Plague Journal (16): To Life!

Some are still saying that the economic cost of these shelter-in-place policies is just too high. In the early days these people, the president among them, were saying that we are simply dealing with a form of the flu, it happens every year, and the loss of life will be no worse than most flu seasons.

That line of reasoning has been abandoned for the most part, but I'm still running across articles that suggest we have overreacted. And what is more, some say, the overreaction is part of a plan. It's purposeful. The intent is to actually hurl the country into a recession and use that as a means to defeat the president in the next election.

This is a sort of Breitbartian take. For these people, everything has to do with this mighty contest between the Dems (along with their allies in the media) and the Republicans. Whatever does not seem to reflect well on the president or on his reaction to this crisis must, ipso facto, be a product of this vast left-wing conspiracy.

There are many shades of gray, of course, between the two extremes of, on the one hand, we're-all-gonna-die panic, and on the other, ah-quit-whining-and-get-back-to-work-you-pansies. And there remains another parallel divide, age-old, that may impact just where you sit on that spectrum. That is the divide between city and rural. The virus is hitting urban areas the hardest, while many rural areas and small towns are relatively untouched. Sparsely populated Wyoming, for instance, still had no deaths from the virus as of yesterday.

One controversial aspect of these shelter-in-place orders that are in effect in many states is the closing of churches. Some are calling churches essential, saying they should not be included in the list of prohibited gatherings. Others say they are just as likely to spread the disease as bars and restaurants, which have also been shuttered, so closing churches just stands to reason.

Here's what I, a church-going Christian, think about that. First of all, I concur with what Gov. Cuomo of New York has said, that refusing to shelter-in-place is essentially a selfish act. And the call of Jesus upon our lives is a call to selflessness. To thinking of others before ourselves. 

I would also suggest that the refusal of some churches to obey these mandates does not reflect well on them, and tarnishes their testimony as Christians. They are not representing the Kingdom of God well at all.

And finally, just as in the matter of abortion and capital punishment, I think life should be a very high priority for Christians. We should not be cavalier about matters of life and death. I'm with that wise man, Tevye: