But...
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| This wasn't a serious conversation...this was me being poked at by a friend helping me bring to the surface of my brain something buried, something that bothered me about seeing people on the news whining about being turned away from their churches this past weekend, people who are determined to meet and worship on Easter Sunday. |
It is not your risk to take.
Nothing that involves going out in public right now falls under the blanket notion of infection being your risk to take.
Yes, Sunday is Easter. It's important. But there's something more important if you consider yourself someone of Christian faith:
THOU SHALT NOT KILL
Go ahead, look it up if you're unfamiliar. If you need a hint, think "6th of the 10 Commandments." Or peek at Exodus 20:13 / Deuteronomy 5:17.
You don't have the right to risk that you might be a carrier of this virus, and that your attendance in church will infect someone else. Maybe you're asymptomatic; you could have it and not know. Maybe you just got over it and figure all is well; you could be shedding virus still and not know. The experts don't know.
If you and you brethren show up to worship together on Sunday, and even one person in that congregation falls ill, you are culpable. If that person dies?
Are you willing to be the one who infected them?
This isn't even a "But I didn't know" type thing. You DO know. By asserting that you have every right to assemble and worship, you're admitting that you're will to kill someone else for the privilege.
It is a privilege. You have the right to your religion; you do not have the right to inflict any part of that on someone else. Not even those with whom you typically meet and pray with.
It's not about protecting yourself.
It's about not harming someone else.
Stay home on Sunday. You can hit your knees and pray, you can thank the Lord for as long as you want, as deeply as you need, and as loudly as you can without being a nuisance to your neighbors. And while you're down there, perhaps consider thanking him for the grace you've been given, the fact that you are truly blessed to be home, where you can believe and pray in any manner you choose, and not hooked up to a ventilator somewhere, fighting for your life with every torturous breath you take.
If you are the Christian you seem to want the world to think, then be one. Treat others with the consideration you would wish to be treated, and don't risk infecting anyone. Don't risk killing anyone. Because you truly do not have that right.
3 comments:
Well said, as usual. And may I add, amen.
Very good post. Religion does not need a building, pews, holy water or communion. It takes just your heart and the entity you pray to's ear.
Many of those complaining about the restriction of religious freedom are those who've consistently demonstrated intolerance toward those among the population whose beliefs aren't identical to theirs. Bishops across the country have given Catholics dispensation from attending Masses in person (and have made available online services of which we've taken advantage), and there is no reason the pastors of these megachurches can't do the same....but I believe it's a fear of losing collection plate revenue. Concern for your fellow man and your community certainly isn't factoring into their thinking. (I know it's not only the arch-conservative megachurches who are protesting shutdowns, but they seem to be in the majority.) Leaving your chance of infection (or chance of infecting others) in God's hands is like swallowing a gallon of gasoline and saying that if you're meant to survive it, God will save you.
I cannot believe the science doubters who still swear social distancing is a hoax (there's one in my extended family), despite being told directly from a top doctor involved in the covid research that she cannot continue to socialize with friends and extended family while in lockdown.
It's not just about keeping yourself healthy, you dimwits. It's about keeping everyone else healthy as well. If not, you might as well start licking shopping carts. "Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me."
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