of the fierce wrath of God

The only thing on the news is the situation in Haiti. The bulk of individuals' responses to the suffering is an outpouring of prayer (for missionaries, for those hurt, for recovery, etc) and financial support. A few have been expressing great sorrow and struggling (yet again) with how a loving God allows suffering in the world. And not surprisingly, people like Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh say Haiti was asking for it.

The outrage from Christians against Pat and Rush is somewhat surprising to me. There is an immediate expression of rage, and a declaration that most Christians don't agree with these buffoons, and that God is a loving God and this is just a senseless tragedy. But I almost feel as if their reaction is not out of some righteous anger at bad theology, but rather simply to distance themselves from an unpopular opinion. I don't know if Christian outrage at Robertson's and Limbaugh's comments are because they so dislike the theology of their remarks, or because they don't want to be associated with unpopular people.

But let's say it was because they disagree with the theology. I don't think the theology is wrong. Throughout the Old Testament, God strikes down not just people, but whole nations who defy Him and mock His ways. In Revelation, the prophecies of what will happen to the nations that are against God are clear. It is an immensely unpopular opinion to say that a loving God who sent His Son to die because He so loved the world is the same God who is quite capable of sending disasters to strike down His enemies. Many Christians state that vengeance is the Lord's and that they can't wait until He rains down justice. But then when something horrible happens, they squirm and wonder how God reconciles suffering with love. Just like Pat and Rush shouldn't speak for all Christians on what God's intent was behind massive disasters, I'm thinking maybe the Christians who disagree with their positions shouldn't either.