What Should God Do?

I've been surfing the blogs again and as expected, some people are using the south Asian tsunami disaster as an excuse to criticize the existence of God. "Why would God allow so much suffering?" "What kind of god would CAUSE so much suffering?" Sheesh, these people are SO predictable. OK, let's tackle this issue. Christianity is a religion of total choice. But with choice comes responsibility and consequences. Yes, people die in natural disasters. What would you have God do, kill the earth? No more rain when you plan a picnic, no strong winds to ruin your hairdo, no more leaves falling in the yard every autumn. No hurricanes or tornadoes or earthquakes that sweep away the old to make way for the new. If a child sticks his hand in a fire, would you have God suspend the laws of thermodynamics so he wouldn't get burned? If a worker falls from a scaffold, would you have God suspend the law of gravity so he wouldn't be killed? Do you want to live in a mystical, magical world where science is impossible, where nothing can be predicted, where you can't count on anything, where even "what goes up must come down," isn't true? Now, let's assume that a great deal of the suffering in the world is caused by people (easy assumption). Again, what would you have God do? Do you want Him to program all humans like little robots who never steal, never go to war, never lie or cheat, and have perfect table manners? Would you want to live in a Stepford world? Would you want to live your life as a puppet on a string? I wouldn't. And what would be the point of the human experiment in a universe like that? Christianity is about choices -- good choices and bad choices, and consequences -- good consequences and bad consequences. I'm under the impression that a great many people judge Christianity by the people who do NOT follow its teachings, by the people who continually make bad choices, by the people who suffer bad consequences. Turning your back on God is also a choice that He honors. If you don't want God in your life, why be surprised when He lifts his protection and leaves you alone? These people totally shut down their brain when approaching the subject of religion. If you aren't willing to judge religions the same way you judge different brands of beans, then you have stopped thinking. Any religion that can't stand up to close examination is a false religion. If you approach the subject with an OPEN MIND, it won't take you long to separate the chaff from the wheat.