In our local newspaper, there was an article entitled, “God Went Pruning.” It was in regards to the recent (very wet) snowstorm we experienced in which numerous trees throughout the region were affected (including some of our own).
While there has been considerable coverage about the damage residents have suffered from uprooted trees falling on their homes, into highways and roadways, large branches covering yards, along with several other calamities, this particular article was about trees that were part of a hazelnut orchard — and how the damage is expected to affect the owner’s livelihood.
Naturally, the article title grabbed my attention and got me to thinking. So if “God” decided to prune, why is “His” creation going to suffer the consequences? According to the article, the farmer owned 32 acres, which produced over 75,000 pounds of hazelnuts last year. He is expecting at least a 25% loss. So why did the God that so many call loving and worthy of praise decide to take away a substantial portion of this man’s livelihood?
Of course, losing a bit of sustenance is nothing compared to the loss of human life resulting from the recent (God-initiated?) tornadoes in Alabama. Or from earthquakes or tsunamis or wildfires or avalanches …
Yet time and again, believers overlook all this and “praise God” because they (or their family or their possessions) were sparred from whatever disaster came their way. As for their neighbor(s)? “God” must have wanted him/her/them to come “home.” So sad. Too bad.
Nan's Notebook 
Even if the title was ment euphemistically it’s a poor choice journalistically. Theatrical! As to the consequences of weather related loss there’s a known remedy. Insurance.
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Yes, insurance will most likely come into play. But I think you know that’s not the point.
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It’s a silly childish game. The survivors marvel at the grace of god, the dead have no voice.
But maybe from the grave one might hear, “You SOB I wasn’t ready to die!!” GROG
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It seems an incredibly narrow POV, frankly. It also allows them to comfortably ignore those people (obviously wicked heathen sinners) who didn’t fare as well. Just desserts, and all that. What arrogance.
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As for the neighbors’ callous attitude towards this farmer’s misfortune, I suspect that their “God” might have some misfortune planned for them too.
I’m also personally saddened by this news because I am a huge fan of Oregon hazelnuts.
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Whoops! Slight misunderstanding. Nothing was said in the article about neighbors reacting to the farmer’s loss. I was just expressing my opinion in regards to the way most believers’ react to natural catastrophes.
I agree. Oregon hazelnuts are yummy!
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God just pruned people with the tornado don’t you know. They were probably all sinners, and the righteous were spared. It’s so annoying. I hate the fact that every time I read about a story of weather killing people there are so many people thanking God. Nobody ever says, “You know I used to believe in God, but then my neighbor got killed, and he was a good person and I have to say I’m wondering why God would kill so many people”. Why isn’t that the most reasonable reaction to a natural disaster?
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Why indeed!??!
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Hello Nan. Wait a minute, I thought it was us gays and the rest of the LBTQ+ who caused disasters? Fire, floods, tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, blizzards, and the transgender took the volcanoes. 😂🤣😁✨
Seriously to your question of why god’s children pay for his acts. That is always been the way in the bible. They even have a thing where they blame the kids for the actions of the fathers for like and eternity of generations. Here in the real world it works the same way. A lower employee takes the blame when a higher up screws the pooch. I think the saying is “shit rolls down hill”. Hugs
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I’m still waiting for the first bunch of tornado-pummeled fundie nutjobs to file a class-action lawsuit against the gay community for causing the tornado. And with the kind of judges Trump appoints, who knows what would happen? (Seriously, any such thing would be thrown out by a higher court, but this is how fundie “logic” works.)
It is odd that these disasters mostly hit the South and conservative rural areas, if God is doing it because he’s mad at gays and liberals. I guess his aim isn’t very good.
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😂🤣😁😊✨✨ Hugs
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My thoughts and prayers are with those pruned trees.
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❤🤣🤣🤣❤
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Nan,
I’ve listened and watched countless news interviews of Alabama and Georgia home-owners, mayors, police, EMT’s, school principals, and parents of lost children of stricken tornado survivors and there’s a very common theme: God has blessed us and kept us safe.
What makes total non-sense is that “their God” is all-loving, all-powerful, all-knowing, perfect, pure, etc, etc, ad nauseum… and yet these religious zealots are not over-joyed that their God’s PERFECT PLAN, now and in future catastrophes, decided that a 6-yr old, 7-8 yr olds and/or teenagers have been mangled for the glory and purpose of God’s perfection! Why are they so sad and not singing and celebrating????? Aren’t True Believers supposed to rejoice in God’s perfection and providence????
Btw, their warped theology and personal beliefs do not reflect any of my personal world-views; just want to make that clear.
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Obviously the 25% of hazelnut trees pruned were atheist trees, or buddhist trees, and god was keeping his orchard holy. The children and teenagers killed in the tornadoes, etc, were hoing to become criminals, rapists, and non-believers in gods. After all, God knows all, so he knows who or what to murder/prune, and who deserves to be saved–at least till the next disaster comes along.
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My apologies to the families of those who died in the tornados, I was not intending anything evil of your loved ones.
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I was watching the news about the tornadoes and a women who survived was practically screaming “Praise the Lord”…he saved me from death. She was beside herself, naturally. And then many people were all lined up amongst the ruble praying! Praying for what I can’t imagine…rebuilding a new home even though all the belongs and mementos of life were gone. Even though their neighbors were killed, some children. And one whole family, I believe died. I don’t think they were praying that god turn back time and make it not happen or that he would turn back time and at least have no one killed. But couldn’t he do this if he was so all powerful?
It just struck me…what are they thinking! Praying and thanking a god who they think saved them, but killed many others and destroyed lives…lives of their neighbors and friends.It’s sheer lunacy.
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I suspect deep down they’re feeling that God’s protection means they’re worthier in some way than their less-fortunate neighbors. Cultivating feelings of superiority is a big part of the appeal of religion.
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Obviously the hazelnut farmer was a sinner. He must have once picked up a piece of wood on a Sunday or worn mixed fabrics or something.
Seriously, the people who believe God protected them (or some religious artifact in their house), or helped them find their car keys, or answered their team’s prayers to win a football game — while God didn’t do jack about their neighbor’s house, or about the Holocaust or the Black Death for that matter — are just showing the absurdity of the whole concept once again. Any real deity whose priorities were that screwed up would have to be a gibbering lunatic.
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Some others commented on the “sinful” state of the farmer. However, from my perspective, the whole scenario is just one more example validating the non-existence of the Christian god.
In other words, if “God” truly cares about his creation, then why does he send calamities that claim the lives (or in this case, the livelihood) of his followers? According to the bible, believers are the apple of his eye. Yet time and again, they experience the same death and destruction that non-believers do.
Christians try their best to take their god off the hook, but anyone with a lick of common sense can see it’s all smoke and mirrors.
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These people (the god fearing believers) have been told all their lives that they are special and that god will protect them. So when they survive and others die they say, see he didn’t lie! GROG
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Yes, but … As I commented to Infidel, some of them get hit as well. And then the reasons/explanation/excuses begin.
From my perspective, it pretty much demonstrates the non-existence of any deity. Of course, no True Christian™ will ever accept that.
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