In the realms of insurance and business, you’ll often hear the term “acts of God.” This phrase frequently shows up in contracts to limit liability for injuries, damages, and losses caused by events beyond human control. It acknowledges that during natural disasters, no one can be held accountable (even when human actions might have influenced the likelihood of the disaster). In our imperfect world, certain events are subject solely to the power of the sovereign being who governs the universe.
The concept of “acts of God” still holds significance in the insurance industry. However, it has almost vanished from our public discussions about disasters. People increasingly believe that we can control everything, so when misfortunes occur, they point fingers at each other. This false sense of human omnipotence has been particularly prominent in the past year, and it’s crucial to question this mindset.
The Blame Game After Disasters
Let’s look at the reactions to the devastating hurricanes in 2024. By any measure, Hurricane Helene was a force that humans couldn’t control. After making landfall in Florida, it swept through the Carolinas and other states, leaving behind a trail of floods and casualties like never before seen in the region.
Yet, before the floodwaters receded or the public fully grasped the death toll, social media was filled with claims that government actors had manipulated the weather, creating the storm to harm or displace rural Americans. These rumors spread so widely that U.S. Representative Chuck Edwards of North Carolina had to issue a statement to refute them and reassure his constituents. But that didn’t stop Georgia’s Marjorie Taylor Greene, a fellow member of Congress, from stoking similar fears about Hurricane Milton a few days later. She pointed to small – scale cloud – seeding as “evidence” that man – made, continent – sized cyclones were possible.
Left – leaning journalists and scientists, on their part, were quick to blame man – made climate change. They used the same narrative that’s often repeated after every natural disaster. In Florida, some even tried to hold specific officials responsible. Reporters insinuated that Governor Ron DeSantis was to blame for the destruction caused by Helene and Milton because he’s skeptical about the human causes of climate change. But it’s odd to single out the governor of a state with one of the lowest per – capita carbon emissions as particularly responsible for the state of the climate, regardless of the validity of the climate change explanation for weather – related disasters.
Another example is the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles in January. These fires were fueled by a combination of seasonal winds, historically dry conditions, and the build – up of thick brush in an area naturally prone to fires. Most of these factors were beyond the control of local officials and have contributed to numerous fires in the past. Such fires have been a part of the “chaparral” ecosystem for thousands of years, even before California became urbanized.
Despite these facts, politicians and pundits still tried to blame the fires on the negligence of specific individuals. Donald Trump, then president – elect, criticized California officials for the blazes, claiming that Gavin Newsom had withheld water from the region to protect an endangered fish. In response, a Metropolitan Water District member told CBS that the district had a record amount of water in its reservoirs. The real problem was getting the water to the affected areas, which was made difficult by high winds that grounded firefighting helicopters—yet another factor beyond anyone’s control. It’s possible that officials could have done better in preparing for or responding to the fires, but the idea that they could have been completely prevented or that someone was entirely at fault is unrealistic.
Our Lack of Omnipotence
When people try to politicize naturally occurring disasters, even those that might have been exacerbated by human error, they assume that the world is under human control. They act as if peace and harmony with nature are the norm, and if something goes wrong, someone must be to blame.
German sociologist and political scientist Hartmut Rosa argues that the need to feel in control of our environment is the “driving cultural force” in modern life. In his book The Uncontrollability of the World, he criticizes “the idea, the hope and desire” to make the world “engineerable, predictable, available, accessible, disposable… in all its aspects.” He writes that we instinctively look for “responsible parties” even after natural disasters like earthquakes and floods. We assume that someone must have violated building codes, ignored safety measures, or overlooked warning signs. Time and again, all our political and public discussions seem to focus on being angry at those who failed to prepare for or manage the disaster.
This overconfidence fails to recognize how small and vulnerable we humans are, how different this “groaning” world is from God’s original design, and how much our lives depend on events that are partly or completely beyond our control.
Historian Will Durant is often quoted as saying that “civilization exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice.” In fact, it also exists at the mercy of meteorology, microbiology, virology, and even astronomy. The apostle James put it best when he wrote, “You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 4:14).
The urge to assign blame and spread conspiracy theories after a natural disaster is appealing because it helps us deal with the uncertainty and fleeting nature of human life. While sometimes there may be some truth to these claims, the blame game after a disaster often serves to ignore the concept of “acts of God.” It gives the false impression that the world is completely controllable. But this is not only a misperception of the world and our place in it; it ultimately denies God’s unique authority.
God’s Dominion
Events like hurricanes, fires, and pandemics remind us of our complete dependence on the One who has power over the wind and the waves. We may not like this fact, and we may want to blame someone or find reasons for why God allows such calamities. But often, these explanations are hard to come by.
The disciples asked Jesus, “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus replied, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:1 – 3). Job’s friends offered similar explanations for his suffering, convinced that he must have sinned to endure so many disasters. But their theories were wrong. In the end, God didn’t give Job any explanation other than to assert His sovereignty—His right to act in creation (Job 42:1 – 6).
In the modern world, we can do a lot to predict, prevent, and reduce the impact of natural disasters. This is a blessing. However, we must remember that even after all our efforts and even if every decision is made correctly, nature remains uncertain and unpredictable. God alone has authority over these aspects. He is sovereign over the weather, the earth, the heavens, and even our bodies. This is clear in the Bible and should be obvious to anyone who carefully and honestly observes the world we live in.
When disaster strikes, we should think twice before engaging in the blame game. Instead, we should recognize our insignificance. Only then can we trust in the God who is truly in control and who has promised to restore this troubled world.