Living by the Truth

I did a Face Book live today on my personal FB page speaking to the man in the White House. It was fun to research, write up and record.

Over the last 20+ years, I don't believe I have ever had the time to research topics which were important to me. I do now, and continue to be amazed at what can find on the web. Now I would suggest there are two or three levels of information accessible on the net. I can access really technical information for which I have no background to understand. Medical information, brain science information, technological information, law, and the list could go on. The second tier I would put practical information which has allowed me to fix the bumper on my car, change out two garbage disposals, change out elements in the electric ovens, patch cracks in the walls, and know how to treat some of the plants which have we have in our yard. The last tier is composed of lies, conspiracy theories, pseudo science, and discarded ideas which still live on the web.

Sadly today, the bottom rung on the tiers is where far too many people are hanging out. There are favorite websites which post the most ridiculous and unbelievable falsehoods yet get into the mainstream with gullible people moving it around. You might even liken it to the COVID-19 virus. Such partial truths, complete untruths, bizarre statements, and other silly information are passed by contact from one person to another and today, given social media, it is almost unstoppable.

I find that such social media dissemination inexcusable for Christians. It is inexcusable for Christians to have a part in spreading false information which when posted leads gullible people astray. More than that, we cannot excuse ourselves because we follow a leader who spouts lies, misinformation, and partial truths on a daily basis. We are ultimately responsible for what we do with our lives, our lips, our social media posts. We cannot brush responsibility off onto someone else.

Part of the reason we have over 4.85M people diagnosed with COVID-19 with deaths now at 158,000 and climbing. Because folks chose to believe the “conspiracy theories” about COVID being nothing more than another kind of flu, thousands have died as a result of that fatal lie. Perhaps that does not mean anything to you if your family has been untouched by this virus, but because this country chose to diminish its lethally, the death toll continues to rise. More than that, nursing home residents around the country have been sent to their rooms, the nursing homes have locked down, and the very thing seniors need to maintain their mental health is being deprived to them—because it was not taken seriously by our government.

Let me spell out some of the falsehoods which have cost us the lives of 158,000 Americans. This total represents people of all ages. Just tonight, I learned of a fire fighter—a young man who leaves behind a wife and two middle schoolers because he died of COVID. Since he contacted the virus at home, his family cannot access funds which are set aside for “deaths while on duty.” This public servant is not alone. The refusal to cooperate with city and county governing bodies when they have issued “when in public wear masks” orders have put more and more people at risk.

Another falsehood/lie has been to impugn the integrity of the World Health Organization. If you have any doubts about them, take the time to read about their work here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization This United Nation's agency has coordinated the pandemic from the beginning. They are not some mysterious organization controlled by Russia or China. Instead, through their regional offices, they have helped nations combat this virus and others.

Another falsehood is the virus will disappear. We heard that prophecy for April, then for this summer, and then by late in the fall. The truth is it is not going away until it is contained, treated, and hopefully folks have a vaccine and are vaccinated.

Another falsehood is that vaccines on the whole are unsafe. I have lived through a polio epidemic, SARS, MERS, and on and on. When there has been a vaccine, lives have been saved. The fact is there is no conclusive research which shows there are problems with vaccines.

The point is, believers need to seek the truth(not what feels true to them) listen to those who are experts in their field, and follow their guidance. That is at the core of our faith: the truth; love for God; and love for our neighbor. You may believe you or yours are not in danger of the COVID-19, and you might be right. However, if one truly loves God and loves his/her neighbor, we will make every effort to protect their health. If wearing a mask is what is needed, we will wear a mask. If social distancing is what is needed, we will socially distance. If washing our hands helps contain the surface spread of the virus we will do that. That is not a Christian's duty, it is a believer's obedience to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Wash your hands, wear you mask out of love for others, mind the gap, and be kind.