So, this talk guy on the radio was going over the cities in the U.S. most likely to be devastated by a natural disaster. The top of the list had San Francisco, as it is due for a big quake in the next 30 years. Second was New Orleans. He said a category 5 hurricane could flood most of the city, and probably would wipe the French Quarter off the map.
He seemed to be jokingly referring to those places as Dens of Iniquity, as if God's Ire was the reason those places were at risk of disaster.
Admittedly, I found that idea immediately risible. Surely, there are places as well known for their trespasses that are not due to be Smitten by God, though I couldn't really think of any, off the top of my head.
Now, since I have come to recently believe that there are no coincidences, how should I interpret that information? Should I assume that there is a God, and that He is actively planning to blast SF and other places on earth with large populations whose practices offend Him? Maybe I should, but *snort* It's incredibly unlikely that I will.
So, then, is it that people with a certain disregard for traditional 'rules' just naturally gather in dangerous places? That's closer to something I could believe.
It's probably too small a sample to draw any sort of conclusion. I arrived where I was going and turned off the radio.
Yet, it seemed like an idea you guys might find interesting.
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
It's a good think all the radio broadcast crackpots who presume to speak for God don't live in one city.
Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
I dunno, I heard home insurance premiums in the Hanover area spiked shortly after I moved in.
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
Vegas and Reno come to mind: legalized gambling, whoring, exploitation of kitties, etc. Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
*snort*
One good way to keep God from smiting you is to NOT go by the nickname "City of Sin". It's an insurance policy violation, if I'm not mistaken.
[ September 16, 2004, 02:48 PM: Message edited by: PSI Teleport ]
Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
Olive - if we accept that God, as the Supreme Being, is indeed unknowable and unfathomable by our merely human minds, He could obliterate a city in order to save an anthill and think it a Good Thing.
And it might very well be a Good Thing since it is hubris to assume the Creator Of All Things shares our perspectives on right, wrong and priority.
And since God does see the bigger picture that we cannot hope to, those of us with faith must trust in what He sees fit to allow or do.
Of course, coming from me, this is all tounge-in-cheek since I don't believe to begin with.
-Trevor
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
Maybe "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," even for God. Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
Damn you Karl, what have you been doing to those kitties?
-Trevor
Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
Why do I suddenly see an old guy in robes sitting down to enjoy a floor show between hitting the craps table?
-Trevor
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
On an interesting note, the Bible says that God told Abraham that he would not destroy Sodom if ten righteous men could be found.
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
There are a lot of really great people in Las Vegas.
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
: )
Posted by Olivetta (Member # 6456) on :
But he couldn't find them himself, lazy bastard. Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
Actually, the translation I have quotes him as saying, "If I find..."
Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
Well, I guess we now have to ask, how did he define "righteous?"
And naturally, what constitutes "living in the city?"
Did he account for people visiting family in another city but technically live in Sodom?
Gawd, semantics can be so much fun.
-Trevor
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
I think the first question is moot. If you are going on the assumption that God exists, for the purpose of this argument, then it doesn't matter if he defines righteousness as "good with a shovel".
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
I'm pretty good with a shovel! Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
quote: On an interesting note, the Bible says that God told Abraham that he would not destroy Sodom if ten righteous men could be found.
If I were Abraham, I would have said,"Um, aren't you the one that's supposed to be omniscient?"
Posted by Olivetta (Member # 6456) on :
I was joking. I used to be very religious, but sometimes I forget that I say things sometimes that I would have found insulting ten years ago. I'm sure he had his reasons, just as he did for instructing the Isrealites to commit genocide. I just don't find his methods overy sympathetc, that's all. Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
Well, I can call into question how hard he looked and by what criteria he used to judge (evaluate?) the people contained therein.
And I can then challenge his definition as being unreasonable and an improper standard to apply to such a city.
-Trevor
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
This is a very dehumanizing argument. What it is saying is that if you just live in a given city, then you are an evil sinner waiting for God's wrath.
And if your city is hit by a Hurricane, then you must have deserved it.
To put it in other words, I believe God is a much better marksman than what this radio talkshow geek implies. If he wanted to punish the sinners, they would be punished. Nature and Man create collateral damage. God does not.
Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
Doesn't surprise me Sara - you can dish it out with the best of us.
Olive - I kinda figured you were. I just felt the need to be absurd and run with it.
PSI is gonna hammer me sooner or later though.
-Trevor
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
Storm, the obligatory answer to that is that God already new how many there were and that he was going to end up destroying it.
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
Trevor: While I am usually serious about my posts on God, I'm joking about God taking out certain cities. If something you say about God really offends me, I won't hammer you, I'll just ignore whatever it is you said.
So did you say something?
[ September 16, 2004, 03:17 PM: Message edited by: PSI Teleport ]
Posted by Olivetta (Member # 6456) on :
See, the thing is, God isn't really Omniscient. He was a lot like us, once. He's got this big project going, and we just don't understand it the way he does. He can't force us to do what he wants, but he can arrange things to make outcomes he wants more likely. He's totally devoted to this project-- it takes up all his time. He has no social life, though it is rumored that he has wife who looks after him.
I think God has Asperger's.
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
Posted by AmkaProblemka (Member # 6495) on :
Actually, I think there is probably a pretty rational explanation for it.
There is a big correlation between dense populations and criminal behavior. A number of factors are involved. There are higher stress levels for populations who are densly packed together. The easiest place to exploit people is where there are lots of people. The easiest place to find people with similar amoral interests would be where there are lots of people.
Now, a category 5 hurricane could hit anywhere in the gulf, right? And there is likely to be a large population center somewhere in the gulf. This happens to be New Orleans.
There is a likely natural disaster looming over every part of the earth. Salt Lake City has a very good chance of having a large earthquake hit within the next 25 years. They just don't list the places where not very many people live. Mount Saint Helen was a pretty devestating natural disaster, but it took relatively few lives because not many people lived there.
So the concurrance of evil city and wrath of God natural disaster is not a special case. The unique aspect is the 'evil city'. It is the imminent natural disaster that can be generally applied to nearly every place on earth. Any list generated by grouping together natural disasters likely to happen and the evil cities that happen to be near them is not proof that God disapproves.
[ September 16, 2004, 03:20 PM: Message edited by: AmkaProblemka ]
Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
PSI:
Olive - a very bizarre version of Tourette's? That would explain the periodic outbreaks of nature...
-Trevor
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
quote: I'm sure he had his reasons, just as he did for instructing the Isrealites to commit genocide. I just don't find his methods overy sympathetc, that's all.
So I take it you are not overly sympathetic to the state of Israel today?
Posted by Olivetta (Member # 6456) on :
The reason New Orleans is so at risk is because much of it is below sea level. I don't think, say, Mobile has that problem.
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
Amka has just buried us with her argument, Trevor.
(puns aside, excellent tight reasoning, Amka)
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
I wonder if the Bible Belt is due for any major devestation.
Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
I think she changes in mid-stride, but I'll have to read it again.
-Trevor
Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
I dunno PSI - ya think their faith needs testing?
-Trevor
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
I'm serious. Anything over there that's a concern? major tornados or something?
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
Is it devestation or defrocking? Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
I haven't heard anything, but we will be getting high rain, wind storms and possibly tornados as per the usual fallout from hurricanes making landfall.
But I don't think we're expecting any major problems, certainly not like Ivan and friends.
-Trevor
Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
I dunno, I'm sure there's a Catholic priest or two in need of a good frocking.
-Trevor
Posted by Olivetta (Member # 6456) on :
It is a bad situation, all around, and I am sympathetic to Isreal AND the diplaced and abused Palestinians.
However, it wasn't Isreal's genocidal failure that made this mess. God let His Chosen People get carried off to Babylon, and others moved in.
I don't think God is necessarily a Bad Guy. I just think He's kind of a jerk. Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
I think the Bible Belt is on the time payment plan, they just have really hot humid summers every year.
Posted by Happy Camper (Member # 5076) on :
Actually, the New Madrid Seismic zone is supposedly due to put out at least a Magnitude 6 earthquake by 2040 with a probability of 50-90%, and something like 2-5% that it will be at least Magnitude 8. For those who don't know, the New Madrid is located in SE Missouri, Western Tenn and Western KY. Since it is located where it is, the previous large quake (early 1800s) was felt as far away as upstate NY, and an unknown distance west. Also, since builders in the area don't frequently design for earthquake loading, such an event would be devastating.
[ September 16, 2004, 03:39 PM: Message edited by: Happy Camper ]
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
quote: I'm serious. Anything over there that's a concern? major tornados or something?
Isn't there an eerie similarity between the "Bible Belt" and "Tornado Alley"? Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
Olivia: Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
Happy Camper, since my house is perched on a long slope leading down to a minor river, both ontop of large caverns, all near the New Madrid fault, reminding me of this does not make me a happy camper.
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