Why Did the Bridge Collapse?

[MUEagle2002]

This explains why I am agnostic and will not have faith. Why do Christians take this perverse pleasure in the suffering of others? The I-35 bridge collapse, Katrina, or 9-11 is punishment of sin. Yet Nevada with all its legalized prostitution is still standing. Same with Amersterdam. I listen to stuff like this and just feel sick. Just sick to my stomach!!

[chrisingram911]

shut up john pieper you should turn catholic

[rleeermy]

So all the fornicating I do is what causes cancer to grow in the bones of children. It can't be that god is an evil monster right?

[MrFLICKYOLI]

This "Baptist" minister can go fuck himself. His bullshit religion is responsible for a good portion of the deaths he's preaching about.

How many people die each year because of US Israel/Jew worshiping?

Fuck you John Piper - your religion is fake and you're a fraud.

[ManxMistress]

@MrFLICKYOLI Please, Swearing at these disillusioned idiot does not do any favours, show some dignitay and put forward a valid point without profanity, their argument is so weak it takes little to discredited them so do not give the poor things any amunition, they are stupid enough believing in this false diety in the first place. Take some pride in the fact you have not been conned.

[komanoise]

i'm glad i found the mute key quickly... oh yeah, everything said in the video is not true (in my opinion)

[yasmeenkhan786]

i think he is a crazy and for sure he has some health problems please see some doctor god bless u

[Revinius]

that's a very arrogant statement. He is very lucid and coherent and there is nothing 'crazy 'in how he speaks.

[JMKRATOCHVIL]

What an asshole this guy is.  I'm embarassed for his family to have to claim him as their own. I look forward to the day that this douchebag drops dead and rids us of this ridiculous babble.

[gagirl101]

Bullshit. God did crash the bridge here in my state. And there's proof. The bridge needed some major work done but the inspecter refused it and said everything was fine. You and your little "God is all" Crap need to f off.

[TheDocinOC]

God did not, MAN did!

[gagirl101]

exactly

[lucasdasilvamaria]

GOD DID IT.

Watch the video with attention, not listening to your toughts about it. Maybe The Word of God can change you so.

[gagirl101]

Highly doubt it. Religions bullshit to me. Its just a dumb excuse that people make up. I'm Atheist.

[egf68]

"SIN IS HORRIBL" Ok, I get that... now tell me what the hell it has to do with a bridge collapse! Maybe you should have "previewed" the ok city bombing! Now thats a sin! COME ON!

[permanentlydeleted]

Read Romans 8:18-39. The Bible tells us that sin pervades all of the natural world. It causes decay and death even in those who did not directly commit the sin.

Piper explains this clearly. Listen from 3:30 to the end. These horrible occurrences, Piper says, are God's "portraits" of what sin is like in the spiritual realm.

[TheHh1234]

Did you even listen to this video?! What sin has to do with the bridge collapsing was all he talked about for 6 mins. Is it even possible not to get this simple point? To agree with it is another thing all together.

[Nightshots]

My nieces and nephews with their parents driving the van were just a few cars behind the bridge collapse on their way to Valley Fair and a day of great joy and family time was spent in a day of mourning for our fellow humans, we found out later that day that we lost a friend on the bridge that day. She will always be missed by her friends of White Bear Lake Minnesota.

[w019mrm]

God is so beautiful!!! Thank you Jesus!!! You show me how much you love all of us through tragedies like this!!!

[fb2800]

I must go get me one of those pretend friends some day, but it's just my basic intelegnece wont let me!

Would humans be the only species on earth that go to heaven or can my dog come too, silly isnt it really? You know the towers would still be standing if religion never existed! Hmmm what else would still be standing, I bet heaps?

[iturn2]

This guy is a blessing and a day does not go by that I do not thank God for John Piper!

[WHATYOU5]

This guy is sick.

[peterostebo]

how so?

[WHATYOU5]

I live in minnesota and have seen the bridge after this tragedie and I said he's sick cause his yelling into the mic about diseases and sin, what does that have to do with this if u havent seen this event in person then keep ur mouth closed.

[drumladd]

I love people like you that make a statement like that without any explanation. You add much to our world.

[WHATYOU5]

I said he's sick cause I live in minnesota and saw the bridge after this tragedie and I said he's sick cause he's yelling into the mic about sin and disease which has nothing to do with this, this was a accident that should have not happen but did and if u haven't seen the damage afterword in person then u need to keep your mouth closed.

[katiekatew]

Thanks for uploading this

[HockeyFreak102]

I live in Minnesota. My uncle would have been on that bridge if the bridge wasn't closed. :') He saw it happen too!!! :( *CRIES*

[BoboVicus]

...The bridge wasn't closed. look at all the cars on it... -_-

[henry7304]

Piper has wonderful points, they are biblical. However, his interpretations makes God seem so mean and evil!

[lethalwizdom]

Read Your Bible. Romans 9.

[Ownzyouall]

wow this guy is yelling into the mic

[10jake10]

Why did the bridge collapse?.......Gravity!

[makavelli005]

Why are people so quick to rush to religon when something bad happens. It is life, shit like this happens. Human error in construction, failed maintenence, etc. I love when people are so bound to religon that they fail to use common sense, and instead use the opportunity to bolster their belief in biblical writings. And if you want to give your money to something that you never see, you can give it to me as I will put it to good use. :)

[fromDEATHtoLIFE]

It's not about rushing to religion when bad things happen; it's about trusting God in all things, whether good or bad. Yes, "human error, failed construction, failed maintenance, etc" were all contributors to the bridge falling, God didn't reach down and smash it. However, God does bring good from all things; that's what Piper means about the supremacy of God. Only those who have no faith and do not trust God will never see the good.

[WHATYOU5]

I like this comment above the guy in this video makes no sense, 13 people died when that happened and he's yelling about us being moraly dead and yelling about sin, what does this have to do with that.

[permanentlydeleted]

Read Romans 8: 18-39. The Bible tells us that sin pervades all of the natural world. It causes decay and death even in those who did not directly commit the sin.

Piper explains this clearly. Listen from 3:30 to the end. These horrible occurrences, Piper says, are God's "portraits" of what sin is like in the spiritual realm.

[BiblicalAnswers]

You DG people have caused quite a stir on YouTube with this video. Keep it up!

[BeccaAlicyn]

omg i was so there we live right across the bridge and we saw the bridge fell and we helped people get out from there cars

[noodletheory]

Great footage. Annoying commentary.

[teddybeardustin]

This John Piper person is a disgusting individual. People have been hurt, lost their lives, and people have lost family and friends.

Now, to use their losses to instill fear into those whom he wishes to deepen their faith in a false god, is disgraceful.

Maybe too many people are hoping for Jesus, and god to save them rather than improving life for themselves. Praying, instead of doing.

Doesn't seem smart to me.

[blbarkle]

Teddy, would you agree with an earlier commenter who called this calamity simply "bad luck?" That is, after all, the inevitable conclusion of a Godless worldview.

If so, why do you have a moral problem with the hurt John Piper is supposedly causing these same people with his commentary? So what. . . just another case of "bad luck" for them.

If not, how do you derive a purpose in this calamity without an appeal to the sovereign God Piper is proclaiming? Doesn't seem smart to me. . . .

[teddybeardustin]

Just as I don't believe in god, I also don't believe in superstition. Luck, is just a word to me. It is simply used to describe a series of events that either plays out poorly, or favorably in any particular situation.

And, while I do not believe in god, I do believe in the families who cry for those they lost in this terrible tragedy.

For any individual to use this event, to purport what I feel is a lie, is exploitive, uncaring, and highly immoral.

[blbarkle]

Teddy, I appreciate your concern for those affected, but I'd ask you to consider if such is consistent with your atheistic worldview.

The universe doesn't care about those affected. If, as your atheism entails, human beings are at base matter in motion just like the rest of the universe, then why value and treat them differently?

You need the God who created us in His image to account for that, and you need a Savior to reconcile you to Him. Both are available for you in Jesus Christ.

[teddybeardustin]

I got your message, and I can reply to you here.

People are about 65% water, and 35% meat. Break us down into our base components and we are not very special.

Yet, I do recognize as you do, that humans have a soul as you would call it, or a consciousness as would I. And that is how I would justify my treating a person differently then I would, say, a rock.

[14bama14]

because it wanted to

[somebody2185]

God doesn't build bad bridges for cars. I don't think he goes around pushing them down either.

[BenStevenson2]

Please read John Piper's article "Putting My Daughter to Bed Two Hours After the Bridge Collapsed" (type that into Google).

John Piper says: "you and I know that God could have held up that bridge with one hand".

I believe that God is able to stop any particular disaster from occurring. I don't know why God allows certain people die in a disaster and others escape - but I believe that God is infinitely wise in all he does.

[somebody2185]

It's called free choice. God everyone on Earth free choice. Choice to believe, choice to not believe. Choice to follow, choice to not follow. If god held up bridges and stop other tragedies it would violate that free choice. Not everyone on that bridge chooses to believe in God, so for him to get involved in their life would not be free choice.

[BenStevenson2]

Jesus calmed a storm with his words (Matthew 8:23-27). Did that violate free choice? If God can act miraculously in one situation and save people, why not another? I don't think saying "free choice" can give us enough explanation.

Sometimes God's actions are beyond our understanding (see Romans 11:33-36).

[somebody2185]

Is that what your Bible says at Romans 11:33-36? Mine says:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

[BenStevenson2]

"how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out" - is that any different to saying "Sometimes God's actions are beyond our understanding".

[somebody2185]

Yeah.

[somebody2185]

Jesus wasn't stoping some great tragedy in that situation. He was saving the lives of of his friends on a boat. Notice they were with him on a boat, they chose to be with him on that boat. They weren't some random strangers he caught a ride with. The real message of that story is that his friend shouldn't have been scared. They should have been knowing that he was the son of God and that they were safe with him whether he was asleep or not.

[patchworknoise]

"WWJD? Well I am pretty sure He didn't use a national tragady to scare people, by superimposing a unrelated sermon over news footage."

AMEN!

[vernancelet]

Hes meaning that someday when the rapture comes and you dont worship Jesus Christ and God, then you stay on Earth while the believers go to Heavan. And then Satan comes to Earth pretending to be caring and loving and using his powers for evil such as giving them the mark of the beast AKA, 666. once they have the mark, they are damned souls for 1000's of years and would burn in hell.

[vernancelet]

People who dont take the mark and worship to god and jesus, they would go to heaven before the Apolapse and the world will be destroyed. Then God will remake the Earth and there is no pain and suffering or sin.

[serendipityuk]

...because American's built it.

[IdleGod]

Haha, so true.

[spursballer20]

Wow, lmao mad random

[flashinpon]

I don't deny that God is involved, only that bad things only happen to punish people. To put it simply, with no "Dragon" there can be no "fairy tale". If God is powerful, how can He show it with no adversary? if there is no bad, how can there be good? That is the reason why evil is allowed to persist for a time.

[adocat1]

Your God is dead.

[rpaul5150]

preying on death? is death your opening? do you depend on people dying to make your money?

[BenStevenson2]

John Piper is not a preacher who is trying to get rich. Look at his website DesiringGod dot org and see that he gives away resources free. Nearly 30 books are available to download free of charge. Hours of audio material is available without cost.

John Piper is interested in people hearing about God, not making money for himself.

[rpaul5150]

sorry. try again. that website's very first upper leftmost link says "support dg" which takes you to another page who's very first link says DONATE. I know the racket. TRY AGAIN.

[BenStevenson2]

You assume without any evidence that the money donated to Desiring God goes to buy expensive houses, sports cars, and nice holidays for John Piper. Other pastors do exactly that and should be ashamed of themselves. But not all Christian ministries are about making the people rich.

[rpaul5150]

ahh. level 2 eh? without any evidence? lol. you wish. keep spinning retard. remember what the bible says about your types.

[floopy13]

im sorry, but i didnt notice piper telling us to give him money. and i think that if you dont want to support DG, you might consider clicking something other than support dg. what did you think it meant? yeah. sorry. its just kinda ticking me off how some people commenting this video are stereotyping christians.

[GlennDogg]

Wot a terriblr video

[Aliceangel77]

NEW VIDEO of Seconds After Minneapolis Bridge Collapse! New footage from traffic cameras just released!

[Yilar]

Is there some reaon he is talking like everyone is extremely dumb? Oh wait, he is talking to the religous believers who believe in the nonsense of religion lol

[RecoveringPharisee]

No, he is probably talking to anyone who is illiterate in religious circles or people who are illiterate about religion. The subject of God's control in the earth is a central subject in any religion. He is trying to melt down a very intense subject in simpler terms. That is the mark of a good communicator.

[hiskidj]

For all non-Christians watching this video- I'm sorry for how ignorant, insensitive, and ridiculous we Christians can be.

[RecoveringPharisee]

What??

[RHESTA]

God had nothing to do with it.

It was a catastrophe. People got hurt. Bad luck.

[blbarkle]

I hope everyone reads RHESTA's comment that this calamity is simply "bad luck." This is what happens when you remove God from your worldview. There is no meaning in or purpose for events in history, calamity or not. This world is but sound and fury, signifying nothing. . . . . And yet people with this worldview still condemn terrorists for their actions, attend funerals and love their children.

[tedhoff]

God is indeed supreme - in ALL things. Events like the bridge collapse in Minneapolis are a reminder of just how fragile our lives here on earth are. I pray that I don't waste my brief time on earth!

[LedSabbath0101]

Wow ..your so delusional its actually sad

[Jamesdawg1]

I thought that the government did it. Boy was I wrong! 50 million people die a year? I only know of like 6 that were born! Holy moses, we should all become Christians, so that way less people will die! Hurrah!

[fumala420]

What a freaking nut-job

[creepyhater]

You forgot to mention the statistic of how many people die from religion every year. patcondell vids are the greatest on YouTube.

[jeffuehrer]

praise Jesus! <b><i>five stars!

[silentmidori]

Learn to talk better

[Michoid9]

What is it whiy you ppl that absolutely NEESD a God , like ppl did in the antiquity?????? That was 3000 years ago!!!!!!! move oooooooooonnnnnnnnn and enjoy life!!! be happy and learn! that's it!!!!!!! and that preacher guy is a really freaky!

[hiskidj]

He's just plain wrong (and probably because he's ignorant of the main body of the Christian church) that there's nobody who is in full repentance of sinfulness and sin itself.

[fromDEATHtoLIFE]

What?

[bugmenot67]

How many I's in Mississippi?

Let's wait 'till they dredge the river to find out.

[honeybee33]

No Jesus.

No peace.

Know Jesus.

Know Peace.

[flashinpon]

John Piper isn't necessarily a bad preacher, but he takes it to an unScriptural extreme to say that all bad things are a result of God's judgment upon sin.

See the Gospel of John, chapter 9 1As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.

[DuFlux]

Piper is expressing a MACRO truth, your example is a MICRO example... We are ALL under the curse and we ALL have bad in our lives as a result of the fall of man. The whole creation is groaning...

[BenStevenson2]

Death and suffering in general is the result of sin. If there had never been any sin (rebellion against God), there would have been no death.

As you rightly point out, we cannot make a judgement about which particular sin caused particular cases of suffering. John Piper is not making that claim. Read what he says on the Desiring God blog about Luke 13.

[RecoveringPharisee]

Remember the man was blind? GOD allowed him to be blind to get glory out of it. So how is he not involved? God said to Moses in Ex 4:11-12 "Then the Lord said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?"

ESV

[RecoveringPharisee]

Let's all remember that Christianity does emphasize the brevity of life. Let live life to the full and reach as many people as we can. "The night comes when no-one can work." We need to reach people with the gospel before the bridge goes out in their personal lives. John Piper is not saying that these people are greater sinners than others. He is emphasizing the need to realize suffering is a result of a sinful world. "We have not yet struggled against sin unto blood."

[avian242]

asnook asks WWJD?

I ask WDJD: What DID Jesus do? Read Luke 13.

[jcbla123]

...And, do I perhaps forget to THANK Him for the 364 DAYS A YEAR that good happens to me, and BLAME Him on the 1 day that something terrible like this occurs? The bottom line is: I can only run from Him so long. It is telling in a situation like this that He uses many different means to compel people to come to Him. Eventually, every one of us is going to answer to God regarding His Son.

[RecoveringPharisee]

True, yet God's soverignity is still sees as th eprophet said, in Amos 3:6 Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless the LORD has done it? ESV

[jcbla123]

Like this question we are asking today, Jesus too was asked PUZZLING questions. His response was always similar: "Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able." (Also in Luke 13).

[bartonpublishing]

John Piper is right on here with the context of Luke 13. Read more at his blog: desiringgod *dot* org /Blog

[asnook]

Not sure I agree with all his theology. Interesting that the gospel to him is all about being loved. The gospel is about the kingdom and the kingdom is about loving! The current society is gripped by the "me" generation and they have tainted the gospel to be about "me" too! God is about His kingdom not mine! If America the "great" "Christian" nation got a hold of the fact it needed to be a nation of God's kingdom and its values, a nation that loved others the world would change amazingly!

[RecoveringPharisee]

Well said! However,I am sure you will agree that as John says "we love him because he first loved us." Also Romans 5 says that "the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit." Until we accept God's love for us we cannot love anyone else.  It seems to me that the reason people do not love other is because they have not full realized or accepted Gods; love for them individually.

[asnook]

I think that the awful experiences of the collapse should be used to show the USA for what it is. The USA needs to address its own issues at Home and make sure their faith is not just a veneer over the top of a rotting society.

[astaton74]

WWJD? Well I am pretty sure He didn't use a national tragady to scare people, by superimposing a unrelated sermon over news footage.

[astaton74]

I stand corrected about this being an unrelated sermon, but it is still a scare tactic, and repentance under duress is not true repentance.

[blbarkle]

What *DID* Jesus do?

Luke 13:4-5

"Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."

[hiskidj]

For one thing, those eighteen were not still in the middle of dying, so it was not an insensitive exploitation of suffering (Piper is just plain wrong for doing this video). Also, Jesus did NOT argue that the tower fell in order to make other people repent!! Rather, in CONTEXT, the people thought others who suffered were worse then them, and Jesus simply tries to say, "no, and there is a suffering that you too may face". This isn't scare tactics, it's just telling the truth.