20 May 2020

Apologies in advance to those who find the religious slant to this episode confronting. Feel free to have a day off the Diarrhoea 🙂

Now – this will take the form of a community service announcement…. All Churchies are not waving the same banner.  or not singing from the same hymn book, maybe. Christianity is not a one size fits all sort of set up. If you see someone on your television screen stating emphatically that God will save them from Coronavirus, that is not the opinion of others. 

Likewise the opinions of people the media will identify collectively as “Christians” do not represent the views of everyone who identifies by that monicker. Opinions on homosexuality, infant baptism, miracles, and many more things, are all subjective.

The Bible is interpreted by each individual in their own way, that speaks to them, and gives them comfort and strength.   There are those who will like to put the Bible in historical perspective regarding issues such as gender roles and so forth, whereas there are others, who are equally nice people, who take it quite literally word for word.

Belief is a very personal thing. We all have beliefs – whether it’s in our faith or in our ability to reverse parallel park.

I personally differ from some of my churchie friends in preferring a particular version of The Lords Prayer. One of the modern versions of it says “save us FROM the time of trial (and deliver us from evil). I really feel much more comfortable in services where this is reworded as “save us IN the time of trial”. Theologians everywhere can leap in and explain to us about the proper meaning behind the “time of trial”, but to me I personally feel happier thinking that we are all going to go through tough times but Christians have faith that you won’t be going through this on your own.

Belief in God is not an immunisation against hard times. Corona Virus will still get you if you don’t practise physical distancing, and using good personal hygiene.

It reminds me of the old joke about the bloke who is trapped on his roof by rising floodwaters. He sends away rescuers on boats and in helicopters, stating emphatically “God will save me”. Of course, he dies, and when he gets to heaven he takes issue with God, asking why he wasn’t saved. God replies “I sent boats. I sent helicopters”.

Go ahead, believe God will save you from CoronaVirus, but practise physical distancing and wash your hands anyway.