Did God plan Isaac to punish Republicans?

Will the far-right Christian ministers, pundits and politicians please tell us what to think already! We haven’t heard a peep from them since Issac appeared to be taking direct aim at Tampa, where the Republican convention is being held.

After the twin towers were hit on Sept. 11, 2001, it was very clear to the Rev. Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson that it was caused by God’s wrath. According to Fallwell, the blame went to the ACLU, the abortionists, “because God will not be mocked”, the pagans, the feminists, the gays and the lesbians, not to mention People for the American Way.”

“I totally concur,” said Robertson.

When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Pastor John Hagee of of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, was quick to jump in allowing that “what happened in New Orleans looked like the curse of God.” Why? Because, he explained, “Their plan to have a homosexual rally was a sin…it was a city that was planning sinful conduct.”

Shortly after a hurricane and earthquake struck the East coast a year ago, Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann clarified what was going on: “I don’t know how much God has to do to get the attention of the politicians,” she said. “We’ve had an earthquake; we’ve had a hurricane. He said, ‘Are you going to start listening to me here?’ Listen to the American people, because the American people are roaring right now. They know government is on a morbid obesity diet and we’ve got to rein in the spending.”

The Japanese earthquake and tsunami were, according to political commentator Glenn Beck, “a message being sent” by God. And the Haitian earthquake, according to Pat Robertson, struck because Haiti had a “pact with the devil.”

So how do we explain why Tampa is having a hurricane now and was forced to postpone the Republican convention for a day?

Happily, Bachman was able to point out the difference between last year’s acts of God and this year’s hurricane.

“At this moment in time,” she said,”we’re quite literally looking at a hurricane here in Florida. We’re looking at a political hurricane here in the country. We are looking at a spiritual hurricane in our land. And it is time for each one of us to show up and suit up and stand up and realize that in this time and in this day we pour it out for him.”

Unfortunately Bachmann is not a person of the cloth so her explanation of God’s reasoning doesn’t carry the same weight as might a minister or pastor .

I have several questions which I need to have somebody in authority explain:

How can you tell if God is angry?

If he is angry how do you know what he’s angry about?

How can you tell the difference between the wrath of God and an act of God?

If all of the other acts of God have been his vengeance, how can you evaluate the extent of his rage?

Was he madder in Sept. 11 than during Katrina?

Did he plan Isaac to punish the Republicans?

Is he less angry at the Republicans because the storm has steered clear of the Tampa Bay area and is aiming closer to New Orleans again?

Is it still about gays and lesbians?

Here’s a possibility: Maybe God was angry at the Republicans for their lack of commitment to the issue of global warming. Scientists say that the number of hurricanes and tornados, etc., is because of environmental issues. Those who are very conservative disagree. They believe that global warming is exaggerated. But many conservative Christians believe that the Earth is God’s creation. They are coming around to the idea that we should protect Earth for that reason.

Could the not-very-strong hurricane that aimed at Tampa for a while – but did not strike -- simply be God’s gentle reminder to the Republicans of his concern for his creation?

Just asking…..

Related links from On Faith:

-Romney’s high-wire act on religion

- Chat transcript: Is God angry with the GOP?

- Political slogans are not enough

- Cardinal Dolan, Sister Campbell to prayer at Democratic convention

Sally Quinn  | Aug 28, 2012 2:10 PM