Credit Crisis is God's Punishment

They really can't help it. As sure as eggs is eggs, if there is a problem in this country then at some point a representative of one of this country's religions will tell us that it is 'God's punishment'. Well, guess what? It's the Anglican Bishop of Lewes' turn to try and use people's misfortune to promote his religious views.  The Telegraph reports him writing that:

I believe that God ultimately has allowed this crisis for good. Our nation, like all the western nations, has become consumed with materialism. It has a stranglehold on our lives. We have found our security in 'securities' and have failed to grasp that nothing is permanent other than God. Our confidence has been misplaced. Something was needed to shake that and that is what we are experiencing. If this shakes our confidence in mammon (money) and forces us back to our creator and redeemer it will have been worth it. That should be our prayers as Christians. We may all have to suffer a bit, but God is an expert at bringing good out of sad, difficult, even evil situations.

At a time when the Anglican Church is in crisis itself, with threats of splits and talk of disestablishment, naked plays for moral superiority like this do nothing to enhance it's reputation. It may play well internally, but all religions do themselves a great disservice to get involved with economic and political issues in terms like this.

So, Rt Rev Benn, Bishop of Lewes, I ask you whether God allowed this for good? Where did misplaced confidence lay here?

Perhaps instead of lecturing the public on the morality of the credit crisis, the Anglican Church should consider it's own role and that of God in issues closer to home...