Some are going so far as to speak for God in order to get cautious friends to let their guards down. Apparently, the Big Guy wants us to go out and spray our droplets all willy-nilly to show how faithful we are, and how powerful we think he is. Never mind safety, children, those with underlying conditions, or the immuno-compromised. According to one social media post I read, gathering is “essential”, and anyone who declines participation is "overreacting", “scared”, “stupid”, “brainwashed”, “controlled”, or “faithless”.
Could it be that some people tightly hogtied their spirituality with church attendance, and not even a pandemic has adjusted their attitudes? Do they see the pandemic as a personal attack? Is it an enemy to be boldly confronted? Can they not pray or worship unless they're observed by others? Perhaps the real issue is that they're being painfully weaned from the applause and praise they used to get while at church—adulation that should have been exclusively for God?
The deaths and sickness of religious leaders and congregants who denied, mocked, or defied COVID-19, early in the pandemic, are tragic, and should have been enough to alert everyone. People are acting as if the pandemic is over, because they want it to be. As long as the defiance continues, Miss 'Rona and her growing sorority of variants are here to stay.
Is gathering really essential, or just missed? It's not the pandemic that people are protesting, it’s the ability to change, empathy, and truth.
Today, we see the variants that resulted due to human arrogance and irresponsibility. Covid-19 and its variants don’t care about our plans, habits, or wants. It, unlike many of us, is merely doing what it is designed to do. We’d do well to wake up, stop making this pandemic a religious or political issue, and use our brains. Gatherings large and small, attended by people who aren't being forthcoming about their health, associations, travel, or vaccination statuses, are perpetuating the spread of the virus and killing people daily.
Church buildings don’t have a covid shield. There’s no magic, invisible force field protecting any of the places we want to go.
Impatience is giving way to ignorance.
Maybe this pandemic was a lesson in how godless may gatherings were. Social media exposed comical, self-centered, irreverent, money-driven weekly convocations. The virus shut down the foolishness to which many had grown accustomed. Ministries that pivoted to virtual presentations and continued to serve their communities, are thriving. Those that didn’t, are struggling, missing the noise, and doing everything they can to manipulate people into putting their lives in danger.
Now would be the time to utilize all that has been gleaned by religious exercises in buildings, and channel that into true service. BEING the church, and establishing a genuine relationship with God—who is accessible and praiseworthy wherever a person happens to be--should be the goal.
Living and maintaining one’s health, peace, and well being—now, that’s essential.
I am fully vaccinated, but there is not enough cajoling, shame, ridicule, or guilt in the world to make me disrespect the demonstrated severity of COVID-19. The virus isn't a person who can be intimidated, persuaded, impressed or affected by bravery, or boldness. It doesn't discriminate. It takes full advantage of every guard and standard that we prematurely lower.
Business as usual isn’t an option in the absence of extreme care. Some things have to wait, adapt, change or cease.
It seems like people are trying to prove things to themselves, but need others to come along and bless their irresponsibility. I’m not trying to make anyone feel better or worse about the choices they make during this time. What I do know, is that many have thrown caution to the wind, and paid with their lives and good health just to prove to others how free and fearless they were. Families have been left to deal with the unsympathetic jokes and cruel criticism of their deceased loved ones who deemed the virus a hoax, called the vaccine unnecessary, considered their activities harmless, and snubbed measures to mitigate the spread of the virus.
Sometimes, people get frustrated and mad about the choices you make because it forces them to re-examine the wisdom of theirs. They need you to be wrong. Admitting one's errors can be painful.
The implication that I’ve missed, or am missing out on anything during this pandemic, makes me laugh a little, but I understand. Every time someone emerges uninfected from one activity or another, is a crap shoot. The restrictive nature of these times is wearing on the patience and livelihoods of many. People want to have fun. They want to resume the things that nourished and fulfilled them. No one wants to find that their choice was irresponsible, or deadly.
These days, choice is a privilege I’m thankful to be able to utilize.
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