Ethics

Sin Causes Earthquakes. Again.

By Ed Brayton

A high-ranking Indonesian official says that the earthquake that hit his country in September, killing 1000 people, was caused by sinful TV programs and porn videos:

Communication and Information Minister Tifatul Sembiring said that there were many television programmes that destroyed morals.

Therefore, the minister said, natural disasters would continue to occur...

He also hit out at rising decadence - proven, he said, by the availability of Indonesia-made pornographic DVDs in local markets - and called for tougher laws.

Can't we, for once, have a God who punishes stupidity and fanaticism instead of arbitrary notions of sin?

Full post as published by Dispatches from the Culture Wars on December 02, 2009 (boomark / email).