Today’s daily question on On Faith’s Web site asked, “As we commemorate the anniversaries of Katrina and 9/11: Why would a merciful God allow disasters — natural or manmade — to happen?”

A number of Christian theologians and pastors answered the question. I was pleased, though admittedly taken aback, to see the inclusion of an argument by an atheist, author Susan Jacoby.

The only word I could think of after reading her post was “ouch.”

That being said, I found it interesting that Jacoby believed the only Christian explanation for bad things happening to good people was that we, as humans, had done something wrong. While the Fall of Man is a pretty popular explanation in Christianity, it is not the only explanation. I have always appreciated the answer given by author Joni Eareckson Tada: “Sometimes God allows what he hates to accomplish what he loves.”

Isn’t this possible for a creator involved with creation? Isn’t it possible that God is testing mankind, preparing to reward them if they can make it through tragedy? Oftentimes, if man can survive tragedy, he finds hope and sometimes even happiness. Look at the bridge collapse in Minneapolis. After this tragedy occurred, city governments across the nation began to examine their infrastructure to determine what might need to be rebuilt and stabilized for public safety. True, many terrible events have followed 9/11, none of them positive. But look at the overwhelming increase of religious and cultural studies programs in universities across the nation — largely as a result of 9/11, people are taking a closer look at one another, many working to understand and accept the “other.” Or take for example Hurricane Katrina. Though thousands of people are still without adequate housing, downtown New Orleans has regained steam as a hotspot for tourism.

The point is, it’s at least possible that a Creator God would use negative means to achieve positive ends.

My question is, why didn’t On Faith include answers from eastern religions? I would have personally loved to hear answers from those who do not believe in a singular deity but who do believe in divinity. What might someone say who follows a religion but is not monotheistic?

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