Editor, Times-Union: What a tragedy for us to see in our time the effects of hurricane Katrina: To see that a state in our very well-developed union would experience such devastation; to fathom that the people from these states will be called refugees - a name that we generally reserve for the homeless of third-world countries. And on top of that, we face the barrage of the blame-game and shaming of our country.
Many have spoken out that God has poured out his wrath and judgment on New Orleans. I do not see how this could be the case. If God were to pass judgment on a city of wickedness, then it would be wiped off the face of the earth! New Orleans would not be mostly damaged with survivors returning to their city, but it would be completely gone. No survivors, no living thing remaining to inhabit that city ever again. Take for example Sodom and Gomorrah, cities destroyed by God which were completely consumed and left desolate. Evidence of their existence has only recently been uncovered by archeologists. New Orleans has not been erased like Sodom and Gomorrah were.
I also think that saying this hurricane is specifically punishing a city is dangerous. If hurricanes are one of God's weapons of judgment, how can we discern which is his judgment and which is the random combination of warm and cold air? Christians who ascribe to God causing the destruction of New Orleans by this hurricane are not very different from radical Muslims who attribute to Allah the collapse of the Twin Towers. Each sees the devastation as the judgment of their God on the sinful inhabitants. They are both accomplishing the same objective: To kill, destroy, and spread terror to all. This is dangerous because not only are they claiming to know God's mind, but also turning God into a weapon of mass destruction.
So, why did Katrina hit the Gulf Coast and cause such severe devastation in New Orleans? Because hurricanes are natural. They clean up the coastline, and it freshens the water in those areas. Also, the massive flooding in New Orleans was not a question of "if" but "when." The city had been built below sea level and was unprepared for a natural disaster of this magnitude.
Finally, I would like to address the use of scripture by many to support their case against New Orleans. God used many prophets to show his people their evil ways and give them a chance to repent. Jesus fulfilled all of the prophecies made about him during his ministry on earth. There are also prophecies that have been written to be fulfilled in the future. Like Jesus, God will not need our political, monetary, or military support in order to fulfill prophecies. He is so much bigger than we are, and he can accomplish these prophecies miraculously.
Now Rita is headed to the Gulf. May our prayers (and not our judgments) be in abundance for these people.
Danielle Tomell Winona Lake, via e-mail
Better Parade Of Homes
Editor, Times-Union: Once again I went to the Kosciusko County Parade of Homes. And, yes, they are beautiful, well decorated, and full of great ideas. No complaint about what it is, more about what it isn't.
I have gone to the Elkhart County Homes on Parade the past two years. I like the way they do theirs. They have a map of several homes throughout the county you can drive to and walk through. Various homes in a wide range of prices, that you can visit free of charge. They also have eight or so homes in a new addition you can visit for a $5 fee. It would seem some builders in Kosciusko County are being left out of this chance to show people their work and get new business. Not everyone is wanting to build a $400,000 house. So it would be nice to see a wider range of builders, home sizes and home prices in our future Parade of Homes.
Dawn Doty Warsaw, via e-mail
See No Evil, Hear No Evil
Editor, Times-Union: This is in response to the previous letter titled "No Detail Needed." While the author of that letter may be disgusted with the newspaper for printing the details of a criminal act, I am disgusted that there are so few people out there who actually take a stand against deviant and criminal behavior. What that author refers to as smut, I refer to as reality. The problem is, there are too many people in this community and communities just like ours that prefer to live in denial. They prefer to close their eyes and ears to the violence around them and pretend that it doesn't exist. While this may help them cope with the negative in the world, it does nothing for those who have been forced to face it head on. If you find it offensive to read details about violence or victimization, you have the choice to take a stand against the violence or avoid the newspapers. Requesting that journalists avoid the details may make you feel better it but it does nothing to change the world we live in.
Steve Zorn Warsaw, via e-mail
God Does Kill And Destroy
Editor, Times-Union: In response to Kusserow's letter titled "God Doesn't Hate," Kusserow ignorantly supported her antagonist's view by misquoting the story surrounding Sodom and Gomorrah. Yes, God wiped out three cities during the Fire and Brimstone Tour. It was Abraham that haggled with God not to destroy the cities if there were 10 righteous, not "one" as Kusserow misquoted. Including Lot and his family, you could count the righteous on one hand with fingers missing. Evidently, there is no such thing as a righteous Sodomite "living a good and virtuous lifestyle" since God destroyed the cities not finding 10.
God destroyed many people "living a good and virtuous lifestyle," which is quite different than being righteous. God ordered that Achan and his entire family, sons, daughters, oxen, asses, sheep, tent and everything were to be burnt when Achan disobeyed God.
When the Ark of the Covenant was being moved it started to rock and when Uzzah put his hand on the Ark to steady it, God struck him dead.
God killed 50,610 men because they looked into the Ark of the Covenant.
God killed all of the first born in Egypt because of one man's stubbornness.
God wiped out the entire world except for Noah and his family.
God killed thousands of his own people by sending serpents to bite them for griping and complaining.
"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." The point being, sin hurts everyone. There is always collateral damage. To say God wouldn't or couldn't send a hurricane to kill his less-than-favored creation is theistically immature.
Whether or not God reigned hurricane on New Orleans is immaterial. Hurricanes happen and if God wanted to wreak havoc by hurricane, he certainly could. His ways are not our ways.
I personally feel that God gave us the rules and regulations on how to deal with those who blatantly sin and spit in God's face. Since we, as a society, have allowed organizations such as the ACLU, lawyers and the like to make God's laws of none effect, we deserve to live with the immoral and degenerate. Christians have dropped the ball when it comes to standing up when moral decay creeps in.
Had we stood up when we were supposed to, there would be no discussion about abortion, sodomite marriage, let alone homosexuality. Why should God do our dirty work by sending a hurricane? Regardless, it is our job to be ready when death knocks on our door. Whether it be by hurricane, terrorists, cancer, or even AIDS, if we are not ready and prepared, if we are not spiritually born into His family, hell is meant for you. Regardless of what civil liberties you think you have, when it comes time to stand before God and make an account for your sin, unless you have the Advocate of the Father on your side, the eternal death penalty awaits you whether you deem it unconstitutional or not.
