Opinion: A Deity Didn’t Plan St. Louis’ 1927 Tornado — 90 Years Ago
Ninety years ago this Friday afternoon a tornado hit St. Louis, causing major death & destruction:
The forecast for Thursday, Sept. 29, 1927, was for rain. It was cloudy and 72 degrees at noon. In Central High School, 1,750 students tended to their studies.
The barometer fell steadily at the Weather Bureau office downtown in the Railway Exchange Building, where forecasters went upstairs for a look. To their west was a low, black thunderstorm charging to the northeast. Sudden torrents of rain chased them inside.
They couldn’t see the tornado churning through the heart of the city. In barely five minutes, it killed 78 people and seriously injured an additional 550 along a seven-mile path. (Post-Dispatch)
Here’s a brief video on this disaster:
St. Louis has experienced numerous destructive tornados, we may get a big earthquake at some point. Most of us accept these as natural ossuaries. However, some like former actor Kirk Cameron and televangelist Joel Osteen, think sisters are the result of their deity’s plan! Either punishment or a test, respectively.
The result of the recent non-scientific Sunday Poll.
Q: Agree or disagree: Disasters (hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, etc) are part of God’s plan.
- Strongly agree 3 [8.82%]
- Agree 1 [2.94%]
- Somewhat agree 0 [0%]
- Neither agree or disagree 3 [8.82%]
- Somewhat disagree 2 [5.88%]
- Disagree 1 [2.94%]
- Strongly disagree 22 [64.71%]
- Unsure/No Answer 2 [5.88%]
Thankfully most who responded don’t think a deity plans the killing of people in disasters, though those in the middle or who think sisters are part of a plan probably don;t think man has caused climate change — the reason recent hurricanes were worse than they would’ve been otherwise.
— Steve Patterson