This Hamas sermon is the latest example of a religious leader taking credit or assigning divine blame for a natural disaster. In this case, it turns out that the Iceland volcano was retribution by Allah.
We, of course, have our own religious fanatics who are quick to assign religious retributive motives for natural disasters. Pat Robertson is a good example of such divine post hoc forecasting. Then there is there is recent disclosure in Iran that earthquakes are caused by immoral women, here.
In this case, the sermon take full credit for Islam in the volcano:
“Praise Allah who says in His book [the Quran]: ‘Their houses were empty and in ruins, because they did wrong’ [Sura 17:52]… ‘And We [Allah] never destroyed a city unless its people were unjust.’ [Sura 28:59]…”
“Oh Jihad fighters, people of Ribat (religious war). We heard and we saw what happened at the beginning of this week in Europe [volcanic ash covering airspace]: Some of Allah’s brigades struck Europe with His force… this caused great loss of property and of life – only Allah knows their extent. A devastating volcanic eruption sent by Allah, paralyzed all movement, and a state of emergency was declared, and passenger flights were cancelled, and it struck the Infidels and polytheists with fear and terror…
As Allah lives, dear brothers, America – with its numbers and its equipment, with its might and its scepter, with its planes and its missiles, with its war ships and with its destroyers – it has no more power against Allah than do spider webs against His power…
It appears that, after trying locust, floods, and frogs, the Creator is now expressing his wrath by making travelers late in their air travel and disrupting the airlines.
That’s not really what he said.
Muslims, rightfully so, believe natural disasters, just like everything else on Earth is from God’s power.
He was just reminding the congregation of God’s power, just like Noah’s Ark.
Allah is that part of the cursed universe that always goes wrong.
Murphys law and reality that strikes when men hope too long.
Allah is no respecter of belief , religion or race.
The laws of nature apply absolutely here just as in outer space.
For unintended consequence, blowback, accident or disaster we need the Allah fable
The true source of catastrophe, terror, war, population growth and earths climate unstable.
At least we have something to name that will take all the blame,
And if we lose, those next will soon be given more of the same.
In all humility, none of us have any final choice or control,
And its doubtful that after death there is a life of the soul.
As part of the universe, we have to accept the fact of being.
And try to help each other, while we have minds for seeing.
Of course he did. I am certain, your God is better than my God.
And, Allah caused Krakatoa in Indonesia to explode in the 1880’s, killing probably 200,000 Moslems [as well as a few incidental Kafirs]. Wonder what they did wrong. As someone who is nominally a Christian, I am waiting for the clouds of locusts.
Imagine the hilarity when that Palestinian cleric dies, and instead of going to heaven, Zeus kicks his scrawny ass across eternity.
(Go Zeus!)
it only counts if he calls it before it happens.
I can’t speak for either the infidels or the polytheists, but I’ve been through a number of hurricanes here in Florida, and I am yet to experience any fear and terror. Perhaps it would be different had I ever sinned.
Not much different than the American Taliban’s mullah, Pat Robertson, saying Katrina was punishment for gays or Imam Falwell’s pronouncement that 9-11 was retribution for “abortionists and liberals”.
I’d like to think that a supreme being could do a better job of hiring spokespersons.
Allah? Well. I guess that makes more sense than saying “Plate Tectonics Akbar!”
Iran gets hit with serious earthquakes somewhat frequently and the Bible Belt in the US is constantly being swamped by hurricanes and leveled by tornadoes. I guess these folks never stopped to consider the possibility that if there’s a divine entity driving the weather and geologic processes, that this divine entity has a serious beef with folks who strongly espouse Abrahamic (Judeo/Christian/Muslim) religiosity?
I’m guessing that none of these preacher guys are going to be chastened by the results of the Boobquake experiment…
http://www.indystar.com/article/20100428/NEWS/4280369/1087/LIVING05/Cleavage-experiment-not-quite-scientific?source=pn_s
… post hoc forecasting.
Great line!