It really is terrible what happened down there. I need to donate either money or clothes sometime soon, even though I don't have much. I think the US will donate more, can't say when or how much, but I'm sure it will happen. At least we're not like China, which donated....1 million.
As for Pat Robertson, don't pay attention to him; he says things like this all the time. He agreed with Jerry Falwell that we brought 9/11 on ourselves due to moral decline, that God was punishing Indonesia with the Tsunami, that a nuclear explosion would be good for us...I still cannot imagine why this guy would still have his own show on ABC Family.
Just ignore him, say "Sure, gramps
" and just warn him that the afterlife for him is experiencing a slight warming trend.
Umm, he's about half-right on Indonesia. The Acehnese are known for their strict religiousness & their inshakeable faith in God/Allah. (well, at least that's what they always say) Now, sorry for getting off-topic & turning this into a religious debate but, I'd like to speak my mind here. In the Qur'an, Surah ALI-IMRON, one of the verses say not to battle your fellow brothers. Unless, They have been proven wrong & unjust, you may retaliate. But, however if the enemy seeks reconciliation, then you must accept it. It was one of Prophet Muhammad's "art of war" teachings. But, the problem is, they were too stubborn, (& probably we might have been as well.) Now, if they were really devoting themselves to the way of the Qur'an. They would've softened & try to lessen their demands. But nooo.... they were too prideful for that, (& a little hypocritical at that) & so were we. And so, God brought forth the Tsunami. It was a curse & yet a gift, because it opened both of our minds to cooperate & make peace.