While scientists, public health agencies and governments around the world are working overtime to understand the Corona virus and prepare for its impact on society, fundamentalist religious leaders are offering their own interpretations – and remedies. Take a look.
Over the past few weeks, many articles have appeared in the media in which Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Hindu fundamentalists have made a wide range of claims about corona virus. A video being circulated quotes rabbinic leaders saying, without equivocation, that no God-fearing, Torah observant Jews would be infected. Yet another published “news” item claimed that since “corona” means “crown”, the pandemic is a clear sign of the imminent arrival of the Messiah.
Here are a few examples from fundamentalist religious leaders with significant followings, who think they see the “hand of God” working through the Corona virus.
“The Corona virus is God’s Wrath, and Trump will save us from it”, Hank Kunneman, Pastor, Lord of Hosts Church.
“Applying violet oil to the anus is a cure for the Corona virus”, Iranian Ayatollah Abbas Tabrizian.
“The spread of coronavirus in Israel and around the world is divine retribution for gay pride parades”, Orthodox Israeli Rabbi Meir Mazuz.
“Coronavirus is Divine Punishment Against China” – Iraqi Islamic scholar Hadi Al-Modarresi (who has subsequently been infected by the virus)
“Drinking cow urine can ward off Corona virus”, – some members of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party. They have apparently organized “urine drinking parties”.
There are dozens more on the internet.
It strikes me that many of the same religious fundamentalists who see “God’s hand” in the Corona virus, also see “God’s hand” when it comes to the Israel/Palestine conflict.
Heaven help us all.
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Interesting how the “god people” always hi-jack a human crisis to serve their own fact challenged beliefs
They say that soap destroys the Virus. It seems that the “tide pod challenge” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumption_of_Tide_Pods) was just two years ahead of its time. It was not stupider or more dangerous than the suggestions that you quote. 😀
Sometimes we call such delusional thinking mental illness. Sometimes we remove children from deluded parents when, due to their religious beliefs, they deny their kids necessary medical treatments. Sometimes we enshrine constitutional rights to hold quirky or harmful religious beliefs without judgement. Forgive me if I note that the lines between these considerations can get a little blurred.
After reading this article, I rushed to my local supermarket to buy violet oil and cow urine. Couldn’t find any. What a disgrace ! I suppose the shelf was emptied by the same uncivilized panic-stricken folks who took all the toilet paper…
The fact is that these kind of Mulas, Clerics, Rabbis, Priests etc, are either charlatans, like that Christian cult leader or basically illiterate idiots who’s knowledge is limited either to the Quran, the Bible, the Torah and other religious books only.
Good luck trying to create awareness for the Palestinian cause during the COVID-19 pandemic!
I didn’t heard about Rabbi Mazuz before so I looked him up: Together with his father, Rabbi Mazliah Mazuz they were the opposition to Zionism among the ancient jewish community of Djerba Tunis.
in 1971 a muslim assassin murdered his father, the Rabbi of Djerba, and Mazuz the son fled to Israel
thanks.
I could have also added Mr. Trump’s contribution to fighting corona – A National Day of Prayer.
https://myfox8.com/news/president-trump-declares-sunday-march-15-a-national-day-of-prayer-amid-coronavirus-outbreak/
Following the same “logic”.
A number of years ago, when the price of oil was about $130/barrel, a few American priests and Rabbis met, stood in a circle and prayed to God to lower the price of oil, due to high prices in gas stations. This is in the educated civilised west.
Hey Jake, well, it seems to have worked!!! Oil is now at $7/barrel. Sometimes God takes a long time to do his magic, it appears!!
Of course, I overlooked this explanation.
Only his timing was wrong. He should’ve not lower the oil price at the same time that he gave us the virus.
We should not forget that religion doesn’t stand alone, but reflects, and is, a part of society and culture. Some denominations, such as the United Church of Canada, are rational and evidence-based in their assessment and caring about human rights issues – the Palestinian struggle in particular.