This week, you called on the nation to
reopen by Easter. We, as Christian faith leaders (lay and clergy) from across
the country, want to register our deep disappointment and strong disagreement
with this irresponsible message. We ask you to voice strong support for social
distancing and to use the Defense Production Act to marshal vital equipment to
health care workers, social workers and faith-based ministries serving at the
front lines of the pandemic.
THE ABOVE WAS SENT OUT THIS WEEK AS A PETITION TO BE SIGNED AND SENT BACK TO TRUMP AND THOSE IN CHARGE OF THE WUHAN VIRUS RESPONSE. IT WAS SENT OUT UNDER THE BANNER OF "EASTER MASSACRE".
THERE ARE TWO PROBLEMS WITH THIS PETITION.
1. IT COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY CASTS WHAT TRUMP SAID FALSELY. TRUMP WAS QUITE CLEAR IN HIS COMMENTS THAT HE "Hopes" that the country could be "opened up" by Easter. "
“I would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter,”. WERE HIS EXACT WORDS. ONE REASON HE GAVE WAS THAT HE UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF EASTER AND THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE PACKED CHURCHES. IF ONE LOOKS AT THE ENTIRETY OF WHAT HAS BEEN SAID, BOTH BY TRUMP AND HIS ADVISORS, IT'S INARGUABLE THAT HIS "HOPE" TO HAVE THINGS "OPENED UP" BY EASTER IS EXACTLY THAT, A "HOPE". TO USE THE PHRASE "CALLED ON" IS SIMPLY A FALSE REPRESENTATION OF WHAT HE SAID.
“I would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter,”. WERE HIS EXACT WORDS. ONE REASON HE GAVE WAS THAT HE UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF EASTER AND THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE PACKED CHURCHES. IF ONE LOOKS AT THE ENTIRETY OF WHAT HAS BEEN SAID, BOTH BY TRUMP AND HIS ADVISORS, IT'S INARGUABLE THAT HIS "HOPE" TO HAVE THINGS "OPENED UP" BY EASTER IS EXACTLY THAT, A "HOPE". TO USE THE PHRASE "CALLED ON" IS SIMPLY A FALSE REPRESENTATION OF WHAT HE SAID.
2. THE TITLE. INSINUATING THAT THE VERY POSSIBILITY OF "OPENING THINGS UP" BY EASTER WILL CAUSE A "MASSACRE" IS UNCONSCIONABLE.
UNFORTUNATELY, AS MANY CLERGY SHOW AN INCREASING DESIRE TO INVOLVE THEMSELVES IN LEFT WING POLITICS, WE'LL SEE MORE OF THIS OVERREACTION AND FEAR MONGERING.
6 comments:
For some reason, the formatting from the original wouldn't let me get rid of the all caps, so I decided that it wasn't worth a lot of effort.
As far as the subject of the post.
I think that the wording of this petition and the title are reprehensible and beneath the dignity of christian clergy. As Christians, if we can't be truthful and accurate then why should we even bother.
As far as Trump's aspiration, I'll admit that the notion of being able to gather physically and celebrate the resurrection of Christ and to give thanks for God's sovereignty on Easter does have some appeal. I'll also admit that the hardest thing that those in government have to navigate in this situation, is the balance between quarantine and severely damaging our economy. I think that it is preferable that we come out of this without going into a huge economic downturn. I also think that we are getting to the point where we're seeing multiple areas of our country step up and move us away from crisis. That's not to say that it's all rosy by any means, but it does seem like we're headed toward improvement. Given that, it seems reasonable that our leaders should shift their rhetoric toward hope. To move the conversation toward the future. It's certainly possible to look toward the end of this, to a return to normal, without totally ignoring the steps that need to be taken now.
Personally. I think Easter is probably to ambitious of a target. I think it'll probably be longer than that. But I appreciate the optimism. I appreciate the need to balance the target of Easter with the realities of how things go between now and then. I believe that for the bulk of our population, that isn't stupid and that are taking things seriously, that it's time to move from gloom and doom to hope.
Honestly, the notion of christian clergy disparaging someone who is offering hope seems contrary to the very message of Easter.
It's pretty clear that leftists under cover of clerical garb (rhetorically speaking) are no different than leftists in general. We see that in the persons of Dan and his troll. And while I'm not particularly shy about going on the offensive, I don't generally do so wrapped in sanctimony...a particular trait of the left of any degree of religious bent. It's pretty annoying.
Disagreement is one thing, and it's absolutely normal. The problem is that when it gets wrapped in sanctimony, it becomes something else. This attitude seems to lack humility. It's like they want to assume the mantle of OT prophet, without actually surrendering everything to God.
On a thread sharing this abomination, someone had the temerity to point out the reality I've pointed out here. The response from the supporters was, "Yeah, you're right, but that doesn't matter to us.".
I don’t know that I’ll do a post, and I’ll throw some links in when I’m not on my phone, but this seems to fit.
One of primary models driving the response to the WV has drastically reduced its predictions regard death rate and spread in both the US and the UK. I haven’t seen a lot of coverage of this in the US media, I wonder why?
Real Clear Politics presented Dr. Deborah Birx speaking on the death rate correction. It was a C-SPAN video, so who knows who counts that as "US media", as to this day few people ever watch that channel. She also spoke on the number of available beds and other medical supplies that exist in the midst of so many whining about shortages. In general, it was gentle chastisement of the media.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2020/03/26/dr_birx_coronavirus_data_doesnt_match_the_doomsday_media_predictions_or_analysis.html
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