The Shame and Tyranny of Contact Tracing | True Worldview Ep. 64

May 12, 2020 by Paul Dean in current events, worldview, politics, government

Churches as Agents of the State

Pastors and denominational leaders from our state (SC) were in on a live stream conference call with our governor, and we were told to make sure our churches do contact tracing. The first thing that needs to be said is that churches aren’t agents of the state. So, no can do. Except, I was shocked to hear a number of pastors happily comply and ask the best way to do such a thing. So much for understanding the times, or the nature of the state, or the nature of the church for that matter. So, no can do, for a few of us.

State Power

The second thing that needs to be said is that the state must not arrogate more power to itself. The Mayor of Kansas City is demanding the names, addresses, and phone numbers of every person attending worship. According to World Net Dailey, Liberty Counsel founder Mat Staver said, “The new order states that by recording names and contact information, the health department will be able 'to more quickly trace, test, and isolate individuals who may have been exposed to COVID-19. The Germans did this very thing to Jews – collecting the names and locations of all known synagogue attendees - in the early days of the Nazi regime.’”

So, a friend of yours tests positive for COVID-19, and you were with him for a few minutes a week earlier. Your friend will be asked for a list of those with whom he’s been in contact, and your name will be on the list. You’ll get a call or a visit and be force quarantined for two weeks. And that’s the least of it. Your privacy will have been compromised, and you’ll be put on other lists that ban you from certain things, like travel, unless you have proper health documentation.

The reality is this move is simply a push for total surveillance. Thomas Luongo noted, “The goal is to finish off the last vestiges of anonymity and individuality started with the destruction of financial privacy during the Clinton Adminstration.” Of course, the surveillance state was ramped up tremendously after 9/11.

Another frightening aspect here is the measure is not merely for tracing and surveillance, but for ensuring social distancing. Millions of people will unwittingly download a contact tracing app on their phones ostensibly to aid with public safety. If they’re not social distancing properly, they’re apt to get a visit from the local authorities. Of course, there are those who think that’s a great idea and are unaware of the consequences of our loss of liberty and privacy.

The Scarlet Letter

Further, those who test positive for COVID-19 become social pariahs. No one wants you around if you’ve got the scarlet letter C on your chest. Even worse, if you’ve been named as someone exposed to COVID-19 through contact tracing, you’ll be punished if you don’t comply with the demands of the state. The end result is an even greater expansion of the surveillance state. As Luongo noted, “They want us snitching on each other and suspect of each other. This is the most pernicious form of social control ever devised, to distrust basic human contact and interaction because there are germs in the world. . . It’s time to end the mass hallucination that we’ve never dealt with something like this before. The mass branding of this COVID-19 as the plague is laughable, and the push for global surveillance is pathetic.” Here’s where we really need a grass roots public service campaign: just say no – to contact tracing.

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Rethinking Social Distancing (Part 2) | True Worldview Ep. 61

May 01, 2020 by Paul Dean in culture, current events, government, politics, worldview

Be Optimistic

Part of how we navigate the world God’s given us is through right thinking and right attitude. We suffer, life is hard sometimes, but Christians should basically be optimistic because God has redeemed us, has given us things to do, and is with us in those endeavors. Optimism drives how we plan and make decisions. At the same time, we must recognize we’re living under the sovereign and providential hand of God. We live in light of James 4: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’ But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil” (13-16). So, we make our plans submitted to the sovereign decree of God. We’re optimistic in those plans: seeking to multiply the “talents” God has given us (Matt. 25:14-30) while resting in God’s providence for us. We must have a can-do attitude.

Be Proactive

Is our outlook one of fear, or confidence? Do we proceed on the basis of knowledge, or what is heaped upon us by the government or mainstream media? We know both of those entities routinely manipulate information to create their own narrative for a variety of reasons. Do we sit back and wait for the government to save us, or do we trust the Lord and seek to solve problems on our own? Think about Prov. 22:13: “The lazy man says, ‘There’s a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!” The point is clear: the lazy man sees a danger and shelters in place. He hunkers down in fear. But God has not given His people a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind (2 Tim. 1:7). He’s given us the ability to think and reason soundly: to come up with solutions. The implication of the Proverb is that a righteous man sees the lion, the problem, and devises a plan to overcome it. We need to trust in God and figure out how to defeat the virus, keep the economy buzzing, and work in social community the way God has designed us to, all at the same time. Specifically here, we’re rethinking social distancing.

Nine More Reasons to Cease from Social Distancing (For the first seven, see Part 1).

Here’s an eighth reason to cease from social distancing: we’re fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps. 139:14), and our immune system is resilient. The current focus on the virus itself, the futile effort to halt it’s spread, and the dictatorial sentiments behind the production of a vaccine, all discount the “terrain” of our bodies. In addition to combatting the spread of the virus in other ways, we must focus on ensuring the health of our immune systems. The way Dr. Fauci and the mainstream media have discounted certain things like making sure we are not Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Zinc deficient is criminal. Actual studies in the field, real numbers, tell us that Hydroxychloroquine, Zinc, and Azithromycin is an effective treatment for a majority of COVID-19 patients. Yet this treatment along with one or two others are demonized by Dr. Fauci, because they don’t fit their carefully constructed narrative. There is recent evidence that many routine procedures such as putting patients on ventilators when they shouldn’t, among other things, are leading to an increased number of deaths.

Ninth, extreme social distancing, like a lockdown, hinders the development of herd immunity. “Herd immunity is where enough people – most of whom will have very minor, or no, symptoms – contract COVID-19, develop antibodies against it, and recover. Since those who have the antibodies can neither get, nor pass on, coronavirus, it runs into more and more ‘dead ends’ as it tries to spread. ‘It finds it harder to get to a host where it can survive and it dies out,” Dr. David Katz says.

Tenth, in light of the way viruses spread through aerosolized particles, does anyone believe standing six feet apart is a real solution? As Dr. David Brownstein noted, even facemasks don’t work.

Eleventh, I mentioned a can-do attitude. Such an attitude is rooted in several biblical principles. Here are two. First, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Phil. 1:13). That doesn’t mean we can’t get sick. But it does mean that we have the spiritual ability to handle whatever comes our way. That’s the attitude part. Second, we’ve been given a mandate to subdue the earth (Gen. 1:28; 9:1f). That’s the tackling the problem part. We’ve not only been given the mandate to find workable solutions that take into account fending off a virus while not tearing down the superstructure of civilization we’ve built up over the last six-thousand years, we’ve been given the brain-power and resources for innovation and efficiency. But old and political models have us cowered in a corner. It’s time to be image-bearers and get to work.

Twelfth, God has given all human beings certain unalienable rights. They include the rights to life and liberty. They’re enshrined in America’s founding documents. No one has the right to lock down entire groups of people, cities, or a nation. No one has the right to keep us from assembling with one another. Moreover, we have the right to make medical/health decisions for ourselves. While the spirit of technocracy is alive and well in our world, we must not succumb to its tyranny. Our basic freedoms including our religious freedoms have been trampled. Forced social distancing is nothing short of criminal.

Thirteenth, Christians don’t run from people or trouble, they run toward it. While people ran from lepers, Jesus reached out and touched them. Christians in eras gone by ministered to the sick and dying and those who’d been abandoned in the streets when various plagues descended upon them. The pagans hid indoors, while the Christians demonstrated the love and power of Christ. Yes, many of them died as a result. But they actually knew and felt that living was Christ, and dying was gain (Phil. 1:21).

Fourteenth, Christianity is not about isolation but community. The gathered community of faith is mandated and puts God’s glory on display (Heb. 10:25; Hag. 1:8). The church breaks down barriers that divide people (Eph. 3:10). It doesn’t create or foster division. Christianity is about fellowship with God and with one another. You can’t experience that and social distance at the same time. We all know that livestreaming and zooming is not church.

Fifteenth, while we Christians can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, even bear with a lockdown, there are millions who cannot, because they don’t have Christ. Many have already died because of the lockdown by being hindered from getting needed medical treatment or by committing suicide. There will be many more. Some will die of starvation. The tragic results of the lockdown, and many predict it’s certainty, could be far worse than the virus itself. People don’t do well in isolation.

Sixteenth, the fact is that 99% of those who contract the virus recover. A majority of us may have already been exposed. Most who get the virus experience minor symptoms and many don’t even know they’ve had it. The lockdown and social distancing really makes no sense.

We weep with those who weep (Rom. 12:15). There are those who have died from COVID-19, and it’s truly tragic. And, if someone is in a high-risk category, or is sick and would endanger others, then by all means, they should take the proper precautions. But despite what we’re being told, that all of us are carriers of a virus that’s a death warrant for those who contract it, nothing cold be further from the truth. The facemasks, the fearful looks, the suspicious whispers, and the snitching neighbors all tell the tale. We’re not carriers of the plague. We’re not lepers, and we can’t treat each other as such. It’s time to rethink social distancing.

Rethinking Social Distancing (Part 1) | True Worldview Ep. 60

April 28, 2020 by Paul Dean in current events, worldview, politics

A Lament

There’s a verse that describes our situation in this political crisis connected to Coronavirus: “How lonely sits the city That was full of people! How like a widow is she, Who was great among the nations! The princess among the provinces Has become a slave” (Lam. 1:1)! While our context is different from ancient Israel’s, our cities feel lonely and empty as everyone is under stay-at-home orders. The city is like a widow. The heartbreak is palpable, not only for those who have died and lost loved ones, or for those who’ve lost jobs, but also for those who’ve suffered and died as a result of the shutdown, as well as for what’s coming. While no one really knows what the ultimate economic fall-out will be, we’re already told to brace for food shortages. That’s a dynamic most of us have never had to face. The cracks in our nation are showing. And the sad fact is that it didn’t have to be this way, but you’ll never get the perpetrators to admit it or be held accountable. We’ve become slaves.

A Precaution

But I want to speak briefly to the issue of social distancing, and in particular, I want to urge all of us, but especially Christians, to reject it out of hand. Let me say quickly that if you are in a high-risk category, then by all means, please take every precaution, and protect yourself. If you visit anyone in a high-risk category, you should take care not to endanger them. And that’s not true for a coronavirus only, that’s true for the flu or anything else. Those in high risk categories are in danger from everything, and there are many viruses more dangerous than COVID-19. But, generally speaking, there are reasons for the rest of us to cease the social distancing.

A Plea: Seven Reasons to Stop Social Distancing

First, God Himself is trinitarian by nature. He is one God who’s revealed Himself in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. His very nature is community. We’re told in John 1 that the Father and the Son have face-to-face fellowship from eternity. The Christian community is a reflection of God. We’re created to be in community with God and one another.

Second, God said in Genesis that it’s not good for man to be alone. In context, He makes Adam and Eve husband and wife: life-partners. But the principle is true for all of humanity: it’s not good for us to be alone. When people live in isolation, certain spiritual, social, and even physical problems develop over time. Prov. 18:1 says, “A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment.” A person who isolates himself has rejected community for whatever the reason. The picture couldn’t be more graphic. “He rages against all wise judgment.” It’s not wise to force people into isolation. We know the tragic results, and it’s sheer hypocrisy for our government and the mainstream media to do so in the name of a virus that’s relatively harmless to most, and even less threatening to persons in high risk groups than the flu.

Third, that’s not to say that COVID-19 is not a danger to high-risk persons. It is, and those in that category should self-isolate, as we’ve said. But everyone else should proceed as normal so that herd immunity can develop, the virus can run its course, and then even high-risk persons can come out again.

In fact, a group of doctors put out a piece entitled Coronavirus Truths. Among other things, they say we’ve been lied to. We’ve been told we don’t know much about the virus, but we do. We hear daily that the virus is more infectious than the flu. It’s not. In fact, the flu is much more virulent. The flu is actually far more dangerous despite the fact we’ve been told the opposite. We’ve also been told COVID-19 is more dangerous because you can have it without knowing it. That’s true of all viruses when they’re being shed, and COVID-19 is far less contagious than the flu. And yes, the virus is more dangerous to the elderly and immunocompromised, but so is everything else, as we’ve noted. We see daily numbers of infections and deaths, and yet the books have been cooked. The media, say these doctors, has grossly misrepresented this disease, and they will continue to manipulate us by predicting a spike in deaths if we open the country too soon. They’re already doing just that. Though we’ve been told the opposite, not every country has shut down their economy, and none of those countries have suffered higher rates of death. The medical community has failed us they say. This virus has been treated as a world-ender, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Fourth, social distancing is the world’s answer, not God’s. It tears community apart. It’s tearing our nation apart. Have you noticed how people look at you in the grocery store with fear and suspicion? And how about those who report their neighbors for taking a jog? That’s not American, and it’s certainly not Christian. It’s Satan who tears apart. God, the gospel, and the church bring people together (Ephesians 3).

Fifth, the government is picking winners and losers. Walmart will survive, even thrive, but a large number of mom-and-pop operations will not. Home Depot will thrive, but many restaurants will never re-open. The State has no right to say who’s essential and who’s not. We’re all essential; we all make up the economy. The State has no right to prevent people from earning a living. The surveillance and subsequent police raid on a woman cutting hair in her Texas home should cause all of us to collectively shout, “Enough!”

Sixth, there’s the inconsistency. We’re told that only x number of people can be in the store at one time, yet we stand in the parking lot shoulder to shoulder until we’re released into the vastness of Lowe’s. We’d be better off if all were allowed inside to start with. We’re allowed to congregate in the Lowe’s parking lot, but we can’t go to church or worship from our cars in the church parking lot. Our overlords at the national and state levels can stand shoulder to shoulder in the daily news briefings, but if you’re the lone person shooting baskets in the park, you’ll be arrested. For the life of me, I can’t understand how any of this is being tolerated.

Seventh, the government would have us believe that every American is the carrier of a deadly virus. Criticizing out-of-work protesters who were pleading for the lockdown to end and rightly saying that some things are worse than the virus, namely a decimated economy and the devasting results, Andrew Cuomo, Governor of New York, replied, “What could be worse than the virus? The virus is death.” Yes, some have died. And that’s truly tragic. But the virus is not death. Ninety-nine percent of people who contract it recover. Most will not contract it, and those who do will suffer mild symptoms, and many won’t even know they had it. But this is the official narrative, and the people have been sold a lie. Psychological warfare is being waged against this country.

These are only a few of the reasons why social distancing must end. We’ll highlight a few more in Part 2. But suffice it to say, it’s not God’s way, and it’s far worse than the virus. It’s a nation-killer.

Shelter in Place: Is This How We Want to Live? | True Worldview Ep. 53

April 03, 2020 by Paul Dean in culture, current events, worldview

Shelter in Place: Is This How We Want to Live?

When I saw the jets fly into the twin towers and those towers subsequently collapse, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It was one of those things I didn’t think possible. I was wrong. I also thought that moment couldn’t be surpassed in terms of shock. But I was wrong on that too. I’m living in one of those moments now. I never would have thought it possible to get the world to voluntarily shut down over night. It’s unimaginable that we would voluntarily tank our economy. But here we are.

The New Normal

Bretigne Shaffer describes our situation at the moment: “As I write this, I am no longer ‘allowed’ to frequent businesses the state has deemed to be ‘nonessential.’ Doing so has been prohibited by a man who has the power to shut down an entire economy with the stroke of a pen. Meanwhile, the mayor of a neighboring city has said that water and power will be turned off for any of these ‘nonessential’ businesses that do not comply with the order. . . We now have to stand in line to get into the grocery store, are only able to purchase limited quantities of food and other supplies, and the California National Guard has been activated. . . to help ‘distribute… food and medical supplies…’ among other tasks.”

This state of affairs raises what rises to the level of an ultimate question: is this how we want to live? According to Judge Andrew Napolitano, the State has no right to do what they’re doing. It’s unconstitutional. And yet, while I’m not confined to my home like my daughter and son-in-law are in another state, I went to four grocery stores yesterday before I gave up my search on the item I needed. There are some businesses that will be completely gone when this is over. That’s tragic for those business-owners, but it also affects the rest of us who’ll have to do without the goods and services we’ve come to count on from them. What possible reason is there to let others make decisions for us? What possible reason is there to give the State power to shut down your business?

The Scapegoat

I know, some will say, because Coronavirus. Quarantining like we are has never stopped viruses from spreading. It might slow them down, but only good hygiene has been effective historically. Take a look at what Hong Kong is doing, and they seem to be proving the point. Regardless, as Shaffer points out, there is much debate over that issue and what the socio-economic cost will be and just how deadly COVID-19 actually is.

So again, we have to ask is this the kind of world we want to live in? Personal liberty is tossed aside as if it’s just a selfish luxury says Shaffer. But what’s selfish is the impulse to control others, whether personally or through the State. In fact, its pure evil. On cue, the red herring that saving lives is more important is run out there. Why don’t we ask the State to ban cars then? Or swimming pools? Or alcohol? Of course, when we banned alcohol, we learned that unintended consequences are often worse than the original problem. And that’s the case here. President Trump was right when he said the cure is worse than the disease. It’s too bad he’s done an about face on that.

The State, Our Enemy

“Do we want to live lives in which we get to make our own choices and decisions, or do we want to live the kind of lives where our choices are made for us, by some centralized authority?” We can’t live this way and honor God or one another. The rights to life and liberty are rights given by God. Violence against others like shutting down one’s ability to earn a living is evil and therefore dishonors God. In fact, it’s an attack on God Himself (Gen. 9:6). It’s unloving to our neighbor. What’s happening now is not only unconstitutional, it violates the two great commandments to love God and neighbor.

And now we learn the US Government is already making plans with Google, Facebook, and others to track our movements and our health status via cell phones and a nation-wide snitch network via phone apps in which people are asked to tag anyone they see exhibiting signs of illness or failing to social distance. Bill Gates is saying we’ll have digital certificates indicating our health and vaccine status. That certificate will be required to gain access to certain places and services. Is this how we want to live?

History proves that the State arrogates more power to itself during times of crisis. Essential liberties are suspended for the sake of resolving the crisis. Yet, the State never gives up the power its gained or the liberties it’s stolen. But that’s the world we’re being handed right now. As noted, we’ve never seen this big a power grab before. The question is, what are we going to do about it?

Sign up free for "True Worldview News," a weekly e-mail newsletter highlighting relevant news stories affecting Christians. Dr. Dean’s comments on selected stories along with editorials are included. The newsletter also features True Worldview, a twice-weekly podcast hosted by Dr. Dean and his daughter, Christi Johnson.

COVID-19 and Freedom in America | True Worldview Ep. 51

March 27, 2020 by Paul Dean in current events, politics, worldview

Coronavirus & Freedom in America

Perhaps the biggest question that needs to be asked during this time of crisis is can the government restrict our movements as they have? Judge Andrew Napolitano, a former judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey who’s written nine books on the U.S. Constitution says “freedom is the default position.” The rights that we have come not from the State but are rooted in our humanity. We know they come from God, but that’s just the point.

Imbedded in the US Constitution is what philosophers call the non-aggression principle. “All aggression against persons and property even by government is immoral.” Individuals have the freedom to do as they please as long as they don’t violate the God-given rights of others. So, the question remains, can the government “confine persons against their will in order to protect public health?”

Let’s think biblically as we wade into an answer. Can we lock someone up for committing a criminal act like theft, murder, or enslaving others? Answer? Yes. Can we lock someone up who has not committed a criminal act? Answer? No. Can we lock someone up who looks like they might commit a criminal act at some point in the future? No, we can’t do that. Can we lock someone up for being a racist? As reprehensible as racism is, we can’t do that. What if someone is hurling empty threats and insults at me as I go on my merry way? Can we imprison him? It’s no violation of my rights if someone hates me, insults me, or even hurls empty threats at me. We can’t put him in jail. But what if someone is pointing a loaded gun in my face, says he’s going to kill me, pulls the trigger, or makes an aggressive move? Can I or someone else stop him? Do I or someone else have the right to use deadly force in that instance as self-defense or in defense of others? The answer to each of those question is yes. Moreover, if the individual were stopped before he got a shot off, or if his shot missed, he would be imprisoned for attempted murder. The difference between him and the guy hurling empty threats is just that: empty threats are not criminal. But when one violates the liberty of another or is imminently about to do so, he is guilty of criminal activity and subject to imprisonment after due process and conviction at a criminal trial.

With those biblical principles in mind, hear Napolitano on whether the government then may quarantine someone for reasons of public safety. “The short answer is yes, but the Constitution requires procedural due process. That means a trial for every person confined. Thus, a government-ordered quarantine of all persons in a city block or a postal ZIP code or a telephone area code would be an egregious violation of due process, both substantive and procedural. Substantively, no government in America has the lawful power to curtail natural rights by decree.”

Why due process? To determine if one is an actual threat. Napolitano puts it this way: “Procedurally, notwithstanding the fear of disease contagion, the states and feds may only quarantine those who are actively contagious and will infect others imminently. And it must present evidence of both at a trial at which it bears the burden of proof. While the non-aggression principle permits offensive aggression in self-defense when an attack is imminent and certain, that is a high standard for the government to meet, as it should be. Freedom — even the freedom of a madman or a dangerously sick and contagious person — is the default position. Infringing upon it without procedural due process is always constitutionally impermissible.”

In another piece, Napolitano points out that the Supreme Court unanimously rebuked President Lincoln during the Civil War when he imprisoned persons who challenged a number of decisions he made. He claimed he was acting for the good of the citizenry – for public safety. The point they made was that whether in war or in the midst of a global pandemic, the Constitution protects our God-given rights “and its provisions are to be upheld when they pinch as well as whey they comfort.”

Many governors during this crisis are acting in a totalitarian way and in so doing are violating the rights of tens of millions of persons. They have no right to do so constitutionally nor do they have the right to do so biblically. Would Paul tell the Roman church they had to submit to Nero if he wanted to enslave them or kill them? Jesus said when they persecute you in one city flee to another (Matt. 10:23). Paul said if you’re converted while a slave, don’t worry about it. But, if you can be free, use it (1 Cor. 7:21). The point is that Christians do submit to government for God’s glory and their witness. They are not troublemakers but good citizens. However, our submission is not absolute. The Hebrew midwives defied the decree of Pharaoh (Exodus 1). Daniel openly disobeyed the decree of King Darius (Daniel 6). The apostles defied civil authorities and never ceased to preach the gospel (Acts 4).

Part of our problem is a surface interpretation of Romans 13. Many Christians believe God gave government for the public, civic good, and it implements God’s righteous decrees. Yet, Paul rebukes the Corinthian church for taking their lawsuits before the unrighteous civil authorities. How dare you do such a thing he says (1 Cor. 6:1f). He also says that Jesus must reign until He has put all enemies under His feet. Those enemies include all earthly rulers (1 Cor. 15:24f). Psalm 2 says the rulers of the earth are against Christ. Daniel says that the kingdom of God will smash all other earthly kingdoms to pieces in the end (Daniel 2). The point is that earthly governments are not God’s representatives. They are his servants just like Satan is. And, they have a measure of authority, but they do not have the right to violate the rights of others. Authority and rights are two different things.

Again, Christians may submit to imprisonment or martyrdom for the sake of the gospel. But they may also flee. Jesus told Christians to flee when they saw Roman imperial troops surrounding their city (Matthew 24). Paul tells slaves to submit to their masters. Do they have authority? Answer, yes. Do they have a right to enslave others? Answer? No. Husbands have authority, but they don’t have the right to violate the rights of their wives. These principles are basic. Government has authority, but it doesn’t have the right to violate our rights. From Napolitano again: “The Contracts Clause of the Constitution prohibits the states from interfering with lawful contracts, such as leases and employment agreements. And the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits the states from interfering with life, liberty or property without a trial at which the state must prove fault. The Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment requires just compensation when the state meaningfully interferes with an owner’s chosen lawful use of his property. . . Add to all this, the protection in the First Amendment of the right to associate and the judicially recognized right to travel — both of which are natural rights — and it is clear that these nanny state rules are unconstitutional, unlawful and unworthy of respect or compliance.”

Why is this happening? Because people are always willing to trade freedom for safety. Benjamin Franklin said people who do such are worthy or neither. A lot of Christians are clamoring for the government to do what they’re doing in the name of public safety. With all due respect, you have the right to sacrifice your freedom, but you don’t have the right to sacrifice mine.

Anthony Fauci is talking about round two of this next year. Are we going to tolerate shutting the country down on a regular basis? We need Christian leadership here. There’s a difference between being a good citizen and allowing the government to take away the freedoms of everyone. That’s not being a good citizen or loving your neighbor. Christians leaders above all should be leading here. I’m not calling for revolt. But I am calling for the church to speak with clarity and boldness; to speak up for the least of these; to bring a biblical worldview to the public square on this issue; to take a seat at the table; and to preach the gospel and it’s implications for civil government and society in this hour of need. Too much is a stake to remain silent, and way too much is at stake if we roll over and shill for the US government, something the Scripture calls a rival kingdom to the kingdom of God.

What is God Doing in the Midst of the Coronavirus Outbreak? | True Worldview Ep. 50

March 24, 2020 by Paul Dean in current events, culture, politics, worldview

Coronavirus and What God is Doing

We have questions. How dangerous is COVID-19? How far will it go? How effective is social distancing and the other drastic measures that have been imposed? Is the cost of shutting down public gatherings, restaurants, bars, and the like, resulting in businesses closing, massive lay-offs, the disappearance of personal savings, bankruptcies, supply chain derailments, and a lot more, or is the cost of simply taking ordinary precautions and letting the virus run its course greater? Knowing how viruses work and what COVID-19 is, some medical experts say the steps we’ve taken will actually make matters worse. Is that right or wrong, and how do we know?

And yet, there is still a more important question: a question of ultimate significance. What is God up to? None of this has taken Him by surprise. He’s doing something and we’d do well to ponder that.

God Is Sovereign

God is absolutely sovereign over all things including COVID-19, the economic disaster to come, and those actors who’ve added to the misery in one way or another. "If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it (Amos 3:6)?" This simple truth may shock the sensibilities of some, but who would want to worship a God who is not sovereign? God’s sovereignty does not negate His goodness and grace. His sovereignty is simply a fact. He governs all things, including our current situation. Isaiah agrees with Amos and could not be more clear when he quotes God Himself: "I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things (Isa. 45:7)." At the same time, Amos refers to a trumpet of warning. There is no doubt the Lord of all creation has many purposes in mind with a calamity of this nature and magnitude.

Sanctifying His People

First, God is no doubt sanctifying His people. We can say this with certainty as the Scripture says, "We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be the First-born among many brothers (Rom. 8:28-29)." Paul affirms that all things work for the good of believers. He then defines that good as being conformed to the image of God's Son that He might be glorified. Many believers are suffering and will suffer. While the situation itself is not good, the Lord will indeed work it for their good. That is His promise.

Demonstrating His Power

Second, it is possible that COVID-19 was sent as a demonstration of God’s power before wicked men, whether the virus itself is a greater threat than other seasonal viruses or whether the virus was used to manufacture a crisis. God superintends over it all. In Ex. 9:14 we read, "For at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth." When men shake their fists in the face of God, He sometimes moves in a mighty way to remind them of who is King. His word is clear on this point. He wants men to know that there is none like Him in all the earth.

Exalting His Name

Third, the Lord may have desired the exaltation of His Name in all the earth. God exists for His own glory and does what He does for His own glory. He alone deserves glory and honor and worship and praise and must have such in order to be true to His character. If He did not demand such, He would not be God, or He would be an idolater. As God, He cannot give up His glory, or He would not be God. Nor can He glorify another, for that would be to give glory to something that did not deserve glory which would be idolatry. God cannot fail to glorify Himself, as His character exudes glory. Thus, His glory, His reputation, and/or His Name, must be exalted in all the earth. That is why God says to Pharaoh, "But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth” (Ex. 9:16). The God of Heaven above and the earth beneath sent the plagues on Egypt in Pharaoh’s day, and He sent the plagues of viral and economic disaster in our day that His Name might be exalted in all the earth.

Bringing Temporal Judgment

Fourth, is it possible that God has brought temporal judgment on a wicked country in particular, or the whole world, or perhaps even the church as part of her chastening? While we must be careful not to make statements of possibility into fact, and while we must not think that any particular people deserve punishment any more than any other human being lost or saved, we may say that it is possible that God brought temporal judgment for certain reasons. Peter warns us: "[God turned] the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, He condemned them with an overthrow, setting an example to men intending to live ungodly (2 Pet. 2:6)." Conditions of this magnitude are an example to those who intend to live ungodly lives.

What about believers in hard-hit areas or circumstances? Some were like Lot. "And He delivered righteous Lot, oppressed with the lustful behavior of the lawless. For that righteous one living among them, in seeing and hearing, his righteous soul was tormented from day to day with their unlawful deeds (2 Pet. 2:7-8)." And others were like some of the saints listed in Hebrews 11 who “had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings; yes, more, of bonds and imprisonments. They were stoned, they were sawed in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented (36-37)." This text is a call to faith regardless of the state of affairs. Our problem is that we so often fail to take God seriously, even in the church.

Highlighting His Grace

Fifth, by these events, God certainly affords us an opportunity to put the grace and power of Christ on display through ministry. Our Lord gives us that opportunity both for our sake and the sake of those to whom we minister. Jesus said, "For I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you took Me in; I was naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me (Matt. 25:35-36)." At the same time, as noted, His glory is on display. There are and will be countless opportunities to share the love of Christ both now and in the coming days. At least part of what God intends is that people would fear Him that they might get a sense of their own lost and helpless condition, fly to Christ, and be saved.

COVID-19: Danger, Hype, Opportunists, and God | True Worldview Ep. 49

March 20, 2020 by Paul Dean in culture, current events, worldview, politics

COVID-19: Danger, Hype, Opportunists, and God

Danger

There is a real threat upon us with this Coronavirus. We all know that people have died, and it’s spreading. We also know that the virus is most dangerous/deadly to people who are older, who have underlying health problems, or who are immunocompromised. For most however, the virus appears to pose no greater threat than seasonal flu. More people have been infected and died with seasonal flu than COVID-19 this winter, and there are other more serious threats to some. Over one million die each year from tuberculosis for example.

Hype

And yet, we’re all experiencing the media’s frenzied hype. There is much misinformation due in part to the drive for ratings and perhaps in part due to some who can’t resist embellishment for whatever personal reasons. One government official when on television said COVID-19 is ten times more deadly than seasonal flu. The same official stated to Congress that it’s no more deadly than seasonal flu. Of course, the media has played up the first statement. Leaders on both sides of the political aisle have run the gamut from dismissal of a threat, to making jokes about who they wished would contract it, to excoriation, to near-panic. And the media has puffed it all.

Opportunists

And then there are the opportunists. We may wonder at the differing motivations for different actors across the globe in this thing. Regardless of your political leanings, there’s one thing we can all agree on: it’s an election year, and those who have a visceral hatred of the President are using this crisis against him every way they can. As Rahm Emanuel quipped, “You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that, it's an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.”

Some have offered credible and troubling thoughts based on different kinds of evidence. Certain insiders have speculated this whole thing is a hoax to take away more of our liberties. Others have averred it’s a test to determine how easily populations can be controlled. Some say the virus came from a Chinese lab by accident, and still others assert it’s a US bio-weapon inadvertently released. Financial experts have warned of economic collapse for some time and see global actors using the virus as cover for their failing. The fall-out for economic policy-makers would be horrendous if they were to blame and not something like a pandemic.

God

And yet, in the end, we can trust God. We know He’s in control and that He loves His people. We know He does all things for our good – to conform us to the image of His Son. Regardless of the virus or those who would use it for hidden purposes, none of it has taken the Lord by surprise. And remember, God will keep you in perfect peace, when your mind is stayed on Him, because you trust in Him (Isa. 26:3).

Who Built the Hospitals Caring for China's Coronavirus Patients? | True Worldview Ep. 45

March 06, 2020 by Paul Dean in christian living, culture, current events, worldview

Coronavirus and China’s Hospitals

Everyone’s talking about Coronavirus, and rightly so. The number of those infected along with those who have died is only increasing. But let’s think about a particular issue at a worldview level. Gary Brumbelow asks, “Who built the hospitals treating China’s coronavirus patients?” The answer is that “hundreds of China’s hospitals were built by Christian missionaries.”

Hospitals Didn’t Come from Atheism

Brumbelow rightly points out that China’s hospitals didn’t come from the worldview of China’s atheistic, communist leaders who’ve been in power since the rise of Mao Zedong prior to the midway point of the last century. We needn’t be reminded of the millions he slaughtered in the “Great Leap Forward” or China’s long-term one to two-child policy imposition. As a worldview, atheism has a low view of human life. It’s only valued in terms of what it can do for the collective. Life is cheap and expendable. And on that worldview, there’s no reason to build hospitals as long as you have enough replacement parts.

Hospitals Come from a Christian Worldview

It's the Christian worldview that values life. The world has co-opted Christian initiative including health-care, the university, stewardship of the environment, the arts, and so much more. How grievous then when Christians accept the status quo of our culture and fall in line like sheep. Our calling is to image God in the world in a multitude of ways. Hospitals, universities, environmentalism, and the arts are no longer driven by a biblical worldview and they have suffered in devastating ways. We must re-engage to preserve that which is good and create what is needed.

The Communists evicted the missionaries from China long ago. “Except for the government-sanctioned Three-Self Church, Christian congregations have been underground ever since.” Major hospitals founded by those missionaries are now run by the government and “party bosses are scrambling to deal with the Coronavirus. It’s a task made more difficult by years of atheistic influence.

We must be reminded that salvation is ultimate, but God cares about the here and now too. Part of our calling is to bring kingdom values and principles to bear on this world. Much of this world will burn up one day, but that which is done for the glory of Christ will remain. God cares about this world or He wouldn’t have given us the Dominion Mandate (Gen. 1:28). He wouldn’t have told us to do our work as unto Him. He wouldn’t have admonished us to be Good Samaritans.

Pray for the Church in China

And one last thing. You can start with the gospel and change one’s worldview. Or, you can talk about worldview and get to the gospel. I think Brumbelow has that in mind: “In the midst of the suffering and chaos brought on by the virus and exacerbated by atheistic lies, may China learn its long-lost Christian history, from the Tower of Babel dispersion to the present reality of Christian service and influence. May China’s people come to realize that Yahweh is more than merely a “western God.” May China’s church rise up in courage to serve their neighbors in the name of Jesus Christ in this hour of need.”