Punishment.

The problem with the Old Testament is that it assumes that negative experiences in our lives are caused by divine punishment for sin.

This is not true. 

Our negative experiences are mostly caused by other human beings acting in ignorance and fear.

It is not punishment from God.

And so natural disasters like earthquakes and drought are part of the autonomous functioning of nature not divine acts of retribution.

God waits for us.

He watches over us.

But He will not be compromised.

In the end God is Love.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love."  1 John 4:18 (NRSV)

[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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