# Irene is message from God--Bachmann **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 29, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516 "2011-08-29T17:29:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516/1 "2011-08-29T17:29:56Z")
According to this: [http://boston.com/community/blogs/less\_is\_more/2011/08/bachmann\_does\_her\_best\_pat\_rob.html?p1=News\_links](http://boston.com/community/blogs/less_is_more/2011/08/bachmann_does_her_best_pat_rob.html?p1=News_links), Irene was a message from God punishing the US for its national debt. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516/2 "2011-08-29T17:31:11Z")
At least it wasn’t punishing us for wanting to approve gay marriage. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516/3 "2011-08-29T17:34:35Z")
The actual quote found [here](http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/hundreds-turn-out-for-bachmann-rally-in-sarasota-but-some-prefer-perry/1188559): _“I don’t know how much God has to do to get the attention of the politicians. We’ve had an earthquake; we’ve had a hurricane. He said, ‘Are you going to start listening to me here?’ Listen to the American people because the American people are roaring right now. They know government is on a morbid obesity diet and we’ve got to rein in the spending.”_ So is God over the gay thing now? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516/4 "2011-08-29T17:37:26Z")
Perhaps God is saying that America is spending money likes it’s preparing for a Big Gay Wedding. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516/5 "2011-08-29T17:46:04Z")
> [@](#): > > _“I don’t know how much God has to do to get the attention of the politicians. We’ve had an earthquake; we’ve had a hurricane. He said, ‘Are you going to start listening to me here?’ Listen to the American people because the American people are roaring right now. They know government is on a morbid obesity diet and we’ve got to rein in the spending.”_ Nothing about taxes? I guess God signed a pledge to Grover Norquist. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516/6 "2011-08-29T18:37:05Z")
I wondered why nobody had assigned God’s wrath to the earthquake. Then I realized that the epicenter was in Bob Cantor’s district. . . ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516/7 "2011-08-29T18:38:31Z")
Well Michelle Bachmann is clearly wrong, because God is punishing my mother. Yesterday she complained to me that first her sister, who was staying with her, had heart problems and had to go to the hospital, then there was an earthquake, and then there was a hurricane. She asked me what she had done to deserve this punishment from God. My Mom has no debt, and has been straight married for 53 years, so it can’t be either of those. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516/8 "2011-08-29T18:59:37Z")
It could be God punishing us for putting too much CO2 into the atmosphere. I’m guessing that wouldn’t go over well with her supporters though. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516/9 "2011-08-29T19:08:39Z")
It’s just God teasing me by threatening to wipe out our vacation destination next year. Grrr! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516/10 "2011-08-29T19:14:50Z")
Bachmann is a message from Irene–God. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516/11 "2011-08-29T19:16:21Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > So is God over the gay thing now? Kinda my thought. I can’t really be right with who’s responsible for this latest business until I hear from Phelps or at least Chavez. I mean, how are we to know if it’s about gay marriage, government spending or messin with Qdaffi? Bachmann needs to step aside and let the real crazies weigh in. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516/12 "2011-08-29T19:23:44Z")
So, Bachmann is saying that God and Jesus are telling us to not even think of taking money from the rich in order to help the poor. Got it. I suspect that in her version of the Bible Jesus’ mission was funded by a PAC. ---
**Author:** ![inkling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f17d59/32.png) [@inkling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inkling)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516/13 "2011-08-29T19:31:21Z")
I agree - it _is_ a message from God. God says, “Look how I could have squished New York like a bug for recently making gay marriage legal. Instead, I weakened the storm to show you that I am still here but not upset.” ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516/14 "2011-08-29T20:51:05Z")
Oddly, Bachmann’s comments coincide with the latest [Jonah Goldberg](http://www.nationalreview.com/author/56454/latest) piece calling liberals “bigots and snobs” for being wary of Republican candidates’ associations with weird evangelical beliefs. Obviously God has a well-developed sense of irony. [Relevant column](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/28/magazine/asking-candidates-tougher-questions-about-faith.html) on candidates and their religious beliefs. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516/15 "2011-08-29T21:15:08Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > The actual quote found [here](http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/hundreds-turn-out-for-bachmann-rally-in-sarasota-but-some-prefer-perry/1188559): > > _“I don’t know how much God has to do to get the attention of the politicians. We’ve had an earthquake; we’ve had a hurricane. He said, ‘Are you going to start listening to me here?’ Listen to the American people because the American people are roaring right now. They know government is on a morbid obesity diet and we’ve got to rein in the spending.”_ > > So is God over the gay thing now? Yep. Now he hates fat people. ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516/16 "2011-08-29T21:16:24Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > According to this: [http://boston.com/community/blogs/less\_is\_more/2011/08/bachmann\_does\_her\_best\_pat\_rob.html?p1=News\_links](http://boston.com/community/blogs/less_is_more/2011/08/bachmann_does_her_best_pat_rob.html?p1=News_links), Irene was a message from God punishing the US for its national debt. Well, June 1 through November 30 _is_ Message From God season in the Atlantic… ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516/17 "2011-08-29T21:20:29Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > According to this: [http://boston.com/community/blogs/less\_is\_more/2011/08/bachmann\_does\_her\_best\_pat\_rob.html?p1=News\_links](http://boston.com/community/blogs/less_is_more/2011/08/bachmann_does_her_best_pat_rob.html?p1=News_links), Irene was a message from God punishing the US for its national debt. > [@SnakesCatLady](#): > > At least it wasn’t punishing us for wanting to approve gay marriage. “We wouldn’t have a national debt if we weren’t spending so much money on gay marriages! It’s all connected, _see?!_” [/crazed fundie] ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516/18 "2011-08-29T21:21:08Z")
Since we’re already past “E” for “Elwood” (which admittedly would be a little better), I nominate the next storm of the current season to be named “Joliet Jake.” _“We’re on a message from God.”_ Get it? ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516/19 "2011-08-29T23:55:25Z")
As scary as Bachmann is, I found it more frightening to learn that she’s not alone. Evidently, [nearly 40 percent of Americans “believe that earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters are a sign from God"](http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1046450--bachmann-god-sent-hurricane-earthquake-as-a-message-to-politicians?bn=1). Most distressing is the realization that should those 40 percent decide to vote as a block, they’ll be very, very hard to overcome. ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516/20 "2011-08-30T05:43:41Z")
She now says her comment was [just a joke](http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/62235.html). I think we need a new corollary to Poe’s Law: no statement by Bachmann intended in jest can be easily distinguished from the crazy that normally pours from her mouth. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irene-is-message-from-god-bachmann/594516.md?page=2)