How Could a Loving God Allow It?

The tremendous loss of life and property caused by the December 26, 2004 tsunami prompted many people to re-ask the question: how could a loving God allow it?

“Here in Hemel Hempstead we recently had what could have been a major disaster when the tanks at a local fuel depot exploded. By the grace of God no one was hurt, but had it not occurred at 6am on a Sunday morning, the casualties on the nearby motorway and feeder roads—and in the industrial estate—could have been vastly more. Were we, those who pass near that depot, better than the folk in New Orleans? I think not.”

“Mankind as a whole is unaware of the fact that they are dying, whether soon or later it makes no difference. We need to proclaim the fact.”

—M.Y., England

It was one of those times in history that, even today, most people can remember where they were when the tragedy happened. The massive December 26, 2004 tsumani that struck nations around the Indian Ocean took the lives of over 200,000 people, and one year later, vivid TV images and photos of those trying to escape the waves (and also of the bodies of those who did not manage to escape) remain etched in our minds.

Twelve months ago, the tremendous loss of life and property prompted many people to re-ask the question heard time and time again when such tragedies occur: Why would the all-powerful Creator God of the universe allow such things to happen?

It is a reasonable question to pose, and the best—indeed, the only—answer to that question is found in the Bible, starting with Genesis.

In today’s web article, we post a commentary written by Ken Ham, AiG–USA president, that first appeared in the June 2004 issue of Creation magazine—a few months before the tsunami hit. Read today’s article.