If you ever doubted the sinful nature of man without God

I know, and the reporter that was showing it was saying the looting was due to a "supplies need". Nothing like trying to justify sin. He looked really stupid when they zoomed in on a man with a bucket of beer and another with tv's and dvd players.

 

This quote was from the Hurricane Katrina thread:

"How can we, as Christians, make such harsh statements. These people have lost EVERYTHING! How do you know for certain these people don't work? How do you know their situation? I do NOT agree with looting, but I do have compassion. People need to survive. Anything that is taken can be used for bartering to get needed supplies.Besides, these stores will be reimbursed by their insurance. People are desperate when they are in survival mode! Is is right? No, of course not, but we are all human. Please, lets show some more compassion. I know Jesus would."

My response:
I have to say that I was shocked by this statement. I do not think that there ever is a time when the Lord would be ok with stealing, even if it is to barter. What I get out of this statement is that if you need something and you are in a dreadful situation, survive at any price or any sin. I know that Jesus would have compassion but I still will not believe that He would be ok with this. It goes against His commandments. There were NO exceptions on the tablets that came down the mountain with Moses!!

 

God looks into the hearts of each of us, and sees it all. The question is, do people care whether or not their names are in that book of life?

 

An older pastor told me one time

"never underestimate the total depravity of man"

And I think he was right on the mark and we are seeing it played out....

 

In my view total depravity was demonstrated by the government when they severely cut funding for the New Orleans Army Core of engineers projects including funding that would have strengthened the levees. Total depravity was shown by taking most of the National Guard out of this area to fight in Iraq and total depravity was not to implement the 2004 Class 5 Hurricane emergency response exercise recommendations. Total depravity is the snail's pace in which the federal government has responded to one of the worst disasters in U.S. history. It seems to me we're attaching all the blame to the victems not those who were really at fault.

No, I don't condone looting, riots, shooting, etc. but the situation in New Orleans is truly desperate.

 

Quoting an article by Jed Babbin:

"The National Guard already has boots on the ground in Louisiana helping rescue people and doing their part to help restore order. National Guard Bureau chief Lt. Gen. Steven Blum told me he already had 11,000 men on the job, and was supplementing that force with another 11,000 within the next 24 to 48 hours. I asked him if he was short of people or resources, and his answer was what you'd expect, in time of war. "We have 320,000 more men if we need them." Steve Blum has a deep bench to wave at if he needs more people and equipment."

 

I think the media has played up a minority. There is a small number of people looting, raping and committing other crimes. I believe the media is focusing on this and not the thousands of poor refugees that are truly suffering. The reason is that they are poor blacks. If this had happened in Boston I think we would have a different response.

Looting is wrong. But they are not focusing on the big issue. By making us angry with the situation down there acts as an anesthetic so we won't be shocked while the government allows thousands to die needlessly.

Man is depraved alright. If we can kill our babies and soon the elderly, is it that much of a stretch that we will take an opportunity to rid ourselves of thousands of poor?

God help us!!

Look at this quote from the Associated press updated 9/3/05 4:45 am:
Hyatt guests given priority
At one point Friday, the evacuation was interrupted briefly when school buses rolled up so some 700 guests and employees from the Hyatt Hotel could move to the head of the evacuation line — much to the amazement of those who had been crammed in the stinking Superdome since last Sunday.

“How does this work? They (are) clean, they are dry, they get out ahead of us?” exclaimed Howard Blue, 22, who tried to get in their line. The National Guard blocked him as other guardsmen helped the well-dressed guests with their luggage.

 

Quoting an article by Jed Babbin:

"The National Guard already has boots on the ground in Louisiana helping rescue people and doing their part to help restore order. National Guard Bureau chief Lt. Gen. Steven Blum told me he already had 11,000 men on the job, and was supplementing that force with another 11,000 within the next 24 to 48 hours. I asked him if he was short of people or resources, and his answer was what you'd expect, in time of war. "We have 320,000 more men if we need them." Steve Blum has a deep bench to wave at if he needs more people and equipment." </font>[/QUOTE]From today's NY Times

Far from deferring to state or local officials, FEMA asserted its authority and made things worse, Mr. Broussard complained on "Meet the Press."

When Wal-Mart sent three trailer trucks loaded with water, FEMA officials turned them away, he said. Agency workers prevented the Coast Guard from delivering 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel, and on Saturday they cut the parish's emergency communications line, leading the sheriff to restore it and post armed guards to protect it from FEMA, Mr. Broussard said.

One sign of the continuing battle over who was in charge was Governor Blanco's refusal to sign an agreement proposed by the White House to share control of National Guard forces with the federal authorities.

Under the White House plan, Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honoré would oversee both the National Guard and the active duty federal troops, reporting jointly to the president and Ms. Blanco.

"She would lose control when she had been in control from the very beginning," said Ms. Bottcher, the governor's press secretary.
Ms. Bottcher was one of several officials yesterday who said she believed FEMA had interfered with the delivery of aid, including offers from the mayor of Chicago, Richard M. Daley, and the governor of New Mexico, Bill Richardson.

Adam Sharp, a spokesman for Senator Mary L. Landrieu, Democrat of Louisiana, said the problem was not who was in command. FEMA repeatedly held up assistance that could have been critical, he said.

 

Says alot

 

It would be pure kayos…. Lawlessness….. These are the beginning of sorrows….

Gods hand keeps men from turning into beast…. He is longsuffering and merciful, but men is getting more wicked…. I personally believe that we’re on the threshold of the coming of the Lord Jesus…..

 

You think this is bad? Just wait till the restrainer is taken out and the man of sin has free reign for about 7 years. We hain't seeen nuhthin yeht! Of course I won't see those "hereafter" things from up close, but from "up hither".

 

Amen, Dr. Bob.

 

Alright, well that sounds like the normal bureauocratic scuffles to me. A far cry from 'depravity'. I thought your original argument was that there weren't enough National Guard troops available because Bush had sent them all to Iraq. From my earllier post, we see that is not the case. And the Louisiana state and local officials bear at least as much responsibility for unpreparedness as do Bush and any federal officials.

Here's the southeast Louisiana evacuation plan supplement, revised in 2000. Page 13, Paragraph 5. It states:

"5. The primary means of hurricane evacuation will be personal vehicles. School and municipal buses, government-owned vehicles and vehicles provided by volunteer agencies may be used to provide transportation for individuals who lack transportation and require assistance in evacuating."

So, local and state officials had plenty of buses available to evacuate in New Orleans, they just didn't use them.

 

Katrina photos.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ynews_photos_katrina/favorites/