Platform : Was the Temblor God’s ‘Judgment’?

Dr. R. L. HYMERS

Pastor, Fundamentalist Baptist Tabernacle, Los Angeles

God’s judgment has fallen on Los Angeles much in the same way it did on the Egyptian people in the Book of Exodus. Ten judgments fell on the Egyptians for their persecution of the Hebrews and their rejection of God.

I feel we’ve had five similar judgments on Southern California in the last several years for sin. We are in the seventh--though not consecutive--year of drought. In the Bible, that is associated with judgment. We’ve had a riot. We’ve had a fire in Malibu among the elite who escaped the riot. We have an AIDS epidemic which in my judgment is sent from God. And we’ve had an earthquake.

The Rev. DARREL ROMMEL

Pastor, Joy Christian Fellowship, Irvine

It’s kind of a sad message that anyone would lay the blame for an earthquake or happening such as that on God.

It would seem He would be very contradictory if He sent His son to save the world and the people of the world--to pay the price for our sin--if we then turned around and said He came because of sin and brought destruction and earthquake or AIDS or whatever. The word of God clearly says in the Book of John that Jesus came to bring life abundantly to the people, but the thief--meaning Satan--has come to kill, steal and destroy. God would be undoing the thing He said very clearly in His word.

Our standpoint and, I believe, the evangelical Christian Church standpoint would be that the earthquake would not be the work of the God who created the world. It would be the work of the god of this world which, the New Testament clearly says, is Satan.

The Rev. MARJ BRITT

Minister, Unity Church of Tustin

I don’t believe God is a wrathful God. I believe God is a loving God who moves in and through our lives as love, ever pulling us forward into all that we are.

What makes sense to me is that there are cycles in our experience of life going over many centuries and generations. God moves through our lives in ways that an experience we perceive in one moment of catastrophe can open to us realms of potential that we perhaps have not even dreamed of.

Even in the most difficult experiences, there are opportunities if we are willing to see with “new eyes.” Life on this planet is about learning, forgiving and becoming.

The Rev. PATRICIA GREIG BENNETT

Rector, St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Pasadena

Is this the wrath of God? That’s not what I got out of my congregation. The question was, “Is God trying to tell us who’s in charge?”

We’re not promised a Garden of Eden. The planet we live on is live, not dead. Earthquakes happen. The East is suffering severe cold. The Midwest is being ravaged by floods. I grew up in the Northeast; we had hurricanes. I lived in Atlanta and there were tornadoes. No matter where you are there is some kind of phenomenon, part of living on this Earth.

Imam JAN M. DIWAN

Islamic Center, Northridge

It’s a test and a trial. I don’t call it punishment.

We believe that God says, “All you who believe, ask my help with prayer and patience.” He may try you with the loss of your dear ones, hunger or economic loss. I advise those who are afflicted to say, “To God we belong and to God is our return.” Give glad tidings for the mercy and guidance of God and that they are righteous people.

At the center, they have been helping each other and they have forgotten all differences. If you come, they don’t ask if you’re a Christian or a Jew or a Muslim. Even if somebody says he is an atheist we must help him. If he is an atheist, that’s his business not our business.

TAD CALLISTER

Regional represenative for Mormon Church, Simi Valley and San Fernando Valley; heads the church’s emergency response committee in L.A. area

We do not doubt that God has the power to cause natural disasters in response to the wickedness of man. Certainly, He caused the flood at Noah’s time and the drought at Elijah’s time because of the wickedness of the people. He has also told us, however, that the rain falls upon the just and the unjust, meaning that the elements may cause damage in the natural course of events without divine intervention.

SARIKA DHARMA

Head monk, International Buddhist Meditation Center, Los Angeles

Buddhism is a nontheistic religion, which means we do not have a God-the-creator involved in our view of the world. We don’t say there is no God; but we don’t say there is. Our view would certainly not be that this earthquake is a voice from above saying you’ve done something wrong.