Pretty sad about Danny. Do you have a source for this Stephen?
 

Hmmm, the bride of Christ. In the end she will be beautiful, but sometimes...

I tend to weight Danny's words carefully ever since he prophesied that the coalition would win the last election and return John Howard to power (after-all; Deut 18:22).

But like you said, let's not sin in our anger.
 

I am not a Christian, so my comment may not be applicable here. But I have been following this lunatic for quite a while and his 'prophesies' sicken me.

How this cretin can refer to himself as a Christian is insulting to those good folk who try to live as Christ did.
 

AMEN!
 

I was reading Luke 13 today. Jesus was addressing the tragedy of the tower of Siloam collapse that Killed 18 people. Jesus contemporaries were saying that it was a judgment of God. Jesus said " do you think they are any more guilty than others." He later said we all need to turn to God.
I think that prophesying judgment is something that is seriously not ours to do. Read Romans 1. Our role in the world as Christ Followers is to help people respond to the mercy of God. Interesting that Jesus harshest judgments were on the ruling religous leaders of the day that were so narrow minded that they were a stumbling block to people finding that kind of mercy.
May we all discover the love of the Father. MAy we all demonstrate it to eachother.
 

The indiscriminate nature of the Fires has affected many who would have opposed abortion, just as it has affected those who support it. This is not the "judgement of a loving God".

@scott - See the media release and read the third par.

@adam - Also see 1 John 4:1-3" - Any prophecy purporting to be from / about the REAL Jesus must recognise that God is Love.
 

Stephen, are you objecting to the timing or the content of Danny's comments or both?

We can see numerous OT examples of God punishing individuals, towns and even entire people groups as a result of their action/inaction. Are we so arrogant that we presume God could/would not do similar in our day and age simply because 'God is Love'?

I am still grappling with the theology on this, but I'm not so sure that we should entirely write off the concept of God becoming so angry with a society that he would take action.

Thoughts?
 

Chris, I am going to try and keep my temper here.

Where are you from? Have you been near any of the devastation? Do you know anyone involved? Tackling theological questions that are not connected to real names and real stories is not theologising. It's academic and conceptual.

Arrogant? Park it bro.

God taking out people who are in conservative seats (Liberal) who mostly voted against the bill? Do some homework?

Why abortion? Why didn't God fry the whole country for stealing oil revenues from East Timor? Why didn't God toast the whole nation when a court proved that John Howard and his administration lied to the public about children overboard to frighten people at the time of an election, in order to win it?

Last time I checked the Old Testament, God seems to do the whole fire and brimstone thing more often when people use slave labour (check your clothing labels), skews the legal system in favor of the rich and powerful (read Global Financial Crisis = Greedy Western Bankers dominating a system that keeps us [you and me brother] rich and the vast majority of the worlds population living a hell on earth existence) and generally when a small group of people get around like they deserve a level of lifestyle that is purchased on the backs of other humans being treated less so.

Why does God go against his historical track record? So many of the sins committed by people in this nation are consistent with sins committed by nations in the OT, result? No fire.

An abortion bill is passed? Devastation. The logic you suggest is deeply inconsistent. Deeply deeply inconsistent.

So why does God start to act so inconsistently with his patterns of behavior in the old Testament?

NT time. The railing that Jesus consistently does in the New Testament is firstly and fore mostly directed at the corrupt religious system. If I may borrow your phrase, are we so arrogant as to think that we are doing a better job today than the pharisees of Jesus time? They loved God (in a way that was coherent with their internal system of logic), they gave, they prayed, they attended services. Who does that sound like bro? You and me maybe? Does he, like you and Danny suggest, set villages of innocents ablaze in such an indiscriminate manner?

Your logic, from where I stand seems entirely inconsistent.

If this guy is a prophet, and we want to be consistent with the OT, let's do it. Let's get all his prophecies checked out and if he's wrong on only one! - let's stone him.

Finally, if this is God's judgment, there are an incredible number of Christians who are in deep trouble. There are many Christians who I know, who are anonymously giving their time, energy, sacrificially giving of their own resources, their tears and their emotions in order to be Christ's love, to scores of innocents in incredible amounts of pain. They are helping out without updating their websites like Danny seems to be at the moment.

If this is God's work, then theirs is not. Someone better let them know.

I am having trouble believeing that what Danny did was not in some part, getting some publicity at the expense of hurting people.

If you are still grappling, can I ask you to do so alongside those who have suffered and are still suffering. I find that answers to theological questions often come in the midst of pain and suffering, not from abstract reflection.

I have tried not to vent here, but it is a little hard. My family is still in a degree of danger, and my wife and so many like her are doing their best to love like God does, because he first loved us, in the same way.

Grace.
 

Stephen, I will try my best to answer your questions:

I am close enough to have seen the fires with my own eyes. I know many people involved. I know people that have lost homes, and people they love, I have cried and i have grieved. I have donated time, money and resource. I have wondered, what is going on in this world? Are my questions valid in your eyes now?

Perhaps i didn't spell it out clearly enough for you:

I am struggling with this, and it has rocked my faith to the core.

I was looking for a place to process this tragedy amongst those I thought may be able to help, those who worship God.

I'm not sure now if this is that place.

Stephen, you are clearly a passionate person, but throw me a bone.
 

Good call Chris. Well answered and chastisement received. I wasn't sure if you were a Danny supporter come to argue academically. I tell you what. When things settle down for you and for me, why don't we have a coffee somewhere?

Until then, you happy for us to do the whole St Francis thing? "Lord, make me a channel of your peace...?"
 

Stephen, I don't know Danny, but my point was that I am not sure if I agree with what he said or not.

You made a lot of assumptions about me, and whilst I am happy for St. Francis to inform the way forward, I wouldn't feel at all comfortable about a face to face meeting. I think that ship has sailed.

I don't have ill feelings toward you, but if your comments on a blog made me feel small, insecure and silly, what of a face to face meeting!

I'll pass on meeting for a coffee, but am still willing to explore this whole thing here.
 

Chris, I'm sorry. The last thing I would want is to make someone feel small, insecure or silly. The apology would have sounded better in person I reckon, but if I only have an opportunity to do it online, then I'll grab that.

As with everyone involved, for me it has been stressing, particularly with family still in a danger area and me being so far away. I have so wanted to be there but have been limited to having to do stuff over the phone or over the net. We have members of our church and friends of members who are involved, hurt, injured and in some instances still unaccounted for. I thought that it was an academic debate from a distance that you were after. That was an incorrect assumption on my behalf.

None of these things are excuses, nor do I offer them as such. I say them by way of background. Hopefully they fill in the blanks.

So once again, sorry.

I trust you can make some headway with all that has been jarred loose inside of you by this. If there is anything else I might be able to do, shoot me an email (stephen at neurotribe dot net) and maybe we can chat some more.

Grace to you in your endeavors to show something of Gods grace and compassion in the places you find yourself and God's creation in pain.