My Thoughts On Covid (Part 9)
We Are Our Own Worst Enemy
I meant to post
this sooner. I've been busy with other projects, so the blog has taken a
momentary back seat for the moment. However, it would be better for a
unfinished piece to sit on the shelf rather than release it in a
half-baked state. Also, I admit that I'm not in the best of moods. How
can one be when discovering that Greg Abbott lifted the mask
requirements while Covid is still running rampant. This is a terrible
mistake. Many more people are going to die from his decision, if not
already.
He has already received a lot of flak (rightfully so) from both sides of the political aisle. I haven't noted Greg Abbott's political affiliation because it's meaningless here. The complaints about him would be the same regardless of whether he's a Republican or Democrat. Their is already blood on his hands along with those who decisions were driven by tax revenue and potential votes, and not people's health.
Abbott isn't lifting restrictions for the general well-being of Texans. Quite the contrary. Abbott is lifting the mask restrictions because of how horrible his government failed in its response to the freeze. Millions of Texans were impacted by his inaction. He had years to make the energy companies winterized their equipment. It was only a matter of time before another freeze would happen. How quickly he looks for a scapegoat though. He first blames windmills and green technology, even though such equipment could be winterized. Also, green tech only accounts for 7% of energy use here in Texas. Natural gas wells froze as well, along with nuclear power. When the response to the freeze blew up in his face, Greg Abbott decided to lift mask requirements. Now that this has blown up in his face as well, he is now focusing on immigration. Unfortunately, many gullible individuals will fall for his latest distraction.
Greg Abbott is seeking brownie points at the expense of human lives. Cases are going to skyrocket again. In order for the vaccine to work, millions need to be inoculated before lifting regulation, not during. As of current, only 3-4% of the general population here in Texas received the vaccine. By lifting regulations while the virus is still running rampant, the effort of those who have upheld the safety of others by wearing the mask would have been in vain. Regardless of political affiliation, he is one of many who failed our state as many more people will die from his tomfoolery. He is showing complete disrespect for those who suffered and died from the virus.
Abbott's announcement isn't something to celebrate. Unfortunately, many will misinterpret Abbott's absurdity as a sign that things are getting better. However, I'm not going to spend the entirety of this article bashing Abbott or our other elected officials. I've already done enough of that in my previous articles. As tempting as it is to blame our elected officials at the state and national level from every shade of the political spectrum, Democrat and Republican alike; at the end of the day, the nature of our government is simply a reflection of the society that empowered it. Yes, the explosive outbreak of the virus is a result of our collective failure as a society and country. I know those looking for boogeymen won't like their own fingers pointed at themselves, but it is what it is.
Why We Our Own Worst Enemy : The Lack of Sacrifice and The Abuse Of Freedom
The virus could easily reek havoc on a society that didn't want to make any sacrifices. For those who didn't want to sacrifice, it was easier to live in the land of make-believe. It's easier for many to tell themselves that the virus is a phony hoax rather than to accept the reality of the situation. It's easier to embrace wacky and far-fetched conspiracy theories than it was to acknowledge the simple truth. Several simply didn't want to see the virus as the horrible contagion that it is. Many still don't. We would all pay the price for our ignorance while realizing that placing our trust in humanity would have catastrophic consequences.
Many turned the health crisis that had nothing to do with politics into yet another pointless battle in that minefield that is partisan politics. These naïve and gullible chumps who never took the virus seriously saw the outbreak as a political power grab engineered to steal their rights. For them, the health regulations designed to protect them and everybody else became an assault on freedom.
Freedom is cornerstone to our country. Our country thrives on the idea of individual freedom. However, in a a democratic society, freedom means upholding the rights of others as well as self. A democracy fails when one screams "individual rights" at the top of their lungs while maintaining a "screw them" attitude about the rights of everybody else. Freedom doesn't work like that. Freedom isn't the right to be irresponsible and endanger the lives of others. Those who didn't want to confront the new reality to found it easier to tell themselves that they were quote "under assault". A democratic society demands us to uphold the spirit of community for all as well as self.
For those who view the health crisis as yet another weaponized social topic, not wearing the mask became that grand statement. Yet, this action exposes how self-centered and selfish those people are. They failed to realize that the mask were mandated to protect their health. The officials behind the decisions didn't mandate them because they were being a bunch of meanies. People were dying by the score. They still are. Yet for the self-centered, these measures became an perceived assault on their freedom.
Many others have stated that their not getting the vaccine because it's their right as an American not to get one. Fair enough. However, many have gone out of their way to protect your right to health and life by wearing the mask. As such, we are obligated to return the favor by getting the shot. The gratitude is welcomed. We owe it to them and everybody else around us, including our loved ones.
Why We Our Own Worst Enemy: The Abuse Of Faith (Ignorance Is Bliss)
We suffered too much. We lost friends and family to this outbreak. Many of those who we hold dear have passed because of something that they shouldn't have died from. Many have done everything in their power to not get sick, but yet, become another statistic in this sad chapter. Yet, many others are oblivious to this suffering all-around them. Faith is abused for one's own purpose.
In the eyes of those who never took the virus seriously, those who still take precautions and wear their mask to protect their loved ones are paranoid fools. Has one become so self-righteous that they see those protecting their health as lacking faith! Worse yet, have many of them become so pious that they see those who unfortunately died from the virus as lacking faith! This is an insult to those who were full of faith and tried to do everything in their power not to get the virus and still died from it. This attitude spits on the memory of these unfortunate souls.
Yet, these self-centered individuals are so consumed by their own egoistical interpretation of faith that they fail to realize that the only reason why they haven't gotten sick from the virus while not wearing the mask is because God has placed them around those who have respected their health by wearing the mask. God has blessed them in spite of their ignorance, not because of it. Ignorance is bliss to the blind.
Faith is very important. However, blindly playing Russian Roulette with your health while screaming "GOD WON'T LET ANYTHING HAPPEN TO ME BECAUSE HE LOVES ME" isn't faith, but the abuse of it . Faith isn't not wanting to wear the mask because one thinks it's unnecessary and then pass off their action as such. This is testing God for one's own spiritual ambition (or amusement) and bragging rights, not that of a devout and sincere Christian. Many won't wear that mask out of shear laziness, much to the detriment to those who want to protect their health. These Christians who engage in this behavior have flushed "Love Thy Neighbor" down the toilet.
Several of these these self-righteous chumps are passing off their reckless attitude as quote "faith". Those who never took the virus seriously would be singing a very different tune if the people they loved start to die from it.
Those Who Embraced Baloney Are Now At The Crossroads
However, those who never took the outbreak seriously are now at the crossroads. For them, getting the vaccine would be an admission that their perception of the virus was wrong. As such, admitting that Covid-19 is actually a deadly virus that reeked havoc all over the globe would discredit their worldview. I personally feel that this is where the real resistance to the vaccine is coming from. Many don't want to admit that they were wrong with their perception to the outbreak. This is where one encounters the various cherry-picked excuses manufactured by those who don't want the vaccine.
As such, for many, it's easier to consume oneself with lies about how the virus is part of the New World Order, has a microchip in it, part of a population control scheme, or is made of baby fetuses rather than to confront the reality of Covid. Those looking for excuses will state that they won't get the vaccine because they don't like the government telling them what to do, even though the government isn't forcing anyone to get the virus. Others won't get the vaccine because they believe that their bloodtype will magically make them immune to the virus anyway. One wonders how many people with O-type blood died because they embraced this faulty assumption. When one excuse it discredited, the goal post simply shift again to yet another excuse. For these individuals, it's easier to live with the catastrophic damage that Covid has already done than to seek that protection.
Many Christians are going to die. Their going to die because they will become victims of these baseless conspiracy theories that they will embrace as the gospel truth. Their health will be jeopardize by clinging onto these absurd claims.
Conclusion
Covid-19 is still killing people by the score. Those who reject the vaccine will be at it's mercy. No matter how many times one lives in a state of denial and tells themselves that the virus doesn't exist, Covid will remain on its deadly rampage. The virus will not discriminate. Regardless of your religion, political affiliations, nationality, ethnicity, gender, or racial background, the virus is going to rear its ugly head.
We owe it to everybody to get this vaccine. We owe it to our loved ones. We owe it to our neighbors. We owe it to our co-workers. We owe it to our doctors and nurses. We owe it to the scientist who poured their heart and soul to get this vaccine. We are indebted to everybody around us to get this vaccine. We are indebted to our family and friends and their health. While we have the choice, their is an obligation to get this vaccine. It will be up to those who get the vaccine to pick up the slack and protect the health of those who reject it. Can one live with the guilt that they might inadvertently kill themselves of their loved one because of their selfish action that was of their choosing.
When the virus calls out those who chose to believe the outlandish conspiracy theories and phony claims, they will have to live with the choices that they made.
He has already received a lot of flak (rightfully so) from both sides of the political aisle. I haven't noted Greg Abbott's political affiliation because it's meaningless here. The complaints about him would be the same regardless of whether he's a Republican or Democrat. Their is already blood on his hands along with those who decisions were driven by tax revenue and potential votes, and not people's health.
Abbott isn't lifting restrictions for the general well-being of Texans. Quite the contrary. Abbott is lifting the mask restrictions because of how horrible his government failed in its response to the freeze. Millions of Texans were impacted by his inaction. He had years to make the energy companies winterized their equipment. It was only a matter of time before another freeze would happen. How quickly he looks for a scapegoat though. He first blames windmills and green technology, even though such equipment could be winterized. Also, green tech only accounts for 7% of energy use here in Texas. Natural gas wells froze as well, along with nuclear power. When the response to the freeze blew up in his face, Greg Abbott decided to lift mask requirements. Now that this has blown up in his face as well, he is now focusing on immigration. Unfortunately, many gullible individuals will fall for his latest distraction.
Greg Abbott is seeking brownie points at the expense of human lives. Cases are going to skyrocket again. In order for the vaccine to work, millions need to be inoculated before lifting regulation, not during. As of current, only 3-4% of the general population here in Texas received the vaccine. By lifting regulations while the virus is still running rampant, the effort of those who have upheld the safety of others by wearing the mask would have been in vain. Regardless of political affiliation, he is one of many who failed our state as many more people will die from his tomfoolery. He is showing complete disrespect for those who suffered and died from the virus.
Abbott's announcement isn't something to celebrate. Unfortunately, many will misinterpret Abbott's absurdity as a sign that things are getting better. However, I'm not going to spend the entirety of this article bashing Abbott or our other elected officials. I've already done enough of that in my previous articles. As tempting as it is to blame our elected officials at the state and national level from every shade of the political spectrum, Democrat and Republican alike; at the end of the day, the nature of our government is simply a reflection of the society that empowered it. Yes, the explosive outbreak of the virus is a result of our collective failure as a society and country. I know those looking for boogeymen won't like their own fingers pointed at themselves, but it is what it is.
Why We Our Own Worst Enemy : The Lack of Sacrifice and The Abuse Of Freedom
The virus could easily reek havoc on a society that didn't want to make any sacrifices. For those who didn't want to sacrifice, it was easier to live in the land of make-believe. It's easier for many to tell themselves that the virus is a phony hoax rather than to accept the reality of the situation. It's easier to embrace wacky and far-fetched conspiracy theories than it was to acknowledge the simple truth. Several simply didn't want to see the virus as the horrible contagion that it is. Many still don't. We would all pay the price for our ignorance while realizing that placing our trust in humanity would have catastrophic consequences.
Many turned the health crisis that had nothing to do with politics into yet another pointless battle in that minefield that is partisan politics. These naïve and gullible chumps who never took the virus seriously saw the outbreak as a political power grab engineered to steal their rights. For them, the health regulations designed to protect them and everybody else became an assault on freedom.
Freedom is cornerstone to our country. Our country thrives on the idea of individual freedom. However, in a a democratic society, freedom means upholding the rights of others as well as self. A democracy fails when one screams "individual rights" at the top of their lungs while maintaining a "screw them" attitude about the rights of everybody else. Freedom doesn't work like that. Freedom isn't the right to be irresponsible and endanger the lives of others. Those who didn't want to confront the new reality to found it easier to tell themselves that they were quote "under assault". A democratic society demands us to uphold the spirit of community for all as well as self.
For those who view the health crisis as yet another weaponized social topic, not wearing the mask became that grand statement. Yet, this action exposes how self-centered and selfish those people are. They failed to realize that the mask were mandated to protect their health. The officials behind the decisions didn't mandate them because they were being a bunch of meanies. People were dying by the score. They still are. Yet for the self-centered, these measures became an perceived assault on their freedom.
Many others have stated that their not getting the vaccine because it's their right as an American not to get one. Fair enough. However, many have gone out of their way to protect your right to health and life by wearing the mask. As such, we are obligated to return the favor by getting the shot. The gratitude is welcomed. We owe it to them and everybody else around us, including our loved ones.
Why We Our Own Worst Enemy: The Abuse Of Faith (Ignorance Is Bliss)
We suffered too much. We lost friends and family to this outbreak. Many of those who we hold dear have passed because of something that they shouldn't have died from. Many have done everything in their power to not get sick, but yet, become another statistic in this sad chapter. Yet, many others are oblivious to this suffering all-around them. Faith is abused for one's own purpose.
In the eyes of those who never took the virus seriously, those who still take precautions and wear their mask to protect their loved ones are paranoid fools. Has one become so self-righteous that they see those protecting their health as lacking faith! Worse yet, have many of them become so pious that they see those who unfortunately died from the virus as lacking faith! This is an insult to those who were full of faith and tried to do everything in their power not to get the virus and still died from it. This attitude spits on the memory of these unfortunate souls.
Yet, these self-centered individuals are so consumed by their own egoistical interpretation of faith that they fail to realize that the only reason why they haven't gotten sick from the virus while not wearing the mask is because God has placed them around those who have respected their health by wearing the mask. God has blessed them in spite of their ignorance, not because of it. Ignorance is bliss to the blind.
Faith is very important. However, blindly playing Russian Roulette with your health while screaming "GOD WON'T LET ANYTHING HAPPEN TO ME BECAUSE HE LOVES ME" isn't faith, but the abuse of it . Faith isn't not wanting to wear the mask because one thinks it's unnecessary and then pass off their action as such. This is testing God for one's own spiritual ambition (or amusement) and bragging rights, not that of a devout and sincere Christian. Many won't wear that mask out of shear laziness, much to the detriment to those who want to protect their health. These Christians who engage in this behavior have flushed "Love Thy Neighbor" down the toilet.
Several of these these self-righteous chumps are passing off their reckless attitude as quote "faith". Those who never took the virus seriously would be singing a very different tune if the people they loved start to die from it.
Those Who Embraced Baloney Are Now At The Crossroads
However, those who never took the outbreak seriously are now at the crossroads. For them, getting the vaccine would be an admission that their perception of the virus was wrong. As such, admitting that Covid-19 is actually a deadly virus that reeked havoc all over the globe would discredit their worldview. I personally feel that this is where the real resistance to the vaccine is coming from. Many don't want to admit that they were wrong with their perception to the outbreak. This is where one encounters the various cherry-picked excuses manufactured by those who don't want the vaccine.
As such, for many, it's easier to consume oneself with lies about how the virus is part of the New World Order, has a microchip in it, part of a population control scheme, or is made of baby fetuses rather than to confront the reality of Covid. Those looking for excuses will state that they won't get the vaccine because they don't like the government telling them what to do, even though the government isn't forcing anyone to get the virus. Others won't get the vaccine because they believe that their bloodtype will magically make them immune to the virus anyway. One wonders how many people with O-type blood died because they embraced this faulty assumption. When one excuse it discredited, the goal post simply shift again to yet another excuse. For these individuals, it's easier to live with the catastrophic damage that Covid has already done than to seek that protection.
Many Christians are going to die. Their going to die because they will become victims of these baseless conspiracy theories that they will embrace as the gospel truth. Their health will be jeopardize by clinging onto these absurd claims.
Conclusion
Covid-19 is still killing people by the score. Those who reject the vaccine will be at it's mercy. No matter how many times one lives in a state of denial and tells themselves that the virus doesn't exist, Covid will remain on its deadly rampage. The virus will not discriminate. Regardless of your religion, political affiliations, nationality, ethnicity, gender, or racial background, the virus is going to rear its ugly head.
We owe it to everybody to get this vaccine. We owe it to our loved ones. We owe it to our neighbors. We owe it to our co-workers. We owe it to our doctors and nurses. We owe it to the scientist who poured their heart and soul to get this vaccine. We are indebted to everybody around us to get this vaccine. We are indebted to our family and friends and their health. While we have the choice, their is an obligation to get this vaccine. It will be up to those who get the vaccine to pick up the slack and protect the health of those who reject it. Can one live with the guilt that they might inadvertently kill themselves of their loved one because of their selfish action that was of their choosing.
When the virus calls out those who chose to believe the outlandish conspiracy theories and phony claims, they will have to live with the choices that they made.
Articles Of Interest
Covid US death toll: Imagining what 500,000 lost lives look like (BBC) : https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56150141
Coronavirus: Texas and other states ease rules despite warnings (BBC): https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56255701
Should We Blame Wind Turbines for Texas' Power Outages? (The Science Times) : https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/29778/20210221/should-we-blame-wind-turbines-for-texas-power-o...
What Went Wrong With Texas’s Main Electric Grid and Could It Have Been Prevented? (Texas Monthly) : https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/what-went-wrong-with-texass-main-electric-grid-and-could-...
Electric Reliability Council of Texas (Wikipedia) : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_Reliability_Council_of_Texas
Does J&J COVID-19 Vaccine Contain Aborted Fetal Cells? (Snopes) : https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/covid-vaccine-aborted-fetal-cells/
Covid US death toll: Imagining what 500,000 lost lives look like (BBC) : https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56150141
Coronavirus: Texas and other states ease rules despite warnings (BBC): https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56255701
Should We Blame Wind Turbines for Texas' Power Outages? (The Science Times) : https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/29778/20210221/should-we-blame-wind-turbines-for-texas-power-o...
What Went Wrong With Texas’s Main Electric Grid and Could It Have Been Prevented? (Texas Monthly) : https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/what-went-wrong-with-texass-main-electric-grid-and-could-...
Electric Reliability Council of Texas (Wikipedia) : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_Reliability_Council_of_Texas
Does J&J COVID-19 Vaccine Contain Aborted Fetal Cells? (Snopes) : https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/covid-vaccine-aborted-fetal-cells/
Are People With Type-A Blood More Susceptible to COVID-19? (Snopes) : https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/blood-type-covid-19/
The Atlantic : We Are Living in a Failed State - https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/06/underlying-conditions/610261/
Articles Of Interest (Those Who Embraced Baloney Are Now At The Crossroads)
Patheos : 3 Reasons Evangelical Christians Fall for Conspiracy Theories - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/jaysondbradley/2020/05/3-reasons-evangelical-christians-fall-for-conspiracy-theories/
Wikipedia - Rodney Howard-Browne : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Howard-Browne
Snopes - Is Kansas City Ordering Churchgoers To Register with the Government? : https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/kansas-city-churches/
PolitiFact - No, Democrats aren’t pushing microchips to fight coronavirus : https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/apr/23/facebook-posts/no-democrats-arent-pushing-microchi...
PolitiFact - No, the Gates Foundation isn’t pushing microchips with all medical procedures : https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/may/20/facebook-posts/no-gates-foundation-isnt-pushing-mi...
PolitiFact - No, the US isn’t developing a vaccine or ‘antivirus’ with a chip to track people : https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/apr/03/facebook-posts/no-us-isnt-developing-vaccine-or-an...
Pastor: I’m Holding Services Because I Have Machines That Shoot Down Viruses : https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2020/03/27/pastor-im-holding-services-because-i-have-machines-th...
BBC : 'They want to throw God's wonderful breathing system out' - https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-53174415
BBC : Man who believed virus was hoax loses wife to Covid-19 - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53892856
BBC : 'Hundreds dead' because of Covid-19 misinformation - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-53755067
BBC : Coronavirus: Pastor who decried 'hysteria' dies after attending Mardi Gras - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52157824
NYTimes : Pastor Who Defied Social Distancing Dies After Contracting Covid-19, Church Says - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/14/us/bishop-gerald-glenn-coronavirus.html
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