Panic! We're All Going To Die!!!

Well, yes. We are all going to die . . . eventually. But probably not this week, and not all of us right away. Also, the cycles of history suggest there probably will be a very bad, widespread flu epidemic. Maybe this particular flu will be the Big One, or maybe not. Either way, there is not a whole lot that we, as individuals, can do about it. Panic certainly won't help the overall situation.

On the other hand, there is quite a lot that we, the church, can do, and even some things that we, as clergy spouses, can do to be helpful.

As a very good start, we can discourage panic. To do that we have to control our own panic, which, I admit, might not be easy. Here we are in the Southwest, Vancouver, New York City, Sydney or any of the many places where this swine flu has appeared, and it is impossible not to wonder where it will strike next. We hear someone cough in the pew behind us, and suddenly we wish we had worn a surgical mask to church. It's time to Pass the Peace, and we look for latex gloves. That elder holding the bread - didn't she just get back from Tijuana? The deacon passing the plate - doesn't he have a cousin in Monterrey?

Just stop it! Go pick up that toddler and wipe his runny nose. Then don't touch your own nose, mouth or eyes, or hug anyone else until you wash your hands. If we need to pass out masks before Passing the Peace, okay, we can do that. If necessary, we can set up hand-washing stations in Fellowship Hall, BEFORE anyone gets to the cookie table. If and when the Big Epidemic arrives, we can deal with it. We'll help each other get through it, together.

Christians have done this many times before, in far worse circumstances. Remember the horror stories about the Black Plague in Europe? They had no vaccines. Remember hearing of the Great Flu Epidemic of 1918? They had no anti-viral drugs. All they had was prayer and penitence. We are in much better circumstances, with advanced health services and better understanding of how viruses mutate and spread.

In the Middle Ages, without any concept of pathogens or contagion, Christians thought God's wrath had brought the plague upon them, so they blamed witches, Jews, foreigners and anyone else they thought might be suspect. That tendency can still be found among religious people today, so we need to emphasize God's grace and the importance of reason. Cliche or not, the truth is that if we do not learn from history, we will find ourselves reliving history.

Let's have zero tolerance for scapegoating. It's a safe bet that the talk-radio pundits will be pointing their accusing fingers at migrants, minorities, politicians, and everyone except themselves. When such nonsense is repeated, we can gently but very firmly put a stop to it. Laughter is an excellent strategy: "That's hysterical! You must have heard that on the Comedy Channel, it's the silliest thing I ever heard! Next someone will be blaming the Tooth Fairy."

We can also equip ourselves with strong facts. "No, this is not a deadly form of the flu. In fact, most people who caught it in the U.S. have recovered without any special treatment." "No, this flu is not more lethal to the elderly. In fact, more young adults have been stricken than anyone else." Good, updated information is available on Wikipedia, at the Centers for Disease Control, and at WebMD. The more you know, the more helpful you can be.

Most importantly, we can encourage faith, not fear. "I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."



Visit Sidekicks Clergy Spouse Network