From churches refusing to close, hosting ‘COVID parties’, and Christian singers even going on tour, evangelical Christians have been some of the most defiant and most vocal critics of stay-at-home orders, mandatory masks, and more in our seemingly endless pursuit to get on the tail end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now one prominent evangelical group is imploring Christians to listen to the science and not politicize it, follow the advice of experts, and "love thy neighbor by wearing thy mask."
Pledge of (Scientific) Allegiance
The statement comes from BioLogos, a group that seeks to thread the needle between faith and science. “We call on all Christians to follow the advice of public health experts and support scientists doing crucial biomedical research on COVID-19,” the statement reads. “The word “science” has become a weapon in the culture wars. Scientists are vilified and their findings ignored, while conspiracy theories go viral. Sadly, Christians seem just as susceptible to these trends. Thoughtful Christians may disagree on public policy in response to the coronavirus, but none of us should ignore clear scientific evidence.”
Some of the nation’s most famous evangelicals signed the statement, including the editor-in-chief of Christianity Today, the president of the National Association of Evangelicals, and bestselling Christian author Philip Yancey.
The pledge frames accepting the science as not only a moral imperative, but the Christian thing to do as well. Signers pledge to wear masks, correct misinformation when they see it, and eventually get vaccinated.
COVID Wars
For Deborah Haarsma, president of BioLogos, the pledge was drafted not only as a way to make communities safer, but also as a means to defend Christianity from its anti-science reputation.
“We felt like the faith side was being stereotyped as all being on the anti-science side and we wanted to show there are a large number of Christians in this country who are supportive of rigorous science and think the public health measures are important,” she told Religion News Service.
That’s a reasonable defense to mount. It seems no other group in America has made more headlines by defying safety orders from governors than evangelical Christians, who time and time again open church doors, avoid masks, and contribute to the spread of COVID-19.
According to one study, White Evangelicals simply aren’t as worried about COVID-19 than other faith groups. They’re the only group from any faith where a majority believed that scientists’ judgments are just as biased as anyone else’s. They’re more likely than other faith groups to want businesses to reopen, and they’re the only faith group where a majority feel comfortable attending worship services.
Do Faith and Science Mix?
The statement’s authors hope they can convince Christians to listen to the science and stay home and mask-up when outside. They also view those simple acts as necessary to their faith.
“Being in the church in a pandemic means standing 6 feet apart, it means wearing an uncomfortable mask. Because that’s the best way we can love our neighbors,” said BioLogos president Deborah Haarsma.
Given that just earlier this month, prominent Los Angeles pastor John MacArthur made national headlines when he held worship service for thousands with no social distancing and in defiance of California’s public health orders, it seems entirely possible the pledge won’t exactly change the hearts and minds of the Evangelicals they’re courting.
What do you think? Will the pledge change any minds? Or do faith and science fundamentally not mix?
44 comments
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Paul J. Fumero
Political Evangelism is Satan's secret weapon. To ignore science in a pandemic is suicide. To listen to Trump in a pandemic is suicide. Things are not well at all and getting worse. We are almost 180,000 dead and over 6,000,000 infected with little hope other than washing hands, social distancing and wearing masks. The way it is going, christianity will be gone in 100 years time in the USA. And is a good thing because there is little Christ in it.
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Lionheart
We are perhaps fortunate that Obama isn’t in office. He allowed 60.8 million people to get infected with the H1N1 virus and that was nowhere near as contagious and deadly as COVID-19.
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Bonnie Gale Threatte
Well said Robert. Yes, Lionheart is deflecting, Trump supporters have learned this skill to evade the facts and the truth and how sad and blasphemous that they often do it in the name of Jesus. H1N1 was a less deadly disease. It is unfortunate that people died but killed only 12,400 n one year compared to 186,000 in 6 months from Covid-19, no comparison. Obama followed the science and CDC recommendations which at that time weren’t as stringent as now.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
There's no sense crying over spilled milk.
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Lionheart
I am merely pointing out the fact that with a less severe virus, such as the N1H1, Obama had 60.8 million cases compared to the more contagious and deadly virus of COVID-19 which currently has 1/10th of the amount of cases.
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Robert A Stiff
No, Lionheart, you are not "merely pointing out" anything. As usual, you are seeking to deflect responsibility from the current inept holder of that office for his horrendous handling of the present pandemic by going backward in time seeking others to blame. Trump is not only a disgrace but a dire threat to this republic and you are one of his enablers.
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Ilmenheru Terikson
As always in your ignorant attempt to defend your god Drumpf, you end up missing the point of what your trying to say with the single fact your bringing up.
The virus your speaking of has both a much higher infection rate, and much lower fatality rate.Hence it demanded a much more mild response, and even with a much higher number of infected saw far far far fewer deaths.
Meanwhile we are already at nearly twice the deaths our population should of seen for Covid-19. This is due to our administrations extreme ineptitude on every part of this outbreak. Among other things people who have caught and survived it only to catch it again and die. Something we are not seeing in almost any other equally advanced nation, repeat infections. Just another woeful sign of the current fotus.
But sure keep on hating Obama because he was black, we all know that is why you hate him and cant let it go, and why you love drumpf.
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Lionheart
Thank you for your incorrect assumption stating I hate Obama because of a skin color. I’m not sure why you would think a skin color could affect ones views. I did however hate his policies, and so did many others, hence the reason Donald Trump is now our nations president. Obama had 8 years to improve this nation and he clearly failed. If he hadn’t the Democrat party would still be occupying the White House. I hope you don’t mind me mentioning the White House without your jumping to a conclusion that building has racist overtones because of its name.
Anyway, good luck with your party nominee. Let’s hope that if for some strange reason he did win that he remembers what he won come the inauguration.
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Katherine L Bell
Lionheart: What you are saying is not true: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/obama-wait-swine-flu-n1h1/
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Kenneth E. Salvage Sr
This is a weaponized Hoax election year virus. The CDC just said recently that only 6% of the oirginal deaths attribited to Conv-19 where caused by this virus! What does that tell you? What it tells me is that this common cold virus that has been with us since we crawled out of the caves, has been weaponized by one party and their supporters in the Media to effect the November elections. The Godless left is using this crisis to effect our rights to worship and voting for people that will honor the 1st amendment right to worship as we see fit! These leftest are tools of Satan in my view! They should face the fires of hell for facing away from GOD and trying to force others to do the same for a political cause !
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Robert A Stiff
Kenneth, the hospital called; you forgot to take your meds.
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Ty Ford
Nice Carole,
I can go with that. I'll pick out one word, "knowingly." The main problem, as I see it, is that too many think they know "a truth" when in fact, they are dead wrong. And in this case, others may also be dead.
I was stunned recently by a video in which an interviewer asked people who won the Civil War. Perhaps he only used the people who didn't have a clue for the video, but it was alarming how many people did not know the answer. These were adult US citizens. Based on their responses, I would guess that few, if any of them, have the mental capacity to know whether what they are doing could endanger the lives of others. That's very scary to me.
Like the Ohio woman on FB who told the TV reporter, "I am washed in the blood of the Lord. He protects me from COVID-19. I don't worry." What struck me about her position was how sure she was. That's also very scary to me.
I think the Devil is at work and I don't know how to stop him. Perhaps the best thing to do is let Darwin have his way and clean them off the planet. Is that a Christian thought? Perhaps it's the best thing to do. What do YOU think?
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Paul J. Fumero
Many make the foolish mistake of confusing belief with attainment. Belief is easy, attainment takes a bit more work and is really truthful belief in action. Hitler professed to believe in Jesus but fell far from attainment of his teachings. Putin does the same and Trump is just playing a TV role for the fools to follow. He doesn't believe in anyone but himself. The amazing thing is that they can fool so many to believe their pack of lies.
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Mya-Lia Sharizyn
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Mya-Lia Sharizyn
As I often refer to their works: "The whole world (because of missionaries) is LYING (it's the missionaries who are lying) in the power of the wicked one". That's one of the things they teach those who they're attempting to convince and convert. It's actually a confession! They aren't taught it's a confession, though. They're taught that the wicked people are those who believe in anything that is not the biblical god.
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Krystina S.
In the news August 28, 2020: In the next town over from me, Martinsville Virginia, over 60 members of New Bethel Holiness Church have tested positive for Covid-19 so far. 15 of them have been hospitalized so far. The charismatic and truly Godly leader, whose sermons were played on local TV for shut-ins, Reverend Mark Price, is the first to die from this congregation.
I am so very sad and troubled by the needless suffering this Christian Confusion has caused. People, families, and congregations have loss and grief due to the naive notion that God only watches to make sure we go into the church building once weekly for 2 hours. And the hubristic notion of ministers that they are greater than Nature, than a pandemic. If the building had poisonous gas, the minister would not admonish the congregation to sit and potentially get sick or die. No, the minister would be sure that there would be no meetings in that place as long as it was a potential source of illness. AND SO IT IS WITH COVID-19.
It is a tragedy when people put on their seatbelts while driving to church, then forget all the common sense God gave them and proceed to act IN CHURCH in a manner that flouts the Laws of Nature put upon this earth by their very God. We all know that God does not prevent viruses and other illnesses from causing harm to humans. That's not the way that religion or faith works. God (I am using Christian cosmology here) allows us to do the right thing or the wrong thing. We suffer through the turmoils and ailments of life. Christians are told to follow the law of the land. They are told to care for their body, as their body is a temple. It is better to pray alone in a closet than to parade your faith, or to use it as a cudgel. In the New Testament, they are not told they MUST go to church no matter the situation. The television ministry reached those who BECAUSE OF ILLNESS could not attend in person. It is a shame that we conflate being someplace from 10am to noon on a Sunday with being Godly. Keeping the Sabbath holy did not mean spending 2 hours in church.
I pray for those who are naive and who have been bamboozled into complacency. I myself had Covid-19, was incredibly ill for a month, and 5 months later, I still cough with any effort, and have lung, brain, heart, and even intestinal problems, cannot hardly move. THIS IS REAL. I'm afraid if I get it again I will die, as my doctor said I may have permanent damage. For The Rest Of My Life. Which may be shortened now. I give my personal testimony ONLY to assure people who may say they "don't know anyone who had Covid-19" that NOW they have one person's truth of it.
Our role as Faith/Philosophical/Humanist community leaders is to help others to be safe and healthy. We can be servants to our congregation and community by finding direct ways to help. And by calling the elderly and shut-ins to be sure they are okay, to ask if they need anything, and to lend an ear of empathy and kindness. "We've got to pray / Just to make it today."
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Pamela Kay Waters
If you peop ln e believe in your God you don't have to go to your church to worship him. My church is all around me. Nature. I have the beliefs of our Native Americans and the Pagens. So come at me with all your negativity. But remember where christianity started. The Druids and Pagens.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Would you consider being my altar, Pamela, so we can worship our God and Goddess the old-fashion way. Blessed be!
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Kimberly Sue Mclane
Read BIBLE...it takes TWO PEOPLE to read together to be a church...so much hatred for the NAME CHRISTIAN in these posts. GOD is all around you, not in a building. Do the BEST that you can to be a LIGHT for GOD'S LOVE & TRUTH...and let God, Great Father, Lord, Jehovah, Yewah's do the rest...HE Will lead you... In HIS timing... Have the Faith of a mustard seed 🙂 🙏🙏
not Human's convenience...
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Master Wolf KSC
Please don’t blame these folks’ inability to accept personal responsibility on Satan. That is weak leadership and lazy theology.
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Robert A Stiff
Let the so-called christians gather in their multitudes; let them cry out and hug one another in their ecstasy, let them sing out...then let Mother Nature take Her inevitable course and cleanse the human gene pool of their idiocy.
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Herbert Moore
I suspect no one will be convinced otherwise with words - especially someone like that woman in Ohio who stunned me when I heard her. So, Darwin or not, relax and let it play out. If folks like her are right wonderful. If not they can take it up with whomever is in charge of where they end up.
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arawngraalrd
Science is not the sort of God whose invocation accomplishes much.. Jesus has served so, but it's never been what he, Science, nor any other Pagan God had been preaching. Take not the name of Science in Vain, but examine the Methodsof Science, and Question the Evidence of Scientific Beliefs. What Science we have on CoViD-19, is sadly questionable.
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Maurice Slaunwhite
Faith trumps Science any given day. When a person prayed to the Lord God to deal with those who are breaking his laws constantly and he did and will continue to do So until the people believes in him. In the Bible the Lord says in the book of Psalms and still applies today, God said I will destroy all who does not believe in me.. Ladies and Gentlemen it has been prophecied and now it is happening. Do you still not want to believe in God.
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Mya-Lia Sharizyn
So Jesus didn't believe in him?
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Stoodie Baker
Are you saying that only non-believers are getting sick and dying? Get out with that nonsense; religious folk are getting sick just like anyone else. Prayer does nothing by the way. Nothing. If prayer did something there would be actual proof, it's something that could be verified. You know what the recovery rate or the complications rate is for sick people who have someone praying for their recovery? The same rate as someone who doesn't have people praying for them. There's been studies done, look it up. Prayer doesn't do a damned thing. Prove to me that it does if you can.
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Mya-Lia Sharizyn
Well if that's the case than every person if every religious should be doing the same thing!! Then there would never be any diseases at all!! Every person with a belief in a higher power has solid conviction in their faith in that power, even if it does not include the condemnation of other people for their higher powers, which, by the way, teaches and instills the whole concept of PREJUDICE, and condones PREJUDICE. That's going into something else, though, but of course I'm speaking of Christianity which has so MANY words that it depends on to tie everything together, and yes, they did it that way intentionally to gain control of the world through prejudice judgment that is based on false determinations made according to their own personal preferences.
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Mya-Lia Sharizyn
Is it possible to edit after posting? Typo: every person "in every religion"... I'm using a slide keyboard and checking as I type, but apparently not carefully enough.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Don't kid yourself, Kenneth! If Satan was real he wouldn't have anything to do with those fools, and damn sure wouldn't want them in the promised Land. By the way, haven't you ever noticed those horns sometimes growing out of Trump's head? They damn sure won't tolerate that in Christian heaven.
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Richard Lee Cornell
There is a series of podcasts on viruses called "This Week in Virology" down load and make your own judgement.
Your pastor drinks bottle water.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
I get a 24 bottle case and a six pack of Perrier every month, to wash down my nutritional supplements with, and boil local water to make coffee and tea.
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Richard Lee Cornell
I wonder how many people would mask if the virus was Small Pox.
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H Kent Wainwright
There is science and then there is fake science. The doctors and scientists who are telling the TRUTH that the whole COVID program is a scam, are censored out of mainstream media by the conspiracy to bring in the NEW NORMAL WORLD ORDER of the FALSE PROPHET and his MARK OF THE BEAST.
This is our opportunity to finally stand with our Savior for HIS TRUTH, by rejecting the MARK.
This is a precious time to be in the material incarnation. We finally have the rare, concrete opportunity to make the ultimate witness.
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H Kent Wainwright
BioLogos is a creation of Francis Collins [Director of the NIH [Anthony Fauci's boss]], and he is using BioLogos to propagandize and brainwash Christians.
BioLogos and Francis Collins are agents of the Antichrist. Be not deceived!
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H Kent Wainwright
BioLogos is a creation of Francis Collins [Director of the NIH [Anthony Fauci's boss]], and he is using BioLogos to propagandize and brainwash Christians.
BioLogos and Francis Collins are agents of the Antichrist. Be not deceived! https://youtu.be/ww8SyYrW3Gw
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Mr. C
I personally believe that people are putting their fear ahead of their faith, regardless of what their faith is. We can all have a personal view of Covid-19, but to follow what one political side is saying or what "Scientists" are saying is just irresponsible. As Americans, as people, we have a responsibility to search for unbiased answers to the questions we have. Anyone can throw the label of "Science" in a paragraph or in an interview to self justify their claim, but science is biased as well depending on who offers the biggest payday. It's unfortunate that "science" and "Scientists" are beginning to get a bad name, especially the ones who are nonbiased and truly honest. Because of politics and media, "science" and "Scientists" are beginning to lose their credibility! The CDC has contradicted their claims from Day 1 about the severity of Covid-19 and the usage of mask. I have an article that I copied from an oral health group that did a study between 2006 and 2016 explaining why mask dont work. That's a 10 year study! They removed it because "it isn't relevant in this current climate". So how can 10 years of a study be eliminated and replaced with "scientific claims" that took only a few weeks or months that contradict a study that took so many years to complete? Well, by saying "mask dont work" goes against a certain groups narrative! What it all boils down to is this. It's an election year in the USA. One side is going to use and label the best focus points to their benefit and spin it in the worst way possible. Take for example the protest, riots and looting. Many groups are calling this "peaceful protest"! But I don't remember peaceful protest that consist of killing, burning down buildings, tearing down homes, or hurting people. Republicans have pointed this out for months. But now that the poll numbers are looking bad for the democrats, for ignoring the obvious and labeling it a lightened name, they're now trying to make it out to be or presidents fault. You see the how this is playing now? Folks, just wait for the elections to be over with, things will begin to go back to normal. The unfortunate thing is that when elections come around, both sides are going to make a big deal over spilt milk and create a spin to point fingers, that's politics. Is this Covid real? Yeah, it could be. And now that the CDC is starting to recognize Covid-19 as another flu type, we really shouldn't be letting fear run and rule our lives. But the media and politics already left that scar on the minds of the weak. Now its up to the more positive minds to pull them out of this rutt so they won't lead their lives in fear.
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Brien
We can blame politicians. We can blame religious groups. We can blame the Chinese. We can compare atrocities historically. Enough. Everyone is to blame. While we argue poetically, people die. We are deciding that doctors know nothing, people die. The real disease isn't COVID19. The real disease is ignorance and spitefulness. We lack any moral center and have decided our "inconvenience " is more valuable than our elders. I for one am truly sick of our species lack of cooperative skills. I sincerely hope that I am watching the beginning of the end. It is simply time.
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Johnny Mac
I would agree except for three things: The WHO, CDC, ALL DemonicRats, ALL Media, And All President Trumps Swamp Dwellers have done nothing but lie to the President and the American peoples! Rioters go unmasked this whole time or wear masks to hide their identities and none got sick! Old people died from idiot illegal moves! And a super rich guy who did more damage to security on a computer, is making a demonic vaccine to poison GOD’s people! Change my mind! Oh and by the way, I have pleaded for guidance on this issue! And have received updates from doctors around the globe who have been silenced by the media pushing an agenda right out of hell. So convince me I am wrong!
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Ilmenheru Terikson
Well based on your word usage and speech I doubt you actually have a mind that uses logic and reason. For example the correct word usage would be all citizens of the united states. All media? even Drumpf loves OAN and FoX and swears they are the gods honest truth as long as they are sucking his teet and swallowing the orange goo.
The fact you dismiss the top science and think there isa demonic vaccine whatever the hell that means just lol face palm. Seriously your making the rotting mind of a rabid animal seem healthy and rational by comparison.
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Edward Mitchell Jr
Illnesses and diseases were around in biblical times and God always brought His people through. This is not the time for the church to be led astray by the so-called science of wearing of masks. When the original order came out it said that the mask had little effect. There are so many things wrong with the mask. One thing that's not being told is that people are dying who wore the mask from the outset. Science was never considered when mask wearing was implemented. No one studied the effects or side-effects of wearing a mask or how effective it was. They are so many inconsistencies what fabric is best, what type of mask, what are the hazards of wearing a mask for hours at a time. How much of your own breath is good for you and the long term effects. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I know that He wouldn't want us separated, He's going to do that in the end. He doesn't want us fearful and faithless. The church is compromised and yet they don't realize that the people who are telling you not go to church, they don't go to church! Now they have the control to shut church down at anytime based on anything. Jesus wants us to stand up for Him. In the old testament Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego would not bow to worship the image, nor did Daniel obey about not praying. In Philippians 1:20-21 Paul talks about living and dying for Christ. We are not to be afraid or fearful of death. Jesus conquered death and the grave. For to me to live, to live is Christ and to die is gain! The church needs to standup for Jesus and stop falling for the world's deception.
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Christian
Good News ! Everyone is going to Die. Nothing you can do will save you.
You will die and Rot in Pieces. No reason to be afraid. Death comes for you. Just as death came for Jesus. Death on a Cross !All will stand before the Creator.
Are you ready my friend ? Get Ready. Fill your heart with love and gratitude, mindful mercy and loving compassion.
So when you die, your Love will remain - in family and friends, in your children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren...
Only Love Remains.
Get Ready brothers and sisters, get ready for the Day of the Lord.
Faith. Hope. Love. Love is eternal. The greatest gift in life is Love.
So, Are you ready my friend ?
I hope to see you in Heaven, and until that golden day, may freedom and liberty guide you all of your days...
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Richard Lee Cornell
Good prove that this virus will not effect you. Gather in closed groups. Sing your song and be merry. If your God exist then God will protect you from the painful death. The old folks in your group have a better chance of dying from this plague. The younger ones stand a better chance of getting the plague and spreading it around. Those with underling conditions will die off. That is the way it was before science came along and that will be now since there is no vaccine. It will be the Darwin effect.
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(Father) Dave
The Specola Vaticana—the Vatican Observatory—(Specola) is one of the oldest astronomical research institutions in the world. In one sense, it can be dated back to the reform of the calendar in 1582, when the pope first consulted astronomers at the Roman College, notably the Jesuit Christopher Clavius (1537–1612). So yes. I would argue that science and faith mix, and have mixed since the first human tried to understand its universe, and thus giving birth to all manner of isms (religions).
For Christians who believe that they are the only way that God will make a known his path to salvation to the remote corners of the world, I understand you feel the need to evangelize. However should you bring illness and destruction to them before they are saved, have you not condemned them? I think it is wrong to knowingly endanger their physical well being to bring them YOUR spiritual truth. But I believe the Divine has shown itself to many peoples throughout time, in different ways, and the destruction of people caused by proselytizing is not outweighed by your religious zeal.
Those that evangelize are really going against the Source of All. For it reveals itself to all in what ever venue it chooses. Isolated tribes may know it as Nature and the Life Force of the forest and it would not be that far from the truth. It is only in organized religion that the human enters and changes it to meet their own politics and power games. Who is to say that the Hebrew god is it? That was not GOD at all but something else posing as God. Jesus's God is way different and closer to the Truth. He called it Father, as in his 2 commandments not the 10. But Jesus was not a christian, that was attracted to him later on by religious dogma. He was simply in tune with the creator Source and acted accordingly.