23 Mar '20 06:56>1 edit
A Christian friend whom I know very well said to me a few days ago “I am not worried about Coronavirus”. The comment was from a much broader exchange about social distancing and self isolation, particularly the safety of a vulnerable person mutually known to us and the context being that “not being worried about Coronavirus” meant that this Christian friend was suggesting compromising the given safety advice. My Christian friend went on about how they were not afraid of the virus and that it was no more dangerous than flu and that it was all a ploy by establishment to bring about a culture of fear and thereby introduce punitive controlling laws which would not be lifted after the crisis. I was feeling rather impinged as I was anxious for the safety of our vulnerable mutual friend.
Here’s the thing, things for discussion...
- It is not courage one is exhibiting when one doesn’t believe the thing to fear exists ~ it is either insight or denial. Not courage. Courage and “supernatural peace” as RBHILL called in his thread, are exhibited when one is faced with a real threat and one overcomes the fear of that real threat. There is a big difference.
- Believing that this virus is no more dangerous than normal flu when your belief is based on nothing more than a decades old ideological construct of a conspiracy of global fear-mongering and end-times world orders, is fine ... as long as your “beliefs” and subsequent choices and actions don’t impact the safety of other people.
- complacency about something you don’t believe is a danger is not the opposite of the fear others may have. Fear is a natural response to a perceived threat, courage is the strength of the rational mind to overcome that fear. “Supernatural peace” is therefore the strength of the spirit overcoming the fear, rather than the natural mind overcoming it.
If you have peace, share it.
If you have courage, show it.
If you have fear, don’t be downhearted, it’s normal.
If you are complacent, shame on you.
Your thoughts?
Edit:
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Colossians 3:15
Here’s the thing, things for discussion...
- It is not courage one is exhibiting when one doesn’t believe the thing to fear exists ~ it is either insight or denial. Not courage. Courage and “supernatural peace” as RBHILL called in his thread, are exhibited when one is faced with a real threat and one overcomes the fear of that real threat. There is a big difference.
- Believing that this virus is no more dangerous than normal flu when your belief is based on nothing more than a decades old ideological construct of a conspiracy of global fear-mongering and end-times world orders, is fine ... as long as your “beliefs” and subsequent choices and actions don’t impact the safety of other people.
- complacency about something you don’t believe is a danger is not the opposite of the fear others may have. Fear is a natural response to a perceived threat, courage is the strength of the rational mind to overcome that fear. “Supernatural peace” is therefore the strength of the spirit overcoming the fear, rather than the natural mind overcoming it.
If you have peace, share it.
If you have courage, show it.
If you have fear, don’t be downhearted, it’s normal.
If you are complacent, shame on you.
Your thoughts?
Edit:
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Colossians 3:15