# Pat Robertson: Sharon's stroke is God's punishment. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 5, 2006, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-robertson-sharons-stroke-is-gods-punishment/338652 "2006-01-05T22:52:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-robertson-sharons-stroke-is-gods-punishment/338652/121 "2006-01-09T21:10:26Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > There is no doctrine in Islam that you have to be Muslim to go to Heaven. If you’re not Muslim, Jewish, or Christian, you’re generally kind of screwed, though. Most of mainstream Islam isn’t universalist, except for some Sufi schools. And there certainly is a “only Muslims go to heaven”, and even a “The only real Muslims are those Muslims in my group” attitude among some Muslim schools. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-robertson-sharons-stroke-is-gods-punishment/338652/122 "2006-01-09T21:19:42Z")
> [@Captain Amazing](#): > > If you’re not Muslim, Jewish, or Christian, you’re generally kind of screwed, though. Most of mainstream Islam isn’t universalist, except for some Sufi schools. And there certainly is a “only Muslims go to heaven”, and even a “The only real Muslims are those Muslims in my group” attitude among some Muslim schools. This is true. I would concede that Islam is comes closer to the exclusivist doctrines of Christiany than any other religion. It’s a marginal difference. ---
**Author:** ![Atticus\_Finch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@Atticus\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atticus_Finch)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-robertson-sharons-stroke-is-gods-punishment/338652/123 "2006-01-09T21:34:00Z")
> [@Captain Amazing](#): > > If you’re not Muslim, Jewish, or Christian, you’re generally kind of screwed, though. Most of mainstream Islam isn’t universalist, except for some Sufi schools. And there certainly is a “only Muslims go to heaven”, and even a “The only real Muslims are those Muslims in my group” attitude among some Muslim schools. While they’re certainly not universalist, there is a stream of thought in Islam that extends a form of tolerance to the “People of the Book” - Christians and Jews (also Sabeans). It is thought by many Muslims that Christians and Jews do in fact go to heaven, based on Qur’anic verses like this: > [@](#): > > Lo! Those who believe (in that which is revealed unto thee, Muhammad), and those who are Jews, and Christians, and Sabaeans - whoever believeth in Allah and the Last Day and doeth right - surely their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. (Sura al Baqarah, 2:62) ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2006, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-robertson-sharons-stroke-is-gods-punishment/338652/124 "2006-01-10T04:59:09Z")
As the Ross guy subbing on Andrew Sullivan’s blog noted, the only odd thing is that anyone is surprised that Robertson believes things like this. This is exactly what he and a giant proportion of evangelicals believe. This is what Left Behind is all about. It might sound unopportune or crass when its made into a pullquote, but the idea that the end times may be nigh and that God punishes people for doing things like splitting the holy land are ideas you pretty much CAN’T go without. The only perhaps unfortunate thing is that Robertson thinks himself more qualified to interpret events (though really, he’s often only making sugguestions about how this MIGHT be God’s judgement). But nothing he actually says is theologically out of tune with the modern evangelical movement, or ideas that are totally uncontroversial when not paraded directly in front of the rest of the nation. The idea that Robertson doesn’t speak in tune with a large large audience of believers, or that he isn’t a powerful Republican player anymore is simply absurd. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pat-robertson-sharons-stroke-is-gods-punishment/338652.md?page=6)