The Almighty and the Mighty Virus

Satire — When Religion meets Reason

Michelangelo, creation — sun, moon and stars, source: Wikimedia

Science and religion are on a collision course again in this pandemic, with news about God’s faithful congregating for worship and defying lockdown orders. While not all the religious are blind in their faith, a vociferous minority seem to believe that God will protect them from the virus because he is bigger than the virus. There can be no doubt that God is bigger than the Covid-19, because He created the novel Coronavirus just like He created us. Hence, it is logical to assume that the Creator is bigger than the creation.

But, if the presumption is that, we, as human beings are entitled to divine protection because we are God’s favorite children, it is an assumption that needs some examination. Because, if the Almighty had considered us so special that we need to be protected against this virus, it stands to reason that He would not have created the virus in the first place. Since the virus is here, it would be safe to assume that a human-being is no more special to the Lord than this new strain of Coronavirus.

As such, the conflict is not between God and the microbe, the conflict is between humans and the novel strain of the Coronavirus, in that the virus wants to build its home in our lungs which could be detrimental to our health. Therefore, our lungs and by extension, our bodies try to fight off the parasite. In this battle, the damage is not to the virus, but, to us. We are on the losing side of this war all by ourselves.

Still, there is hope. Humanity has made a lot of progress in the field of medical science. There are scientists and experts in this field who are trying to help us navigate through this crisis, despite the absence of a well coordinated functional response from the federal government.

These scientists who are measured in their approach, do not make ambiguous, dramatic declarations, as to who is bigger than whom. Instead, they admit to what they know and what they don’t know. They are doing their best, in trying to explain how they arrived at a certain consensus, as they parse through a constant stream of data, in an effort to keep us well-informed on this multi-faceted crisis we find ourselves in.

Since we do not have a cure or a vaccine at this point, wouldn’t it be better to put our faith in those scientists, who seem to know more on this subject than the rest of us? Wouldn’t it be better to follow the rules of lockdown by observing social-distancing when in public?

Social-distancing is not the cure, but it helps mitigate the spread of the infection, so we don’t excessively burden the doctors and nurses along with the first-responders who are trying frantically to save lives in this war against the invisible enemy. It is not just the medical community, who are on the battle-front in this strange war, but grocery clerks, warehouse workers, bus drivers and postal workers also find themselves on the front-lines of this unusual war.

By simply following social distancing guidelines, we are not only reducing the risk of infection to ourselves and our loved ones, but we also help ease the burden on the caregivers, by not overwhelming the medical community by increasing the number of hospitalizations.

This is the least we could do for those willing to risk infection to themselves and their families, just so they can save the life of a stranger.

When we don’t cooperate and defy these orders for frivolous reasons and should even one of them lose their lives on account of such irresponsible behavior, be assured that these souls would make it straight to heaven. They would be welcomed grandly at Pearly Gates and taken straight to the Almighty, who would only be eager to meet these noble souls, because whether we agree with the science or not, there is no doubt that laying down one’s life while trying to save the life of a complete stranger is the noblest of all sacrifice.

Then, when St. Peter informs God Almighty, that this doctor or that nurse or this paramedic or that bus driver came to heaven way before their time, Divine curiosity would be piqued and He would want to know how such an injustice was permitted.

In response, these great souls would explain that their life was cut short, because such-and-such a person broke the lockdown rules to attend Palm Sunday services or Mother’s Day service or attended a protest rally because their Lord God, Donald the Trump, ordered them to do so.

At that point, I am sure that none of the so called faithfully religious would want to be at the receiving end of the Almighty’s wrathful finger pointing in their direction accusingly, as he chastises them, ‘How many times have I told to you not to listen to the false prophets of the right-wing media or that Orange Nitwit they helped create.

‘Look at what you have done now? These people have been snatched from Earth, long before their time; their lives cut short, leaving behind grieving family and friends, because they got sick and died while taking care of their patients. All for what? So you could attend the church and pray to Me.

‘Didn’t you know that you could pray from anywhere? I would still have heard you. You should know by now, I am not just Omnipotent, I am also Omnipresent!’

At this point his face would darken, eyebrows furrow, angry clouds gather over furrowed brows, eyes glowering, the Old Testament God would bellow, ‘I have tolerated this dangerously immature behavior for far too long. I shall tolerate this no more. Hereafter, you shall not gather anywhere to worship Me, as I refuse to hear your prayers. In fact, if you utter My name or that of My Son’s, I would consider that blasphemous.

‘Because your heart is cold in its selfishness, your soul is bitter without compassion, you are my child, no longer!’