As a Katrina survivor, GRITSinMS, you above all posters should know that the casualties were not only the result of the storm, but of human failure as well. Maintenance of the levees had been seriously neglected beforehand by the federal and state government (see
Majority Whip : James E. Clyburn : Democrats Prepare Briefing For President On His Trip To Gulf Coast : ), and the missteps by FEMA afterwards, the head of which was appointed by our born-again President himself on the basis of the former's sole qualifications as a horse rancher.
As for donations to Katrina victims, if you think that only Christians contributed, please know that Jewish organizations also gave millions of dollars (see
UJC Allocates Additional Funding to Hurricane Katrina Victims) . The State of Israel also sent donations, as did (gasp) Humanist, atheist organizations and other secular groups (see
IHS :: HNN :: Atheists, humanists to send relief to hurricane Katrina victims)
But all that is besides the point. My contention in my OP that there was nothing supernatural about the Mpls. Bridge collapse holds true for Katrina as well.
Let's face it. There is no more proof for the existence of God than there is for that of Zeus or Woden, let alone some punishing deity who "tests" humankind. If you're a lifelong resident of hurricane country, GritsinMS, surely you must understand or at least be aware of the fact that hurricanes arise from natural forces, and have a scientific explanation as do earthquakes, volcanoes et al. These phenomena have been around for millions of years, long before humans evolved, and we and our man-made structures are no match for them. That is where the casualties come from, not from some punitive "big daddy" in the sky.
The current and long term costs to which you refer, GRITSinMS, are only increased when we waste our time, efforts, and resources on religion instead of putting them to better use in addressing such problems as hunger and poverty, as well as providing disaster relief and prevention to the extent possible, such as by repairing and replacing deteriorating infrastructure, and by holding to account those "leaders" whose appointment of incompetent cronies only intensify human misery resulting from catastrophes such as Katrina.