My God Doesn't Make Tornadoes
Preaching
Lions And Cows Dining Together
And 111 Other Sermon Ideas
Object:
Purpose Statement: We need to stop blaming God for natural calamities.
Inevitably, following a natural disaster such as a tornado, earthquake, or flood, some Christian pastor or layperson will make a remark citing God as responsible. They may say, "We don't know why God destroyed that community, but He (sic) must have had some good reason." Such misguided or twisted theology is good reason for the need to have sound religious education. Such statements reflect a more conservative theology. Fundamentalists tend to blame God for terrible destruction and loss of life.
a. Tornadoes cause theological confusion. They do more than physical damage and destroy lives; they can be seriously misunderstood, theologically. When God is blamed for taking many lives through a natural disaster, some Christians have even abandoned their faith. They say they cannot believe in nor worship such a cruel god. We have all heard of parents who lost a child in a flood or other natural disaster and because they have been raised theologically to believe that God was responsible, they "cursed God" and gave up their faith, exactly what Job's wife told him to do (Job 2:9). Other Christians, less angry or bitter, may only be confused concerning the nature of God and God's love. Who is worse off, the person who believes something unconscionable about God, or the person who becomes angry and gives up the faith?
b. Tornadoes are not "warnings" or "lessons." If any explanation is ever offered by a well-meaning pastor or other Christian as to why God would do something disastrous, it usually sounds like this:
1. "God is punishing us for our sins." This means the people who died were very wicked and we survived because we aren't as sinful or we just haven't gotten ours yet. The truth is we are punished for our sins, not by floods and tornadoes. Punishments may come as heart disease for the sin of not taking care of our bodies or automobile accidents for the sin of not driving carefully. But God had nothing to do with it. It is a cause and effect consequence "built into the nature of life."
Or we may be told,
2. "This is a warning from God to repent and turn back to God." God does not plan and cause intentional tragedy to teach us lessons. God does not send a tornado and kill a few people to wake the rest of us up. That would be like a parent coaxing their little child's favorite puppy into the street where the neighbor was instructed to run over it with their car to teach the child how dangerous crossing streets can be. Of course, lessons can be gleaned from tragic events, but they were not sent intentionally for such a purpose.
c. Tornadoes aren't created by God. If God doesn't make tornadoes, who does? God created nature as a part of the world and set it free. Hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters happen as events in nature and are not inherently evil. They are not bad unless we get in the way. Similarly, God created us and set us free to do what we choose, and this may entail doing evil to others. It is not God doing the evil; it is simply possible in the world. (See sermon C-1, "What On Earth Is God Doing?" for related ideas.)
This fundamentalist theology probably comes from such stories as the flood in Genesis. People misunderstanding God, and God's connection with the disaster, attributed the flood to God. The theology of that age made God responsible for everything. This is inconsistent with the concept of a loving parent-God found in other parts of scripture, primarily the teachings of Jesus. John 9:1-3 tells us God did not punish a man for his sin by causing him to be blind.
See related scripture in the Apocrypha, The Wisdom Of Solomon 1:12-15; 11:17-26.
Inevitably, following a natural disaster such as a tornado, earthquake, or flood, some Christian pastor or layperson will make a remark citing God as responsible. They may say, "We don't know why God destroyed that community, but He (sic) must have had some good reason." Such misguided or twisted theology is good reason for the need to have sound religious education. Such statements reflect a more conservative theology. Fundamentalists tend to blame God for terrible destruction and loss of life.
a. Tornadoes cause theological confusion. They do more than physical damage and destroy lives; they can be seriously misunderstood, theologically. When God is blamed for taking many lives through a natural disaster, some Christians have even abandoned their faith. They say they cannot believe in nor worship such a cruel god. We have all heard of parents who lost a child in a flood or other natural disaster and because they have been raised theologically to believe that God was responsible, they "cursed God" and gave up their faith, exactly what Job's wife told him to do (Job 2:9). Other Christians, less angry or bitter, may only be confused concerning the nature of God and God's love. Who is worse off, the person who believes something unconscionable about God, or the person who becomes angry and gives up the faith?
b. Tornadoes are not "warnings" or "lessons." If any explanation is ever offered by a well-meaning pastor or other Christian as to why God would do something disastrous, it usually sounds like this:
1. "God is punishing us for our sins." This means the people who died were very wicked and we survived because we aren't as sinful or we just haven't gotten ours yet. The truth is we are punished for our sins, not by floods and tornadoes. Punishments may come as heart disease for the sin of not taking care of our bodies or automobile accidents for the sin of not driving carefully. But God had nothing to do with it. It is a cause and effect consequence "built into the nature of life."
Or we may be told,
2. "This is a warning from God to repent and turn back to God." God does not plan and cause intentional tragedy to teach us lessons. God does not send a tornado and kill a few people to wake the rest of us up. That would be like a parent coaxing their little child's favorite puppy into the street where the neighbor was instructed to run over it with their car to teach the child how dangerous crossing streets can be. Of course, lessons can be gleaned from tragic events, but they were not sent intentionally for such a purpose.
c. Tornadoes aren't created by God. If God doesn't make tornadoes, who does? God created nature as a part of the world and set it free. Hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters happen as events in nature and are not inherently evil. They are not bad unless we get in the way. Similarly, God created us and set us free to do what we choose, and this may entail doing evil to others. It is not God doing the evil; it is simply possible in the world. (See sermon C-1, "What On Earth Is God Doing?" for related ideas.)
This fundamentalist theology probably comes from such stories as the flood in Genesis. People misunderstanding God, and God's connection with the disaster, attributed the flood to God. The theology of that age made God responsible for everything. This is inconsistent with the concept of a loving parent-God found in other parts of scripture, primarily the teachings of Jesus. John 9:1-3 tells us God did not punish a man for his sin by causing him to be blind.
See related scripture in the Apocrypha, The Wisdom Of Solomon 1:12-15; 11:17-26.
