Speak of the devil
Thank God the flap and furor over American televangelist Pat Robertson's "pact with the devil" comments have faded into the background and the rebuilding of earthquake stricken Haiti is now front and centre. But the underlying question of spiritual reasons for "natural disasters" persists. Where is God (or the devil) when the earth shakes, when waters rise or fires devour homes? What is natural? What is human caused? What is determined in some mysterious beyond?
In a television commentary the day after an earthquake devastated the island nation on January 12, Robertson explained that the Haitian slave revolt of 1804 was the result of a deal with devil. "They were under the heel of the French," he said. "They got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, 'We will serve you if you will get us free from the French.' True story. And so the devil said, 'okay, it's a deal.' And they kicked the French out; the Haitians revolted and got themselves free. But ever since they have been cursed by one thing after the other."
Robertson's shaky grip of Haitian history was both hotly disputed and widely disdained. A helpful letter from Bishop Gerry Seal, general secretary and CEO of the Evangelical Association of the Caribbean, acknowledges that there certainly was a time of prayer at the time of the rebellion. "But it is difficult for me to take the available evidence and turn it into a demonic contract. Indeed, the oral traditions that preserved the prayer indicate the prayer was addressed to God." Seal goes on to suggest that "this satanic covenant idea is perhaps one of those statements that have taken on the aura of an urban legend."
The further implications of Robertson's commentary—that the earthquake was divine retribution on a wicked people—were also troublesome to many. But at least this concern isn't Haiti specific. In the wake of major disasters these kinds of questions arise like mosquitoes in a Manitoba summer. Wherever you find natural disaster and human misery, you will also find God talk and finger pointing. When New Orleans succumbed to the waves, the hedonistic heartbeat of the city was blamed for its destruction. You can pretty well predict the commentary when a big earthquake hits San Francisco. We use the language of "godforsaken" to describe any arena of human misery.
On the other hand, you can almost always find plenty of "natural" explanations for natural disasters. People living in the shadow of a volcano shouldn't be utterly surprised by a flow of molten lava. Cities built on flood plains will experience the periodic deluge. Countries on tectonic fault lines are apt to be shaken. This is earth science.
But the question lingers: does God cause natural disasters in order to accomplish divine ends? Perhaps it might be more helpful to suggest that God will use even these devastating situations to draw people closer to Him. This is what both Pat Robertson and Bishop Seal are angling for. "Out of this tragedy, I'm optimistic something good may come. Right now we're helping the suffering people and the suffering is unimaginable," said Robertson in the same commentary that landed him in hot water.
Seal carries it further. "Does Haiti have an opportunity to develop a transformed nation?" he asks. "With the help of the world pouring into Haiti, surely we can build new and effective governmental structures, better schools and hospitals, efficient electrical and telephone systems, habitable housing for all, delivery systems for potable water and a system of roads that will facilitate economic development," he writes.
"Let us pray that Haiti will move quickly from disaster relief to national construction, and that those who make the decisions will be endowed with divine wisdom to make decisions that will lead to a successful Caribbean nation replacing the almost failed state that Haiti had become. Pray also that the system of corruption that has seemed inherent in Haiti would have perished in the earthquake."
Pray for Haiti and give generously for its restoration. Give the devil his due, but no more. The laws of nature, the foibles of humanity and the ways of God are also there to see.
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