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TO BLAME GOD OR TO DENY GOD'S EXISTENCE, THAT IS NOT THE QUESTION...

In times of great natural disasters, we can either blame God or say there is no God to explain the unjust human suffering...

But when all is well, and "acts/judgments of God" (most likely withdrawals of God's hand of protection) have only minimally harmed and not destroyed cities built in precarious zones for the past 200 or so years since America's beginnings, our human tendency is to take for granted the mercy, protection and grace we have been receiving all these years. We continue either shaking our fists at God, denying His existence, and/or living precariously and/or in a thankless or hedonistic manner...

In view of a couple hundred years of AMAZING preservation of a historic U.S. city (whether New Orleans, Los Angeles, California, etc) in a disaster-prone area, and thousands to millions of years of naturally inexplicable (more likely supernatural) preservation of life on Earth since its ancient beginnings - that is, we've been MIRACULOUSLY spared (probability-speaking) a major catastrophic asteroid, planet or comet collision in millenia upon millenia - should we not for a moment reflect on how shortsighted and ungrateful it is to curse God or deny the existence of the Creator when a major calamity strikes?

The cynical responses of believers and non-believers alike simply proves God's allegations that we are indeed sinners, shortsighted about His goodness and Providence in our lives, and who all fall short of His glory, and simply cannot comprehend the riches of His mercy and grace when times have been well...

You may say people are the ones ultimately helping people, and God is "asleep at the wheel". But do you also see that people are also inspired, moved to compassion and guided by the love and hand of God to help others? Human compassion and love of neighbor itself proves we are instruments and vessels of God, and subject to His leading, unlike instinct-led animals. However, as the New Orleans tragedy also revealed, we can also cloud God's Providence and become even more cruel and reprobate than beasts by succumbing to our evil and selfish desires...

So, why such pride/offense about acknowledging God? Acknowledge God more, ask Him to bring out even more good in you (by His life-giving Holy Spirit), and you can receive even more strength, opportunity and grace to help your fellow human being - more than you could ever do with your own resources...