Pray For the People Advancing the Cult of COVIDism

 Fay Voshell has an excellent piece this morning at the American Thinker entitled The Forcible Conversion to COVIDism, in which she points out that the rituals associated with the Pandemic remind no of science itself but of a new religion. To be sure, she is not the first to notice this, but Voshell has particularly expertise in these matters. Voshell holds a Masters of Divinity from the Princeton Theological Seminary.

By now, even progressives are aware that the restrictions imposed by COVID-19 hygiene rituals are onerous. Temperature-taking, hand-sanitizing, mask-wearing, social distancing — all have become ubiquitous social practices since the arrival of the virus eighteen months ago.

Now forced vaccination and possibly vaccine passports have been added to the list of requirements deemed necessary for establishing and maintaining national health.

It strikes one that the ever-changing rituals pronounced by such entities as the CDC and WHO have become not only arbitrary and increasingly revelatory of dubious and ever-changing science, but also evocative more of religious practices than of rational, scientific measures.

Eerily, many of the rituals of COVIDism have assumed the status and significance of the ceremonies practiced by millions of Christians, who cross themselves, genuflect before the altar, and who pray the rosary. Christians believe those rituals are acknowledgement of the higher power who is God. God is represented by irreducibly Christian symbol of the cross and worshipped by the observance of sacraments, of sacred liturgies and by bowing the knee in prayer.

Devotees of COVIDism are acknowledging by their repetitious and symbolic rituals a higher power as well—that of the almighty State.

The emphasis is mine, to highlight what I want to discuss next. COVIDism is therefore yet another form of the idolatry that infects modern life. In the ancient times, people openly worshipping at the bronze bull were clearly idolatrous.  But, anything that calls to us and takes away our understanding of ourselves as dependent on the ever living God is idolatrous.

A Lutheran pastor once told me that if one could obey the First Commandment, one would automatically keep all the rest.  And this seems to be close to the heart of Lutheranism.  For in reading Luther's Small Catechism, on can see that the explanation for each of the Commandments begins with "You should so fear and  love God that"...  Clearly none of us can keep even the first Commandment, which is why God took it upon Himself to do the work of salvation for all mankind by Himself submitting to the Cross.

Meanwhile the reason for promoting the lie that is COVIDism is for one purpose:

While no one seriously doubts that COVID-19 is an illness requiring medical attention, it is increasingly apparent that the fear of the virus and almost superstitious practices have been factors in the rise of the cult of COVIDism, which in turn has become a useful tool for establishing the State's control over every sector of society and every aspect of life.

It is also perfectly clear the governing priestly elite foisting their quasi-religious rituals on the masses are miraculously immune from a virus that discerns who are the pure sheep of the church of COVIDism and who are the deplorably diseased goats. The high priests partying at the Obama birthday bash on Martha's Vineyard, at the Met gala, and at the Emmys do not have to wear masks. Nor do they have to observe the rules of social distancing once reserved for lepers and others deemed unclean.

But the unhealthy goats, most of them congregated in churches, the middle class, and the military, do have to follow the regulations and rituals.

Voshell offers some solutions to the cult of COVIDism. Let me suggest that there is more we the average American can do. For example, if you attend a congregation where you must be masked to enter, perhaps you should consider finding another congregation. You may be forced to submit while at work, because your employer is paying you to. But the moment you clock out, rip off that mask. Show that you will not be afraid. But at the same time you resist, do it joyfully. Do not take the resentment they ovviously desire to place upon you. Indeed, pray for the people advancing the cult of COVIDism. No, it may not change them, but that is not the point. Your prayer for them is intended to keep you sane, joyful, and focused on God.