We know that he is hard at work trying to get our souls and if sending a catastrophe our way will get us to turn away from God in our despair, then yes, he has won that battle. If, on the other hand, we turn towards God for help, and if the catastrophe causes us to give more of ourselves to help our fellow man, then Satan has lost and we have gained. In the end it doesn’t matter who (or what) the cause was, it only matters what our response is.
the response is exactly what is expressed here and on other forums and everywhere just as Satan hopes “there is no God goes up the anguished cry - why did He let the innocent die” etc “if this is your God how can anyone follow Him”,there is no Satan either for disasters etc happen so there is no God or Satan to blame and the objective is achieved by Satan and many in their despair turn away from God - twinc
It’s true that some will respond that way for any disaster. But not everyone does. Some people draw their strength from God to cope. And the devil could very well be watching us all with glee. It just doesn’t seem productive to me to try to decide who is responsible for what happened, except I suppose as a theological debate. It doesn’t make it more or less acceptable to decide that Satan is responsible. Not to trivialize it, but it’s like arguing over spilt milk. It doesn’t matter whether it got spilt accidentally or maliciously. Just clean it up.
if it happened accidently,try and make sure it doesn’t happen again,if it happened maliciously,try and make sure it doesn’t happen again - twinc
Seriously, though, when I search the Scriptures, I notice that the earth (ground) was cursed because of Adam’s sin (Gen 3:17). We should also consider Luke 13:1-5 (There were some present at that very time who told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered thus? I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” RSV). This tells me that, while we know that God has used disasters (natural and man-made) to judge a people/nation, it is not up to us to declare that a disaster is a judgement from God because of sin (as some have claimed).no this is not so and as Catholics we should know because this can only be found in Catholic bibles as Wisdom and in this wise death and God do not compute or mesh or gel - see Wis.1:13-14 & 2:23-24 - twincIf we’re putting it to a vote, I nominate twinc take the blame.
To be sure, there have always been natural disasters, and they occur whether anyone is hurt or not (for example (and I could be wrong), I don’t think very many people were hurt or even left homeless when earthquakes formed the Rocky Mountains). God knows all about them, when and where they will occur, and He allows them. There is certainly a renewed discussion of “the big one” in California becuase of this recent activity (might be a good time to buy some beach front property in Arizona). Jesus said there would be earthquakes in many places as we get near the end (see Matt 24:7, Mark 13:8 and Luke 21:11, and be sure to read the verses around them to get the context). I don’t think there’s any way to prevent what God has told us must take place.
Whether accidentally or maliciously, natural disasters have been happening throughout recorded history. If you are looking for someone to blame, you may find yourself accusing God (since He knows exactly when and where they will occur, and allows them to occur), or you can accuse Satan (who seeks our destruction at every opportunity). I would suggest, however, that you take another look at Luke 13:1-5, and notice that Jesus doesn’t assign responsibility for these disasters, but rather advises us to repent or face a similar fate. But, if you absolutely have to hold someone responsible, my answer would be this - the one responsible is the same one that crucified Jesus; and you can see him (or her) by looking in a mirror.
Could you explain how Wis 1:13-14 & 2:23-24 negates what I have written?
***There is no such thing as “Luck,” “coincedience”, “fortune,” or things “just happening.”
God is not in charge,for that is the problem,so we pray “thy kingdom come,thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. This will happen when this earth passes away “for heaven and earth shall pass away”[2 Peter 3:10] and there will be new heavens and a new earth [2 Peter 3:13][Apoc/Rev.21:1] - twinc***There is no such thing as “Luck,” “coincedience”, “fortune,” or things “just happening.”
Everything [with out exception], small, or great, insignifiant, or very signifiant that takes place because of God’s control. God’s Divine Providence.
Good because He Wills it.
Evil because He permits it.
Why?
For the Greater Glory of God on Good things.
For the POSSIBLE Glory of God on that which we understand NOT to be good.***
God is in charge!
the one[ones] who crucified Christ are irresponsible[we have been got at so to speak] and it is precisely because we are not responsible or able that Christ died for us for we are fallen and flawed.Christ Himself stated that those who crucified[crucify]Him are irresponsible “Father forgive them,for they know not what they do” - twinc