# Who Is God Punishing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 3, 2020, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960 "2020-04-03T14:38:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960/21 "2020-04-03T23:37:20Z")
No, but these days there are so many more choices. You can blame [Christians](https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/03/30/florida-pastor-arrested-after-holding-large-service-coronavirus-mh-orig.cnn), [Muslims](https://time.com/5815036/pakistan-mosques-death-toll-coronavirus/), and the usual gang of gays and atheists, although I thought it was hurricanes that they attracted. Dave Barry once wrote about Pat Robertson pointing out that a particular hurricane was God’s wrath against gays because it was heading for landfall directly at a place that supposedly had a lot of gays. When the hurricane abruptly changed course, Dave theorized that God had gone on to some other wrath and was no longer steering. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2020, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960/22 "2020-04-04T01:51:07Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > No, but these days there are so many more choices. You can blame [Christians](https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/03/30/florida-pastor-arrested-after-holding-large-service-coronavirus-mh-orig.cnn), [Muslims](https://time.com/5815036/pakistan-mosques-death-toll-coronavirus/), and the usual gang of gays and atheists, although I thought it was hurricanes that they attracted. Dave Barry once wrote about Pat Robertson pointing out that a particular hurricane was God’s wrath against gays because it was heading for landfall directly at a place that supposedly had a lot of gays. When the hurricane abruptly changed course, Dave theorized that God had gone on to some other wrath and was no longer steering. I remember that, it actually headed right for Virginia Beach where the 700 club is located. God can be funny. Too bad Dave Barry isn’t president ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2020, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960/23 "2020-04-04T02:51:33Z")
I already saw (somewhere) a minister saying this was God’s punishment on the Jews. Sorry, no link. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2020, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960/24 "2020-04-04T03:17:04Z")
The Westboro Baptist Church says that God is punishing everyone(but themselves of course) for tolerating homosexuality. It was on their weekly sign, I saw it as I drive by their compound on the way to the dogpark. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2020, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960/25 "2020-04-04T03:24:52Z")
The People Who Insist on Being the Battleship while playing Monopoly. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2020, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960/26 "2020-04-04T07:04:03Z")
I lose track of which deities are punishing who for what and when. So many deities, so many rules, so many eternal sub-worlds to languish in. I’ll go with Coyote and Loki flagellating the fools, and Kali eviscerating Xian evangelicals. But it’s funny how the bible-belt believers are most-whacked by their godling’s storms and floods. It’s a sign. ---
**Author:** ![Spyrith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Spyrith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spyrith)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2020, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960/27 "2020-04-04T07:44:15Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > I lose track of which deities are punishing who for what and when. So many deities, so many rules, so many eternal sub-worlds to languish in. I’ll go with Coyote and Loki flagellating the fools, and Kali eviscerating Xian evangelicals. But it’s funny how the bible-belt believers are most-whacked by their godling’s storms and floods. It’s a sign. What I find funny in situations like these, is that ardent believers won’t see it as punishment but as “God testing us to see we are still on the right path”, but if someone from outside their group gets hit, they’ll immediately label it as “God punished X for X and X” ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2020, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960/28 "2020-04-04T07:56:09Z")
Pay Robertson sez it’s caused by [“lady chemicals and oral sex,”](https://thebiznews.org/2020/03/24/robertson-blames-coronavirus-on-oral-sex-lady-chemicals/) so let that be a lesson to anyone not stuck in the 50s. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960/29 "2020-04-07T05:19:02Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Well, [blaming the Jews](https://www.newsweek.com/conservative-pastor-says-coronavirus-spreading-synagogues-gods-punishment-jews-opposing-1494578) never seems to go out of style Dana Milbank of The Washington Post comments on the hatefulness of this and more. [Trump blew it — not the WHO, Fauci or the Jews](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/04/06/trump-blew-it-not-who-fauci-or-jews/), April 6, 2020. > [@](#): > > One of my few pleasures during the current misery is the Zoom religious service, a weekly chance in my home to greet the Sabbath and to pray for healing. > But some are so sick as to be beyond the reach of prayer — and it has nothing to do with a virus. > > Rabbi Jeremy Kridel, whose flock in the capital includes several members of my family, was leading a recent Shabbat service for Humanistic Jews. About 10 minutes into the service, one man unmuted himself and started shouting “Jewish scum” and “Heil Hitler.” Before he could be blocked from the call, he lifted up his shirt to reveal a large swastika tattooed on his chest. > > Other hooligans began interrupting, and while the rabbi shut down the virtual service, another man dropped his pants on camera. Remarked Kridel: “This is just another indication of the fact that the current crisis isn’t the only one we face.” ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960/30 "2020-04-07T12:09:11Z")
Apparently God has decided to stop the pandemic and forgive the unbelievers. No really – you can see it here as his divine representative blows the [Wind of God](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/kenneth-copeland-blow-coronavirus-pray-sermon-trump-televangelist-a9448561.html) on the Coronavirus and destroys it. Since this same televangelist cured his followers last week through the television (they had to touch their screens while he prayed), they weren’t in any danger anyway. But being a generous sort, he’s blown away the virus so the rest of us can be safe too. He also is demanding the government produce a vaccine immediately, but I’m unsure why he’d want one. That’s a puzzler, ain’t it? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960/31 "2020-04-07T12:13:30Z")
It would appear he’s punishing those who were so adamant that ANY face covering was 100% unAmerican dammit! ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960/32 "2020-04-07T12:23:49Z")
The fact that the COVID is mainly deadly to people who are older, overweight, current/former smokers, have diabetes, high blood pressure, respiratory disease and heart disease might make conservative Christians feel a little less cocky than usual about God’s wrath being inflicted on others rather than themselves. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960/33 "2020-04-07T12:42:06Z")
Talking to a friend who is a devout JW, God is allowing us to reap what we have sown, and has held it back for quite some time. The death is at the request of Satan, who wants death for everyone and advocates for that constantly. It’s a result of us not being perfect, by design, but not turning to God. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960/34 "2020-04-07T13:01:54Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Talking to a friend who is a devout JW, God is allowing us to reap what we have sown, and has held it back for quite some time. The death is at the request of Satan, who wants death for everyone and advocates for that constantly. It’s a result of us not being perfect, by design, but not turning to God. Any divination of why it tends to target older people and will rip hard into third world countries, both of which tend to be religious, while being far less of a threat to young Westerners who are about the least religious people in the history of humanity? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960/35 "2020-04-07T13:08:02Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > It’s a result of us not being perfect, by design, but not turning to God. Sort of like what happened to the dinosaurs. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960/36 "2020-04-07T13:14:16Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Sort of like what happened to the dinosaurs. If only the T-rex had been able to put his hands together to pray to the Lord above. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960/37 "2020-04-07T13:19:54Z")
God, in his usual manner, is clearly punishing others because, as usual, others deserve it. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960/38 "2020-04-07T15:02:44Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Talking to a friend who is a devout JW, God is allowing us to reap what we have sown, and has held it back for quite some time. The death is at the request of Satan, who wants death for everyone and advocates for that constantly. It’s a result of us not being perfect, by design, but not turning to God. God grants the prayers and requests of Satan? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960/39 "2020-04-07T15:17:04Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > God grants the prayers and requests of Satan? In the Bible, yes. The premise of the book of Job is that God has given Satan permission to afflict Job with all sorts of misfortunes. And there’s Luke 22:31, where Jesus says, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.” ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960/40 "2020-04-07T16:53:16Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > God grants the prayers and requests of Satan? As pointed out, yes. But more to the point, how many times have we cursed each other. telling someone to drop dead, saying i hope you have a accident, and the all purpose fuck you. And how many of those things have been cursed against us. All and all we have collectively cursed us all to die enough time to destroy us many times over. So it is us that really is doing the requesting, Satan is more bringing that request to God and wanting it carried out, while trying to arrange the circumstances that cause us to do it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-god-punishing/850960.md?page=3)