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"Explaining" the Tsunami Disaster

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$Rational-EGOIST$

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I just ran into this article from BBC NEWS, where we have alleged justifications of the recent Tsunami Disaster in Asia. Quite interesting.

The following are the "official" statements issued from the so called major faiths in the UK:

HINDU - RANI MOORTHY

The tsunami brings into question both personal and collective destinies for Hindus. In terms of the latter, we are born in an age of destruction, known as Kali Yuga, an age that lasts for perhaps 1,000 years. This says that we must go through a series of set-backs, obstacles, suffering, eg Aids, and a propensity for natural disasters as nature shows its malevolent side. Mankind goes through this to be renewed.

As for my personal destiny, there is no central text in Hinduism as there is in other religions so it's up to each of us to formulate our own understanding, based on the Brahman - the divine - and the belief that all of us will one day escape the endless cycle of birth and death and be returned to our maker. My belief is that I am connected to all humans and so while I grieve for those that have died in the tsunami, I don't feel sorry for them because they are part of me and part of the divine. Their deaths are a manifestation of karma, the debits and credits you amass through your series of lives.

CHRISTIAN - PAUL CHITNIS

In this litigious age we are always looking for someone to blame and in the absence of anyone else we look to blame God because it is a "natural" event. It's quite clear the world is riddled with inequality but I don't accept the idea that God is sitting up there mischievously tweaking the strings. In the case of the tsunami, we as Christians are challenged to live out our response. We know that Jesus is among us, living through this reality because he said whatever you do to your brothers and sisters, you do to me. By the same token, what you fail to do to them, you fail to do to Jesus. Until now at least, we have not been found wanting in our response. Christian churches have been among those at the forefront of the relief effort.

BUDDHIST - LAMA OLE NYDAHL

The scale of the tragedy has caused some to question their faith

We all die, sooner or later. Some have conditions for living long lives and some for short lives. That is your karma - the total effect of one's actions and conduct. What might have precipitated the tsunami was a lot of people coming together who had the karma for a short life and, to an extent, this is perhaps a reflection that these areas were over-populated.

The shifting of tectonic plates is inevitable, but fewer people in the areas affected would have led to a much smaller loss of life. When watching the TV news, reading the papers or thinking about the tsunami, we are thinking about the Buddha we like the best - perhaps the Red Buddha, the Buddha of limitless light. We do this so that when those who died in the disaster wake up from the shock of dying - we believe it takes about three days to do so - they will be sent up to the Buddha we have in mind. Buddhists think the mind is indestructible so, after a while, if one wants to and is able, they will have the choice to take rebirth in society as beings who help others.

MUSLIM - IQBAL SACRANIE

It is the teaching of Islam that it is through the will of God Almighty that this has happened but then the positive side is the way mankind has reacted. People will question why it is taking place, why the enormity of loss of human life, but it is that aspect which is beyond us and it is our firm belief that any such disaster, anything of that nature happening, is through the will of God Almighty. Allah knows best.

We certainly have the right to question. It's a time for us to really think of ourselves, our deeds, our acts, and we need to ponder over this. It's a sign that none of us are going to live for an indefinite period, therefore it is a sign for us to do something very positive. Death always takes place. When a person is born one thing guaranteed is death but what form it takes is always beyond us. People of faith need to have a very firm belief in God Almighty, that at the end of the day it is through his will and it is for the betterment of mankind at large.

These are the statements of the laymen:

Natural and other disasters happen in this world NOT because God wills or plans them; God simply KNOWS that they will happen.

LJ German, Malta

I believe that God has everything in hands and that He permitted this disaster to happen in order to punish human beings for their sins and for not believing in His Son Jesus that will come back soon to judge us all according to our deeds. So I believe that we have to give these events the proper attention to avoid them happening again.

George Tudor, Romania

I am a Muslim but I feel that whenever a natural disaster strikes a poor country the loss of life is enormous but a similar disaster taking place in a rich country the loss comparatively is very small. I always ask why God is playing games with the lives of the poor?

M. Rashid Diwan, UK

I am a Christian, a Catholic for that matter, and I cannot replace my faith with anything and still remain myself. I am myself because I believe in the Christian God manifested by Jesus Christ. I am at a loss to understand the logic, reason or any justification for the Tsunami disaster being allowed to happen by any righteous Being. Can you help. I cannot abandon my Christian faith and still remain being myself, I can't.

Cyprian Lunga, Russia

The tremendous response to this disaster shows to me that there is good in the world, and where there is good, there is God - whichever faith you express your beliefs through. We are all temporary inhabitants of a majestic and wonderful earth, which we should learn to respect and nurture. Unfortunately such disasters are inevitable in nature - we can only predict, plan for and respond to them. My thoughts are with the relatives of all those people who have been killed or injured; may they gain peace through whichever faith they choose to follow.

Paul King, UK

I wish that we would not interpret these natural phenomena in terms of faith. The world would be a much better place with fewer religious interpretations. You can see this from the utter failure to expalin tragedies in the terms described in your article.

Harshad Bhadeshia, UK

As a Muslim I would say that by looking in the Tora, the Bible, the Quran and other holy scriptures, mass disasters and destructions have continued to happen on nations and the tsunami is no different and a reflection is needed on society and our way of life. As god says, I send things down on you as a warning so that you may ponder and change your ways.

Hassan, UK

From a Muslim point of view I agree with Iqbal Sacranie, we must remember our goals in life - for death can strike at any time and we won't be prepared for it.

Usayd Younis, UK

Humans were given free will to use. Unfortunately it is too often abused. Tragedies like this are down to mankind and the response of humanity by the majority will help to come to terms and exercise our greatest instinct which is survival.

Tim McMahon, Pennar, Wales

It doesn't matter that one religion believes it was an Act of Judgement or another believes it to be part of the never ending, always changing cirlce of life. What matters is that people just continue to HAVE faith - to believe that everything happens for a reason, whether religious or not, and if faith in a god is beyond you, simply believe in the human spirit. This last week has proved without doubt that the human spirit is a strong and hopeful creature and that by finally banding together with a common purpose can we create a world where beliefs and faith s are tolerated and used to raise our awareness. And in case anyone is wondering, I'm a Pagan.

Jane Gorton, UK

Frankly, I find these arguments/explanations/justifications incredibly pathetic. It's almost frightening; the amount of rationalization and evasions which people will deliberately resort to in order to maintain their crusading irrationalism, and avoid what is self-evident. Almost 160,000 people have been killed, millions more are homeless and vulnerable to diseases, and god knows how many more will die. All those freakinkg religionists can do is tell people to "pray" and "thank their almighty and omnibenevolent cosmic bureaucrat". What's more insulting is that innocent humans are blamed again--as they always are--because they are free will possessing low-lives. I wonder what it is those Environmentalists think now of their all-loving and conscious "Mother Nature" which they wish everyone to worship... And what would happen if there weren't industrialized nations like the U.S to provide aid for all those people who were being destroyed by "Mother Nature"? What if there weren't fuel consuming ships, airplanes, and helicopters to help with transportation? What if there weren't any medcine to help save the sick and dying?????? But I guess these question are not to be asked, let alone be answered. These damn irrationalists are so inconsistent. They claim to hate money and Capitalism but they were the ones screaming at the U.S government to provide more money for the victims of the disaster...as if money, medcine, ships and planes were grown from trees by "Mother Nature".

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I wonder what it is those Environmentalists think now of their all-loving and conscious "Mother Nature" which they wish everyone to worship...

I advice you to go to this site to have a look at the arguments of the environmentalists.

It is the third image.

Link

They are blaming humans for their "sin" of polluting Mother Nature.

On some forums, I have even seen arguments that a nuclear submarine by America burst and caused the blast. :D

That's right! America is responsible for every wrong in the world. :D

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The sad thing is, the tsunami can't be rationalized away by global warming, pollution, etc. It was caused by an earthquake, which is not on the same level per se as a hurricane or a tornado. Of course, this will not stop them from proclaiming that humans are to blame for this tsunami. Truth and rationality never mattered much to environmentalists.

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That's right! America is responsible for every wrong in the world...
It was caused by an earthquake, which is not on the same level per se as a hurricane or a tornado. Of course, this will not stop them from proclaiming that humans are to blame for this tsunami. Truth and rationality never mattered much to environmentalists.
When I am in one of my darker moods, I can imagine the United States as having a machine to send a pulse through the earth to dislodge a tectonic plate thus causing it to shift, cause an earthquake, generate a tsunami, and hit'em below the belt. Maybe I read too much stuff like THIS. As far as providing money to them, this just plays into the hands of the intenational banking cartel, the ones who own/control the Federal Reserve.
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May God/Allah/Buddha/Brahma/Zeus--if they exist--save us from those who believe in them, because I find all this somewhat frightening. You'd think this were 2005 and people should be thinking like 21st century humans, not mindless Ice-Age brutes. The world really is in danger if these trends don't change.

PS: Thanks for the link Edison.

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