I was driving across town last night and got behind a rusted, bouncing, oversized van. It was taller than most vans. Taller by at least a foot. Probably an old delivery vehicle. It had been white at one time, but neglect had taken the parts that weren’t orange rust and made them a dirty, primordial brown, somehow it looked almost ancient. If someone told me the first people to come to America, between 13,000 and 15,000 years ago had driven that van across Beringian landmass I might have believed them.
“Covidism is a cult. VAXX.” Was written across the window on the drivers side.
“Jesus will take care of you. ‘Stay strong.’ Matthew 4:19” Was scrawled across the passenger side rear window.
I think what they meant was “be strong and courageous; do not be frightened.” Joshua 1:9 but I’m not sure.
Either way it made me feel we have already lost the war. We have people who believe the vaccine will magnetize them. Others believe it will turn them into 5G zombies. Skeptics who are sure it will alter our genetic code. Some people don’t believe they need the vaccine because they don’t believe the virus is real. Sterility, deformity, long term health problems. And, the big one, the excuse that has no counter argument, no proof is big enough to overcome the Bible and the name of the Savior.
“You don’t need the vaccine, you have God.”
Look, I grew up Catholic, and I believe. Though, not necessarily in Catholicism. I believe in something, some higher power, a guiding force that watches us and cares for us. I mean I have my doubts, and there are times I question my own beliefs. But, I don’t think, in fact I’m convinced God (or whatever you choose to believe) helped us to find the method of our own physical salvation. He, or whatever you choose to believe, will look after our spiritual salvation.
Somehow, it seems any higher power would be sickened by the death and suffering we are allowing. Further, I can’t help but believe He, or She, would be despondent over the divisiveness of society today.
“For God’s sake can’t you all just grow up?” I like to imagine Him, or whatever you choose to believe, asking, somehow that gives me a little hope.
Until I realize we probably can’t. We can’t even agree to let everybody have their own God. Even though it’s right there in the 1st Amendment to the constitution.
Somehow, that van, in all the primitive ugliness has convinced me we are never going to win. We can’t end the pandemic, climate change is beyond hope, we probably have lost the ability to have fair and open elections. The world, or at least the US, has gone full goose bozo[1] and nobody has noticed.
Another bright sunny day, ruined by reality. You have my apologies.
[1] Thank you, Robin Williams, this is the only term that really fits.
—
This post is republished on Medium.
—
Becker1999 on Flickr
