My Response to the Newt Gingrich Article on Coronavirus in Italy

I recently asked my State Representative if he was aware of any credible statistics having to do with death rates in those areas of the world that have been dealing with the coronavirus longer than we have in the United States. I asked him because I have observed that very conservative people are able to find very conservative statistics to support their view that this is all just hype. Very liberal people are able to find very liberal statistics to support their view that this is tantamount to the world coming to an end and moderates on every side are able to find statistics to support their own particular persuasion. Perhaps it is too soon to have them, but I would like to see statistics from those places that have more extensive experience with this virus concerning death rates and the specifics concerning those who have died. He pointed me to an article written by Newt Gingrich, who is currently living in Italy.[1]

Having received and read this article I note:

This is far from a credible statistic

While Gingrich is, in my opinion, a good man, his personal observation is not an actual statistic. 

His praise of their restrictions is personal opinion

Gingrich points out the very strict rules Italy has imposed on their country, and yet it has not helped. Italy has said they wish they had imposed these regulations sooner. What if the problem is with the regulations themselves? They have not worked. Maybe it is not because they were not enforced soon enough. Maybe it’s because it is a bad solution.

He observes that Italy is uniquely at risk because they have the second oldest population in the world.

And yet they have decided to prioritize their resources for the youngest patients. Really? Do we want to use them as an example?

Marvin McKenzie

In the fields (But sheltered at home)

---

[1] https://www.newsweek.com/newt-gingrich-i-am-italy-amid-coronavirus-crisis-america-must-act-now-act-big-opinion-1492270?fbclid=IwAR0UfiM0QeIfELskmWMz2AIbhe9Ud6jL1CDMwtFzXZwdgC3KjaWY5wBGPOo

On the Coronavirus and Government Restrictions of Church Services

It appears this is not the first time such a thing has happened. From this small piece on H. Boyce Taylor’s civil disobedience, I make these observations: 

1. He was willing to abide by the order until he learned that it was not enforced upon the theater. 

He was rational. He wasn’t reactionary. He stood when it became apparent he needed to. 

2. He was willing to and did, in fact, pay for his stand. 

Plenty of Baptist preachers have had a jail ministry. 

3. We do not know how many people attended the service. It’s still the right thing to stand. 

Marvin McKenzie

In the fields (now sheltered at home)

We Had Better Stop Living, So We Don’t Die

I wish to say from the outset that I am not a medical care provider and have no qualifications in the world of the prevention of or treatment of illness. I also recognize the wisdom of practicing hygiene for the prevention of the spread of disease. Having said that, I do have some observations having to do with the Coronavirus currently terrifying the known world.

Scares of this nature are nothing new. Every year we are urged to get vaccinated for the flu. This is especially foisted on the elderly and the young, who are considered at the most risk. Though the medical world denies that it is possible, actual testimonies suggest that the vaccination makes as many people ill as those it might prevent from being ill. The argument that the medical community makes is that, if someone gets sick after having the vaccination, it is because they contracted a different strain of the flu. The medical world can only make a prediction of which flu will be the worst in the coming season and vaccination against their best guess, not what actually happens.

Every year or two the medical world attempts once again to frighten the masses into complying with their vaccination regimen. It was the swine flu, the avian flu, this year it is the coronavirus. The scary thing about it? They have no treatment. If someone gets it they have to go to the hospital and wait it out. Those who have died from it are people who already have other life-threatening complications. They have compromised immune systems, weakened lung capacity and etc. 

Lately, I have witnessed in my church that people are hesitant to shake hands. One person asked me two weeks ago, as I offered them my hand, “O, you’re still shaking hands?” Last week many people did fist bumps and elbow bumps. Some of them folded their arms and refused to shake hands, almost refusing to say hello. I think they were afraid that, since I was shaking people’s hands, I was probably spreading germs. Today I read a recommendation of a well-known preacher to suspend greeting times in churches.

I have no problem with people's fist-bumping or something like that. I do not believe that having an official greeting time in service is necessary. I do have a problem with allowing fear to dictate our connection with people. I wonder if there isn’t even some agenda to condition people to avoid one another. People who don’t communicate with reasonable voices are easily led by those who dominate mass media.

If contact with other people is the cause of the spread of this illness. If the way to keep from dying from it  is not greeting another person, shouldn’t we expand this tactic?

Maybe we should form cliques of “safe people” in church so we don’t get sick

Maybe we should not speak to a visitor so we don’t get sick

Maybe we should not even allow visitors in church so we don’t get sick

Maybe we should stop evangelizing so we don’t get sick

Maybe we should stop going to church at all so we don’t get sick.

Maybe we should stop going to the grocery store so we don’t get sick

Maybe we should use only delivery services to bring our groceries to us so we don’t get sick

Maybe we should no longer go to restaurants so we don’t get sick

Maybe we should suspend airplane travel so we don’t get sick

Israel faced a number of plagues while traveling in the wilderness. In every case, the answer was to confess their sins and then to look to God.

Maybe that would be a better alternative than panic and compliance with worldly recommendations.

Psalms 1:1-2 (KJV)

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Marvin McKenzie

In the fields