I’ve been puzzled by how quickly a culture of fear has become the norm in the land of the free and the home of the brave.  We have successfully adjusted to many other dangers far worse that the Covid19 virus over the years.

For instance, the experts tell us that an estimated 606,520 people will die in 2020 of cancer.  559,265 will die of heart disease.  Accidents will claim 167,107 victims.

And Alzheimer’s will take 122,018.  Pneumonia and the flu will kill another 59,118.  And then we kill ourselves (suicide) at the rate of 48,344 per year. And finally, over 600,000 babies were killed in the wombs of their mothers through abortion in the past year.

Now we have a context for the 240,000 deaths so far in 2020 from the Covid19 virus.  For many years people have been dying all around us from a multitude of diseases in far greater numbers that from the Covid19 virus. Nobody was sheltering in place or wearing masks.

Nobody was blaming Presidents Trump, Obama or Bush for the deaths.

Nobody but hypochondriacs have lived in fear over the reality of deadly diseases in the past.  So why this mass hysteria now with this flu pandemic? 

Before I go further, I assure you that I am aware of the contagious nature of Covid19.  Please don’t blow me off as if I was “anti-science”.  I am probably more data driven than most because I love to read and research.  My question is legitimate because a social aberration has risen that I have begun calling pandemic panic.  It has taken on a life of its own and even been weaponized for political purposes.  FEAR has been embraced very much like a new religion.  It has its high priests in medical experts and media pundits.  It has its standards of righteousness in “virtue signaling” and judging and shunning based on mask wearing and social distancing.

If you come down with the virus you are judged for not being careful enough or being around irresponsible and dangerous people.  People who attend churches are judged and disdained by far more rigorous standards than protestors, rioters and looters.  It seems that new religions are just as riddled with hypocrisy as ancient ones. I digress.

My point is I am not a believer in the religions of fear or white supremacy or systemic racism.  If it looks like a religion and acts like a religion; if it has a belief system of absolutes and demands complete loyalty: if it shuts down all dissent and disagreement…it is in competition with true religion.  Followers of Jesus Christ must never bow to lesser gods.  We believe “there is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” I John 4:18

I am well aware that there must be balance here.  Yes, we are commanded in biblical Christianity to love our neighbors as ourselves.  Can’t that be expressed in mask wearing and social distancing?  Of course, it can.  But not as an expression of fear!  Under President-elect Biden we will be coerced by a national mask mandate.  It will be fear based not love based.  It will feed the pandemic hysteria to the place where the American people could be willing to place “church-going” Christians in detention.  I’m thinking internment camps like the Japanese Americans suffered during another time of fear-based hysteria during World War II.  Fear drives people to do things that they later realize were shameful and terribly unjust.  Let’s not go down that fear driven road again.

I write this because I suspect that the same people who tolerate violence in the streets, riots, destruction of businesses and looting will be irrationally intolerant of the peaceful gatherings of Christians.  I do not think that’s a stretch because its already happening. 

Friends, it’s time to stay true to our religion of love.  “We love because He first loved us.  I John 4:19

“And He has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” I John 4:21