“I wonder why we define tragedies in terms of guilt, blaming ourselves for being immoral and deserving God’s wrath.” The difficulty is for Jews and Christians who take the Bible as God’s word then the reason for the tendency you note is because the Bible so often explains natural catastrophes in terms of God’s punishing people for their sins. As you say, hindsight makes it easier to have a sense of what was/was not God’s will (by comparing the events and outcomes with scripture, for example) but what do we do while we are in the moment? That is the struggle.

Oh and you said, “Trying to figure out ‘his will for our lives’ is kind of Calvinistic.” Not really. If you are a hard core predestination it is ALL God’s will for our lives. (How can I get a smiley with the tongue in cheek?)

Trying to figure out “his will for our lives” is kind of Calvinistic. We’re forced to play a guessing game, tormenting ourselves, worrying whether we’re doing the right thing, whether God approves. So we ask all our friends, mentors and counselors what they think, which is actually a smart thing to do. But I think the truth is that we’re afraid to commit to a certain path and take personal responsibility for our actions. Decisions are personal choices, actions and reactions with serious consequences. We find comfort in knowing that God is in control no matter what the outcome, and that our friends are there to support us.

Re: natural disasters, I think they’re just catastrophic events. Unfortunately the most disadvantaged members of society ended up stuck in Katrina’s path, or without sufficient warning as with the Tsunami. Nature doesn’t discriminate. Society does a good enough job of that.

I wonder why we define tragedies in terms of guilt, blaming ourselves for being immoral and deserving God’s wrath. There could be a correlation between immoral lifestyle, lower economic status, high-risk geographic location, lack of preparedness (Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah versus Abraham in the Mountains), but that’s assuming poverty is the result of someone’s immorality (evil) and not simply an ugly bi-product of capitalism – it may be both.

If God uses the balance of nature through these catastrophic events as an instrument to punish, they are no longer natural but become supernatural even in a passive sense. They take on a moral persona yet must by default be good because God is good, despite the extensive loss of life.

I’m struggling with the idea of God and what we should expect of him, if anything at all. Since I don’t live on a major fault, in the shadow of a volcano, or in a hurricane’s path, chances are I’ll be blessed with some extra time to figure it out.

By the way, I have a feeling that you are very nice fellow.

These disasters are tests. Can you persevere with me through my trials? Christ asks.

Period.

Having persevered through numerous trials personally, I just wish you the best in your tribulations.

Yours truly,
D. Ox
http://thomistic.blogspot.com