Things I Think…
1. I think the Covid 19 pandemic and the sundry reactions to it is a disaster of historical significance and another challenge that people of faith are failing.
As a way of loving my neighbor and my family as myself, I have labored to understand the realities of the virus and the treatments for it and all the issues around what has been done and not done for the good of people.
I have not gained much knowledge about that…but I know now that this society cannot survive another crisis… because we have sold the pursuit of truth for crass ideologies sold by grifters with platforms and degrees.
People of faith on both sides of the binary divide parrot their chosen hucksters with biblical fervency.
Scientific proof of scientific claims is no longer necessary…the medical community has succumbed to the age and falsehoods for profit abound…the more dramatic, the better, and the more profit made.
What I do know is that we all want to believe the worst about each other…and someday soon we will fulfill those low expectations of each other and those that remain will be left to deal with the consequences of binary wars where everyone loses….I think the Scriptures speak to this…
2. After over a hundred years, our local newspaper ceased operations. Few understand that this is a community tragedy, because the paper didn’t always fit their particular bias…but this is a huge blow to an already splintered community…the devil hates community…
3. A local newspaper was where births were announced and the dead honored…we celebrated and mourned together. Now, newspapers are not necessary because we could care less about each others lives…only ideas matter and ideas have trumped persons…and the cost will be staggering in the future because of this…
4. I think that most of the things I think are only partially true and temporal truth is hard to find in a fallen world…so I’m always open to correction and find it a joy, not an embarrassment…
5. This came up on my Facebook memories this morning…still true…”Sometimes…an action taken will cause you to be labeled as damn fool by the world and a good and faithful servant by God. You will act according to the voice that brings you the greater comfort.”…
6. We will not be judged on whether our tribe was right or wrong, but on how we treated the tribes we differed with…
7. The standard for truth these days isn’t a preponderance of facts, but merely the possibility that something could be true…if it fits a narrative, it is considered a fact…because the narrative is more important than the truth…
8. I’m always taken aback that so many believe the false prophets that abound today…until I consider that everyone wants to believe that God agrees with them about their “enemies’…
9. For the record, I’m not anti vaxx…I’m for transparency on risk and efficacy. Transparency is the only thing that will begin to restore trust in a vital institution…including the transparency to admit where we got it wrong…and what to do next…
10. The biggest challenge to my spiritual health at the moment is hatred of Russia…the scenes from Ukraine break and enrage me…when it is the spirit behind the terror that should have my attention…
“Scientific proof of scientific claims is no longer necessary…the medical community has succumbed to the age and falsehoods for profit abound…”
“I’m for transparency on risk and efficacy. Transparency is the only thing that will begin to restore trust in a vital institution…”
If you’re able to plainly state it – and I agree wholeheartedly with the plain statement you make here – the experts are already transparent. The government representative experts have been transparent and are on record now that they’ve deceived the people and continue to do so (see Wen announcing the overcounting of Covid deaths, see Fauci for his admission of untruth regarding masks and social distancing, Newsom et al continuing State(s) of Emergency with constantly readjusted rubrics of justification, these few just in brief.)
I did not immolate their credibility, they did it to themselves. Transparency is already available, now the question is, will there continue to be a set of good intentions superimposed on these transparently disingenuous authorities based on the populace’s desired outcome? Or are we seeing the results of sunk cost fallacy – we’ve been bamboozled but won’t change our course because we don’t like admitting we were bamboozled. Continued compliance with a corrupted authority will continue to produce corruption.
I heard a guy once say the modern evangelical church has this problem – the laity, the public, the folks in the pews continue to cater to, support and even applaud the lies and malfeasance from the authorities and the pulpit and therefore corruption will always continue.
I wonder if that guy sees the similarities between the crisis in the church and the crisis of COVID?
#9: I’ve long since removed my horse from this race (probably late 2020, actually) but your comment got my attention. I’ve done some cursory searching but there is too much info and I have too little time to sift through it.
Would you mind sharing what brought this on, exactly? By this I mean: has something come out/been reported recently on coverups or corruption with the efficacy and risks of “the c-19 jab?”
#2 and 3. My sympathies to you, Michael. I read recently that about a quarter of the country now lives in a news island — no local news outlets. I think this is very ominous for our country or indeed, any country. Issues need to be aired out and discussed locally. There’s no substitute for this. The lack thereof means we’re all more susceptible to despots and authoritarians who take advantage of this for their own nefarious ends…
Rob,
I don’t know that in the beginning of this crisis that public health officials had nefarious aims.
That is beyond my pay grade.
I assume they were doing the best they could with what they had…more than that and I risk bearing false witness.
What I do know is that we don’t have good information on the risk/rewards of the vaccines….and we should.
I do know that political ideology drives what we believe about a health crisis and that is insane.
I do sadly belief that one side of the aisle is now controlling the narrative…and misinformation is abounding everywhere.
In the meantime, people are suffering from long term complications from both the virus and the shots…and are being ignored because they break the narrative on both sides.
Those in charge need to establish a way to get all our questions answered…this is a critical juncture in our history.
Steven,
The vaccines have probably saved millions of lives.
They also have caused injury to some…but we really don’t know how many or how, because there is a reluctance to say anything negative about them, for political reasons.
I simply believe that we need honest assessments of both the good and bad…and I’m not convinced we have either.
bob1,
It’s devastating…for all the reasons you mention as well as the burial of community.
Rob,
I should also note that there is substantial evidence that the lockdowns and school closures were a big mistake…and we have to discuss that openly as a country…not necessarily to find who to hang, but so that we are better prepared for the next health crisis.
Michael @1:44…. well said ! ! !
Thanks, Em!
I will also note that the vaccine mandates were a mistake and they should be immediately lifted everywhere…and perhaps some reparations are in order…
I don’t know that the evidence merits anyone being hung, (my opinion is imprisonment, maybe; civil liability, definitely) but I am utterly convinced that these shot callers, governors, experts and office holders should NEVER be given another opportunity to lead into such remarkable damage again. (Also my opinion is that I believe It would be even more grievous than giving Bob Coy the role of pastor.)
10. I hate Ruzzia with my whole heart and feel zero shame about it.
Rob,
Unfortunately, we will have to wait on the verdict of history to know who did what and why.
We cannot afford to completely discount the work of experts in any field….but we do need to create ways to deal with these matters openly and for the common good.
London,
I understand…but I do wrestle with hate anytime I feel it…
Michael @# 7
You said, “ The standard for truth these days isn’t a preponderance of facts, but merely the possibility that something could be true…”
Isn’t that the definition of the legal term “preponderance of evidence”? That more likely than not an individual is probably guilty or an idea probably true thru the overwhelming preponderance of evidence.
A higher standard is “beyond a reasonable doubt” and I that’s the standard. I think, you are actually measuring by. It’s what i use.
Officerhoppy,
I am too tired to parse the semantics, but you get my drift.
For example…it’s possible that people are dropping dead from covid vaccine injuries…but it’s improbable, given what we know about sports and kids and cardiac arrest.
We also know that a lot of serious illness went untreated during the height of the pandemic.
Still there are a huge number of people that point to the vaccines when anyone dies suddenly…as if that hasn’t been happening since time began.
Is it possible?
Yes.
Probable…probably not.
We need transparent studies, not internet “experts”.
The ‘experts’ that presently control the narrative aren’t looking.
Michael,
A few things I learned regarding the ‘Media Industrial Complex’ since C19.
(Ironically, legacy news products …seem to be equally ‘safe & effective’)
Per FB’s own legal team; (not verbatim, but in essence). Fact checkers actually aren’t claiming to dispense exclusive, unassailable truths … but rather, from a legal standpoint …they are merely expressing ‘their OPINION.’
Declassified documents concerning the existence of ‘Operation/Project Mockingbird’ reveal the CIA’s deliberate manipulation (peddling self-serving propaganda) of influential news media publishing outlets and broadcasting networks in the 1950’s.
Carl Bernstein, a famous American investigative journalist who unveiled the scandal in 1977, said that according to the plan, the CIA recruited journalists that were put on a payroll by the CIA and instructed to write “fake stories”. The CIA admitted that at least 400 journalists and 25 large organizations around the world had secretly carried out assignments for the agency.
Fast forward more than half a century later …by Mark Zuckerberg’s own admission, the FBI was leaking falsified ‘intelligence tips’ intended to preemptively brand the soon-to-be breaking scandal of ‘the pawned Laptop’ …as scurrilous ‘misinformation’.
Musk’s document dump exposes in the recent Twitter revelations, the reality that ‘Operation/Project Mockingbird’ had never been terminated.
Dave,
Even if one rejects all “mainstream” news, that leaves you with sources that are even less reliable.
Musks document dump didn’t show much that wasn’t already assumed…and frankly because Twitter and Facebook are private companies, I think they can do as they please.
If I speak the truth that a man is a man and can never be a woman and should not be in a locker room make, displaying his penis, with a 5 year old girl, or should not be competing in women’s sports….does that make me a hateful Christian? There are people who would say that does. I have compassion for mentally ill people that suffer from body dysmorphia, but I am much more concerned with protecting young girls and women’s rights. To care for the ill, but to speak biological truth and common sense should not have to contradict one another.
“We cannot afford to completely discount the work of experts in any field”
Here I disagree, I must reject the work of experts (so called) who lied, misrepresented, selectively edited, withheld information and ‘expertly’ manipulated their political power and influence, who misrepresented their own research (Fauci, Birx, Wen) and the politicians in power who utilized that manipulation and defrauded the nation. I must reject all their work because they tainted, defiled it. That’s the cost of violating integrity, I can no longer rest assured of *any* of their standards. If I can’t trust them with a dollar, I can’t trust them with a dime.
Trust violated is gone forever.
Nonnie,
I didn’t write anything about the gender issues today.
When I have written , it was similar to what you said.
Rob,
I have no issue disregarding experts who have violated trust.
Michael, I was referring to “Christians loving our neighbours” and the kickback I have seen online recently, and even here in other posts. Loving our neighbours and loving the One who is the Truth are never going to contradict one another. Sorry, it this set me on a rant. It’s something dear to my heart. As a young girl, had I been told that I could be a boy, I am sure I would have jumped on that bandwagon! Most young girls are very uncomfortable with their changing bodies. I am seeing too many young people being swayed by mentally ill people who are pushing the trans ideology to children. We know for a facet that hildren are being mutilated with drugs and surgeries and yet MSM refuses to report on it. I saw the “love your neighbor” and this set me on my tirade. Forgive me.
Nonnie,
No problem…it’s understandable…
London and Michael,
I have a hard time hating Russia. There are many wonderful people there. That being said, I despise Putin, Lukashenko (Belarus), their henchmen and supporters. They are evil terrorists and I would rejoice if they were assassinated.
CK, amen
Nonnie, amen
My personal take on COVID: We had no idea what we were about to face. The reports coming from China (the ones smuggled out on video by concerned citizens, not the official government) were dire. Our government, and most around the world, didn’t seem to have a game plan. Even with the enforced measures, people still died in large numbers in many countries, including ours (think New York City, for example, where they ran out of morgue space for all the bodies). I can’t imagine what the mortality rate would have been if life as we normally know it had been allowed to go on.
Fast forward a year later…we had a vaccine, better treatments, and better outcomes, especially for those who were not immune suppressed or had other mitigating factors. We knew more about how the virus worked. Opening up possibly could have been quicker, but given the number of school personnel that died, I’m not sure how many of my colleagues (I’m a teacher, too) would have wanted to go charging back. I was back in the classroom as soon as I could go per local ordinance, but my students were still on Zoom.
I think we could live in the land of could of, should of for a long time. Mistakes were made and great medical strides were made as well. Many people got through okay; many not. But, if we are people of faith, we should be able to move on, learn what we need to, and trust that God did have a purpose in it. Focusing on numerous conspiracy theories is not going to help us progress in faith or life, nor is fighting with each other all the time. We have lost the grit of previous generations who made it through the Depression and World War II. We could fail the next big world-wide disruption if we don’t get our act together.
Linn
Exactly… Occupying the land of “Would have, could have, should have…” is senseless.
Linn, in New York, The governor forced nursing homes to take covid positive patients. Think about it! Nursing homes where relatively healthy elderly people live, but they place sick Covid people to contaminate them!!! Calif. governor also did that. Also the government in the UK forced nursing homes to take in Covid positive patients and elderly people died by the thousands! (we were locked down and suppose to be protecting These kinds of deaths, along with all the deaths that occurred by people who tested positive within 28 days of their death.(some died by car accidents, being hit by a bus, cancer, etc, etc) skewed the numbers and allowed the government to mandate vaccines because of all the deaths. The mandated vaccine that didn’t prevent the disease or prevent the spread of the disease and yet the USA STILL demands that people must have the vaccine to come to the USA. If you don’t see the evil and control in these kinds of decisions, I can’t understand it. Deaths are higher now than during the first covid purge. Deaths amongst young people that cannot be accounted for. “Suddenly unexpected” deaths amongst young people, dropping dead walking across campus, dropping dead in their sleep. Something is not right. When will we start taking the statistics….vaccinated, unvaccinated, long covid, no covid, etc, etc. Let’s do studies and let’s let the truth come out. I want the truth. I don’t want conspiracy, I don’t want lies…I want the truth.. It is the subterfuge and deceit that has so many people doubting the powers that be.
Nonnie, I’m not saying mistakes weren’t made and studies will be done, I’m sure. But, we need to start living our lives, too , and not believing every rumor or article we read that purports to be true. Lots of things in nursing homes need tweaking, for sure. But, that’s a big issue and I can’t solve it. What I can do is encourage my students who are still learning how to socialize and do the same with my children at church. I just don’t think the endless arguing gets us anywhere.
I agree with you 100% that we need to start living our lives. I was only commenting and pointing out that you used New York as an example of so many deaths and we now know that so many of these elderly deaths were NOT caused merely by the pandemic, but by purposeful contamination due to governmental mandates of putting sick people in nursing homes with vulnerable people, when the rest of us were specifically told to stay home and keep away from our vulnerable old folks. Also the number were skewed when the CDC counted any death as a covid death if someone had tested positve within 28 days of their death. Even though the death was, in reality caused by being hit by a bus, car accident, cancer, etc. ). People like me were speaking out against this type of thing at the time it was happening and other people were calling us “conspiracy nuts”. You are the one who brought up the vast numbers of people dying and the conspiracy theories. I think we need to start realising that many of those so called “conspiracy theories” were people talking about things they saw taking place in their community, amongst people they knew, etc. (and yes, I admit there were a lot of bunker theories also) Normal, community loving people, like me were vilified , but now we are seeing that what we saw and what we said was absolutely true and seeing the horrible fruit of it. But I agree with you!! Yes, let’s get on and live our lives, cast away the fear and walk in freedom. Sadly, I believe there are many who want us to go back to lockdowns, masking, and mandates.
A year ago, Cali guv Newsom was promoting mandatory Vax for public school students. Then it was crickets. In my hood, despite much encouragement, the student Vax rate was about 30%. Mexicans don’t trust government? That’s largely why they emigrated!
Barrington Declaration? My friend quit her career overnight when her teen girl communicated that she was suicidal over being isolated by school from home. My kids (tweens) and me are vaxxed but not boosted. We all had covid in July. We’re good…
https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/18/health/vaccine-childhood-pediatrics-immunizations-measles-polio-health-wellness/index.html
The above link shows that vaccination rates for the vaccines we all have been taking for decades have dropped in the last three years. If we pretend that the pandemic never happened it’s clear that well tested and lifesaving vaccines that have kept society safe for years should never be stopped. But due to the confusion and fear that civid brought these are now being abandoned. My point is that misinformation and too much information distorts everything.
Nonnie is right, verifiable in Jan 13 article by Dr. Wen in the Washington Post regarding over counting and misrepresentation of collected stats.
What must stop is arguing over good intentions saying everyone wanted the best outcome. Dr Wen tells us that they’ve been “cooking the books”. So would have, should have, and could have are essential to collecting information and the manipulation of that evidence as those who were in charge should have been honest, could have been honest but were not, and therefore must NEVER be trusted again.
Nonnie’s recollection of reality MUST be shared time and again because revisionism is alive and thriving, all under the false pretense of the nobility shared good intentions.
Towards the end of her piece, Wen declared, “To be clear, if the COVID death count turns out to be 30 percent of what’s currently reported, that’s still unacceptably high.”
Her opinion was based on conversations with two experts in the field, not a monitored double blind study… which is not to say she’s wrong, but neither is it to say she’s right…
I don’t have the ability to judge intentions…I will assume that most were simply trying to get a handle on a virus that was killing millions directly or indirectly.
There may well have been others who were motivated by profit or power and history will reveal those as well.
I will agree that the players must be changed…we have to whatever is necessary to re-establish trust in the institutions that are meant to foster public health.
That means an honest examination of all the facts and reporting the same to the public.
Because this became a political issue instead of a properly medical one, both sides will have to desire truth…that will be a first…
The other issue I want resolved is all the anecdotes that become fact in peoples minds.
We don’t know if people are “dying suddenly” or not.
Well they are, but that has happened since people started dying.
The internet and social media have made it possible to know every time it happens…because those who sell news know that people will now attach meanings to each death.
In my mind it’s possible that both Covid and the shots cause long term damage in some…my family is now in a study about cardiac issues after Covid.
We need facts, not conjecture…we need to rebuild these systems or pay a huge price down the road when the next pandemic hits.
I also think we all have to give up our emotional investment in being “right”.
I believed what we were told about the vaccines…I had no reason not to.
I now understand that they were oversold and I don’t believe that we had a real risk profile…but I also understand the rush to market felt necessary.
The doctors who had saved and preserved my life affirmed them…and I’ll choose their expertise over online pundits any day.
It’s obvious now that the mandates and lockdowns were wrong….to a point.
Large public gatherings became super spreader events with the original viruses.
I suppose those could have been advised to close instead of mandated…but we know how that would have worked.
There are things that were done wrong and there were instances where I was personally wrong and still may be…but let’s get the facts no matter where they lead.
To do otherwise is to prolong the division and distrust that is ruining us.
“I will agree that the players must be changed…we have to whatever is necessary to re-establish trust in the institutions that are meant to foster public health.”
“That means an honest examination of all the facts and reporting the same to the public.”
The internet and social media have made it possible to know every time it happens…because those who sell news know that people will now attach meanings to each death.
In my mind it’s possible that both Covid and the shots cause long term damage in some…my family is now in a study about cardiac issues after Covid.
We need facts, not conjecture…we need to rebuild these systems….
I agree with everything you said, and reaching back to this quote:
“There may well have been others who were motivated by profit or power and history will reveal those as well.”
History can only reveal the information that is recorded and those recording history via media and official government press conferences and releases are provably unreliable narrators.
Additionally, I am curious to see whose anecdotes become official narrative. Whenever I hear “I got the vax and I got covid; I’m thankful I got the vax or it would have been much worse”, I must cringe because ‘getting covid’ defies the reason for getting the vax. We can re-write history all we want, but breakthrough infection rates to previous vaccines are drastically different than the breakthrough infection rates seen among Covid vaccine recipients.
Again, anecdotal…
https://vinayprasadmdmph.substack.com/p/excess-mortality
“We will not be judged on whether our tribe was right or wrong, but on how we treated the tribes we differed with…”
I like this.
I feel the pain of this the fear of the Lord.
I wonder where we just find evidence of this concept in scripture…?
if someone can help me flesh this out a bit more scriptually please.
JTK,
Basically the entire New Testament speaks to how we treat others…I guess you can start with “love your enemies” and work outward…