Israelis Say Katrina is God's Wrath

“Let me clarify one statement.

I guess that is why I don't go to church much anymore although I'm in one of the most liberal denominations you can be in. I'm Episcopalian.

These sentences should be at the end of the second paragraph.

I don't go church much because they teach two diametrically opposed concepts of what God is like. I think that the concepts outlined in the NT and in the philosophy of jesus are very far advanced over the concepts taught in the OT. In fact, I wish they would just decannonize the whole OT. And even some of the letters of Paul.
last edited: 9/06/05 6:44:39 PM”

““Nigal I think some Christian fundamentalist are fire and brimestone because of the OT. I mean it is there. Read Duteronomy. The god of the Israelites tells them to do some very bad things to people and IMO for scant reason. I could never quite grasp it.”

This is what I meant when I said it’s hard for us finite humans to put human feelings and characteristics on G-d who is outside of time and space all together. We don’t know what G-d knows. And many times things seem as bad as they do because we don’t have all the information. If you can give me a particular chapter or verse I can maybe shed light on it. Many christians are surprised to learn there is more gracy, love and mercy in the Ot than even in their NT.

“I can remember sitting in church and they would preach the OT and I would just hate it. Death and killing men, women, children, slaves, and oxen because God told them to. The whole thing smacked of lunacy to me then and now.”

Well of course it would. You were learning about one religion from another religion. You don’t expect to go to a car dealer who sells the new 2006s and expect him to just go on and on about the 2005 models do you. He’s gonna sell ya the new model and make you believe there’s a 1,000 new improvements over last years model. One of the things that amazed me when I began studying Judaism as a christian was how little Christians really know and understand about Judaism. Learning about Judaism in a christian church is like trying to learn about algebra in an English class. Ya have to go to algebra class.

“The next week they teach the Sermon on the Mount or the story of the woman caught in adultry. BTW the lesson taught in the adultress story (universal human rights, judgement, forgiveness) was a very advanced concept considering that women were chattel in that age.”

Two of the greatest misconceptions about Judaism is the treatment of animals and women. Women are highly revered in Judaism. Are they equal? Today yes but in classical Judaism to call a man and a women equal is like calling an apple and an orange equal. They are different with separate roles and requirements. Here’s a few quick links for your own reading on the role of women in Judaism:

http://www.jewfaq.org/women.htm
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/womentoc.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role_of_women_in_Judaism


“Now I think that Torah Jews consider the first five books of the OT as their holy scripture. And you quote a section that talks about loving God. Does it go on to said that man should love one another? I ask because I've read some very bad things about what Talmudic Judaism teachs and just who they consider as true men deserving equality. It gets down to what exactly does being God's chosen people mean? What rights does it confer and what obligations does it entail? I don't know enough about it to say what is true or not. It would be interesting to find out.”

Being G-d’s “chosen people” is more a responsibility than a cushy place of honor. They were given the job of teaching all of humanity the basic and simple moral code of the seven universal laws. If the Jews are the priests we are the congregation. If we look throughout history at G-d’s “chosen people” we see that they have been delt with more sternly and undergone far more retribution for their own failings than any other peoples.

As for how Jews are commanded to treat each other and even people outside of their own religion it is very clear:

Exodus 22:20 - You shall not mistreat a stranger, nor shall you oppress him; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 10:19 - And you shall love the stranger; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Leviticus 19:17-18 – (17) You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall surely reprove your friend, and you shall not bear sin on his account. (18) You shall not take revenge on, nor bear any grudge against the people of your nation, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the L-rd.

Judaism teaches that each and every person ever born has a tiny life spark that was an actual tiny piece of G-d’s essence. To abuse, mistreat or disrespect another person is the same as doing it to G-d Himself. And yes of course many people fail at this all over the earth, myself foremost. We have to be very careful when reading the Talmud. Yes there is some weird things in there and some of it a bit crude sounding but again, it is written by Jews, about Jews concerning Jews. Only learn about it from them. The Talmud is not a holy writing either. It is rabbinical


Wikpedia:

"The Talmud (תלמוד) is considered an authoritative record of rabbinic discussions on Jewish law, Jewish ethics, customs, legends and stories. It is a fundamental source of legislation, customs, case histories and moral exhortations."”

“"In fact, I wish they would just decannonize the whole OT."

LOL! It would greatly please me too if they'd quit using the Hebrew scriptures.”

“I had a Jewish scholar tell me that the Hebrew Bible, aka the Old Testament, charts a spiritual evolution of a people. God leads them to a promised land that is not merely physical, and you can see a moral structure evolving over time. He argued that that evolution has not ended and is reflected in the Talmud and in thinking of others over time.

I've known Christians that have said something similar, except that the evolution culminated in a revolution: Jesus Christ and a new testament that fulfilled that evolution.

One Christian Church, the Swedenborgian (aka "Church of New Jerusalem") which was the Church of William and Henry James, and of Helen Keller, holds that the second coming of Christ is something that happens spiritually and is available to each of us, not a historical event. I hope I've got this right .”

““I had a Jewish scholar tell me that the Hebrew Bible, aka the Old Testament, charts a spiritual evolution of a people. God leads them to a promised land that is not merely physical, and you can see a moral structure evolving over time. He argued that that evolution has not ended and is reflected in the Talmud and in thinking of others over time.

I've known Christians that have said something similar, except that the evolution culminated in a revolution: Jesus Christ and a new testament that fulfilled that evolution.”

I can see that. I mean the Jews went from being slaves to being nomads with a tabernacle, to being a nation with a temple, to being a group spread all over the world. You can’t survive without adapting somehow and G-d always made provisions for them like when the temple was destroyed He replaced sacrifices with prayer, charity and repentance.

The only problem with a theological evolutionary theory like this is taking it too far and removing or changing things that are eternal. Namely; replacement theology. The one unavoidable fact is that the law is eternal, unchanging and will never pass away for the Jew. Nowhere in the Hebrew scriptures does it say the law would change or not be followed for all time by the Jews. There is no ultimate culmination in the Jewish law.

Yes Christians believe Jesus fulfilled the laws. Yesterday I drove to work and did my job. There are a lot of laws that govern how I do my job. Yesterday I fulfilled those laws. Does this mean those same laws are not there the next day? Of course not. And remember, Jesus himself said the law would not change one single tiny bit until heaven and earth pass away (which will never happen btw). Paul’s the one who screwed the whole thing up. LOL!

OK, I've bored ya'll enough.”

“Jeez, SH, when you're not consumed by all your tinfoil hattery, you seem to be a thoughtful person! Whodathunkit.”

“If "tinfoil hattery" is seeking justice and the rightful return of Palestine to the Palestinians then so be it. Like I said, I don't believe that the OT is the word of God and I'm not sure about the NT. I don't think that God needs to write things down on paper. God writes what is good and holy on peoples' hearts.

The Israelis only possess Palestine because in 1948 they murdered people (whole villages) in order to terrorize the Palestinian poplace. The Palestinians fled. The Israelis experienced the Holocaust only to turn around and do the same thing to the Palestinians. That is their proud history.

So it is poppycock for the Zionists and Christian-Zionists to claim that God gave them the land forever. They have it by brute force alone and as they say, "Possession is nine-tenths of the law."

But let us imagine for an instance it was true that God gave the land to the Israelites. According to the Jewish scriptures God told the Israelites that they could have the land as long as they followed his law. One of the stipulations in the agreement was that they had to treat the stangers living amoungst them with all the respect and dignity that they accorded themselves. Nigal quoted some of it. Have the Israelis done that? Hardly. Israel is an apartheid state with state sponsored racism towards Christian and Arab Muslim alike. And this sort of treatment started long before the first infitada and the suicide freedom fighters. So by their own scripture the Israelis have defaulted on the convanent God made with them. They have no special rights to the land and are not God's chosen people. Those days went out with the Bronze Age and the first exile to Babylon. The way I see it in this day and age it's either we are all God's chosen people or there ain't no God.
last edited: 9/07/05 12:07:52 PM”

“Sol:

I'm not a big fan of the Israeli policy towards Arabs and Palestinians, and am a huge critic of the Likud governments - but I am also a critic of fractured biased histories.

You offer a fractured history of Israeli independence. The UN tried to provide a peaceful compromise, dividing Palestine into Jewish and Arab lands. Israel accepted this. The Israeli government was even willing to take military actions against the extremistts amongst its own people when they would not accept the peace agreement and wanted to continue the fight against Arabs for territory. The war started when Arab nations rejected the peace agreement and invaded Israel in an attempt to destroy it. The allegations of murders and terror perpetrated by some Israelis are all related to the actions of the fledgling nation of Israel after the Arab nations went to war to destroy it (some of the allegations are probably true, and the perpetrators were likely the same extremists put down by the Israeli government). Thus, the nation of Israel existed before the murders you allege. Thus you are entirely wrong when you claim that "
The Israelis only possess Palestine because in 1948 they murdered people (whole villages) in order to terrorize the Palestinian poplace."

Additionally: What info do you have on massacres of Arabs in Palestine in 1948? How about murders of Jews in Palestine in 1948 and the years leading up to it?

I think either side can be made to look like absolute monsters if you look only at what they did and not what was done to them. Take a look at the Hamas covenant if you want to see a picture of what extreme genocidal racist religious fundamentalism is:

http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/mideast/hamas.htm
last edited: 9/07/05 1:05:33 PM”

“"Take a look at the Hamas covenant if you want to see a picture of what extreme genocidal racist religious fundamentalism is:"

I don’t think people have any grasp over what the formation of the new Pali state (Gazastan I believe) is going to mean. Not only will there be no peace but the basic premise is “Today Gaza; Tomorrow Jerusalem”. The terrorist attacks will continue only much more effectively this time around.

It seems the left are the biggest supporters of a Pali state but a Pali state will have no values they see fit. There will be no rights for women, no rights for non Arabs, and no freedom of speech or religion. The left hates Israel but in Israel we find freedom of speech
(be it ever so tenuous), women have full rights (not only can they vote they can run for Keneset and Prime minister), Arabs have seats in the Keneset, Arabs have freedom of religion (they are allowed to keep the mosque on the Temple Mount fro crying out loud), gays are free to be gay and practice their lifestyle. Yet the liberals hate Israel.

Is Israel without fault? Hell no.”

“"I believe in karma. That means I can do bad things to people all day long and I assume they deserve it."
-Dogbert”

“I heard on the radio today that Israel's Zaka (the guys who sponge up homoside bomber victims) service has sent a bunch of it's rescue workers to NO to help and that some 86 tons of aid took off for the area from Israel.”

“PA Gets $50m from US, Then Calls for Terror Against US Soldiers
09:45 Sep 08, '05 / 4 Elul 5765




Palestinian Media Watch reports:
Radio and television sermons by senior PA religious officials in the past week have presented the US as foremost among the "heretical" countries, and as an enemy trying to dismantle the Islamic world.

In the presence of PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, one religious leader called for Iraqis to intensify terrorist uprisings against American soldiers.

The timing of these anti-US sermons is particularly significant, and not just because they come on the heels of the $50-million grant from the US. The PA has received considerable worldwide criticism for the hatred and calls for violence in its official sermons. In recent months, it has been reported that the texts of these sermons are now presented to PA officials for approval before the public broadcasts.

The following is the report of the recent signing of an agreement for $50 million in US aid to the PA, followed by the two Palestinian Authority sermons of September 2, 2005:

"The [Palestinian] National Authority yesterday signed an agreement with the US Government, to the value of 50 million dollars. According to the agreement, Washington will provide the National Authority with a grant for funding housing and infrastructure projects. On the Palestinian side, Finance Minister Dr. Salam Fayad, signed [the agreement] and for the American side, the US Consul General, Jacob Willis, and the vice manager of the US Agency for International Development, David Harden, signed the agreement."
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, August 25, 2005]

Sermon by Yusuf Abu Sneina, Imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque

"Anyone who watches closely the nature of our world today, can see that the heretical countries - first and foremost, the USA - have succeeded greatly in tearing our Islamic world apart by disintegrating and splitting up more than one Islamic state, intending to weaken it, disperse [its citizens] and plunder its resources. It is terrorism, and there's no choice but to fight it.

"As regards Iraq, there is much to say about it. The USA has composed a draft of the Iraqi Constitution in a way that it will serve US interests and enhance the disintegration of Iraq's unity. The new constitution includes federal solutions, which are dividing Iraq into small countries.

"A federal government hides behind it; the seeds of a future civil war… The USA is planning to rule Saudi Arabia and disintegrate it, too, despite the close friendly relations between the two countries...

"Is the USA going to fulfill its ambitions and aggressive plans? And, for how long shall the submission and surrender to the plans of the enemies of the [Islamic] nation?"
[Yusuf Abu Sneina, Voice of Palestine, September 2, 2005.]

Sermon by Yusuf Jum'a Salamah, PA Minister of the Waqf and Religious Affairs, in the presence of Mahmoud Abbas and other senior PA officials

"We say to the dear, heroic Iraqi nation, turn this incident [the accidental death of 1,000 Iraqis] into an opportunity for resisting [term regularly used by PA to describe terrorist attacks] the [American] occupation, for uniting families, for unifying the forces and for opposition to the policy of dismantling Iraq and dividing it geographically."
[Yusuf Jum'a Salamah, Official Friday sermon, PA TV, September 2, 2005]



The PA, now the recipient of $50-million of US taxpayers money, has consistently over the years broadcast anti-US hate speeches on its public media. Click here for a clip from 2003 which refers to America as the "foremost enemy on the Palestinian people."

In a recent July 8th broadcast, Abbas-controlled PA TV calls to "annihilate the infidels [common reference to US and Western countries]… God, count them and kill them to the last one, and don't leave even one."

Very nice! Ya, there's gonna be peace with these guys. Never forget, 'Today the saturday people. Tomorrow the sunday people.'.

http://www.pmw.org.il/”

“Hurricane Katrina and other storms that battered the Gulf Coast were God's judgment of sin, according to state Sen. Hank Erwin, R-Montevallo.

"New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast have always been known for gambling, sin and wickedness," Erwin wrote this week in a column he distributes to news outlets. "It is the kind of behavior that ultimately brings the judgment of God."

After touring Gulfport and Biloxi, Miss., and Bayou La Batre, Erwin said he was awed and humbled by the power of the storm. But he wasn't surprised.

"Warnings year after year by godly evangelists and preachers went unheeded. So why were we surprised when finally the hand of judgment fell?" Erwin wrote. "Sadly, innocents suffered along with the guilty. Sin always brings suffering to good people as well as the bad."
[...]
Katrina caused flooding of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and Erwin said the Baptists knew they had put themselves on the front lines ministering in a sinful place that could be targeted. He said he didn't think the hard-hit residents of the low-income lower 9th Ward were singled out for especially harsh punishment but were merely in the way, as were the shrimpers in the struggling fishing town of Bayou La Batre on the Alabama coast.

"If you are believer and read the Bible, you know sin has judgment," Erwin said. "New Orleans has always been know for sin. ... The wages of sin is death."

Erwin said hurricanes are part of a pattern that was also in evidence in the Sept. 11 attacks. The increase in abortion, pornography and prostitution have caused God to remove an umbrella of protection from America, he said.

"America has been moving away from God," Erwin said. "We all need to embrace godliness and church-going and good, godly living, and we can get divine protection for that point.

"The Lord is sending appeals to us," said Erwin, a member of Shades Mountain Independent Church. "As harsh as it may sound, those hurricanes do say that God is real, and we have to realize sin has consequences."
[...]

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/112790008991370.xml&coll=2&thispage=1”

“Wrong thread V. Try the Robertson thread.


We must look for lessons in everything...


What do these major record-setting events have in common?

* Nine of the ten costliest insurance events in U.S. history
* Six of the seven costliest hurricanes in U.S. history
* Three of the four largest tornado outbreaks in U.S. history
* Nine of the top ten natural disasters in U.S. history ranked by FEMA relief costs
* The two largest terrorism events in U.S. history


All of these major catastrophes transpired on the very same day or within 24-hours of U.S. presidents Bush, Clinton and Bush applying pressure on Israel to trade her land for promises of "peace and security," sponsoring major "land for peace" meetings, making major public statements pertaining to Israel's covenant land and/or calling for a Palestinian state.”

“Incredible Parallels Between Israel
and the U.S. Evacuations - Bill Koenig
[From the Sept. 9 Koenig's Eye View]
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Note from Bill:
Here is the beginning of parallels between Israel and the U.S. evacuations. We are discovering more each week. We will keep adding to this in the coming weeks.
---
Below are President Bush’s statements pertaining to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Israel’s completion of their disengagement evacuation. These excerpts are from speeches on Aug. 22–23.
President Honors Veterans of Foreign Wars at National Convention Salt Palace Convention Center – Salt Lake City, Utah – Aug. 22, 2005
Note: The following is an excerpt from President Bush’s speech pertaining to Israel.
In the heart of the Middle East, a hopeful story is unfolding. After decades of shattered promises and stolen lives, peace is within reach in the Holy Land. The Palestinian people have expressed their desire for sovereignty and peace in free and fair elections. President Abbas has rejected violence and taken steps toward democratic reform. This past week, Prime Minister Sharon and the Israeli people took a courageous and painful step by beginning to remove settlements in Gaza and parts of the northern West Bank. The Israeli disengagement is an historic step that reflects the bold leadership of Prime Minister Sharon.
Both Israelis and Palestinians have elected governments committed to peace and progress, and the way forward is clear. We’re working for a return to the road map. We’re helping the Palestinians to prepare for self-government and to defeat terrorists who attack Israel, and terrorists who oppose the establishment of a peaceful Palestinian state. We’re providing $50 million in direct assistance to the Palestinians for new housing and infrastructure projects in Gaza. We remain fully committed to defending the security and well-being of our friend and ally, Israel, and we demand an end to terrorism and violence in every form, because we know that progress toward peace depends on an end to terror. We’ll continue working for the day when the map of the Middle East shows two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace and security.
President Bush Talks with White House Press Pool Tamarack Resort – Donnelly, Idaho – Aug. 23, 2005
(www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050823.html)
Note: The following is an excerpt from President Bush’s press briefing. He congratulates Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on the completion of the Gaza evacuation.
First of all, I want to congratulate Prime Minister Sharon for having made a very tough decision. As I said in my remarks yesterday in Salt Lake City, the Prime Minister made a courageous decision to withdraw from the Gaza. We have got Jim Wolfensohn, the former head of the World Bank, on the ground, helping President Abbas develop a government that responds to the will of the folks in Gaza. In other words, this is step one in the development of a democracy.
And so to answer your question, what must take place next is the establishment of a working government in Gaza, a government that responds to the people. President Abbas has made a commitment to fight off the violence, because he understands a democracy can't exist with terrorist groups trying to take the law into their own hands.
Along these lines, we’ve also got Gen. Ward on the ground, helping the Palestinians consolidate their security forces. It turns out that the post-Arafat regime is one of different factions and different security forces that were really in place to kind of maintain his power, but not necessarily to protect the overall security of the Palestinian people. It’s in their interest to consolidate the security forces, so that there is a — the government has got a vehicle and a group of folks by which to help enforce order.
You asked about the road map. Of course you want to get back to the road map. But I understand that in order for this process to go forward, there must be confidence — confidence that the Palestinian people will have in their own government to perform, confidence with the Israelis that they'll see a peaceful state emerging. And therefore it’s very important for the world to stay focused on Gaza, and helping Gaza — helping the Gaza economy get going, helping rebuild the settlements for Gaza — for the people of Gaza.
This is a very hopeful period. Again, I applaud Prime Minister Sharon for making a decision that has really changed the dynamics on the ground, and has really provided hope for the Palestinian people. My vision, my hope, is that one day we’ll see two states — two democratic states — living side-by-side in peace.
T ropical Depression 12 Becomes Katrina
Israel’s disengagement evacuation and eviction began on Wednesday, Aug. 17, and ended on Tuesday, Aug. 23.
According to CNN, Israel evacuated the last settlers and protesters from the West Bank settlement of Homesh on Tuesday, Aug. 23, completing its historic withdrawal of civilians from 25 settlements in Gaza and the West Bank. (Gaza’s final evacuation occurred on Monday, Aug. 22.)
“Today, we accomplished the first phase of the disengagement process ... related to evacuation of the civilians,” said Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz.
Israeli forces planned to remove the settlers’ belongings, destroy their houses and then withdraw from Gaza.
Authorities used force at times on Tuesday, Aug. 23, to clear the two remaining West Bank settlements — Homesh and Sanur.
On Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 23, 2005, Tropical Depression 12 formed. By 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 24, the newly-formed tropical depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Katrina; and by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 25, Katrina became a hurricane. On Friday, Aug. 26, Hurricane Katrina hit Southeast Florida. By Monday, Aug. 29, Katrina had become a fierce and enormous Category 4 hurricane that hit Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama — devastating the city of New Orleans. It is now being called the largest natural disaster in U.S. history.
Israel’s Gaza and northern Samaria settlements were under military occupation during the time of the evacuation, and New Orleans was under military occupation as they attempted to restore order. As in a war zone, military bases are being established in a city divided into sectors, while the navy has moved warships up the Mississippi for helicopter operations.
On Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2005, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon authorized the mandatory evacuation of residents refusing to evacuate Gaza.
On, Wednesday, September 7, 2005, an hour after New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin ordered the mandatory evacuation of the crippled Crescent City — by force, if necessary, soldiers began coaxing some of Hurricane Katrina’s holdouts from their homes due to fire and disease risks.
“We have thousands of people who want to voluntarily evacuate at this time,” Police Chief Eddie Compass said, adding that once they all were out, “we'll concentrate our forces on mandatory evacuation.”
Israeli settlers stated that the Gaza and Samaria evictions will go down as the worst abandonment of Jews in history and the largest forced evacuation in Israel’s history.
Katrina has produced the largest mass migration and evacuation in U.S. history as hundreds of thousands of people were forced from their homes. The media and the Democrats say the White House abandoned black residents of New Orleans by not getting them help fast enough.
Aaron Brousard, the president of Louisiana’s Jefferson Parish, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the response to Hurricane Katrina will go down as one of the worst abandonments of Americans on American soil ever in U.S. history.”
Nine thousand Israelis were evicted by their government. Shortly thereafter, one million Americans were evicted by Hurricane Katrina.
Israeli security teams went from home to home to evict Israelis, while teams of soldiers went home to home in New Orleans evicting people.
Israel has an evacuee problem with people spread throughout Israel in hotels, lodged in makeshift homes, and living in tents. Texas and other U.S. states are absorbing record numbers of Katrina evacuees.
President Bush’s home state of Texas has more than 250,000 evacuees. Houston’s Astrodome is filled with 33,000 people. There are 150,000 refugees in Houston’s 55,000 hotel rooms, 20 Red Cross facilities and 20 faith-based shelters.
While 2,700 homes were demolished in Gaza and 300 homes in northern Samaria, tens of thousands of homes were demolished in the Southern U.S., with many more severely damaged.
Businesses were forcefully abandoned in Gaza Israel — many businesses will have to be abandoned in Louisiana and other Gulf Coast cities.
Buses took Israelis out of Gaza and northern Samaria to their temporary homes while buses took New Orleans residents to their temporary homes in Texas and other southern states.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon saw the largest eviction of Jews in Israel’s history. President Bush will oversee the largest natural disaster and displacement of people in U.S. history.
Yet despite the enormous influx from across the U.S. of National Guard, reservists, units of the federal army and marines, the coastguard, airmen, firefighters from Los Angeles and even Texas game wardens in boats, the logistics of evacuating the remaining residents from the flooded suburbs, and collecting possibly thousands of bodies, present enormous challenges. They also expose flaws in management structure and communications.
Gush Katif was a very important agricultural area for Israel. New Orleans’ port exported much of the Midwest's agricultural production.
White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan
Note: Scott McClellan provided this Katrina information late Tuesday, September 6:
[We have] 559 shelters in place, and more than 180,000 people housed in those shelters. People in shelters received 11.3 million MREs [Military Ready-to-Eat meals]. You’ve had 18 million liters of water provided.
And there are more than 75,000 response, rescue — rescue, recovery and law enforcement personnel that continue to work around the clock to get critical assistance to people in need.
We now have more than 60,000 active duty and National Guard personnel on the ground or aboard ships that are supporting the relief operations; some 20 U.S. Navy ships are in the operational area. You have 360 helicopters, 93 airplanes that are involved in this.
The Department of Defense has provided extensive search and rescue, evacuation and medical support. And the Corps of Engineers has closed that 17th Street Canal levee breach and begun pumping water out from that area.
President Bush requested $51.8 billion in additional funding for the immediate needs of the people affected by Hurricane Katrina. Last week, Congress moved quickly to approve the President's initial request of $10.5 billion for immediate needs of people in the Gulf states that were hit by Katrina.
At this point, I can tell you that $50 billion of the supplemental request will go to FEMA; $1.4 billion will go to the Department of Defense; and $400 million will go to the Army Corps of Engineers.
This will not be the last request for the response to the disaster there. We anticipate that there will be a need for additional supplemental spending, especially in the process of recovery there in the Gulf area.
Thousands of National Guardsmen with food, water and weapons streamed into Louisiana on Friday, September 2, to bring relief to New Orleans’ suffering multitudes and put down the looting and violence. “The cavalry is and will continue to arrive,” said one general.
Ariel Sharon’s Condolences
Ariel Sharon: “I would like to send our condolences to the American people and to people in the southern U.S. who were struck by such a severe disaster. It seems to me that the U.S. has been caught up in one of its worst disasters ever. Last week I sent a letter to U.S. President George Bush in which I expressed my condolences and those of the Israeli people over the disaster.”
Judgment
The replacement theology advocates and/ or believers who believe the Church has replaced the Jewish people as God’s chosen, not grafted in according to Romans 11, see Katrina as a tragic event and no connection to judgment over Israel’s recent evacuation and/or the sins of the U.S.
Those who believe the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and don’t see Bible prophecy as allegorical, see Katrina as judgment and/or the birth pangs that will lead to much more in the days ahead.
Isn’t it sadly ironic that the three areas of greatest debate in the church today are whether: (1) the land of Israel should (or should not) be divided, (2) the Church has replaced Israel, and (3) God has a hand in enormous natural disasters.
Today, the media and many in our communities say Mother Nature is responsible for major disasters, rather than calling them “acts of God” — which can be very convicting to those who don’t acknowledge God’s existence.
As I have shared before, when there were major disasters in the 18th and 19th centuries, American pastors typically called for national and/or regional repentance for the sins of the people. Today, we hear very little of that, especially from those who attend replacement theology churches.”