Posted on 09/20/2021 3:41:51 AM PDT by Kaslin
For a Christian, whether or not to do, abstain from, or believe something typically revolves around one basic question: What would Jesus do? Loving God and our neighbor, treating others as we would want to be treated, helping the poor, the widowed, and the sick - these are all key principles taught by the Son of God as laid out in the four Gospels that begin the New Testament, and typically forms the foundation of Christian thought and belief no matter how politically liberal or conservative an adherent is.
A more liberal Christian might focus on those more positive aspects of Christianity and shun others of what proponents of their faith have historically believed, while more conservative Christians find ways to include in their beliefs what they consider the whole of Scripture, both the positive and the negative (like unpalatable passages from the Old Testament, eternal conscious punishment, etc.).
This is all understandable and expected, especially given human nature. We all tend to interpret the Bible based on our own presuppositions and belief systems. Sure, most everyone believes their particular interpretation is the ONE AND ONLY CORRECT WAY but, thankfully, Americans have the right to believe and practice any faith we choose, and Christians can interpret the Bible in any way we see fit. That said, a wise person of any denomination or faith would do well to watch out for faith leaders, especially famous ones, who twist and distort passages from the Bible, and especially the words or actions of Christ, to suit their own political ends.
On the political right, an example of this might be a ‘faith-healing’ pastor who ignores the pandemic because he is ‘absolutely certain’ that God will protect his flock from death or serious outcome. Sadly, there have been several examples like this, including Cornerstone megachurch pastor John Hagee, who while recovering from coronavirus famously said, “we have a vaccine; the name is Jesus Christ, the son of the living God.” It’s one thing to explain the science and data behind why we can’t lock down forever, masks don’t work and leaky vaccines can’t end the pandemic on their own, but it’s quite another to convince people to take needless risks they otherwise wouldn’t take based on a false, unbiblical premise.
Thankfully, examples like that are fairly rare, but for obvious reasons they predictably get wide play by the media. Far more prevalent - and even encouraged by the media and powers-that-be - are Christian arguments from the left that focus on vaccines and mask use as something that ‘Jesus would have done.’ Most notably of late, Saddleback Church pastor and author Rick Warren:
“The Bible says ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,” Warren said in March in a video that recently gained widespread attention on social media. “The most practical way right now you can love your neighbor as yourself, wear a mask. Okay? And to not wear one basically says, ‘I don’t care about you,’ or ‘I don’t even care about your fears.’”
So, according to Warren and others with that mindset, one must “wear a mask” in order to properly love our neighbor. Nevermind that there is a preponderance of perfectly valid scientific and data-based evidence that masking DOES NOT WORK to stop the spread of Covid-19 or any other highly contagious respiratory virus, you should just wear one anyway so your ‘neighbor’ knows you care about them. Nevermind that universal masking creates a false sense of security that everyone is ‘safe’ from contracting or spreading Covid and that this false sense of security quite likely made a lot of people unnecessarily sick over the past year and a half, the feelz dictates we mask up because our ‘neighbor’ might be a media-induced hypochondriac deceived into thinking that masks work and the risk of Covid is much higher than it actually is.
Obviously, you can see where this is going. It’s what happens when someone with influence over others interprets and applies a Biblical passage or concept unilaterally to a highly charged modern political issue while ignoring all nuance and dismissing other ways of interpretation. Sadly, such tactics have always been part of the toolboxes of religious demagogues hellbent on imposing ‘their way or the highway’ on their followers.
In truth, Jesus commanded us to love the Lord first with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, then to love our neighbors as ourselves. How then are we to love the Lord with our minds if we dismiss data and evidence on a topic that goes against our presuppositions or a prevailing narrative? How are we to ‘love’ our neighbors while at the same time bearing false witness to them? Is our duty to make them “feel better” or to tell them the truth? What would Jesus have done? In an age where masking has become a talisman, even an idol of sorts to people desperate to find something, anything that ‘controls’ something that is ultimately proving to be uncontrollable, would the Son of God have given people comfort by lying to them or by telling them the truth?
No, I don’t believe Jesus Christ would have put on a mask any more than I think he would have pretended a blood sacrifice to a graven image would have brought rain during a time of drought. And when at all possible, you shouldn’t either.
Jesus would just quote Dr. Fraudci’s own words from March of 2020! Masks DON’T WORK! They might make you FEEL GOOD... but they are USELESS against a virus and may in fact SPREAD the virus by people who continuously touch their masks!
You got it.
Theological question: Could Jesus suffer COVID or any other illness?
Youve nailed it. Masks dont work and telling healthy people to mask up is lying to them. What about taking the vaccine? The devil is the master of hiding the truth and sewing confusion in everything. Seek God first, everything else is a distant 2nd.
Hi All,
While I agree with the analysis of the uselessness of masks, I’m not sure I agree with the biblical analysis of not wearing one.
In 1 Corinthians 8 there is a discussion written by Paul regarding meat sacrificed to Idols.
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8 Now concerning food sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge [a]makes one conceited, but love edifies people. 2 If anyone thinks that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; 3 but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.
4 Therefore, concerning the eating of food sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is [b]nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, 6 yet for us there is only one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.
7 However, not all people have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 Now food will not bring us [c]close to God; we are neither [d]the worse if we do not eat, nor [e]the better if we do eat. 9 But take care that this [f]freedom of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if someone sees you, the one who has knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will his conscience, if he is weak, not be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? 11 For through your knowledge the one who is weak is ruined, the brother or sister for whose sake Christ died. 12 And so, by sinning against the brothers and sisters and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to sin.
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If I am understanding our Lord (through Paul) correctly, we are being advised to not cause difficulties for brothers and sisters in Christ by doing things that are acceptable to you (and God), but appear unacceptable to them. There is room for discussion regarding how far such a principle goes; how much ignorance should we strive satisfy? Apparently it goes rather far ... “Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to sin.” The idea is that we should be sacrificing ourselves on their behalf.
There is also the generality that Christians are to obey the directives of leaders appointed over us. In other words, if we are directed to wear masks, and there is no violation of scripture to do so, we should wear masks.
To be fair, you are unlikely to see me masked. I wear one when a business or an individual requests it, but not more than that. Until now I have not considered the biblical aspects. I will need to think on this. At the least, this has exposed a heart (mine) that is harder than it should be based on my attitude regarding wearing one.
I welcome other views. It’s not about being “right”, it is about being aligned with the One who always is.
Fregards,
70times7
Of course Jesus would wear a mask IF it was definitive that masks protect others. He would, of course, know whether that was true, but we’ll never know on Earth how he would react. Therefore, even discussing this is silly and divisive among Christians.
I'm more of a "What did Jesus TELL us to do" kinda guy.
Well; I know (believe) that He bled and died.
Does that count for anything?
Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’
Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.”
Matthew 8:2 – 3
Jesus wouldn’t do a useless thing to demonstrate fealty to evil people. The same people who call Ivermectin horse paste. Who call various other therapies unproven so that they can get an emergency exemption and funnel billions of dollars to drug co’s who then kick some back. Jesus would know with whom He was dealing. He would call them liars.
Practical question: WWJD?
Will YOU touch the leper?
First, the discussion is about each of us wearing a mask. It is not about telling others to wear one. But perhaps you are thinking that by wearing a mask our actions are telling others they should also. By that logic, Paul's instructions (and likely actions) to avoid eating meat sacrificed to idols to keep others from stumbling is tantamount to lying about the our freedom to eat such things. Paul knows that there is no sin in consuming the meat, but he avoids it. Not because it is sinful as a lie would be, but because of the unintended result to someone else without his knowledge. Also, could going without a mask cause one's witness to be degraded? IDK. But such things are worth considering.
Is wearing a mask “rendering unto Caesar?”
I agree, but then, the issue is the "uselessness" of masks, isn't it? From a practical standpoint based on my review of the available information, they are useless. However, based on what is happening now, from a perception standpoint, it is a different matter. Jesus was clear when asked if taxes should be paid. Render to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's. We are made in His image and belong to Him; we are to render ourselves to Him . But that more important principle doesn't nullify the first statement. Was Caesar evil? Yes. Did it mean they should withhold taxes to avoid "demonstrating fealty"? Obviously not.
I agree, but then, the issue is the “uselessness” of masks, isn’t it? “
No I wrote a hell of a lot more than that. When Caesar is not bound by logic reason or law he weakens his position. Show all the fealty you want to people who as well as demanding masks were shutting down church services and threatening pastors with arrest while they allowed tit houses to operate.
I don’t see where perception comes into it We aren’t ruled by entirely subjective perception. Jesus’s cared about the Truth. I don’t think He gave a damn for every unreasonable jackasses perception.
In that case, the people who want to wear a mask should wear one, and the ones that don't want to should not have to. Why is not wearing a mask considered hurtful or political when wearing a mask is not?
Theological question: Could Jesus suffer COVID or any other illness?
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Matthew 8:17
so that He fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES [upon Himself] AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES.”
He took on our infirmities on the Cross, but did He suffer from illness in His earlier life?
We already have that in all but a few places. Regardless, I think you may be conflating societal choice with what we should do as Christians regarding our obligation to God and to others before God. I don't think I understand what you are saying.
What I tried to convey is that we have a responsibility to conduct ourselves before other Christians in a way that they will not be cause confusion for them.
I also advanced the argument that as Christians we have a responsibility to obey our leaders so long as their directives are not contrary to scripture.
I don't think I discussed mask wearing as it being hurtful or political, but I suppose I can see how one could view what I wrote that way. Those words seem to be a stretch to me, particularly "political". "Hurtful" strikes me as describing the offending of someone, and is not what I am saying.
If you could help me understand how you think I am misapplying scripture it would certainly help me out, particularly if you could use scripture to do so. Thank you
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