Sunday, August 27, 2006

The Government Is God?--Lessons From Katrina, Pt.2

Sometimes how people react to problems shows who or what their God is. When trouble comes, where do people go for help? Help not only for psychological and spiritual issues but also physical help.

So, where did thousands turn when Katrina hit? Did they take their saving and fly out of the city? Did they hitch a ride with friends and family? Did they stock up on food and water to sustain themselves for days?

The answer is obvious: when trouble came, many people turned to the government for help. They turned to governmental monies as their savior.

But the help did not come in time. That is why they are angry and frustrated: their god did not come through for them.

From another angle one can find out who or what god is followed by the amount of responsibility given. In God’s Word, He has separated the authorities of life into three main spheres: family, church and state. Whenever one institution usurps or expands its authority, it is claiming autonomy instead of submission to God. It’s just like Adam who desired to follow his own ways instead of God’s Law.

It is interesting to note that an ABC news report with Dan Harris (reporting, 9-6-05) stated that the city had a plan, but implemented it too late (it specified offering free transportation out of the area, but people were sent to the Dome instead); at the state level the governor is supposed to specifically ask for help from the Feds—but she did not. And of course, FEMA had its problems. The mayor blames, the State and Feds; the governor blames the Feds and the Feds will gladly take more responsibility from these institutions! The president did take responsibility; the mayor and the governor have not. And of course many people took little to no responsibility about their welfare.


(As of this date, more fraud in FEMA has been discovered as well: "through February 2006, FEMA made about $1 billion in improper and potentially fraudulent payments." Well, every god has his tithe...)

Now, billions will be poured into an area where insurance companies do not cover floods and hurricanes (why would they—they’d go broke!) and people will become more dependent upon the government.

In America, for many people the Government is god. So, the next time a large-scale devastation occurs, the Feds will sure to be there, comforting their flock.And taking more responsibility.

The churches must be faithful & warn people about this danger. Let's pray that many will learn, repent and turn to Christ. The Lord He is God and not the government.

SDG

2 comments:

Jersey McJones said...

Here we are, one year removed from hurricane Katrina, New Orleans still looks like post-A-bomb Hiroshima, insurance companies still haven't paid out more than a pittance (and the government is doing nothing to help with that), and people still argue over who and what is to blame.

A couple of points here:


1: No one should have been surprised that the poor, corrupt, inept, state of Louisiana failed it's locals - everyone should be shocked that the post-9/11 federal government failed them. As of now, according to an AP-Ipsos poll, 57% of Americans believe we are unprepared for another disaster. Only a third believe Bush handled the disater well. So much for "Homeland Security."

2: Does anyone still believe that there is a profitable way for the private insurance sector to insure for major disasters? I don't. There is an insurance crisis in the Gulf States. The courts, thus far, seem to agree with the insurance companies that flooding and high winds have nothing to do with hurricanes. Thousands of people, a full year later, still haven't received their insurance recompense. It's time we have federal and state funds for emergencies, just as regular folks like me do for our little homesteads. Private insurance should be cut out of the distaster picture entirely. They have failed and are useless and would be unprofitable if they were anything but useless failures.

Oh, and there is no god.

JMJ

polymathis said...

1. No one should be surprised that corruption exists at all levels of society and government if one accepts the reality of sin in the hearts of men (Roms. 1:18ff.)

2. This top-down solution will fail on a grander scale by virtue of their larger impact upon society. In a mediate sense, the solution is to downplay insurance companies and encourage (as in the past centuries) personal, familial and community responsibility through organizational savings and the like. In a immediate sense, the Gospel is needed to change the hearts of these wicked men withholding monies (and those not taking responsibility for their own lives in the first place). Greed is within man.

3. There is a God--the almighty, all-just Judge who calls men to repentance. Without His absolute standard, there would be no such judgment calls upon the insurance companies because all would be in flux in a dog-eat-dog world. Mercy and compasion have no meaning outside His Law-standard. It is either what the majority defines or what the individual desires or what the oligarchy decrees for us.