# Divine interventions by thunderbolts **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 10, 2013, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divine-interventions-by-thunderbolts/655311 "2013-04-10T09:57:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divine-interventions-by-thunderbolts/655311/1 "2013-04-10T09:57:54Z")
We all saw that a god of thunder sent a message when the pope resigned by [throwing a lightning bolt at the St. Peter’s Basilica](http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/02/13/lightning-strikes-st-peters-basilica-the-day-pope-benedict-xvi-resigns/). You might also be aware that what might be the same god of thunder seemed to disapprove with Jim Caviezel’s performance as Jesus, as [he threw a thunderbolt at him](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3209223.stm). But gods of thunder are not only active today, in Europe, but there are also documented activity in America, for instance when Shell King insulted Sitting Bull who, of course, had a special agreement with the thunder beings. > [@](#): > > In the agent’s office, [Sitting Bull] ridiculed Shell King for giving up the old ways so readily. Enraged, Shell King attacked with a knife … Sitting Bull had the last word, however. Within ten days, lightning struck and killed Shell King. “The event had a tremendous effect in restoring the waning prestige of the old medicine chief,” recalled McLaughlin… > _[The Lance and The Shield](http://www.amazon.com/The-Lance-Shield-Robert-Utley/dp/0345389387/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365587495&sr=8-1&keywords=the+lance+and+the+shield)_, p. 256 Do you know of any other instances of this phenomenon, where lightning strikes, at least to those who have not given up the old ways so readily, seem to be a divine intervention? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divine-interventions-by-thunderbolts/655311/2 "2013-04-10T12:35:47Z")
> **[David Jenkins (bishop)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jenkins_%28bishop%29)** > > David Edward Jenkins (26 January 1925 – 4 September 2016) was a Church of England cleric and theologian. He was Bishop of Durham from 1984 until 1994. After his retirement, he continued to serve as an honorary assistant bishop in the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds. > Jenkins was born in Bromley, Kent, to Lionel Jenkins, who worked in a bank, and his wife Dora (née Page). His family were Methodist. He was educated at St Dunstan's College, Catford. Having attended a Church of England ordination confe... > [@](#): > > Three days after his consecration as bishop on 6 July 1984, York Minster was struck by lightning, resulting in a disastrous fire which some interpreted as a sign of divine wrath at Jenkins’s appointment. ---
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divine-interventions-by-thunderbolts/655311/3 "2013-04-11T14:52:09Z")
That’s great, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divine-interventions-by-thunderbolts/655311/4 "2013-04-11T15:47:54Z")
The [King of Kings](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_of_Kings_%28statue%29), a statue of Jesus in Monroe, OH, was destroyed by a fire caused by lightning in 2010. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divine-interventions-by-thunderbolts/655311/5 "2013-04-11T15:59:55Z")
> [@Wakinyan](#): > > We all saw that a god of thunder sent a message when the pope resigned by [throwing a lightning bolt at the St. Peter’s Basilica](http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/02/13/lightning-strikes-st-peters-basilica-the-day-pope-benedict-xvi-resigns/). Nah, that was just Darth Ratz celebrating his retirement with a little show of Force. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divine-interventions-by-thunderbolts/655311/6 "2013-04-11T19:13:11Z")
> [@Student\_Driver](#): > > The [King of Kings](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_of_Kings_%28statue%29), a statue of Jesus in Monroe, OH, was destroyed by a fire caused by lightning in 2010. Another good, well documented case, thanks! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divine-interventions-by-thunderbolts/655311/7 "2013-04-11T19:15:10Z")
> [@Student\_Driver](#): > > The [King of Kings](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_of_Kings_%28statue%29), a statue of Jesus in Monroe, OH, was destroyed by a fire caused by lightning in 2010. Dammit! Beaten to the punch. That is the gaudiest Jesus statue I’ve ever seen. If there be a god, at least he has taste. ---
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divine-interventions-by-thunderbolts/655311/8 "2013-04-13T13:55:01Z")
Seems like thunderbolts these days are thrown at Christians and their monuments mostly. ---
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divine-interventions-by-thunderbolts/655311/9 "2013-07-31T16:32:26Z")
Here’s another one, I found via [cracked.com](http://cracked.com): > [@](#): > > The day after it organised a public burning of The Beatles’ music and memorabilia, radio station KLUE of Longview, Texas was struck by lightning. > > The lightning bolt hit the station’s transmission tower, destroying broadcast equipment and knocking unconscious the news director. KLUE remained off-air for some time afterwards. > > [14 August 1966: KLUE radio is struck by lightning | The Beatles Bible](http://www.beatlesbible.com/1966/08/14/klue-radio-texas-is-struck-by-lightning) EDIT: Oh, the reason for the public burning of Beatles music was that Lennon said that Beatles is bigger than Jesus, which seems important considering our context. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divine-interventions-by-thunderbolts/655311/10 "2013-07-31T18:41:21Z")
> [@Student\_Driver](#): > > The [King of Kings](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_of_Kings_%28statue%29), a statue of Jesus in Monroe, OH, was destroyed by a fire caused by lightning in 2010. Heh, I remember that. We always called it Touchdown Jesus. When I heard it had been hit by lightning and burned down I laughed for an hour.