Impersonal physical forces are the cause of natural beauty and natural disasters.

Tsunami

We'll never understand such catastrophic events as happened the day after Christmas, 2004, until we realize that whatever nature throws at us, good or bad, is a result of the dynamics of impersonal physical forces of the universe, and is not retribution or reward from some mysterious monstrous god who perpetrates such devastation on a whim. (An omnipotent, omniscient god would have been able to prevent this or at least shout a pre-emptive warning in a big voice to all on the beaches, if so inclined. Conclusion: not inclined.)

Great tectonic plates of earth's crust float on subterranean currents of molten rock. When two of these slowly moving jagged plates slide against each other and hang up for a while, they build enormous pressure to continue in their current paths. (To get an idea of how powerful this process is, consider that the Himalayan mountains were and are being created by the head-on collision of two of these plates.) Eventually the impediment breaks away, and if it happens under the sea, the massive resulting movement displaces an equivalent amount of water. That displaced water has nowhere to go but upward because of relatively unaffected water pressing around it. Gravity being the force it is, the water spreads over any land in its path, then settles back eventually to equilibrium.

Air breathing biologic life gets no consideration from the forces in this process. It lives or dies individually with respect to its ability or luck in avoiding collision with moving water and solid objects and by sustaining itself with the necessities of life (air at first, fresh water and food later). As human beings we can commiserate with the plight of the affected people and offer our heartfelt aid and assistance to the survivors. But no amount of praying or supplication either before or after the event can have any effect on the physical forces involved. Where prayer may help is by lifting the spirits of and giving confidence to those victims who hear the prayer or hear of it. This is in the sense of knowing that other people are wishing them well, that they are not alone in their bereavement and suffering.

This is the specific objective explanation for this catastrophe and offers a useful pattern of thinking about others that lie in our past or may be in our future.    

© 2005 R. Leland Waldrip