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Post by marjar on Mar 15, 2011 14:55:11 GMT -5
Tokyo governor apologizes for calling quake divine retribution The governor of Tokyo apologized on Tuesday for saying the earthquake and resulting tsunami that left thousands dead were divine punishment for Japanese egoism, the country’s official news service reported. "I will take back (the remark) and offer a deep apology," Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara said at a Tuesday news conference, according to Japan’s official Kyodo News. On Monday, Ishihara had told reporters, "I think (the disaster) is tembatsu (divine punishment), although I feel sorry for disaster victims," according to Kyodo News, which translated Ishihara's remarks from Japanese. “Japanese politics is tainted with egoism and populism,” Ishihara had said Monday, according to Kyodo News. “We need to use tsunami to wipe out egoism, which has rusted onto the mentality of Japanese over a long period of time." Read about how Japan's religions respond to tragedy The death toll from Friday's 9.0-magnitude quake off the east coast of Honshu grew to 3,373 on Tuesday. religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/15/tokyo-governor-apologizes-for-calling-quake-divine-retribution/
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handyman2
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 29, 2010 23:56:33 GMT -5
Posts: 3,087
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Post by handyman2 on Mar 15, 2011 15:07:24 GMT -5
For centuries natural disasters have been blamed on the retribution of the Gods. From the Greeks, to the Jews to today. Mostly it is an attempt to place blame on things they cannot really explain.
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Gardening Grandma
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 13:39:46 GMT -5
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Post by Gardening Grandma on Mar 15, 2011 18:36:09 GMT -5
Kind of reminds me of Pat Robertson blaming 9/11 on the gays.
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reasonfreedom
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Joined: Dec 21, 2010 8:50:21 GMT -5
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Post by reasonfreedom on Mar 15, 2011 18:52:21 GMT -5
It is understandable that the governor would like to feel this way. After all, if it is the will of God, then perhaps prayers or good works will cause God to change his mind. Even many blood and thunder Christians feel the same, but a reading of the Book of Job would prove instructive. Lol I like people who use the line "will of God" seriously, it makes it easier to distinguish the lunatics\fanatics. Supposedly God is everywhere and everything, so the earthquake technically is divine. I wouldn't call the earthquake a pat on the back for human kind I guess it could be considered punishment. People just whine and complain because they don't want to hear that bad things happen on purpose. They just want to believe bad things are accidental so they don't have to know the ugly truth.
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Post by marjar on Mar 15, 2011 20:47:47 GMT -5
Kind of reminds me of Pat Robertson blaming 9/11 on the gays. Thought also crossed my mind.
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vonnie6200
Senior Member
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Post by vonnie6200 on Mar 15, 2011 20:49:15 GMT -5
The danger of that kind of thinking is that it gives the strong divine permission to pile on the weak. That is after all, one of the problems with many Eastern religions. After all, if someone is reincarnated into a low caste, no need to worry about treating him decently, it is all his own fault anyway. Which is - while I am a Christian - I also have a problem with organized religion.
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