Cripes, I don't want to use an entire column on Brian Tamaki. I met him once and found him a pleasant guy, kind of normal, quite handsome.
His wife, Hannah, was friendly too; just we both knew we had nothing to talk about. I don't believe there is a God. But I respect those who do - just. Given the irrefutable scientific evidence.
But for Tamaki to blame the Christchurch and now Kaikoura and Wellington earthquakes on humankind for their "iniquities"? To say that Abel's blood comes welling up in the form of an earthquake as God's punishment for gays, murderers, whatever?
Mr Tamaki, scientists now think there could be as many as - get this: two trillion galaxies. That's our 400 billion star Milky Way times two trillion. The God that made all this is so furious at gays he caused a massive earthquake? Are you friggin' mad?
Out there in the 90 billion Light Year wide Universe are countless trillions collisions and explosions of heavenly bodies mega-times bigger than our planet Earth. Destroyed, deconstructed in each and every cataclysmic event our entire solar system's mass many times over. This has gone on for, oh, about 13.7 billion years and will continue for billions more years. God didn't make this. And He doesn't hate gays.
Do you know that most of those bodies in space are dead, with no potential for life - ever? They're rocks or gas. You think God really cares what a minority of human beings are doing in their beds on this less than a dust speck?
Why do religions put so much emphasis on human sexual behaviour? Jesus' mother a virgin. Masturbating a sin. Seventy-two virgins promised to Islamic suicide bombers. (We're yet to be told what awaits female suicide bombers. The mind boggles.) And Mr Tamaki blaming earthquakes on moral, sexual sin.
What a disgraceful insult to all the people hurting in Kaikoura. What does Mr Tamaki's God say about those who worship at the altar of materialism? What does the taxpayer nation think of Destiny Church having tax-free charity status? What of its flock whose tithes fund the church?
I see a campaign has started to strip Destiny Church of its tax-free status. Where do we sign?
What is happening on our tiny part of Earth is important. Little Kaikoura, our hearts are with you. Wellington too. We all know someone affected by the two major Christchurch earthquakes. Kaikoura got brought out of small-town obscurity by the local Maoris starting the whale watch tours which they built into such a successful business the whole town became centred round tourism.
Alas, that flourishing activity has come to an abrupt halt. And it won't revive in a hurry with such limited road access. Could take years. Yet we're seeing admirable community spirit on the news, in newspaper reports. In fact, it's what comes through most strongly: How united the people are in helping each other and in particular tourists. What an impression those people will take back to their countries.
To come is a massive downturn in what the town had built itself on: tourism. The fishing industry will be hard hit too. Life in Kaikoura has changed drastically; many businesses will close; jobs will be lost. In the affected rural areas the limited access will hurt farmers badly if not terminally. The foreseeable future is grim indeed.
The last thing Kaikoura needs is someone blaming human sin for the earthquake.
The same ranting man said Christchurch was the centre of the gay and civil union movement, that the double-earthquakes were predictable, hence God punishing the city.
Words Christchurch citizens need most when laid out flat and scores are dead.
Lowlife scum are emerging claiming to be quake damage inspectors and burgling homes.
Mr Tamaki came out with his black-magic God and Bible-conspiracy theories, all whilst people are only days into coming to terms with this life-altering event.
I see a campaign has started to strip Destiny Church of its tax-free status. Where do we sign?