Does God Control the Weather?

While doing a google search earlier today for "weather gods," I noticed that one of the suggested links was for the website ChristianAnswers.net with the title: "Does God Control the Weather?" Naturally, I followed the link. This is how it begins:

Storms, floods, and earthquakes are indeed a part of the present world. We sometimes call them "natural disasters," but they are not a surprise to God. Yes, God certainly can control the weather and send deadly storms. Some have concluded that suffering occurs because it is beyond God's control. This is incorrect. God has indeed established certain laws and principles that govern nature, but he remains sovereign over these laws.

And it goes on to give a number of biblical references to god controlling the weather, thus giving us the proof that we inquisitive minds need. There's also a link to a book entitled "Weather & the Bible" for the "amateur Einstein who loves to explore, experiment, or read about science." My favourite part, however, is the More Recent Examples section, where "in more recent centuries, there are various examples that seem to show the providence of God in history using weather…"

Apparently God sent the storm that helped to wipe out the Spanish Armada thus ending Philip II of Spain's plan of uniting Christianity under catholicism (Editor's note: God doesn't like catholicism.) As well, God sent the fog and cloud cover that helped the Allied army escape from the Nazis at Dunkirk in 1940 (Editor's note: God doesn't like Nazis.) What I gather from these examples is that if there is in fact a God, he loves the English and hates continental Europeans. I'm not sure why God didn't send a deluge or something to help the English beat the Croatians last week, but that may have something to do with Richard Dawkins or the fact that their last Prime Minister was a catholic. Alternately, God just might not care about football, though somehow I find that unlikely.

In other idiotic religious news an English woman teaching at a school in Sudan has been arrested because she let her six and seven year old students name a teddy bear Muhammad. She could face up to 6 months in prison, a fine, or 40 lashes. Charges are being prepared against her under the section of the criminal law that covers insults against faith and religion. You can't see me right now, but I'm shaking my head in a strange mixture of bemusement and disbelief.