By now Pat Robertson has been thoroughly raked over the coals for saying that God was responsible for the Haitian earthquake three weeks ago. According to Robertson, God wrought destruction upon Haiti because its people made a pact with the devil back in 1804.

Robertson, if I remember correctly, has blamed a number of other natural disasters on God. According to Robertson, God inflects these catastrophes on mankind as punishment for human sin.

Suddenly I feel sorry for Mr. Robertson. How sad to experience God this way.

God is not vengeful or deliberately destructive. God is simply the author of the natural world. When accident or illness strikes an individual, he or she often asks, "Why me, God?" and when disaster hits a city or a nation, the people cry out, "Why did God allow it?"

Why, indeed? A god of love does not inflict suffering on the innocent. An omnipotent god does not allow tragedy to strike the blameless unless ...

Unless the laws of nature were set in motion at creation and supersede the guilt or innocence of mankind. We poor creatures are not the center of the universe. Tragedy strikes the innocent not because of sin, but because of ignorance.

Haiti was warned two years ago that the island sat on a fault line and was ripe for a major earthquake, but the country was too poor, too badly governed, and too insignificant economically to benefit from the warning.

Almost every catastrophe — whether it’s war, terrorism, or natural disaster — is preceded by a warning of some sort, but warnings are ignored because they require people to change. It may be as simple as moving out of a flood plain, or something as difficult as making major changes in life style or political outlook.

I agree with Robertson about one thing. Disasters like the Haitian earthquake, or 9/11 or the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean, have spiritual implications of immense proportions. They test our humanity.

Right now, humanity seems to be responding. The suffering in Haiti is so intense, so immediate and so visible that no one remains untouched. But what will happen in a few weeks, months or years?

Haiti proves that we can feel for one another and grieve together as a family. Help is pouring in from around the world. Prayers are being said in every language and to every form of God, even when that form does not appear to be God at all. The atheist is no less touched by the disaster than the most devout believer.

But the form in which an individual experiences his or her god does impact the response. When one worships a vengeful god, one blames the victim. When one’s god is narrowed by creed or ethnicity, concern for the humanity as a whole is lessened. Finally, when politics intrudes, concern fades altogether.

And politics does intrude. Haiti is smaller in size than the state of Maryland, but its population is almost double. Only about a third of the land is suitable for cultivation. Almost half the people are illiterate.

Without effective family planning and better education, Haiti will remain poor and vulnerable, but don’t expect it to happen soon because once again we will have to deal with politics and religion.

Just look at how the abortion debate is stalling health reform here at home. Sectarian battles and partisan politics, turf wars and human hubris, all undercut our humane intentions. Nevertheless, the worldwide response to Haiti proves that people can join together and overcome these failings, (or sins if you prefer) ... at least for a while.

I do feel sorry for Mr. Robertson and all those who choose to follow a god of division. Surely a god who created the cosmos is God of all, not an select few. We choose the form of God we wish to follow.

Perhaps the suffering in Haiti will help us choose a god of love and unity.