Namaste
Yesterday, when I visited with Debby, she gave me two magazines published by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. One of these is self titled 'The Watch Tower Announcing Jehovah's Kingdom' has as its front page topic for December 'Natural Disasters: Punishment from God?' so I thought I might address that today.
First: do I believe that God punishes us? Well, that's easy, no. God doesn't punish us for God, Iswara, is eternally merciful and benevolent. Do we punish ourselves? Most definitely. The question that could also be asked is 'is karma punishment' but as karma is neither good nor bad it cannot punish (the common saying 'bad karma' is a misnomer for karma is merely the law of cause and effect).
So, are natural disasters a punishment from God? As I believe, put simply, no. Natural disasters happen. It is the interaction of the forces of nature that cause them and with disasters like the Japan earthquakes there is really nothing that could have been done. You can't prepare for quakes of that scale, not really.
And as for the people affected by these disasters, I firmly believe that it is part of their karma. However, I might hasten to add, just because it is karma at work that does not mean that people should not be helped and that they should not help themselves. Karma is not immovable. 'Bad' karmas can be prevented from sprouting just as 'good' karmas can be encouraged to flourish (or not) in this life.
But God does not punish. Even Ma Durga, riding out on her lion does not go out to punish the Asuras, but rather to guide us and teach us how to battle those impulses that rage within us so that we might open ourselves up to her more fully and accept her loving presence into our lives.
Let me say this again for it bears repeating. God does not punish.
Namaste,
ReplyDeleteI agree very much with you. I think God teaches us lessons and lets us learn by experience, but there is no vengeance or anger. Maa Durga was a great example you used; God truly is amazing!
Pranams!
The Western Yogini
@A Western Yogi It has always struck me as odd that people can believe in a deity that would punish you after such a brief time on this planet. If you were living in Africa or parts of Asia where Christianity and Islam have had no impact you would still be punished but that begs the question WHY.
ReplyDeleteGod has seen to it that you were born in a place where you would have no contact with the saving grace of these religions so why is GOD punishing you?
And that brings me to the belief that God already knows who will and will not be saved. That's just cruel and malicious.