Christian conference center burns - where was God?

Easter Sunday, which according to many Christians, is the "holiest" day of the year, was the day a huge conflagration roared through the Alton Bay Christian Conference Center on Lake Winnipesaukee, in Alton Bay, New Hampshire.

The fire took out a number of summer cottages at the 146-year old center, which has as its purpose the changing of lives by "encouraging commitment to Jesus," and thus is engaged in evangelism and training of Christian leaders.


This is an unhappy occurrence, and I am not in any way making light of what happened. But, one cannot help wonder why such a thing should occur on the "holiest" day of the Christian calendar, and the other question, of course, forever unanswered, is "Where was God?"

Consider: If God is omniscient as asserted in Christian theology, he/she knew this fire was going to happen. Why didn't he/she take steps to ensure it didn't happen, if, indeed, he/she considered this conference center important to the evangelizing of souls to keep them out of hell?

Secondly, if God is omnipotent as asserted in Christian theology - well, the same question arises.


I've heard all the rationalizations. I've used them. But, ultimately they fail. Either God is neither omniscient nor omnipotent, or he/she just doesn't give a damn.