….The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.
Isaiah 59:8
Dear Friends,
Thanks to the media and their hysterical pundits—one Harvard ‘expert’ called the novel coronavirus a “thermonuclear pandemic”—shelves in stores around the world are being emptied as frightened shoppers attempt to stockpile supplies. An Asian man was sprayed with Febreze by a panicky passenger on a subway while another was beaten senseless by a neurotic thug who was afraid of the coronavirus. It has been reported that people even stopped buying Corona beer. I don’t remember anything quite like this in my lifetime but it reminds me of case histories like the 1938 UFO Radio Hoax, the Tulip Bubble, the Salem Witch Trials, and the Spanish Inquisition. What each of these events had in common was fear: Radio Hoax—fear of UFOs; Tulip Bubble—FOMO; Salem Witch Trials—fear of persecution for not following the crowd’s delusion; Spanish Inquisition—fear of torture for not snitching on neighbors (or on the other side fear of losing power).
Christians are not to be driven by fear. Jesus tells us so over and over, for example: Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32) I’m no prophet. I don’t claim to have a vision from God other than what has been spelled out in Scripture (the most important revelation being to turn from your false gods and sacred cows and to receive Christ as your personal Saviour), but just as I felt I should say something when they were pushing for forced inoculations a year ago, I feel somebody needs to be the voice of reason concerning this virus. Come now, and let us reason together. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the worldwide mortality rate for the flu is between 9.6 and 13 percent in cases of severe illness. The rate in the US is far far lower than that, less than 1 percent depending on what one considers a ‘severe illness’. (It has been said if you torture the data long enough it will confess to anything.*) However, all across the media they have been ignoring worldwide flu statistics and citing US flu statistics, then comparing them to worldwide coronavirus statistics. That is not comparing apples to apples, which is a fundamental principle of math and logic. (Not surprisingly, certain people in the mainstream media have recently shown they have no understanding of basic math—specifically Brian Williams of stolen-valor helicopter fame and New York Times editor Mara Gay, in addition to the rest of the MSNBC staff that did not catch the mistake.) I have yet to hear a single news outlet cite the worldwide flu-mortality tally from the WHO of 650,000, but they repeat the US count from the CDC of 52,000 so often without qualifying it that many think it’s the worldwide number. Since the flu mortality rate is much less in the US than it is worldwide (?*), I suspect the mortality rate for the Wuhan virus will be lower in the US as well. There is a scientific study that says as much. If you are into your golden years or if you have a condition that may make the Wuhan virus more serious for you, sure, it might be a good idea to stay at home for now instead of going to the movies or to have your groceries delivered if you can instead of going to the supermarket. For everyone else, life goes on. I’m not going to stop shaking people’s hands. That doesn’t work anyway. The virus is airborne and can enter through the lungs and eyes. I am going to go about my normal business, and I’m going to do it without wearing a surgical mask and goggles. By the way, I’ve been asked if you can get HIV from the Wuhan virus. No, you cannot. The HIV carriers that have been baked in to the Wuhan virus increase gain of function for the virus but do not carry HIV itself.
In closing, the US surgeon general recently told Judge Jeanine Pirro that the Wuhan Institute of Virology is the likely origin of the virus, supporting my thesis in Part 1: Alternative news sites like Zerohedge and Infowars are tomorrow’s news today. I would share the link but the YouTube video is no longer available. Why might that be? Why aren’t people talking about what the surgeon general said? That is the question journalists should be asking instead of telling us all to panic. Like I said last week, if there is a sea change it will be one that affects policies, laws, and markets. If there is anything to be concerned about, it is the way that this virus may be used as an excuse to roll out phase two of the new world order taking away more of our rights. SARS, the other coronavirus, was more infectious (higher R_0) and more deadly, but it mutated and went away. If deaths from the Wuhan virus surpass the 650,000 annual flu deaths and it turns out to be a major pandemic I’ll admit I was wrong. I may be, but even if I am there is still no reason to panic. If things do go from bad to worse there will be a great opportunity to evangelize, so get ready. Father, help us to not let our hearts be troubled, to believe in You and to believe also in your Son. We long for the day when You will send Him to collect us and take us back to your house to finally meet You. Please help many others to find the narrow path and the straight gate that leads to life. We know and believe that narrow path and the straight gate are faith alone in your Son alone. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
* Update 03/16/20: By dividing the flu death total from the WHO of 650,000 by 7.7 billion, the % is lower than when dividing the US count from the CDC of 52,000 by 329 million. So if more people are dying in the US from the flu, why? India purports to have a very low flu mortality rate. I asked my Indian friends if the flu shot is common over there and they said it is not. I think that says something.
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Matthew 6:26
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Philippians 4:6
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Psalm 103:2,3
1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying,
3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.
5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
Psalm 2
1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
Psalm 91
