Acts of God

On July 30, 2024, Wayanad in Kerala, India, witnessed a disastrous series of landslides that took hundreds of lives and made thousands of people homeless, wiping away six villages. Disasters like the Wayanad landslide are called acts of God. 

What is an act of God? An act of God, act of nature, or damnum fatale ("loss arising from inevitable accident") is an event caused by no direct human action. Insurance companies and the judiciary system refer to such disasters as acts of God. Rabbi Kushner differs and calls events like earthquakes acts of nature.[1]  

            Kushner says, “Nature is morally blind, without values. It churns along, following its own ways, not caring who or what gets in the way. But God is not morally blind. I could not worship Him if I thought He was. God stands for justice, for fairness, for compassion.[2]  An earthquake or a flood has no conscience and does not distinguish between good and bad people. Such disasters impact anyone within their range, irrespective of their belief in God. 

            The act of God is the courage of people to rebuild their lives after a disaster and the rush of others to help them in whatever way they can.[3] The act of God is the spirit that enables affected people to not give up despite all the brokenness experienced. The acts of God are the hearts that move out to the suffering people in compassion and service. God stands with those who suffer and with those who accompany the suffering. 

            Each of us has the potential to allow God to act through us, particularly when we face disasters like the Wayanad landslide.

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[1] Kushner H. S. (1981). When bad things happen to good people (p. 68). Anchor Books.

[2] Kushner H. S. (1981). When bad things happen to good people (p. 68). Anchor Books.

[3] Kushner H. S. (1981). When bad things happen to good people (p. 68). Anchor Books.

[4] Pic: Curtsy from Wikipedia