Does it make sense to blame devastating floods in CO on the fact that State House Majority Leader Mark Ferrandino and his partner were kissing in public, and that the Denver Post covered their kiss?? Pastor Kevin Swanson certainly thinks so, and so did his radio co-host Dave Buehner.? Could they be onto something?
Now before anyone starts screaming; let me explain what I mean, and why I think it may be useful to take their question seriously, even if I find their conclusion pretty much repulsive.
I start from the premise that statements such as Swanson’s and Buener’s are wrong, not because I don’t share their theology.? The fact is, people try to explain painful and seemingly senseless events in all kinds of ways.
In fact, the making of meaning, the finding of patterns, and the insistence on the purposefulness of life, are perhaps THE defining features of what it means to be human, and that is what they were doing when they made their claim that “a gay kiss = deadly floods”.? So as tempting as it might be to dismiss these two, or to rage against them, something more is called for.
It is precisely because I take seriously their effort to make order and find meaning where none seems to exist, that I hope they in turn, might seriously consider my concerns about their approach, which strikes me as both cruel and arrogant – something I imagine neither man really is.
It is the height of cruelty and arrogance to explain other people’s suffering in ways that comfort you, but not them.? And it is actually worse, to trade in the suffering of other human beings as a way to score political points.
There are as many ways to believe and to dis-believe as there are people out there, and fighting about that is usually senseless, especially in the immediate wake of a tragedy.? When people use other’s suffering as a tool in their particular cause however, however noble they believe that cause to be, something is terribly wrong.? Anyone who believes in any kind of real human compassion should know that, especially as they take to the airwaves while people are still digging out.

Listed for many years in Newsweek as one of America’s “50 Most Influential Rabbis” and recognized as one of our nation’s leading “Preachers and Teachers,” by Beliefnet.com, Rabbi Brad Hirschfield serves as the President of Clal–The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, a training institute, think tank, and resource center nurturing religious and intellectual pluralism within the Jewish community, and the wider world, preparing people to meet the biggest challenges we face in our increasingly polarized world.
An ordained Orthodox rabbi who studied for his PhD and taught at The Jewish Theological Seminary, he has also taught the University of Pennsylvania, where he directs an ongoing seminar, and American Jewish University. Rabbi Brad regularly teaches and consults for the US Army and United States Department of Defense, religious organizations — Jewish and Christian — including United Seminary (Methodist), Yeshivat Chovevei Torah (Modern Orthodox) Luther Seminary (Lutheran), and The Jewish Theological Seminary (Conservative) — civic organizations including No Labels, Odyssey Impact, and The Aspen Institute, numerous Jewish Federations, and a variety of communal and family foundations.
Hirschfield is the author and editor of numerous books, including You Don’t Have To Be Wrong For Me To Be Right: Finding Faith Without Fanaticism, writes a column for Religion News Service, and appears regularly on TV and radio in outlets ranging from The Washington Post to Fox News Channel. He is also the founder of the Stand and See Fellowship, which brings hundreds of Christian religious leaders to Israel, preparing them to address the increasing polarization around Middle East issues — and really all currently polarizing issues at home and abroad — with six words, “It’s more complicated than we know.”