In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania there recently was a rally to “re-open” the state government. Some evangelicals showed up, actually one drove around a truck saying, “Jesus is my vaccine.” This post looks at evangelicals who place themselves in harms way thinking that God will protect them. In the end can it be said that these evangelicals are instead testing their God?
“A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.“
William Shakespeare
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]”
Matthew 4:8-10 NIV
Jesus is my vaccine?
The other day in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania there was a rally to “re-open” the government during a pandemic. The rally was supported by fringe elements and also had a number of evangelicals who appeared to be involved. I will discuss it briefly. Before I continue to the guy waving the Confederate flag has anyone ever told you that the Civil War is over and the south lost? Has anyone told you that General Meade defeated Lee at Gettysburg which is about an hour away from Harrisburg? Anyhow during the rally a person was driving a truck that had the sign “Jesus is my vaccine.” The irony of this happening in a rally when social distancing did not take place and a number of evangelicals significantly increased their likelihood to become sick. In this case evolution might solve the issue of toxic evangelicalism. We’ll know in about 14 days if that happens! 😛
Something I Observed in Evangelicalism
When I was in evangelicalism there was something I observed over the years that troubled me. And to this day I still see it in evangelicalism as it pops up from time to time in my personal social media. Many evangelicals make warped decisions on the belief that God will protect me or keep me safe. I have seen pictures of missionaries take risky photos that were dangerous and when asked they will say, “The Lord is protecting me…” From time to time a country was in the middle of civil unrest and conflict and Americans were discouraged from visiting, but a church had a mission trip and people still decided to go. They went with the belief that God would protect them and that their faith will be rewarded. This occurs fairly frequently. The other day in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania some evangelicals participated in a rally that can kill them or loved ones they will interact with. It has to do with how this virus functions. That picture up above speaks volumes for me. Jesus will protect me in a pandemic. Now if some evangelicals really wanted to prove their faith they could go into an ICU full of coronavirus patients and lick a doorknob to show their faith in God. Plus we can get a lesson on will God will protect them? Well will find out in 14 days! 😛 In this case with those evangelicals who place themselves at risk, they may also prove evolution in the process. A virus in my book really speaks to the topic of evolution and shows how things can evolve over time.
A Number of Evangelicals Are Foolish and Need to Learn Common Sense and God Won’t Protect People
This blog has word for a number of evangelicals who place themself in harms way and think God will protect them. Word is that will not happen. God won’t protect them at all. Actually doesn’t scripture say that one should not test the Lord thy God? Isn’t that what Satan tried to do with Jesus when he told him that he could have the world if he bowed to him? The story if evangelicals don’t know it is found in Matthew 4:1-11. Do evangelicals test God by going to a risky country to do a mission trip when they should not? Did evangelicals who participated in that rally in Harrisburg test God in the middle of the pandemic? I think the case can be made that they did indeed take that action.
What amazes me is that many evangelicals were given a brain. It was created and developed by God. My question is why won’t many use it? Why is it a crime to think for yourself inside Evangelical Christianity? This situation shows that a number of evangelicals can be foolish in how they function. They make decisions without thinking them through. They are not contemplating safety, health or more. What is being shown is their selfishness. Common sense can go a long way, and this blog hopes (however I remain doubtful) that many evangelicals will employ that line of thought. Many of these problems can be resolved by common sense. That is my hope and time will tell what will happen. In the meantime don’t violate social distancing and appear at a rally and place people at risk. In addition to testing God they are also showing that they have no love for their neighbor.
Wondering Eagle 
I hate the paradox that revolves around religion and bad things. All good things are attributed to Jesus, all the rest to Satan. Ugh. But if somebody gets sick, either it was God’s will or they didn’t have enough faith. If they stay well, then it was Jesus protecting them.
There’s no answer they don’t already have ready to go. No bumper sticker faith. I get nervous around folks that look at things that simply, because they have what I call the “stepford look”–either that plastic smile for vacant stare, or both. They look brainwashed–creeps me out every time.
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I think a lot of it has to do with how the Bible is taught – the n Sunday School, it’s all David and Goliath, Noah and the Ark, Daniel in the Lions’ Den – IOW, God Will Protect You. The teachings for adults are little better – some iteration of “Do These Bible Things And God Will Bless You (which by implication means protect you)”. The counter-examples (which are many, especially in the New Testament) don’t seem to get nearly as much airtime. When you combine that training and expectation with a binary “we’re good, the world is evil” mentality (also trained in by long exposure to Christian and conservative media), and people are primed for nonsense like “Jesus Is My Vaccine”.
As Jeremiah put it, “The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?”
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Because the brain is FLESH(TM) and they are In The SPIRIT(TM).
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“the fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.”
— Bertrand Russell, circa 1933
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-case-for-professors-of-stupidity
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The theologian Roger Olson made a good distinction between faith and presumption. As Christians we are to have faith, but not presumption, which is putting God to the test.
Put another way, it is desirable to have confident faith that God can do this or that, but it is wrong to presume that God *will* do this or that and then proceed in a way that “forces God’s hand.” Jesus made that clear in during His temptations when He said one should not put God to the test.
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Well put Dave H. Like God‘s response to Elijah’s lament, God does have others He knows are truly seeking Him. Not all evangelicals are believing their seed money will come back 100 fold or that they are doing street miracles or real gold dust is falling during worship. True believers know God can do anything for His glory and to accomplish His will, not to be our personal vending machine. Jesus made it abundantly clear that on the contrary, we have a cross to carry, we should be the least / most humble, we should not test God, we should test everything a preacher says, we should expect false teachers and people to follow them, expect persecution. The “evangelicals” you frequently describe Wondering, most do not know God or are the elect who are deceived. This should not surprise any of us. It’s men deceiving others for power and glory fueled by pride and satan’s rebellious influence.
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From the clipart comic strip Coffee with Jesus, regarding a snake handler who died of snakebite:
LISA: But he had a verse from the Bible! He was acting in faith!
JESUS: No, he was acting like a circus clown. And now he understands the verse that says not to put Me to the test.
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As the Bible Answer Man was so find of saying, “A verse taken out of context is nothing but a pretext.”
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Here’s the latest development along these lines, from Professor Fea’s blog:
https://thewayofimprovement.com/2020/05/04/interpreting-evangelicals-who-go-to-church-during-this-pandemic/
I am waiting for the latest COVID superspread outbreak to be traced to her church. Enough of those and Christians will have the reputation as Superspreaders.
Reminds me of the story about gamers who invited a CHRISTIAN anti-D&D crusader to a game to show her there was nothing occult or demonic going on. They ran her through a D&D game that included spellcasting, showed her it was all dice rolls and fiction, and when they told her she could see there was no demonic effect, she said “Of course not! I’m Protected by The Holy Spirit!”
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