COVID-19 and the fears it has generated have resulted in a tsunami of irrationality, ignorance, paranoia, conspiracy theories and danger. Perhaps the biggest danger is posed by religious fanatics who actually believe they can pray sickness away. They still do not have even a simple understanding of germ theory. They still believe in laying on of (washed or unwashed) hands and driving out evil spirits from the body.
Not only did Jesus supposedly heal the sick, but religionists love to quote Psalm 91, “the prayer of protection.” Verses three and six say that God will protect believers from pestilence. Verse 10 says that God will protect them from “any plague.” (Incidentally, worshippers certainly could have used divine intervention during the Black Death during the 14th Century.)
More responsible religious leaders have been forced to concede the futility of prayer during major health crises. As atheist writer and blogger Hermant Mehta observed, “God is no match for a public health crisis.” (“Faith Healers Had to Postpone an Event Due to the Coronavirus,” patheos.com, 3-17-20. Could a headline get any more ironic than that?)
Nigerian humanist and skeptic Leo Igwe wrote an excellent article for opinionnigeria.com titled “Coronavirus and Reality Check for all Religions” (3-18-20.) He noted that Vatican City is locked down, churches are removing holy water and suspending communion, Mecca and Medina are deserted, the Kaaba, the sacred Muslim shrine at Mecca is closed to worshippers, the Saudi government has banned pilgrimages, worshippers are discouraged from going to Lourdes, Iran has cancelled Friday prayers, and so forth. (Pilgrims have also stopped traveling to Medjugorje in Bosnia.) All of this prompted Igwe to conclude that, not fear of the Lord, but “…the fear of the coronavirus…has become the beginning of wisdom.”
(In another bit of non-stop irony, Iranian-trained Iraqi Shia scholar Hadi Al-Modarresi said coronavirus was a curse from God delivered to the Chinese for their mistreatment of Muslims and disrespect of Islam. However, not only is Iran among the hardest hit by the virus, but Al-Modarresi contracted coronavirus weeks after making his proclamation.)
Sadly, true believers plug on. Jerry Falwell Jr. reopened Liberty University and about 12 students were found to have symptoms of COVID-19. In New York City, the mayor is contending with Orthodox Jews and other religionists that insist upon keeping their houses of worship open. White evangelicals are complaining that shutting down houses of worship due to a major health crisis goes against religious freedom. Catholic Cardinal Raymond Burke says that churches must remain open because they are “essential.” (Again, the Black Death spread like wildfire in churches.) Virginia Pastor Landon Spradlin complained about alleged anti-Trump “mass hysteria” surrounding coronavirus. He ignored health concerns and traveled to New Orleans for Mardi Gras outreach. He died from COVID-19 in Concord, North Carolina at the age of 66 on Wednesday, March 25, 2020.
There is much religious insanity out there. But what would a pandemic be without paranoid conspiracy theories and lazy, sloppy thinking? At one time, some Blacks were saying that Black people could not get coronavirus. Some said that there is “no coronavirus in the ghetto.” After Black luminaries such as actor Idris Alba and basketball star Kevin Durant contracted the virus, that kind of talk died down.
Congressman Rep. Bobby Rush angrily attacked the CEOs of Facebook and Twitter for allowing this kind of race-based misinformation. In particular, he quoted a tweet from John McAfee, a businessman and computer programmer, who tweeted “Coronavirus cannot attack black people because it is a Chinese virus.” Rush, a democrat from Illinois, said that allowing this kind of misinformation makes social media “COMPLICIT” in any harm that could come to African Americans as a result of it.
Donald Trump, the conspiracy-theorist-in-Chief, originally complained that the alleged hysteria was propagated by Democrats trying to oust him in the next election. (Irony Alert!) Ron Paul, the father of Senator Rand Paul, said that coronavirus is a hoax. A week later, Rand Paul tested positive for it. (Rand Paul was the lone senator to vote against an $8 billion bill to help fight against coronavirus.)
Some believe that coronavirus is being used as biological warfare. Franciscan Father Quirino Salomone of Italy, an “exorcist,” claimed that COVID-19 is a chemical weapon that the Chinese produced in a lab. People are selling phony coronavirus tests and all kinds of other conspiracy theories are to be found throughout social media.
The bottom line is that human beings must work to eradicate disease. “No God will save us. We must save ourselves.” All throughout history this has been the case. Scientists and medical experts throughout the world must pull together to protect the human species. China and Cuba have already made progress in this regard. And as Ian Bremmer in the April 6-13, 2020 issue of Time points out, “Washington and Beijing could invest cash and scientific expertise in a joint bid to develop treatments and a vaccine.” (“China and America’s blame game over COVID-19 hurts everyone,” p. 25) Indeed, human ingenuity is our greatest and most realistic hope. How could it be otherwise?