According to Christians, what is the cause of natural disasters?

Question

floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc?

Are they caused by God and therefore not really bad?
Are they an effect of sin and therefore did not exist before humans?

I'm uncertain why people are answering that they are an effect of nature. Isn't this the same as saying that it is from God?

Answer 1

Nature

Answer 2

I realize there are some people in this world who envision God hovering over the earth, waving his hands around orchestrating every drop of rain and every blowing of the wind. He points a finger at Kansas and says with a deep voice: "Let there be an F5 tornado here. I command it. And let there be mass destruction and death." And then on another day He points his finger at New Orleans and says, "Let there be one of the most destructive hurricanes in all time and let the old people drown and let the children be scattered."

Come on people. Weather is weather and if that is your view of God then you are so shallow and in need of some deep faith. It takes more faith to believe God is not in control of those kinds of things than it does to claim God is like a puppeteer making havoc on His creation.

There has to be a better explanation. Maybe at the fall everything was put into chaos, who knows. It is possible.

Answer 3

I am Christian. Natural Disasters are caused by Natural phenomena. Things like the shifting of plate tectonics, high and low pressure zones in the air, global warming, etc...
That is why they are natural.

They are not "caused" by God. They are a result of the system of cause and effect God has instituded that runs the course of the earth.

Of Course they existed before humans. The world is at least 4 billion years old.

Answer 4

According to Christianity (and Judiasm per the Old Testament), natural disasters are caused by Satan (see The Book of Job). But because everything comes under the jurisdiction of God, he allows Satan to do certain things. Actually, according to the bible, Satan is the "god of this world." However, this world will pass away, but God's word will never pass away.

Answer 5

I'm a Christian, and I honestly believe the idea of God "punishing" through natural disasters is ridiculous. One, it'd be inconsistant. Two, why isn't there a guideline so we'd know what exactly would make him "mad" enough to do it?
They're just part of the world we live in.

Answer 6

Wow, Martin Luther declared that Islam is "Gods Retribution" for Christian Sins in this world ?


“As early as 1518, Dr. Martin Luther had identified the Islamic faith as the "retribution of God."

For the rest of his life Luther believed that the Muslims were God's punishment upon a sinful Christendom who had, among other sins (ingratitude, toleration of wicked sects, worship of the god Mammon, drunkenness, greed, and the split of Christendom which had provoked His wrath), tolerated the papal abomination. They would function as Germany's schoolmaster who must correct and teach the German people to repent of their sins and to fear God.”

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Answer 7

They are caused by the elements in nature. Some natural disasters are a result of what we humans have done to the environment.

They are not caused by God or sin.

Answer 8

sin and nature. remember that before the flood the atmosphere was water but because of sin it was necessary for God to flood the earth with those waters. now we have storms and such

Answer 9

It's the calling of the times

Answer 10

i recognize of no scripture which attributes ANY skill to devil. The Bible does nicely known that devil's basically skill is to mislead. This thought that devil has those amazing powers is all Hollywood nonsense. Why does God enable mess ups? If cases have been constantly stable, could people be so rapid to be in desire of God? each each now and then it takes hardships, even severe ones, to hold people closer to God, and desire Him extra.