ELCA, Gays and Tornadoes

Remember when New Orleans was swamped by hurricane Katrina and someone made the comment that God maybe had something to do with it...because rampant sin brought judgement? I don't remember if it was Anne Grahm Lot or who it was, but she was quickly tarred and feathered by the media.

I do remember contemplating her statement and wondering if tremendous amounts of sin gathered in a certain area can literally push out God's Holy Spirit which is at work all around us restraining evil, chaos and mayhem.

With that as a background let's look at a recent happening and see if anyone believes it to be more than a coincidence.

Yesterday, the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America) voted by the narrowest of margins (one vote) to amend their social statement regarding homosexuality.

One vote. That was the margin Wednesday by which the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America churchwide assembly approved a social statement that, among other things, acknowledges the validity of same-sex relationships that are "chaste, monogamous and lifelong."

Close as it was, the vote bodes well for a proposal to repeal a ban on gay and lesbian ministers from leading churches unless they promise to be celibate. That motion, which is to come up for a vote Friday afternoon, requires only a simple majority to pass.
Earlier in the afternoon, a storm battered the Minneapolis Convention Center where the ELCA was meeting. That storm turned out to be nothing compared with the whirlwind going on inside.

Read article here; http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/faith/53738512.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsZ

The vote was being held during the ELCA convention which was happening next door to Central Lutheran in downtown Minneapolis. That very day a tornado came and damaged Central Lutheran...whose building and congregation would be symbolic of the ELCA.

Jack Freitag said he was standing in the lobby of the Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis when he saw "a wall cloud from the south coming across the parking lot." Then a "very loud roar" came through as he saw signs being blown around in the wind.

The wind tore off part of the church's 90-year-old metal steeple around 2 p.m. while about 120 people were inside, said church spokesman Joe Bjordal.

Read about storm here; http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090820/ap_on_re_us/us_severe_weather

So what do you all think? Could God be sending a message that what little protection was left for the ELCA has now vanished like a whirlwind?

You can also read Pastor John Piper's comments about this "coincidence" here;
http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1965_the_tornado_the_lutherans_and_homosexuality/

Hat tip to Mike S. and Julie E.