By the Numbers: God Didn't Send the Hurricanes

Select results from the Beliefnet survey on God's role in natural disasters.

Does God have a role in natural disasters like hurricanes?
Yes, God is punishing us. 6.3%
Yes, God is testing us. 24.1%
Yes, disasters are sent by God, but we don't know what the purpose is. 31.7%
Although I believe in God, the supernatural has nothing to do with any specific natural disasters. 35.2%
God doesn't exist, and disasters like this are just forces of nature. 2.7%



Seeing the destruction caused by natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina:
Strengthens my faith 47.5%
Weakens my faith 3%
Doesn't change my faith 49.5%



When disaster looms, prayer can:
Prevent it from happening 15.3%
Lessen the impact 23.6%
Provide comfort, but not alter events 59%
Have no impact 2%



What does God most want us to do in the wake of disasters like Hurricane Katrina?
Restore personal morality 12.8%
Eliminate poverty 2.1%
Become closer to God 65.1%
Heal race relations 2.1%
Clean up the environment 3.8%
I don't believe there is any message from God in the hurricane. 14.1%



Those who believe God is punishing us by sending hurricanes offer a variety of possible reasons. Do you believe God is punishing us for any of the following:
Pollution and global warming 3%
Israel pulling out of Gaza 2.1%
Homosexuality 3.1%
Abortion 1.3%
Greed and materialism 9.1%
Kicking God out of public schools 2.5%
Other 13.1%
I don't believe God is punishing us. 65.8%



What do you believe about the nature of God's power?
God controls every thing that happens. 40.9%
God is all-powerful but chooses whether or not to take action. 34.8%
God set up the universe and the laws of nature but no longer intervenes in what happens. 21.9%
God does not exist. 2.4%

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