The Governor of Tokyo suggested that Divine punishment was the cause of both the earthquake and subsequent tsunami which have devastated Japan, caused the deaths of thousands and the suffering of an entire nation. He “took back” his comments because he said that in making them, he failed to take into account the “feeling of the victims.”
“It would be deeply comforting to imagine that we could draw immediately corresponding lines of connection between our actions and those of God,” says Brad Horschfield. It would really helpful to know if we simply stopped doing certain things; we could assure ourselves that no tragedies would befall people.
“The fact that such theologies may comfort some people privately, in no way excuses those people from imposing their views on others who may find them the height of insensitivity”, says Brad Hirschfield. “But it’s not simply bad manners or timing which is the problem; it is a fundamental disconnection from those who are suffering – a feeling of distance from their pain which actually renders the directing of such theologies at the lives of others, offensive.”
Brad Hirschfield is an author, lecturer, rabbi, and commentator on religion, society and pop culture,
Read Hirschfield’s Blog -Washington Post
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