Martyrs

An interesting by-product of the Covid-19 pandemic has been the responses of people with extreme religious beliefs who claim that their faith is stronger than the virus. Sadly, for them; the virus didn't get the note and there have been a succession of "pastors" "immams" and others dropping dead from "Covid 19 complications" (AKA their own stupidity and arrogance) and unknown numbers of their "flocks" and their famillies who've been infected and/or died. When one "pastor" claimed that he'd continue his services until he was "in jail or in hospital" just two weeks before he was in a morgue it was clear that he DID understand the risks but flouted them anyway.

Well... The pandemic and self-isolation instructions have come at Easter; one of the most lucrative times in the "Christian" calendar. "Churches", especially in America where they pay no tax have business plans built around estimations of the tithes and collections they anticipate during key festivals. I am hoping (faintly) that some of those sheeple wake up to the scam and stop trying to buy their way into "salvation". I watched a deranged "Karen" who'd just left a megachurch service claim that she was protected from the virus because she was "washed in Jesus' blood!". Well, that cleared that up. Is it morbid of me to want to know if she succombs to symptoms in the next couple of weeks?

Then of course; there are those who blame "the gays" for the virus <eye roll>. I was particularly amused by the Islamic cleric who claimed that the virus was judgement against Gay Marriage- just before he was diagnosed with it. Tee hee. Alison Moyet tweeted that it was a convolute way to come out. The pope, who is apparently a bit of a germaphobe who dislikes people kissing his hand etc was quick to come out and cancel the traditional mass gatherings, but not all Catholics have followed his advice. I suppose as we slide into the second month of the emergency it is no surprise that the nastier stories are coming out. There are still wonderful, life-affirming stories of polluted Indian rivers whose water is drinkable after only a few weeks of shutdown and the war-veteran British pensioner who set out to raise £1,000 for the NHS by walking with his Zimmer frame thingy around his back garden. The last total I read he'd accumulated was £5m!

In America, Trumplestiltskin is floundering so badly that he has cut American contributions to the World Health Organisation whom he blames for America leading the board in terms of people infected and dead from the virus. Suggestions that the president and his staff might have some responsibility for not responding quickly-enough, for resisting calls to shut down business and impose social distancing, for not acquiring test kits and protective clothing except when they were stolen from planes bound for other countries who'd already paid for them, have been angrily rebuffed. Even at this point that idiot thinks it is all about him and his "ratings". He has turned what were supposed to be daily briefings to tell Americans what their government is doing to contain the virus into a circus where he is rude to reporters who ask him anything that challenges the fantasy he is selling and insists he is the greatest president EVER doing the best job.

More and more people ARE waking up to the realisation that we are at a significant crossroads in human existence. Governments are being forced to do things they've said were impossible. People thought of as beyond help are being housed and supported. Universal Basic Income has been implemented in a couple of countries and is being widely discussed.

Whilst I don't actually wish anyone death from this virus, it occurs to me that the world would probably do MUCH better with a lot fewer "religious extremists" regardless of which of the more than 4,000 religions they practice. If it wasn't for the fact that they'd infect their neighbours and their children who've had no option but to drink their parent-provided coolade I'd be encouraging them to have as many mass services as they could, I am convinced that the world would be a better place.