# Omnibus "religious people who think they control the virus" thread. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 29, 2020, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616 "2020-03-29T19:40:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616/342 "2020-04-30T02:01:32Z")
DocCathode, I knew about him being a religious scholar but not that he was a doctor. Ignorance fought. ---
**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:** [May 6, 2020, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616/343 "2020-05-06T18:16:57Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > I’m ashamed and disgusted that a bunch of very Jewish Jews would publically act like such idiots. > > Let’s look at the man most Jews regard as the greatest sage since Moses- Rabbi Avraham Moses Ben Maimon. He’s known as both Rambam (no seriously) and Maimonides. What did this man do when he wasn’t busy being a Talmud scholar? He was a doctor. Would Maimonides advise us to follow the medical advice of a bunch of doctors and avoid gathering in crowds? I think it’s clear he would. Ultra-Orthodox stupidity [has cropped up in Israel too](http://timesofisrael.com/top-haredi-rabbis-threaten-drastic-steps-if-no-way-found-to-open-yeshivas/). \*"Two of the most senior ultra-Orthodox rabbis in Israel…published a joint statement in which they warned that if the government fails to soon find a way to relax coronavirus restrictions and reopen yeshivas, they will consider taking “drastic steps.” The statement from Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky and Rabbi Gershon Edelstein came in response to a report that said there was an unprecedented disagreement between the two over reopening places of religious learning, which have been a major vector of COVID-19 infections."\* The best part of that story is the promise that if you donate $$$ (or a boatload of shekels, anyway) to a charity linked to one of these doddering nitwits, you’ll be protected from coronavirus. Oh, and they’ll also send you an amulet. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2020, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616/344 "2020-05-06T19:49:01Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > The best part of that story is the promise that if you donate $$$ (or a boatload of shekels, anyway) to a charity linked to one of these doddering nitwits, you’ll be protected from coronavirus. Oh, and they’ll also send you an amulet. :smack: Christianity of course has a long history of believing God selling his favors - I didn’t realize he provided the same services to his original Chosen Ones. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616/345 "2020-05-08T18:51:20Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > He’s demanding a heatwave, a supernatural heatwave. It isn’t surprising the bullshit is rising. [So much for the heat wave](https://www.accuweather.com/en/winter-weather/freeze-warning-midwest-northeast-brace-for-record-cold-and-accumulating-snow/734932). ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2020, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616/346 "2020-05-16T15:28:18Z")
A guy who thought the virus was a government conspiracy and that God would protect him [is posting from his hospital bed](https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2020/05/16/florida-man-who-hoped-god-would-defeat-covid-19-hysteria-now-has-covid-19/). ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2020, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616/347 "2020-05-16T16:04:09Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > A guy who thought the virus was a government conspiracy and that God would protect him [is posting from his hospital bed](https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2020/05/16/florida-man-who-hoped-god-would-defeat-covid-19-hysteria-now-has-covid-19/). Southern Evangelical congregation with a female pastor? Wow, the times are a-changing! Yeah, he did well to spread the virus likely to hundreds of people. But, hey, he’s apologized now. Yes, that’s a good thing that he learned something; too bad it is at possibly an extremely dire cost. What’s not good is the lack of education and the sheer paronoia that led to his asinine decision in the first place, said lack of education and sheer paranoia shared by far too many people in the US now. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2020, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616/348 "2020-05-16T16:49:29Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > A guy who thought the virus was a government conspiracy and that God would protect him [is posting from his hospital bed](https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2020/05/16/florida-man-who-hoped-god-would-defeat-covid-19-hysteria-now-has-covid-19/). I wonder if there is anything that would have changed his mind about precautions other than catching it. He’s encouraging people to be careful, but people were saying that before he caught it as well. He’s just one of many people who claimed the virus was a hoax and no precautions were necessary, only to later change his tune after catching the virus. It seems for a lot of people, experiencing the full effect of the virus is the only way they will take it seriously. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2020, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616/349 "2020-05-17T13:58:15Z")
" I do not fear this virus because I know that my God is bigger than this Virus will ever be." Well, since He created _everything_ I guess He created the virus as well. Looks like you got caught up in a general smiting, boyo. “I have come to accept that my wife may pass away, and the peace I have about it is that I know without a shadow of a doubt that she will be going home to be with the Lord.” Just like you knew without a shadow of a doubt that the virus was a hoax – until you caught it and likely passed it on to her. Next comes the, “It’s all God’s will” handwaving. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2020, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616/350 "2020-05-20T00:57:36Z")
[Here’s a doozy](https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2020/05/19/pastor-who-claimed-to-cure-covid-by-laying-on-of-hands-dies-of-covid/): faith healer tbinks he can cure Covid 19. Faith healer dies from Covid 19. Police have to be sent in to remove the body for burial, because followers think that he is merely having a face-to-face meeting with God and will soon reoccupy his body. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2020, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616/351 "2020-05-20T01:18:39Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > [Here’s a doozy](https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2020/05/19/pastor-who-claimed-to-cure-covid-by-laying-on-of-hands-dies-of-covid/): faith healer tbinks he can cure Covid 19. Faith healer dies from Covid 19. Police have to be sent in to remove the body for burial, because followers **think that he is merely having a face-to-face meeting with God** and will soon reoccupy his body. They got that part “right”. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2020, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616/352 "2020-05-22T22:11:40Z")
I realize it’s sort of contrary to the thread topic, but I do feel we need some positives in this mess and I have an example of how to do this sort of thing _correctly_ The Jewish congregations in Northwest Indiana, all six of them, are having their respective rabbis provide inspirational messages tonight (just before official sabbath start), all six, ranging from Ultra-Orthodox to Reform. Meanwhile, the Jewish Federation has distributed “Shabbot in a Box” (actually, it’s a small bag) to all people requesting it, which has shabbot candles, home-made challah, and grape juice . In other words, we’re coming together despite being apart, using technology in a manner compatible with a very, very old tradition, and after that will have what sabbath formal/official observations we will have this week at home. And I’m throwing “we” in there because, despite not asking for it, when I came home tonight I, too, had a “Shabbot in a Box” waiting for me and a very nice note thanking me for my service to the community (both Jewish and gentile) and an invitation to join them. Which I will be doing shortly after posting this message. So, I wish you all reading this well, and may your god(s) go with you. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2020, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616/353 "2020-05-22T22:29:36Z")
On a more directly topical note, today Trump demanded all houses of worship be reopened, ensuring that this thread has a longer life and many religious people have a shorter one. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2020, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616/354 "2020-05-22T23:14:43Z")
Funny - during tonight’s zoom meeting the Chabad rabbi pointed out that for the most part Jews are NOT agitating to reopen the synagogues because that is not the only place in which to practice religion. Sure, meeting together in person is important, but it is not the \*only \*important thing. I think most other religious types feel the same. It’s a minority that is pushing to re-open and engage in mass gatherings during an on-going pandemic. It is said that there are religious “leaders” pushing their followers to that end because it will not end well for many. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2020, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616/355 "2020-05-22T23:16:46Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > On a more directly topical note, today Trump demanded all houses of worship be reopened, ensuring that this thread has a longer life and many religious people have a shorter one. The strange thing about Trump’s idiocy is that he is going to disproportionately kill off his own supporters. The Trumper idiots who won’t wear masks, and who bunch up in great numbers in the Trump churches, and who take chemicals that will kill them on the advice of the Great Trump. These are the folks who will die. Trump is literally killing his own voters. ---
**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:** [May 22, 2020, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616/356 "2020-05-22T23:22:55Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > The strange thing about Trump’s idiocy is that he is going to disproportionately kill off his own supporters. > > The Trumper idiots who won’t wear masks, and who bunch up in great numbers in the Trump churches, and who take chemicals that will kill them on the advice of the Great Trump. > > These are the folks who will die. Trump is literally killing his own voters. Sort of like a cancer killing its host. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2020, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616/357 "2020-05-23T01:57:50Z")
My congregation is doing services by watching the rabbi on YouTube. Works for me. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2020, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616/358 "2020-05-23T02:10:04Z")
What do you mean “sort of”? ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2020, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616/359 "2020-05-24T10:19:40Z")
The Lutheran church down the road has this on its message board out front: Building is closed CHURCH is open (followed by its Website address) ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2020, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616/360 "2020-05-24T12:32:31Z")
^ I like it, **Bookkeeper**. I like it. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2020, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616/361 "2020-05-24T13:33:46Z")
The Episcopalian church down the street has a traffic cone in the middle of the entrance to the parking lot with a sign on a stick, _We’re meeting online!_ and the URL. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-religious-people-who-think-they-control-the-virus-thread/850616.md?page=19)