Covid-19 An Atheist Perspective
Imagine you are a resident of the United States and there has been a deadly outbreak of Ebola with cases popping up in every state. Ebola is a virus whose mortality rate averages around 50%, with rates varying from 25% to 95% in past outbreaks, and for which there is no known cure or licensed treatment for (https://www.who.int/news-
). Now imagine that scientists and health authorities have come forward with the fact that widespread mask-wearing greatly decreases the rate at which the virus spreads, and that the spread will be over much sooner if people practice well-known methods of disease prevention such as hand-washing and social distancing. They present hundreds of statistics and studies that support the guidelines given. One can strongly imagine that the vast majority of citizens would not only follow these guidelines, but would also quarantine themselves at maximum ability.
But this isn't Ebola. This is Covid19. The mortality rates are much lower, and many victims are hidden away in assisted living facilities. High-risk potentials sit at home waiting for family and friends to deliver groceries because, for them, this is much closer to the Ebola scare than it is for us. For healthy people, the risk seems low, as does the benefits of wearing a mask and following guidelines. In many states, one can hardly tell a pandemic is occurring. Consider my state, South Carolina, for example. A quick stroll through a popular retailer will likely reveal many employees not wearing a mask or incorrectly wearing one, thus rendering it useless. Customers crowd up on each other like kids at recess. They ignore tape on the floor guiding foot traffic. They leave masks at home (assuming they own one). They wonder why the virus is spreading so quickly, and then question the number of deaths because they haven't personally met anyone who has died from it.
As an atheist I can't help but wonder how a state, in which nearly 70% of its' adults are self-proclaimed highly religious Christians ( https://www.usnews.com/news/
), can be so selfish and irresponsible. By no means am I claiming all Christians are selfish, or assuming that only Christians are ignoring guidelines. I am, however, calling into question the impact that a strong religious mentality can have on a society. Recently I encountered a social media post which read "Do you know what is more dangerous than Covid? insisting I wear a mask". In the comments the same person wrote "See I'm a Christian, and I go when it my time. I hear how can you believe in something you can't see. I say ditto." This kind of thinking is not only preposterous, it's downright dangerous. Before 2020, I would've argued that this level of ignorance is uncommon, or at the very least, not prevalent. However, after seeing hundreds of similar posts, videos, and memes, I have my doubts.
Why am I bringing Christianity into the conversation? Because I can't tell you how many times I've been told that without religion (specifically Christianity), morality would falter and societies would crumble. Apparently the Christians in South Carolina view morality as a self-centric issue, and not one involving the entire good of humanity. Conversely, I have never heard an atheist complain about the necessity of a mask in our recent dire situation with Covid. I have never heard an atheist say they don't believe in a virus because they can't see it (which in fact anyone can with the right tools.) Of course there are bound to be atheists who hold these opinions, but a quick peek at an atheist social media group will reveal they are few and far between.
One can argue that being a Christian doesn't contribute to the rapid spread of the virus, but the numerous posts proclaiming God to be the protector of humanity, rather than scientifically proven methods such as masks, lead atheists to believe otherwise. We are tired of the selfish behavior that endangers others. We are tired of Christians using their faith as an excuse to be comfortable. We are tired of Christians not educating themselves about basic scientific facts. We are tired of being told prayer is the answer. For once can we leave political correctness at the door and acknowledge the danger that religion brings to us all?
It is indeed frustrating when Christians - many Christians - behave selfishly and are very vocal about it. As though their pride, lack of concern for others, and wilfull ignorance are things to boast about, and actually done in the name of christianity and/or faith. A shop not far from me blades Christian music while the clerks step into my social distancing space, declaring they aren't afraid, and tell at customers, stating they'll never wear masks. A pastor mocks those who wear masks, saying in a public media post, 'take that silly looking mask off your face!' and refuses to abide by state guidelines, actually flaunting the guidelines by not only holding in person services but promoting them, saying he wants to pack the church and bus additional people in. A mom emphasizes that she will not wear a mask, stating she has rights... Not seeming to understand that those whom she puts at risk also have rights. And Christians flock en masse to support leaders who so much as say 'God bless you' or hold up a Bible. (My former pastor bisexual abuse in his church for years and yet was lauded because of his ability to speak and elicit an emotional response from his audience.) I've come to believe that if I believe in God at all, they are slandering him and taking his name in vain many more times a day than any unbeliever could. Because they use God as their excuse to wrong others.
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