Now what this guy said is idiotic:
ERWIN: Well, I think, if you look at what‘s going on, this whole region has always known that, with the church, that New Orleans and the Gulf Coast are known for sin.
And if you go to a church and you read your Bible, you are always told avoid sin and that there‘s judgment for sin. And I just think that, in my analysis—and I can‘t speak for everybody, but I believe that, if you look at the factors, that you had a city that was known for sin—the signature of New Orleans is the French Quarter, Bourbon Street. It is known for sin. And you have a Bible that says God will judge sin, you can put two and two together and say, it may not be the judgment of God, but it sure looks like the footprint.
So, I just told my friends, in an opinion, I think it could be the judgment of God on the Gulf Coast and on New Orleans. And I would urge the good folks that are the innocent victims to rally and rebuild that city and get a new signature.
Ugh.
Mac Buckets
So what did Beaumont, TX do to bring about the punishment of Rita? I’d better go to Vegas fast, before the wrath of God levels the place.
I guess it’s not too difficult to become a state senator from Alabama.
DougJ
This guy’s argument is air tight. New Olreans it known for sin. We all know that. In the bible, people are punished by God for their sins. Ergo, this was a simple matter of God punishing sinners.
Steven D
Not too difficult to be a senator from Alabama? Are you kidding–do you know how hard it is to stay that stupid?
I actually saw most of that segment (God, I’m embarrassed to admit I watch Scarborough, but then it has the absurdity of The Daily Show without the awareness). The piece John quotes is really one of the least ridiculous things the good Senator had to say. I’m too lazy to go to Joe’s website and pull quotes from the transcript but the Senator’s comments about why God also punished the children should pretty much lock up his seat in Hades.
Krista
If there really is a God, I hope he gives Erwin a swift kick in the ass someday…
I don’t even want to know what he said about the children. Miserable, self-righteous, pecker-head.
Demdude
It always kills me when these nut cases get going. If God wanted to punish the wicked, his aim really sucks. His collateral damage was pretty extensive.
Gratefulcub
Obviously hurricanes are too complicated to be natural. They must be intelligently designed. Anything a senator from alabama can’t wrap his head around, must be the work of a supreme being, not God, but some intelligent designer.
Tulkinghorn
Of course, it makes perfect sense that, due to the sin on Bourbon Street, that residential district be flooded and ruined, while Bourbon Street is relatively unaffected.
Maybe God does not like residences. Perhaps he wanted to clear out room so Bourbon street could be expanded and more of New Orleans be truned over for the pursuit of vice.
Then there is the whole “God hates shrimp” theory, too.
Lines
It was just Dog’s way of cleaning up all the filth his pet humans keep piling up and calling “cities”. Next Ol’ Miss will flood and clean out its own delta with such force that Katrina was just Dog’s way of pre-soaking his dishes.
Steve
I’m not clear on why this is any more ludicrous than claiming that God put George Bush in office.
ET
Any wonder what God will do about D.C.?
Gratefulcub this Tom toles from 9/28 is for you……
http://www.ucomics.com/tomtoles/2005/09/28/
tBone
So is Sen. Erwin proof that there’s also an unintelligent designer?
ET
After spend 4 years at the Univ. of Alabama – this shit sooo doesn’t surprise me.
My first day in T-town I turned on the TV and saw and advertisement for Danny Levitt’s Open Door Baptist Church. I knew then that I was a stranger in a strange land. Of course I am fom that center of sin that is New Orleans.
Sherard
Odd then, that the French Quarter was essentially untouched by the hurricane. Talk about irony.
jobiuspublius
This just in! Noreaster gears up to wipe off eastern seaboard. Landfall expected in Virgina, followed by a brief, but brutal, stint in WV. After which, it will split in two. One half will head straight for Sen. John Kerry’s house, the other to Sen. Bill Nelson’s house. Sen. Santorum says, “Told you so. You just can’t do that to a dog.”
jobiuspublius
God is keeping his powder dry. So he can keep playing with it.
jobiuspublius
I wonder what Erwin has to say about Bennet.
Chris Johnson
I remember somebody saying that since the French Quarter got off lightly, what God really hated was you being ADJACENT to sin…
Vladi G
God must really have a big-ass backlog of work to do. It’s not like New Orleans got this reputation for sin last month. It’s been pretty sinny for a while. What the hell took him so long?
Start battening down the hatches, John “I live in the strip-club capital of the U.S.” Cole. You’re next. Whenever God decides to get around to it, that is.
SeesThroughIt
Maybe god was just drunk and surly at the time.
That was Stephen Colbert on “This Week in God” on The Daily Show. “What we see is that god actually loves gays, he just hates the gay-adjacent.” Brilliant.
Giordano
I really would like to know why this man is an idiot.
The Bible has many references to God punishing wicked people and cities for their sin. Are the same people willing to condemn this man for his idiocy the same people willing to condemn the Bible for stating such things? I know John Cole’s reaction is the typical response you will get from most reasonably intelligent people, but I don’t believe it’s the correct one. Are you saying that the Bible isn’t correct or that it should only be paid attention to when it goes along with modern thoughts of right and wrong?
I heard Joe Scarborough say that the Jesus he knows tells him to comfort the weak, feed the poor, visit those in prison, etc. That is certainly true. However, that same Jesus who supposedly said that also said that people should fear God who has the power to send people to Hell.
Most people in this country claim to be Christians. Their main text is the Old and New Testament. Well, God’s word says that God punishes wicked people and countries. Homosexuality, gambling and prostitution are not seen as virtues in the Bible. Such behavior seemed to be rather prevalent in the state of Louisiana The problem with too many intelligent conservatives and liberals is that they aren’t very religious and know very little of the Bible that the majority of them still hold in some esteem and often speak fondly of when it helps their political ends and personal wants.
I would suggest that such people who think that this man is an idiot either don’t know what the Bible actually says or don’t have the courage to condemn the Bible and say that it’s full of imbecilities and immoral teachings. This man simply stated historical Jewish and Christain beliefs. If this man’s comments are stupid, then the Bible is stupid as well.
” It ain’t the parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”
Mark Twain
DougJ
Hey, to be serious for a minute, are your family and friends okay?
Tim F
An entire industry of local writers like Molly Ivins and Carl Hiaassen make their living off of stupid state legislatures. Seriously, at the state level it doesn’t matter what party you come from; they hand you your stupid as soon as you walk in the door.
Case in point: the PA lege voted themselves a pay raise last year and slashed practically everything else. It’s like they worried their opponents wouldn’t have enough to talk about in the next election.
Krista
Pretty much. There are some truths in it, I will grant you that. But overall, I think that it’s a relic of ancient times, which has been translated and re-translated, and the vast majority of it is no longer applicable.
I do agree with you that a lot of people cherry-pick from the Bible, in order to justify their own attitudes and actions, whatever they may be.