GOD AND THE HAIYAN

There is no two same natural disasters but the question on 'why did this terrible, terrible thing happened to me?' is the one asked by all those who underwent the onslaught of natural or rather, 'God engineered' disasters anywhere in the world, be it the 2004 tsunami or earlier this week, the typhoon Haiyan.

In the days that followed the typhoon's deadly strike, survivors frantically search for missing loved ones and international aid organizations are doing their best to atone the desperate and horrific plight of the people of the Philippines.

So far, humans are left to help themselves.

As death toll climbs to 10,000 in the heavily Catholic country, many disillusioned and desolate people are asking,"How should we make sense of such senseless deaths and destruction?"

As the Bible hints, that God is in the whirlwind itself and Him being present in the aftermath of Haiyan or any natural disasters in the form of the people who mobilize to provide for the people who have practically lost everything, perhaps even their faith in God.

But, such happenings either strengthen the belief in god or shatters the belief in god in people, depending on how such disasters 'treat' them.

These questions of 'why' may not be new, but we keep asking them, perhaps because the answers remain so elusive.

A paradox sits at the epicenter of Americans, over their thinking about natural disasters. 56% of Americans believe that god is in control of everything, being omniscient.

But, according to a 2011 poll by the Public Religion Research Institute, more Americans blame hurricanes, earthquakes and other storms on global warming (58%) than on a wrathful and punishing deity (38%).

These kind of questions about God being in control and there simultaneously being suffering are the kind of things that keep seminarians up at night.

Thorny theological issues they are, contained in sensitivity.

The Bible's Psalm 107 says that “For (God) commands, and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves thereof. ... He turns rivers into a wilderness, and the water springs into dry ground."

But, most Americans have moved past the idea that God causes natural disasters.

When it comes to earthquakes and hurricanes, the assessing authorities are geologists and meteorologists and they are predominantly American.  

Most Americans now interpret these events not through the rumblings of the biblical prophet Jeremiah or the poetry of the Book of Revelation but through the scientific truths of air pressure, seismic activity and tectonic plates.

 Author and activist Sam Harris said that for atheists, storms like Haiyan are proof that God does not exist.

"Either God can do nothing to stop catastrophes like this, or he doesn’t care to, or he doesn’t exist. God is either impotent, evil or imaginary," Harris said after Japan's tsunami. "Take your pick, and choose wisely."

God could or could not be in withering storms but numerous religious leaders say that a perceived celestial presence in the wake of such turbulence as people help each other.

Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of the bestselling book "When Bad Things Happen to Good People," describes in his book why a good God would allow bad things to take place, calling nature 'an equal-opportunity destroyer', making no discrimination. 

Kushner said that he sees God's hand in the resilience of people whose lives have been destroyed and in the "goodness and generosity" of strangers who donate and pray for the survivors.

Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and best-selling author, said that there is no good answer as to why humans suffer, sometimes terribly in the first place.

"Each person has to come to terms with that," Martin said. "It’s not as if some magic answer can be found. But the idea of God suffering along with us can be very helpful."

Hinduism says karma is behind all this suffering and catastrophes. Sins committed in previous incarnations will be paid for in this birth and it is a cycle. The only way to escape this rebirths and recurring suffering, is to surrender oneself completely to God and unite with the divinity in Moksha (nirvana) by the soul which is indestructible and no more assuming births.

On the other hands, Muslims see natural disasters as tests from God. They believe that God tests those he loves and these tragedies is God's way to remind them to be grateful for all of our blessings and sentient that they must support those who are less fortunate.

From the Buddhism perspective, such storms remind people that their time on earth is not permanent so it is important to treasure every moment.

For some Haiyan typhoon survivors, God must seem a violent, merciless entity which wrecked their lives and for others, seeking solace in the name of God is their only comfort at the wake of this terrible tragedy. Some believe that the end is near. 

But, it won't be wrong to say that  the army, medical staff, humanitarian workers, rescue and relief crew from across the world must seem like they are God, which is palpable and reliable for the Haiyan survivors.

And, it won't also be wrong to say that god would only appear as a miracle worker for those survivors who are reunited with their loved ones, alive

Fritz Anosa who was reunited with his parents said:

"When I first saw them, I was just so happy that we all burst into tears. God, thank you for this big miracle."

God's grace.

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