Editing Divine retribution (section)

===Rebuttals===
Orthodox rabbi [[Shmuley Boteach]] denounces such claims since they carry the implication of [[victim blaming]],<ref name="shmuley">{{Cite web|url=https://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/2005/09/the-defiant-man-of-faith.aspx|title=The Defiant Man of Faith|website=www.beliefnet.com}}</ref>  writing that "For many of the faithful, the closer they come to God, the more they become enemies of man." He contrasts the Jewish tradition, which affords a special place to "arguing with God", with an approach to religion that "taught people not to challenge, but to submit. Not to question, but to obey. Not how to stand erect, but to be stooped and bent in the broken posture of the meek and pious."<ref name="shmuley"/> Speaking about the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], Boteach said "I utterly reject and find it sickening when people believe that this is some kind of punishment from God – that really upsets me."<ref name="auto8">{{Cite web|url=https://7news.com.au/the-morning-show/rabbi-shmuley-explains-how-couples-can-reignite-their-sexual-chemistry-during-coronavirus-lockdown-c-986318|title=How to reignite your sexual chemistry during the COVID-19 lockdown|author=Rodney Pratt and Jenny Ky|date=April 20, 2020|website=7News.com.au}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.northjersey.com/story/life/2020/04/06/passover-2020-likely-have-special-resonance-time-coronavirus-nj/2889712001/|title=The Passover story has new relevance in the age of coronavirus|date=April 6, 2020|first=Jim|last=Beckerman|website=North Jersey Media Group}}</ref>

A [[Jesuit]] priest, [[James J. Martin (priest)|James Martin]], wrote on Twitter in response to [[Hurricane Sandy]] that "If any religious leaders say tomorrow that the hurricane is God's punishment against some group they're idiots. God's ways are not our ways."<ref name="martin">{{Cite web|url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/hurricane-sandy-gods-punishment-priest-shuts-down-claims-as-twitter-users-mock-pat-robertson.html|title=Hurricane Sandy God's Punishment? Priest Shuts Down Claims as Twitter Users Mock Pat Robertson|first1=Nicola|last1=Menzie|first2=Christian Post|last2=Reporter|date=October 29, 2012|website=The Christian Post}}</ref>