Zen and the Problem of Tornadoes

Francis Schaeffer wrote about the way Eastern thought was becoming prevalent in the Western world. Schaeffer was writing in the early 70s, but I think this trend has certainly continued. As a nature photographer, I often hear people talking about nature in vague spiritual terms. I've been tempted in that direction myself. Here's the problem with that line of thought:

When Christ stood in front of the tomb of Lazarus (John 11) He was claiming to be divine, and yet He was furious. The Greek makes it plain that He was furious. He could be furious with the plague without being angry with Himself. This turns upon the historic, space-time Fall. Consequently, the Christian does not have Camus's problem. But if one is putting forth a pantheistic, mystical answer, there is no solution to the fact that nature is not always benevolent. One has no way to understand the origin of this double fact of nature; one has no real way of "fighting the plague."

Without the fall, there is no way to love the beautiful parts of nature, while at the same time grieving, and even getting angry at the ugly side of nature. As Christians we can understand death's proper place, and even healthy function, in the world. But there's still something ugly in it, something that occasionally pisses us off. Only in Christ does one have the right to be angry at the cost of death when one hears about a deadly earthquake, and then open your window blind and smile at the sunset.

Quote: Francis Schaeffer, Pollution and the Death of Man, p33