All of us have a disease that has an hundred percent death rate: it is called sin. Whilst the time and manner of our deaths may be subject to a wide range of conditions and circumstances, none are able to eliminate it nor make it more certain.
War, famine and disease do not, indeed cannot, increase the number of those who will die; they simply change the manner and the speed in which it will happen. I find it disconcerting therefore, that so much time, money, and energy, is being taken up with seeking to delay the event (often fairly minimally) rather than preparing for it.
Although there have usually been some who are so prepared that they long for and eagerly anticipate the event, I acknowledge that most of us would appreciate some delay if possible. My wife and I have just had our tenth grandchild and none of them are yet in their teens. It would be great if we survived long enough to see at least one or two of them married, and maybe even enjoy the birth of a great grandchild. But that would be a bonus, not a right, and we need to be ready to die, even though we may legitimately hope for further years of life.
I would rather not get Covid, and I would rather not die of it, but if I did, it would not be a tragedy. It would simply be the time and manner in which my inevitable demise takes place.
It seems that our Government is prepared to take on board a concept that says “delay death at all costs” but not to give any time, effort (or even encouragement to others), to help people prepare for the fact that death, even if delayed, is inevitable. On the basis of this, I would suggest that our Government is not competently handling the Covid situation and I find it very hard to positively respond to their actions. I have many unanswered questions, and I have just selected a few representative ones (not in any order of importance):
Since when has it been the primary function of any government anywhere to enable the population to live a little longer?
Is it right to spend vast (and I mean vast) sums of money extending the lives of people in this country, when similar amounts of money could be used more effectively to extend the lives of greater numbers of people in other countries (for instance by providing basic sanitation and famine relief)?
Is the printing of tons of paper money with no supporting basis, fundamentally different from trying to lift yourself up by your own shoelaces?
Does the lack of any mention of God or of any spiritual emphasis by either the Government or the media, finally make it plain that we now live in a totally secular society?
Does the Church need to rethink its relationship with the various human authorities: Charity Commission, Government, Police, etc.in order to prepare itself for (at best) being side-lined, and (at worst) being persecuted?
I do not claim to have the answers, and I would be surprised if anyone has, but surely it is healthy for a few of us to be asking a few more questions?
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