[Siobhan]

In hindsight, that's how the Old Testament writers explained cataclysms.

Absolutely dead wrong.

[sinkspur]

Absolutely dead wrong.

Actually, it's not wrong, Siobhan. You ought to study a little Old Testament exegesis. Most of the Old Testament was viewed in the context of "what had happened," not in terms of "what is happening."

[ultima ratio]

Sinspur is dead right. The Book of Job takes Bildad, Eliphaz and Zophar to task for glibly explaining away catastrophes as punishments for sin. But Job insists he has suffered even though he is a just man. He notes that the good suffer as well in this world, that the evils that befall men seems not to have any kind of moral pattern. He says, "The poor break their backs for the rich and go hungry, they crush grapes for the rich and go thirsty." He asks, "Who allows this, if not He?" Later the Voice from the Whirlwind (the Unnameable) praises Job for his truthfulness and reproves the three elders: "You have not spoken the truth about me as has my servant Job."