In watching the spread of the Bird Flu, I have realized a number of things. First, God is obviously not finished with using it yet. He is very clearly spreading it around the world in a way that is causing fear, concern, and thought. I have realized that He may or may not use it directly to destroy large numbers of humans but He is also using it in another way.

Just look at the amount of poultry that has been destroyed which has to effect the economies of those countries where the poultry has been destroyed in the largest quantities. Note that God has also beset us with other diseases like mad cow disease which has caused huge losses in cattle production and sales. Then there is the currently developing crisis with huge amounts of coral dying around the world which has to effect the number of fish we can harvest from our oceans for food. Next, we have to look at the large amounts of crops being destroyed by droughts, storms, and flooding around the world.

The latter also effects all other meats such as pork (which Muslims and Jews can't eat), sheep, and goats (not too common in most of the world) because the increasing prices for crops will effect the feed prices for stock. Even fresh water fish are being effected by water pollution, increased waste and other materials place in our waters by flooding, and storms like hurricanes.

Basically, our food supplies are under attack when there seems to be plenty in some countries but many more are starving to death in other countries.

If you still think God is not punishing us for our crimes against His Laws, then consider just some of the basics that have and are developing throughout the US and even in Europe. The entire US west coast and even the paradise of Hawaii have been experiencing torrential rains which are causing massive flooding and even making increasing areas uninhabitable because of increasing mud slides. These have become so common that they barely make the news any more.

From just east of the west coast mountains to past the Mississippi River, the country is experiencing a growing and devastating drought which is increasing the wild fire problem and destroying crops. This has gotten so bad in the Southwest that last year's fire season didn't even really end. Land just burned through the off season right up until the beginning of this fire season. Plus the areas where the fires are occurring are growing in size including states that previously didn't have a problem.

The hurricane season grew by about 6 weeks last year with more named storms than ever before and increasing intensity for the storms. I am wondering how many alphabets we will go through this year. If you think about it, the hurricane problem has gotten so bad that the entire Gulf of Mexico area and at least the southern half to two thirds of the Atlantic Coast area are virtually uninhabitable because of recurring and constant damage from hurricane winds, tidal surges, and flooding. They just have not figured it out yet, though increasing numbers of people are figuring it out and moving out. They are saying it will take 25 years for New Orleans to completely rebuild but, by then, most likely, New Orleans will have been hit hard again. If it gets hit hard again this year, the city will probably never fully recover with large parts of it becoming a ghost town and possibly permanently flooded.

The entire Central and Midwest parts of the nation from the Rocky Mountains to the Appalachian Mountains is being ravaged by increasing numbers and intensity of tornados to the point that much of that area has become virtually uninhabitable. Areas are being flattened within years of rebuilding from the last disaster. Plus I have noticed that the tornado season now is almost year round with increasing numbers of off season tornados wiping out homes and towns.

Europe isn't doing much better with a severe drought in the west causing raging wild fires and crop failures and flooding in east and central Europe causing huge amounts of damage. Add to this their increasing problems with things like mad cow disease and the Bird Flu, and they are staring to feel the pain.

It is looking like things are expected to get much worse before they get any better. As a matter of fact, you will find the increasing problems are building up to some of the disasters predicted in the Tribulation. And the smart people think the Tribulation is a fairy tale.

As far as a pandemic, it is inevitable. It isn't whether it will hit but when, which disease, and how many will die for the reasons I have previously explained.

Yep, everything is fine in paradise. The handwriting is on the wall and no one wants to read it. Denial won't save your butt.

But I am an optimist. I believe that it won't be too long (about 15 to 30 years) and Jesus will save our sorry butts, whether we deserve it or not. :-) But then again, those God haters who are in denial about Jesus being the Messiah, your outlook on the future has to either be constant denial and eternal surprises or it will really inhale vigorously and get very depressing. And you think you are the smart ones? :-)