A churchgoer in Ohio told a reporter she wasn’t worried about COVID-19 because she is “covered in His blood.” It doesn’t work that way.
It really ticked me off when I heard this pious woman claim to be “covered in His blood.”
A global pandemic is not the time to be cavalier about protecting yourself and others from becoming infected. It’s also not the time to pull out the “holier than thou” card and wear your religious overconfidence as some sort of red badge of courage.
I don’t see that a show of faith. I see it as a display of arrogant ignorance.
Many churches moved to online services to encourage people to stay home. Home, medical experts insist, is the safest place to stay. Some of the churches moved to online services for the first time. Just because of the dangers of congregating.
A handful of churches, unfortunately, refused.
Some accused the government of taking advantage of the pandemic to attack their religion.
As I’ve said before, no one is attacking their faith. A virus is attacking our lives.
The novel coronavirus does not give a damn whether you’re Christian, Jewish, Islamic or atheist. It doesn’t care what color you are and it doesn’t ask your birthdate.
The same medical experts insisting we practice social distancing also insist non-symptomatic people can spread the virus. That is to say, people who may have a strong enough immune system not to develop symptoms can still infect those around them.
You wouldn’t know it. But if you get too close to someone who’s less immune, it could be a disaster.
Whether you’re “washed in His blood” or not.
Every time I think of the quote, I think how asinine that kind of thinking is.
I know a pastor here in Charleston who contracted COVID-19. He’s younger, more fit and a stronger Christian than I probably have ever been. He can certainly claim the same washing through Christ’s blood. Fortunately, he took his symptoms seriously and saw a doctor. When the doctor told him to isolate himself, he listened.
Imagine that!
His church moved to online services before he was symptomatic, I’m pretty sure.
Any church that would refuse to take a global pandemic seriously is not a church I’d ever want to be part of.
