Using natural disasters to spread the word of God, good or too much?

By Roxanne Estrada
February 1st, 2010
Section: Blogs - The CSUN Footprint

Photo Courtesy of www.faithcomesbyhearing.com

It is quite common to relate disaster with environmental issues: global warming, oil spills and droughts for instance. But religion and the environment? Not as much.

In the wake of the Haitian earthquake, international groups and individuals are sending food, money and medical supplies. But, one faith-based U.S. company is sending Bibles. But these aren’t anything ordinary. They’re solar-powered, audio Bibles.

The Faith Comes by Hearing group call this innovative book “The  Proclaimer.” It basically looks like a medium-sized, heavy-duty speaker. The machine can adapt to 400 different languages, including Haitian Creole. Officials for the company say they produced these devices in order for poor and illiterate people throughout the world to have access to Bible verses.

There’s been a lot of backlash against these bibles because people are saying it’s horrible to try to convert people while in the midst of a disaster. Of course the first and foremost need of the people in Haiti right now is food and medical supplies, but if this group can give another resource then why not? It’s not like they’re sending missionaries – they’re sending Bibles. I think many people turn to religion in a time of disaster, but even if they don’t, having a Bible on hand for some calming words won’t hurt anybody.

Any comments or opinions – send ‘em this way!

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  • Mike Rodriquez

    Whether you realize it or not the words of a god are being spread worldwide. They are just using a different name its called “green”. Pagan religions have all kinds of gods associated with “mother Earth”. There is nothing new in all of this. You simply need to read a little history and you will find that the Egyptians had many “green” gods to honor and worship. Worshiping the Earth and its resources though silly is not new.

  • http://www.michaeldelmonte.com Michael D

    As long as “Reverend” Pat Robertson (Satan) isn’t reading the verses, they should be ok. People like him are the reason why religion is being abandoned by Americans. I hope the translation to Creole is clearer than the translation from Hebrew to Greek to English that we have.

    God be with the Haitian people.

  • Yakov

    I agree. They aren’t forcing Bibles into people’s hands, but certainly there are some Christians in the region who could make good use of these devices. As for converting, that requires a perspective shift. First, these devices could bring people, and if nothing else, hope could prolong a life on the edge of death or giving up.
    From a religious/Christian perspective, eternal consequences are equal to if not greater than the temporal ones like those faced in Haiti.