Pandemic: Life on the ground

[Jersey Girl]

Sorry - am I right in suspecting that this means he is ... dead?

Please excuse my ignorance.

Oh - I see that RI got in there first.

It's not an expression I'm familiar with.

Yes, [someone] went home to be with the Lord. The Lord called [someone] home today. [Someone] left his earth [date] today and fell into the arms of Jesus.

Not all Christians use those expressions but many do particularly in the obituaries they write. It's what we believe about death.

[Jersey Girl]

^^^^I looked at her community posts. The couple is from TN. Her husband was 58/59 years old.

It's been rough in Tennessee. https://wpln.org/post/tennessee-icus-fu ... ne-regret/

You know I think I posted a link to video from TN similar to that. It is just SO godawful sad and unnecessary. Makes me entirely heartsick.

[Chap]

Yup - I know about 'with the Lord' and so on.

It was just the '100% cured' bit preceding it that confused me.

[Jersey Girl]

Yup - I know about 'with the Lord' and so on.

It was just the '100% cured' bit preceding it that confused me.

If it's any consolation to you, it threw me off, too.

[Chap]

Yup - I know about 'with the Lord' and so on.

It was just the '100% cured' bit preceding it that confused me.

If it's any consolation to you, it threw me off, too.

And yet ... had he actually been cured, in the boring non-dead secular sense, would she not have been praising the Lord for it? The Lord, it seems, is being given an easy ride here: its a guaranteed win-win for him. The dark underside of all this is that the poor woman knows that this is the only acceptable way to talk if she wants to speak in a way acceptable to her co-religionists. Raging against the Lord and asking 'Why did you let us down? Why?? What did we do to deserve this??' is simply off-limits.

[Jersey Girl]

If it's any consolation to you, it threw me off, too.

And yet ... had he actually been cured, in the boring non-dead secular sense, would she not have been praising the Lord for it? The Lord, it seems, is being given an easy ride here: its a guaranteed win-win for him. The dark underside of all this is that the poor woman knows that this is the only acceptable way to talk if she wants to speak in a way acceptable to her co-religionists. Raging against the Lord and asking 'Why did you let us down? Why?? What did we do to deserve this??' is simply off-limits.

I know, Chap. I just got back in from being outside where I thought about this a bit. I think my frustration comes from the fact that I don't know how to explain people who call this the flu which tips me off to their denial. Medicines and supplements? Where from? A naturopath? I just don't get it.

I'm going to state what I believe. I believe that we believers should definitely give our fears, struggles, etc., to God. I think we're called to pray our way through life's highs, lows, and all of the 'betweens' on behalf of others and ourselves if need be. On the other hand...I also believe that God put people in this world with passions, gifts, and talents, the ability to make a positive difference in this world and I'm not just talking about the able bodied either.

So, on that count, I thank my God for putting people in the world who (in this case) developed a passion for science and research. My own experience tells me that if one has a passion for a thing, a practice, whatever, that you will pursue it and develop skill and knowledge in that area. So you know the verse "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (1 Cor 10:30)

When I look at that in reference to the pandemic, I think it means that while we are tempted to dissolve into fear and panic, the vaccines that have been developed are our way to escape the fear and panic. What good are we to anybody when we're flipping out?

Okay...I am well and truly nuts. That's fine. I don't mind showing it. I'm nuts. Certifiable. Take me away.

[Jersey Girl]

I've got something else. So according to my way of looking at things, world view, I believe that God put people in this world who essentially have the ability to serve mankind. All of us. Every single one of us. Serve mankind and heal society to one degree or another.

Anyway, so you've got a number of believers who think this is no worse than the flu and the vaccines are whatever---don't need them. Not taking them.

Why?

You don't trust the professionals who developed them? Why not? Do you trust the professionals who built your house? Are you living out in the grass or are you living in the house? If you're living in a house (or whatever) then why aren't you accepting vaccines?

I'm not saying that for the sake of argument re: Trump, I'm just saying from a believing perspective...what on earth is wrong with you? You have the shelter you live in built by professionals and professionals dumped the answer to the "flu" right into your lap.

It's that old story about the flood where the guy is on the ground and the fire trucks offer him a ride, "The Lord will provide!", the boat passes by offers him a ride, "The Lord will provide!", guy is finally on the roof when the helicopters hovers over let's down the basket and, "The Lord will provide!"...the guy drowns. He gets to Heaven and says "Lord why didn't you provide for me?" and the Lord is like..."I sent you a truck a boat and a helicopter--what else did you want?"

What else do we want besides the vaccines? What profit is there to us to live in delusion? Nada. Nothing.

Okay I'll stop now. I'm raving at this point.

[Res Ipsa]

I've got something else. So according to my way of looking at things, world view, I believe that God put people in this world who essentially have the ability to serve mankind. All of us. Every single one of us. Serve mankind and heal society to one degree or another.

Anyway, so you've got a number of believers who think this is no worse than the flu and the vaccines are whatever---don't need them. Not taking them.

Why?

You don't trust the professionals who developed them? Why not? Do you trust the professionals who built your house? Are you living out in the grass or are you living in the house? If you're living in a house (or whatever) then why aren't you accepting vaccines?

I'm not saying that for the sake of argument re: Trump, I'm just saying from a believing perspective...what on earth is wrong with you? You have the shelter you live in built by professionals and professionals dumped the answer to the "flu" right into your lap.

It's that old story about the flood where the guy is on the ground and the fire trucks offer him a ride, "The Lord will provide!", the boat passes by offers him a ride, "The Lord will provide!", guy is finally on the roof when the helicopters hovers over let's down the basket and, "The Lord will provide!"...the guy drowns. He gets to Heaven and says "Lord why didn't you provide for me?" and the Lord is like..."I sent you a truck a boat and a helicopter--what else did you want?"

What else do we want besides the vaccines? What profit is there to us to live in delusion? Nada. Nothing.

Okay I'll stop now. I'm raving at this point.

I don't trust big construction. That's why I live on the sidewalk.

[Doctor Steuss]

I don't trust big construction. That's why I live on the sidewalk.

I giggle-snorted.

[Gunnar]

Yup - I know about 'with the Lord' and so on.

It was just the '100% cured' bit preceding it that confused me.

If it's any consolation to you, it threw me off, too.

Well, I guess it is nice to know that covid-19 100% curable after all, given that viewpoint.