Surely "smote", though I like the idea of God's enemies being smitten...

Surprised nobody has complained about the squirrels before, since they touch on a number of sore points for some board members, being foreign and living on what they can pick up day to day, as well as being incomers to the neighbourhood who have displaced the local red squirrel.

I dread to think of the opprobrium which would be heaped on them if they could ring doorbells and tell everyone about their faith.