Have You Ever Wondered?

In legal language, a disaster that is due entirely to the forces of nature and could not reasonably have been prevented is referred to as an act of God. This phrase is often included in insurance policies. Where did we get the idea that God is responsible for bad things that happen in our world? Does he arbitrarily decide when and where events such as tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters occur? Does God do something to make these things happen? Does he manipulate the natural world to bring about his desired outcome? And why doesn’t he do more to prevent suffering in our world? Finally, was God responsible for the violence we read about in the Bible? Did he resort to violence himself?