Mark's Remarks
Let me also go on record as saying that Mr. Robertson is a shmuck and an idiot. While I myself think that both intelligent design and evolution should be taught as dueling and even cooperating philosophies in our schools (whatever happened to exposing students to different ideas?), saying that people should expect God to wreak havoc is far and away over the top.
But, just to show how whacky Pat is, let's take his argument at face value. Let's say that the people in this town ticked God off. Let's say he got really fired up and issued forth a flood or a disaster of some kind. Why would God do that? Is he a lowly seeker of vengeance? Mr. Robertson would have to look no further than the Bible he claims to read to get the answer: how many times were tragedies visited on the Israelites? Hmm? And was the purpose just vengeance? Never! The purpose was to make the israelites understand that they had done wrong, and to get them to, TURN TO God, not to realize, well, God doesn't want to speak to us. Checkmate, Mr. Robertson!
Now, before you say, Mark thinks God is going to punish these people to get them to turn to him, he is just as crazy as Robertson, let me say this: my understanding of a post-crucifixion God is that He doesn't work that way anymore, exactly. My understanding is that God will not blatantly will a tragedy to happen just to turn people to Him. I believe that God will use unfolding time and events to try to sway people, but not simply to revenge Himself on the people. I think God uses our tragedies as wakeup calls to get us to see the greater Truth of things. I dont think God works in the Old Testament way so much anymore, which is not to say that miracles do not occur, but rather that the vengeful part, well, let's just say that is being saved for another day.
Of course, since Pat Robertson has hanged out repeatedly at the White House, GWB will get Karl Rove on his weather machine to tear the place down, right tin foil hat people?
