Explaining Natural Disasters

PopeADope said:

I was indoctrinated to believe that such things were chastisements from God...at this time I'm not so sure about that.

The one good thing about natural disasters is they motivate people to Unity, charity, and good works. They also produce lots of Heroes.

Some religious folks argue that this life is a test, and the trials are too perfect us, help us grow in patience and virtue and Charity.

Disasters can also waken a person up and open their eyes to what's really important in this life and detach them from material possessions.

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Matthew 5:43-48

YmirGF said:

Prolly why he allowed Trump to get elected.

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I thought it was Satan who offered to give Jesus "all of the Kingdoms of the Earth?"

Quintessence said:

One of the purposes of religion - perhaps the major purpose religion - is to provide context and meaningfulness for the events we experience in our day-to-day lives. Religion helps us get the most out of our blessings and reconcile our banes. My country has been struck with a number of natural disasters in recent weeks, which has stirred up many dialogues seeking explanation and purpose behind these events. Our religions inform the stories we tell ourselves about these events, and the aim of this thread is to be a place to share those perspectives.

How does your religion help you reconcile natural disasters? Do you feel the guidance your religion has given you on these matters is adequate? Are there still some lingering questions you have about the purpose of it all?

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Natural disasters do not really equate to anything other than what they actually are. Not every natural disaster has a divine purpose behind it.

Quintessence said:

One of the purposes of religion - perhaps the major purpose religion - is to provide context and meaningfulness for the events we experience in our day-to-day lives. Religion helps us get the most out of our blessings and reconcile our banes. My country has been struck with a number of natural disasters in recent weeks, which has stirred up many dialogues seeking explanation and purpose behind these events. Our religions inform the stories we tell ourselves about these events, and the aim of this thread is to be a place to share those perspectives.

How does your religion help you reconcile natural disasters? Do you feel the guidance your religion has given you on these matters is adequate? Are there still some lingering questions you have about the purpose of it all?

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I speak from a religious background of one dedicated to mine and practising for only 37 years now. I wont say which I am but it may become apparent which as I go on. Strictly speaking from the Bibles view (after all its to do with religion) though I sympathise and empathise with your country's suffering such devastation - it confirms to me Jesus words of his prophecy of the last days. Mark 13 and Matthew 24 has extensive overall features but just take verse 7 For nations will rise against nation and kingdom (government) against kingdom and there will be food shortages and earthquakes in one place after another.
At times even religious clerics would say its Gods will - an idea that couldn't be further from the truth. James 1:13 When under trial let no one say "I am being tried by God'" For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he himself try anyone.
One of the biggest proofs is how extensively Gods message that Jesus started while on earth is being spread in the last days. Matthew 24:14 And this good news of the Kingdom (Matthew 6:9, 10) will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations and then the end will come. The message is available in over 800 languages now in over 240 lands.
Consider why things are happening - who knows what the answers are? Should it not be religions and be explained in a logical reasonable way? Why are these things happening? What's the end result of this "good news?" Revelation 7:9 says After this I saw a great crowd which no man was able to number out of ALL nations and tribes and peoples and tongues standing before the throne and the Lamb......
Sadly Jesus said most people would choose to ignore the obvious signs and go about as if they were. He linked when Noah preached the end of the known world of human kind to ours in Matthew 24:37 - 39. he said - they took no note verse 39.
Next time someone calls on your door ask them your question. Or go to jw.org for answers. Kind regards

I think that natural disasters are simply that, though I do think that there are Occult means means of swaying the odds on a microscopic level.

YmirGF said:

Prolly why he allowed Trump to get elected.

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There's some truth to this concerning those that voted for him.

I see natural disasters as having natural causes. In terms of their impact on the meaning one gives to oneself and life, I see them as helping us to see ourselves and life in a realistic perspective. To me, the more realistic you can be about yourself and life, the better you are in a position to deal with your ego in a skillful manner.

Quintessence said:

One of the purposes of religion - perhaps the major purpose religion - is to provide context and meaningfulness for the events we experience in our day-to-day lives. Religion helps us get the most out of our blessings and reconcile our banes. My country has been struck with a number of natural disasters in recent weeks, which has stirred up many dialogues seeking explanation and purpose behind these events. Our religions inform the stories we tell ourselves about these events, and the aim of this thread is to be a place to share those perspectives.

How does your religion help you reconcile natural disasters? Do you feel the guidance your religion has given you on these matters is adequate? Are there still some lingering questions you have about the purpose of it all?

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When mankind rejected God's theocracy, they also put themselves outside the sphere of his taking action to stop natural disasters. In the case of Sodom and Gomorrah, only Lot and his family were assisted to avoid death. The rest died in that disaster.

Quintessence said:

My country has been struck with a number of natural disasters in recent weeks, which has stirred up many dialogues seeking explanation and purpose behind these events. Our religions inform the stories we tell ourselves about these events, and the aim of this thread is to be a place to share those perspectives.

How does your religion help you reconcile natural disasters?

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By and large, I view "natural disasters" as the direct action of the gods here in the physical world; they are only disasters in that we get in their way, much like an ant mound being destroyed when we mow the lawn. We didn't set out to destroy the mound, but it happened anyways.

With these hurricanes, my view coincides with the scientific findings of man-made negative influences on climate change: Rán is pissed, as are other gods who's work has become that much more intense and impacting. Not so much they are angry at us, but more angry at the additional work that now must be done by natural forces (the gods) to balance the impact that we are making with how things should be. It's certainly not "divine retribution," I would say, but rather just an infuriated overtime of natural management.

YmirGF said:

I've never quite understood the need to explain such phenomena beyond that they are natural events.

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Because G-d controls everything except us humans.

crossfire said:

Matthew 5:43-48

48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.​

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Ohhh, so that's where the belief in perfection comes from.

Quintessence said:

How does your religion help you reconcile natural disasters? Do you feel the guidance your religion has given you on these matters is adequate? Are there still some lingering questions you have about the purpose of it all?

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My religion tells me that G-d controls everything but us. G-d wants us to choose the good and forbear the evil. However, if no one was ever in need, then we would have no opportunity to be charitable.

Also, we humans have no idea of the entirety of creation. We don't know why things happen or things don't happen, trying to guess is nothing but pointless speculation. Instead of beating your bosom and asking "Why me G-d?", it is more productive to do positive actions and seek G-d's help for your efforts.

Akivah said:

Because G-d controls everything except us humans.

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In actual fact no God doesn't control everything. Whether you believe what His Word says in 1 John 5:19 it says plainly "We know we originate with God (God is love, let us make man in our image Bible terms) but the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one."
Revelation 12:9, 12 "So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth, he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him. vs 12 On this account be glad, you heavens and you who reside in them! Woe for the earth and the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing that he has a short period of time."
The Bible tells us that Satan uses religion and politics as tools to mislead people. He has had thousands of years of practice and experience of deception.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers , disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps disguising himself as an angel of light. It is nothing extraordinary if his ministers also keep disguising themselves as ministers of righteousness. But their end will be according to their works."
Revelation 13 tells of that same dragon ie Satan giving his authority to a beast with unusual features. That beast stands for all political entities that have been "given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation." Above all this beast blasphemes Gods name and persecute those who try to live in accord with Gods requirements.
What is the end result Revelation 17:17 "For God put it into their heart to carry out his thought, yes, to carry out their one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast, until the words of God have been accomplished."
Revelation 16:14 "They are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons and they perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty. verse 16 says "Änd they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Armageddon."

Tina57 said:

In actual fact no God doesn't control everything. Whether you believe what His Word says in 1 John 5:19

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Aaaand that's why we don't agree, we are using two completely different bibles as our source material.