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Haiti, God-talk, and a Curse PDF Print E-mail
Written by Mike Moses   


Both the newspaper and television are reporting instances of spontaneous worship among groups of Haitian survivors.  Have you seen footage of this? Again I was overcome.  The Bible says that faith-full people pray in every circumstance.  These are faith-full people (not all of them, I am sure).  I heard and have read snippets of praise to God (for God's insrutable goodness, for survival), and snippets of petition to God - why? save us! when will this fallen world come to an end? 

Hebrews 11 says, "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen...people who speak in this way make it clear they are seeking another country."  That country is the New Heavens and the New Earth, when Christ returns, executes justice, and 'makes all things new.' In the mean-time, the people of God are to be the hands of God in answer to the Haitians prayers.  I am overcome with joy at reports of Red Cross, World Vision, Samaritan's Purse, Lutheran/Catholic/Baptist and so many more Christian missions immediately lending aid.  It speaks to the world of Jesus.  I am also proud of our government and military's standing plans and budgets, ready to provide aid.  I started the day by texting 90999 to give a quick 10 bucks to Red Cross.  This afternoon our family will meet to decide which Christian mission we will give a more substantial emergency aid gift to.

Now for the bad example of God-talk by Pat Robertson, taking a legend as fact (what does this say for the intellectual integrity of his belief in the Bible as the Word of God?) for the reason bad things keep happening to Haiti.  You want to know what I think might actually be the true curse on Haiti?  Not some hazy legend of a pact with the devil.  I mean their actual curse  in human history (not the unseen world) (and earthquakes are not a result of this, but a general condition of all people living in a fallen natural world).  What is the demonic-inspired and human-perpetrated (not God-sourced) curse of generations of evil perpetrated on that soil through the degradation of human beings, systematized by race for economic purposes? The curse of slavery.  Which much of our world continues to live with the natural and spiritual consequences of, including the US.  It reminds me that someday we need to have a 'heal our land' service on our church property, which was used as a cotton plantation to generate capital through use of human beings as slaves.

There are such things as spiritual and generational consequences to human and demonic evil, sometimes called by the word 'curse' in the Old Testament. It bears careful study and reflection to talk about what that meant in those times, and what it says to us about God's character, and what the resurrection of Jesus speaks back into those stories and teachings.  I believe its a real concept, and have been praying with another member of our church about what to do about the generations of inhuman heinous evil perpetrated on Lake Forest's land.  But we dare not pronounce FOR GOD what God has not clearly pronounced in his Word already in these matters (which is why i used the word 'might' earlier').  Especially in a moment that calls for compassion and care, not condemnation.  Ultimately, Jesus came to bear every curse and condemnation of human beings on the cross, rendering them powerless.

I have no more to say about Pat Robertson's words, and wish I didn't have to acknowledge them.  Except that the media keeps treating him like he's some spokesperson for every person who follows Jesus and takes the Bible seriously.  If you want to read a more full and awesome response to Robertson's words, go to Don Miller's blog now:  www.donmilleris.com .