I don't get it

The University of Chicago Divinity School did a poll that said 2/3 of Americans believe the corona virus is a 'message from God'.

I don't get it.

Which God do they mean, the Old Testament Yahweh who sent plagues and pestilence and wiped out people? Or the God/Father/Mother of Jesus who urged us to love one another and even be kind and pray for our enemies?

A sign from God, in my mind, any message God would send, would be of hope and promise and life--not a virus of death.

Now, to give them credit, those people in the survey did say that the sign from God was to tell the world to 'change its ways': to stamp out poverty and racism, to narrow the gap between rich and poor, to raise wages, to improve healthcare for all people, things like that.

And hopefully, when the is better contained, we will have the will and leadership to accomplish those things. It is just a shame that thousands must die to inspire us to level our differences in health and wages and racial disparity.

But to say 'God sent it to teach us a lesson' is beyond my theological grasp.

No God I know and love and trust would do that.

Not now, not ever....