With the recent devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan, many people are thinking that perhaps these calamities were God's judgment on the people. These disasters seem to come close to each other, like after the tsunami, Myanmar experienced an earthquake too. There were floods in Thailand and Malaysia also.
However, a recent survey done in the US found that most Americans do not see the disasters as God's judgment but natural disasters are caused by climate change. But evangelical Christians think otherwise :
White evangelical Protestants are the exception to this pattern. Among evangelicals, about six-in-10 (59 percent) believe natural disasters are a sign from God, and a smaller majority (53 percent) believe that God judges nations for the sins of some of their citizens. Only one-in-five white mainline Protestants or Catholics believe God punishes nations for the sins of some.
People from countries where their relatives have been tortured and killed during World War II may think the tsunami was punishment of God on the people of Japan for the killing their armies did during that time.
One thing that is heart warming, is that people from all over the world (including those hurt by Japan during WW II)send help to Japan. This is a sign of forgiveness and reconciliation.
No matter how hard it is to forgive, as Christians we have to follow the commands of our God.
"If you forgive men when they sin against you your heavenly Father will also forgive you." Matthew 6:14
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