Many people are not happy with Kirk Cameron over some controversial comments he's made about the deadly hurricanes that have wreaked havoc inside and near the United States, namely the current Hurricane Irma.
The Growing Pains alum and evangelical Christian actor recently took to Facebook, where he often posts vlogs, to give his take on the disasters. Hurricane Harvey killed 70 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the Houston area about two weeks ago, while Hurricane Irma, one of the strongest Atlantic storms ever recorded, has already killed at least 10 people in the Caribbean is headed towards southern Florida.
"How should we look at two giant hurricanes coming back-to-back like this?" Cameron says calmly in the video, speaking from Orlando International Airport after a business trip to Florida. "Do we write them off as coincidence? Do we write it off as a statistical anomaly? Wow! Who would've thought? Is it just Mother Nature in a bad mood? I don't know how you think about it but I think it could be something much more than all of that."
He then proceeded to read the biblical passage Job 37:13, stating that God "causes [storms] to happen for punishment, or to water His land and demonstrate His faithful love."
"One thing we know about hurricanes and all weather is that this is not mother nature in a bad mood, this is a spectacular display of God's immense power," Cameron said. "When He puts his power on display, it's never without reason. There's a purpose. And we may not always understand what that purpose is, but we know it's not random and we know that weather is sent to cause us to respond to God in humility, awe, and repentance."
"What this should be doing for all of us is causing us to remember that it's God who supplies our life, breath and everything else so that you and I would reach out to Him," he said. "So think about that, maybe share that with your kids when they ask why this is happening."
His post drew more than 3,000 public comments.
"Amazing. He actually thinks a god murders people with weather events, in order to teach them humility. Kirk has an impressively twisted mind," wrote one user.
"So you are leaving Florida?" another user said. "You don't trust your God to keep you safe and give you peace, security & strength in the midst of the storm? Haha. Hypocrite."
"Kirk, with all due respect, you are out of your ever lovin mind!!!" another person wrote. "Absolutely NUTS!!! CLIMATE CHANGE!!!"
Others defended the actor.
"Perfectly said Kirk Cameron!" one person wrote. "You honor the Lord with your words. It's all for His Glory. Safe travels."
"Thank you Kirk! I live in Central Florida. God has blessed me with great peace as we await the arrival of Irma," other user said. "Thank you for sharing the scripture also. Your words have perfect timing!"
"People's comments are so mean," another person wrote. "This man had the courage to say what his faith has taught him . Maybe others should follow his actions in their lives. Thank you Kirk."
Cameron has stirred controversy with his outspoken opinions before, on topics such as women and marriage, same-sex unions and the LGBTQ community.