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April 25, 2023

Sadly, the COVID-19 period of American history will be studied for generations. Significant politicization of the issue and how it was used to advance personal ambitions in egregious ways is a much-discussed topic, especially on Capitol Hill. A recent exchange between Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and former Director of National Intelligence of the United States John Ratcliffe is jarring.

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At the beginning of the pandemic, all the experts knew the virus was born in a lab. Ratcliffe, as the Director of National Intelligence, knew that. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo knew it came from a lab. The top public health official, Dr. Robert R. Redfield, a virologist, testified he thought it came from a lab. Yet, somehow, Dr. Anthony Fauci and others were allowed to paint that as a “conspiracy theory,” arguing instead that it was clearly of “natural origins.”

Former DNI Ratcliffe: “The best evidence of that is their conversations, which say that they didn’t want unwanted attention to the relationships that were taking place between Western virologists and those working within the Wuhan Institute of Virology and funding sources for some of that research.”

Rep. Jordan: “Yeah, our money to a lab in China that wasn’t up to code that was doing gain-of-function research, and that’s where this thing came from.”

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The whole thing is maddening. There was the social distancing, the wiping off groceries when you got home from the store. There was the use of masks and the tightening of hospital and even funeral visits. There was, of course, the COVID shot and all the controversies surrounding that. Also, the massive lockdowns that were so harmful, especially to our children, in terms of unnecessary school closures that have dramatically impacted their lives and learning skills.

The question is not, why did the government push all this — others are focusing on that. Instead, why did we allow it? Why would Americans go along with the farce and the drastic upending of our lives in the face of evidence strongly suggesting it was unnecessary?

Fear is a significant contributor — fear and manipulation. We didn’t know how harmful this virus was. They told us we would all die, so the majority, understandably, believed “the experts.” The media also despicably manipulated us with our loved ones. You get the shot “for your loved ones, to protect them,” they told us. That message was powerful for millions with elderly parents and other family members.

But there is another aspect – the “pause,” the break from commerce and work. We wanted it. In many ways, we desperately needed it. America has made an idol of business. The pressure of working to get ahead and not let others pass you by is immense, and millions are tired. This, too, made us susceptible to allowing others to “force” us into it.

As an associate pastor, along with my day job, I can see this attitude contributing to many members going along with unnecessary church closings. Church life, too, can get overly busy. If leaders and pastors are not careful, they can put enormous pressure on staff and volunteers in various unhealthy ways.

So, like the child pretending to be sick to get an unscheduled break from school, in a way, we went along with the madness because it gave us the perk of much-needed rest from the American way of “productivity.” It gave us time with family — a much-needed time for deep human connection.