The Alexander City Outlook

‘God’s wrath’ shouldn’t be politicized

Disasters, whether they are natural or man-made, often bring out the best in people. Each of us, with a little work searching the memory banks, can recall instances where someone exhibited heroic behavior in a crisis situation.

Unfortunately, disasters also have the tendency to bring out the worst in people. For example, some folks take advantage of a tragedy by looting, robbing and stealing as much as they can. Obviously, an individual behaving this way, especially when others are suffering, is a sorry, selfish person that should be thrown under the jail.

However, there’s another type of scoundrel I believe deserves at least an equal amount of our disdain. I’m referring to a person who uses a disaster to promote a social or political agenda. Two examples who fit this category are Pat Robertson and Ted Turner, an unlikely combination if there ever was one.

Robertson, a famous Christian evangelist and broadcaster, has made a number of ill-advised comments over the years. Shortly after hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in 2005, he claimed God was punishing America for its alleged sins. The specific sin he had in mind was legalized abortion.

Now, I’m not claiming abortion is right or wrong. What I am saying is Robertson’s “wrath of God” explanation, which he used to promote his brand of politics, is just wrong-headed. In my opinion, anyone who claims they know the infinite will of God in catastrophic circumstances is treading on dangerous ground.

Robertson has made other kooky statements over the years. His claim that the earthquake in Haiti was caused by the Haitian people’s “pact with the Devil,” supposedly made when they were successfully overthrowing French rule in 1804, is the most recent example.

Because of Robertson’s political leanings, many media commentators have used his remarks as examples of conservative idiocy. However, recent declarations by Ted Turner prove that idiotic statements are not limited to those on the right side of the political spectrum.

In a recent interview, Turner, the founder of CNN, was discussing the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. While conversing about the effects the spill would have on the environment, Turner suddenly claimed that God had a hand in the disaster and was in effect sending us a message. “I’m just wondering if God is telling us he doesn’t want us to drill offshore,” he said.

Here we have another example of the “wrath of God” explanation. This time it’s meant to promote liberal environmental concerns.

Just like the abortion issue, I’m not claiming these liberal issues are right or wrong. Rather, I’m saying using God’s name to promote a political belief, whether conservative or liberal, is just plain wrong.

If the likes of Robertson and Turner would stop interpreting disasters in terms of “God’s wrath” for political purposes and start worrying about God’s plan for their own lives, they both would have a tremendous impact on themselves and those around them.

Now that’s a heroic example worth remembering.

But, that’s probably too much to ask from people who are probably more interested in fame and fortune than really changing the world for the better.