Sunday 17 January 2010

The Haitian Earthquake blame game . . .

A blogger called DrastiContrast is supportive of Pat Robertson's idea that the  Haitians themselves are to blame for the earthquake. The argument is that, although Haitians are 83% Christian, they have in fact called down God's wrath with their residual voodoo practices. (I suppose eating Christ's body, drinking his blood and kissing crucifixes is OK but not sticking pins in dolls).

DC first responded to a post by a moderate (by US standards) christian lady Patrice on 'Rural Revolution' and then continued to rant on his own blog 'Exodus'. Quedula has been in pursuit with short pointed comments and thinks she might have nailed him with her latest, reproduced below. (But better not hold your breath)

DrastiContrast,

Thank you for interrupting  your busy schedule to respond to my posts. 


I assure you a basic ontological discussion is not required as your starting point is made clear in your opening sentence. In common with the middle eastern bronze age scribes, you assume the existence of some supernatural entity and on that assumption erect an edifice of dogma. The difference between you and the ancient writers is that they at least had the excuse of ignorance about the workings of the natural world, indeed were in outright terror of plagues, earthquakes, storms, famines.


You are entitled to your own opinions but not to present them as authoritative. A very large section of the christian community prefer to interpret their religion in an entirely different way including I believe Patrice and the Church of England. Your extraordinary need to find a way to blame the Haitians for the natural disaster that has befallen them tells me more about your own personality than  the validity of your beliefs.


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