Covid-19 has directly affected me. A friend of mine contracted Covid-19 and lost consciousness in his yard. When the ambulance arrived his blood oxygen was only 20%. He was in a coma for 10 days and then died of multiple organ failure.
Four of our children and their spouses contracted Covid-19 last year. They all had mild symptoms.
Some of my children or their spouses have been vaccinated, and others are decidedly opposed to doing so. I think they all hold strong opinions about the vaccination risks. One son got vaccinated to keep a job. One daughter was fired because she refused to be vaccinated.
The current widespread Covid illness has been used to incite anger and fear. “Mankind has been controlled by the adversary through anger and jealousy, which has led to bloodshed and the misery of many souls.” T&C 157:54 “Fear is not only the opposite of faith, but it contains within it the bitterness of hell (see Genesis 1:4).” Glossary, Fear.
Those members of our family who are local come to our house every Sunday for dinner. There have been numerous discussions, but there has never been an argument during our family get-togethers about vaccinations.
I disagree with many friends about many issues. Recently, I received an email from a friend who disliked a footnote in my Religion of the Fathers paper. After acknowledging our disagreement, I thanked him for his comment, and reassured him of my friendship with him.
Covid-19 has become the battleground for political, social and even religious disagreements. Combatants wrongly call themselves, among other things, “conservative” or “liberal”—both sides are neither. Both sides should be blamed for stirring up anger and fear.
Have you ever listened (or read) media messages while looking only for the emotions of the message? It does not matter which outlet you tune in, each condemns the other with equal indignation. The language is inflammatory. They urge you to be afraid, and to hate the “other side.” People on both sides of the political spectrum are being swept into fear and anger.
It can be avoided. In the closing remarks at the Covenant of Christ Conference, on September 3, 2017, the following warning was given to us all, “Language of scriptures gives a description of the events now underway and calls it the end of the times of the gentiles. This process with the spirit withdrawing will end on this continent, as it did with two prior civilizations in fratricidal and genocidal warfare. For the rest of the world, it will be as in the days of Noah in which, as that light becomes eclipsed, the coldness of men’s hearts is going to result in a constant scene of violence and bloodshed. The wicked will destroy the wicked.”
This pandemic is more notable for the effect it has had on the souls of men than even the many deaths that have been caused. I can only urge you to reflect on the dangers of both fear and anger that Covid-19 has exposed.
There will come a desolating sickness, and it will cause death, both directly and indirectly; directly by the illness itself, and indirectly by the violence resulting from fear and anger of the wicked. Together they will constitute an “overflowing scourge” of judgment, death and violence. “And in that generation shall the times of the gentiles be fulfilled. And there shall be men standing in that generation that shall not pass until they shall see an overflowing scourge, for a desolating sickness shall cover the land. But my disciples shall stand in holy places and shall not be moved; but among the wicked, men shall lift up their voices, and curse God, and die.” T&C 31:7
The Lord counseled us, “Study to learn how to respect your brothers and sisters and to come together by precept, reason, and persuasion, rather than sharply disputing and wrongly condemning each other, causing anger. Take care how you invoke my name. Mankind has been controlled by the adversary through anger and jealousy, which has led to bloodshed and the misery of many souls. Even strong disagreements should not provoke anger, nor to invoke my name in vain as if I had part in your every dispute.” T&C 157:54
The world will not be charitable with one another. We must do better if we hope to avoid the coming overflowing scourge.