I saw this post today about "why God allows natural disasters and tragedies". It was very thought provoking. I sat down and put my thoughts together on how I would respond to such a question. I posted a comment for the BBC but I fear it will be too long. So I have put down my response here. This is a question the world can't answer because they don't and can't understand God. Latter Day Saints don't have all the answers, but we have many because of the truths God has revealed to us through modern day revelation. I would invite you all to read this article from the BBC and share it with friends and family and then share your own response and testimony of God's love. If you have questions about anything I have said here, I would be happy to answer the best I can.
This is my attempt at a response:
Some look at tragedies like this and see the absence of God. I, however, can see God in the midst of such tragedy and destruction. God is manifested in the touching stories you hear of generosity, of service, and the small little miracles that are so often told for years after the tragedy.
The problem with this and other analyses on this subject is that they define God and His workings within the scope of man's very limited understanding. They use Man's flawed perspective of life (and death) to describe the actions of a perfect, all-knowing being and in so doing limit the life of the soul to just this time on Earth. He tells us, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Why does God allow natural disasters? Haiti is a very poor (and corrupt) place. A belief in God entails a belief in an afterlife. How do we know that God wasn't being merciful in letting those individuals escape a horrible life ahead by sending them to a better, happier place? How do we know God didn't stop the disaster from being worse than it was? How many tragedies has God prevented from happening? How many times have we been inspired to do something that saved someone from injury? Would we recognize those for the acts of God that they are? No. What evidence do you have that there is no God? that His hand isn't in the recovery effort?
Also moral goodness cannot exist without evil. Just as there can be no punishment without law. There must be opposition in all things. God knows what we are made of, perhaps he wants us to learn what we're made of. In a world where there is no sadness, tragedy, or evil, we wouldn't have that opportunity. I think most of us would agree that we grow the most during adversity. None of us have the answers, but, as the prophet Nephi of the Book of Mormon said “I know that God loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things” (1 Nephi 11:16–17) God alone has "taken upon him our infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people”.
This is my attempt at a response:
Some look at tragedies like this and see the absence of God. I, however, can see God in the midst of such tragedy and destruction. God is manifested in the touching stories you hear of generosity, of service, and the small little miracles that are so often told for years after the tragedy.
The problem with this and other analyses on this subject is that they define God and His workings within the scope of man's very limited understanding. They use Man's flawed perspective of life (and death) to describe the actions of a perfect, all-knowing being and in so doing limit the life of the soul to just this time on Earth. He tells us, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Why does God allow natural disasters? Haiti is a very poor (and corrupt) place. A belief in God entails a belief in an afterlife. How do we know that God wasn't being merciful in letting those individuals escape a horrible life ahead by sending them to a better, happier place? How do we know God didn't stop the disaster from being worse than it was? How many tragedies has God prevented from happening? How many times have we been inspired to do something that saved someone from injury? Would we recognize those for the acts of God that they are? No. What evidence do you have that there is no God? that His hand isn't in the recovery effort?
Also moral goodness cannot exist without evil. Just as there can be no punishment without law. There must be opposition in all things. God knows what we are made of, perhaps he wants us to learn what we're made of. In a world where there is no sadness, tragedy, or evil, we wouldn't have that opportunity. I think most of us would agree that we grow the most during adversity. None of us have the answers, but, as the prophet Nephi of the Book of Mormon said “I know that God loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things” (1 Nephi 11:16–17) God alone has "taken upon him our infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people”.
2 comments:
so good ...gave me chills!
I loved that Mckay. What wonderful counsel and perspective that few ever have thought about. It's so true that in the tradgedies come the selfless acts of service and in Haitis case from thruout the world. Thanks for the inspiring words.
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