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From: root@trwatf.UUCP (Lord Frith)
Newsgroups: net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Maryknoll called - please keep your prayers going
Message-ID: <965@trwatf.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 6-Jun-85 17:48:49 EDT
Article-I.D.: trwatf.965
Posted: Thu Jun  6 17:48:49 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 7-Jun-85 08:46:00 EDT
References: <1404@vax3.fluke.UUCP> <1297@hammer.UUCP>
Reply-To: root@trwatf.UUCP (Lord Frith)
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Organization: TRW Advanced Technology Facility, Merrifield VA.
Lines: 54

In article <1297@hammer.UUCP> seifert@hammer.UUCP (Snoopy) writes:
> 
> Why does God allow natural disasters?  No, I don't have
> the answer, but there is one possibility I'd like to point out.

Sorry I no got answer either.  I was wondering about this a few days
ago in the aftermath of several cyclones that tocuhed down in
Pennsylvania.  Apparently there was little or no warning before the
funnels touched down, although after they had been observed some
residents did have as much as 40 minutes warning.

Also there have been several disasters in Bangledesh (sorry) and
adjoining countries.  A mighty big tidle wave and several cyclones
that some say could have been detected by facilities now under
construction in those countries.  Hardly seems fair.

> Look in Revelations.  Just before the second coming there
> is supposed to be a great increase in earthquakes and such,
> right?  Now, look at the number of earthquakes per year for
> that last few decades.  Every decade the number doubles!

As I understand it this is because we have been observing and studying
these natural phenomena so much more intently (than say hundreds or
thousands of years ago).  Remember also the age of written records and
how many records of such disasters would survive.

But why in the last 10 years?  Beats me... where's your sources?

> Then consider that Israel was restored as a nation in 1948,
> and that the second coming is supposed to be within one
> generation (~40 years) of that event.
> 
> hmmmmm!

Television preachers point to lots of other things, claiming the
proliferation of nuclear weapons and various wars in various countries
as proof of the end times.  You have to take all of this in
perspective.  They thought the world had come to an end back when the
plague was decimating Europe and they had good Biblical substantiation
for thinking the end had come then too.

I think proof of the end is somewhat more subtle.  For the first time
in history we have finally been able to map and settle on the entire
globe as well as communicate with all of its people.  I'm sure God
would not bring the end about until such was true... and since man will
more than likely be the instrument of his own destruction (remember
that God promised Noah he wouldn't), nuclear weapons look like a good
indicator as well.
-- 

UUCP: ...{decvax,ihnp4,allegra}!seismo!trwatf!root	- Lord Frith
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