Let God Sort It Out?

Actual human justice would mandate that those who are spreading Covid 19 would be the ones also taking the worst hits from it. Ahhh, if only.

Recent deep diving into the statistics is showing an appalling trend. It's hitting hardest in our minority populations. You can't take the racist viewpoint on this, thinking they are weak, inferior stock, or deserving somehow. But you must take the race-informed view that acknowledges these are the communities with the least economic resources, the most need to work despite the risks, the least able to afford good healthcare coupled with being the last to consider how necessary the expense of a doctor's visit is. They have been pushed into the worst housing, given the worst education, and are taken the most advantage of. WE have made them the most vulnerable to a pandemic.

Were there true human justice, we would be the ones hit hardest instead. But when has there been true justice? No wonder religion plays such a part in so many daily lives, particularly those with an afterlife for the "worthy." It's the revenge of the faithful victim against the evil oppressor, and it lasts forever. It has its appeal.

Ever heard of Pastor Tony Spell, of  Life Tabernacle Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana? Perhaps you just don't recognize the name, but have heard the story. He got arrested for holding a church service defying the Governor's order to not meet in large groups due to the virus. When he was released, he went ahead and held another service, this time attracting over 1,200 people. Couldn't do it over You Tube or something, or released a digital sermon, prayed with members of his flock over the phone, don'cha know. Nope. None of those bring in the bucks. He's complained about the government violating his 1st amendment rights of freedoms of religion and assembly. He's threatened to sue. Oh my!

Of course, what he is really doing is spreading the virus even worse than Louisiana has it now.

Here's a really radical idea. Let him hold his services. Sure, why not? Just never let any members of his flock back out into the community, not till the virus has run its full course through the congregation, and everybody has either died, recovered, or remained immune. Lock and chain the doors, board over the windows except to let fresh air filter through, keep the water and electricity going, deliver food, and, if you can locate some, toilet paper. In a pinch, maybe all those paper dollars they brought will wipe butts just fine. Might clog the pipes, though....

Let them worship their God as a community. And let their God sort it out. Who lives? Who dies? Who's left so sick they wish they'd died?

We might have to argue afterwards, of course, on whether this is human justice or God's justice. Maybe just plain old injustice. But they don't get the opportunity to kill the rest of us.

Now, what can we do about those Governors who insist their populations must violate social distancing by opening their businesses back up, letting everybody cluster in parks and on beaches...?