The Divine And Profane As Hurricane Factors

Assorted public officials still suffer popular scorn for their action (or inaction) in response to Hurricane Katrina, but God seems to be off the hook. In an ABC News/Washington Post survey, just 23 percent of adults said they regard the recent hurricanes as “a deliberate act of God.” The chart below indicates how a number of population segments feel about the matter. The age breakdown is particularly intriguing, given that young adults are less likely than their elders to attend religious services or otherwise pay attention to a deity.