Why do these people never consider that when bad things happen to them it could be a punishment from God?
(Note: I am not saying it is, I don't think I believe God exists and if some God does it's certainly not one that involved in our lives, I am asking within their own worldview)
When I was a teenager I got into a bad car accident, a tree fell on our house, and a third bad thing (I can't remember exactly what) happened all within a week, and my mom started freaking out that God was punishing us for something, getting our mezuzahs checked, asking the Rabbi, giving more charity, being more diligent about certain practices, etc... Now I don't actually think "God" was punishing us for anything I just think we had a really crappy week. But my mom is highly religious like the Duggars (albeit in a different religion), so why do they never consider that when something bad happens to them it is God trying to send a message?
Like, Josh seems to have convinced Anna that he is entirely innocent of the CP charges. But Anna *knows* he's not innocent of the Ashley Madison stuff or molesting his sisters, adultrey and incest, which are both condemned very seriously in the bible (and I'm not super familiar with the NT but I believe Jesus goes very hard on adultrey as well). Yet it never seems to have occurred to them that the CP charges could be God punishing Josh? Or that maybe, just maybe, he is guilty of the CP and being ignored by his family and smeared universally and sent to jail is God working through people to punish him? In reading their emails they seem entirely convinced that God is on their side. But why would God be on Josh's side after the behavior he has just admitted to, because he said sorry one time?
Or, for Jim Bob and Michelle, has it never occurred to them that their family completely falling apart might be God punishing them for their last behavior and crimes? That their daughters "rebelling" or their sons being accused of/committing heinous crimes could be God's punishment for what they did and are doing? Or for Joe and Kendra, if she thinks he didn't do it, wouldn't she also consider that maybe them both getting arrested is a punishment for something?
They all seem to operate on the assumption that they are perfect and God is always on their side. It's just weird to me that they never stop and think that maybe all of these things happening are signs that he is not. Maybe it's just a difference in worldview between Judaism and Christianity or their specific brand of it? Because the way I grew up the idea that God will punish you for bad behavior and that bad things happening could be a sign to check yourself is very common. And it happens over and over in the Bible that they claim to be obsessed with that the Israelites (and individuals or other groups) sin and then God punishes them horrifically for it. Like what happened with David's children and household.
(Once again to be clear I am NOT endorsing the idea at all because it leads to really, really horrible conclusions, but I am asking why within *their own* idealogy they never seem to even consider it).
Posted May 5, 2026, 5:27 PM UTC