To Mask or Not To Mask -- The DeWine Merry-Go-Round

This play-by-play commentary of the last few days is confusing to say the least. Let me explain the controversial face covering mandate to the best of my ability. I hope some clarity is provided here. Still, I have lots of doubts about what to do myself. Try to follow 1, 2, 3, and Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.

1 – Monday

On Monday, April 27, 2020, Governor Mike DeWine said: “No mask, no work, no service, no exception,” describing his administration’s safety regulations for manufacturers and retailers that will re-open in May.

Clearly, the order stated: Ohio requires face masks or coverings for all employees, clients, and customers reopening general offices and manufacturing, distribution and construction companies on May 4 and face masks or coverings for retail, service, and consumer businesses reopening on May 12.

2 – Tuesday

Then, Tuesday, April 28, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said he was walking back his directive made Monday making face coverings inside businesses mandatory, however, it was still strongly recommended.

“It is going to be, for most people, a recommendation, in fact, a strong recommendation, for people to do this,” said DeWine.

DeWine and Health Director Dr. Amy Acton said they still believe strongly that masks should be worn, but they recognized that the order was off-putting to many Ohioans who saw it as “one government mandate too far,” the governor said.

“I heard from a lot of different people who felt that, ‘I may wear a mask, or I may not wear a mask, but the government should not be telling me what to do,’” DeWine said.

3 – Wednesday

Then, on Wednesday, April 29, for the second time in two days, the state of Ohio’s mandatory requirements for businesses reopening this month were revised, now requiring face masks for employees and distributors in all business sectors slated to reopen in May. This comes after the state revised its requirements on Tuesday from required for everyone to highly recommended.

According to the updated “Responsible Protocols” on the state’s Responsible RestartOhio plan website, the following applies to all businesses that will be allowed to reopen in May: “Require face coverings for employees and recommend them for clients/customers at all times.”

So, without a news release or social media announcement, the state’s ResponsibleRestart website was again updated to reflect that masks would be required, but just for employees and distributors, not clients, customers or guests.

The state’s Sector Specific Operating Requirements adds additional caveats to the face mask requirement:

For Manufacturing, Distribution and Construction:

Face coverings are required for employees and distributors, unless not advisable by a healthcare professional, against documented industry best practices, or not permitted by federal or state laws/ regulations

For Consumer, Retail and Services:

Face coverings are required for all employees, unless not advisable by a healthcare professional, against documented industry best practices, or not permitted by federal or state laws/regulations

For General Office Environments:

Face coverings are required for all employees, unless not advisable by a healthcare professional, against documented industry best practices, or not permitted by federal or state laws/regulations.

This mixed message is extremely frustrating for those of us trying to comply with directives and defeat the COVID-19 pandemic. I feel no one will adhere to such a back-and-forth, cloudy proclamation about face coverings inside businesses.

I also feel something this important to everyone's health should have been thoroughly considered and debated before the first public release on Monday, April 27. Walking back directives and changing orders serves to confuse the public, a group already suffering great anxiety about a return to normal.

In reality, I have already witnessed many people ignoring recommendations to wear a mask in businesses like food stores and gas stations. People who defy such a simple request present a danger to their fellow human beings who must use retail outlets for essential purchases. This mixture of masked and unmasked people seems to tell a story about the individual's desire whether he or she wants to do everything possible to stop the spread of the virus.

I started a Facebook group “Scioto Corona” to provide community members important information about the pandemic, specifically as it relates to my county in Southern Ohio. We have very few news outlets and our area press coverage is minimal in our rural county. I want all members of our group (now over 5,400) to know the important reopening regulations, but I must admit that I am very unsure myself of what applies to whom, when, and how.

I believe political pressure must have caused the governor to walk back the original orders and to complicate procedures. I wonder what is going on. The mixed message of opposition to government directives as they apply to orders and the “strong belief” in the safety of wearing masks is just not cohesive. Enter all kinds of confusion and debate over safest practices as opposed to individual inconvenience. This is not good in such dangerous times.

One Facebook one person put it like this:

“Everyone can accept that pants or something covering your butt is a requirement- but covering your germ spewing mouth that might carry a virus that could kill is offensive? Get over yourselves. Wear a mask or stay at home.”

Another Facebooker said …

“Offensive or not, if the science says it’s effective, it’s effective and people’s feelings be damned.”

“In the interest of avoiding another government mandate” sounds like the language of political football, not the words of a crusader determined to insure public health at all costs. I believe Governor DeWine has been a wonderful leader who has done almost everything possible to insure the safety of Ohioans during the crisis. However, the last few days are making me scratch my head in wonder. Are cracks appearing in his armor as certain national pressures begin to influence his best decisions?

I guess the best we can conclude are conditions – unless not advisable by a healthcare professional, against documented industry best practices, or not permitted by federal or state laws/regulations – will determine the safety and the possible fate of the general public. Right now I'm more confused than a goat on astroturf. And, I'm pretty sure those who don't want to wear a mask will simply not comply anyhow.

Disinfectant Denial -- Coming Clean in Trump's World

At an April 23, 2020 press briefing, President Donald Trump mused about the possibility of using “very powerful light” and injecting disinfectant into the body to kill COVID-19 – a suggestion that, in the case of disinfectant, was roundly criticized by experts as dangerous. A day later, he said he was being “sarcastic.”

FactCheck.org reports …

There’s no clear indication in his remarks that Trump was joking, either in his initial comment or when he returned to the topic later in the briefing. The “injection of disinfectant” was one of a half-dozen claims Trump has made amid the coronavirus outbreak that he later falsely claimed (spinned) he had not said, some of which occurred only minutes apart.

(Robert Farley and Eugene Kiely. “The White House Spins Trump’s Disinfectant Remarks.” FactCheck.org. April 24, 2020.)

Allow me to shed light on denial as a defense mechanism as it is employed during a confrontation with a personal problem or with reality.

The concept of denial was formulated by Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) and greatly elaborated upon by his daughter, Anna Freud (1895-1982), in the second volume (1936) of her eight volume Writings of Anna Freud.

Denial is a defense mechanism in which a person, faced with a painful fact, rejects the reality of that fact. That person will insist that the fact is not true despite what may be overwhelming and irrefutable evidence. When a person is in denial, he/she engages in distractive or escapist strategies to reduce stress and help him/her cope. The effect upon psychological well-being in doing this is unclear.

There are three forms of denial:

1. Simple denial is when the painful fact is denied altogether.
2. Minimisational denial is when the painful fact is admitted but its seriousness is downplayed.
3. Transference denial is when the painful fact is admitted, the seriousness also admitted, but one's moral responsibility in the situation involving the painful fact is downplayed.

Freud says …

"From a psychoanalytical viewpoint, denial is a pathological, ineffective defense mechanism..On the other hand, according to the stress and coping model, denial can be seen as an adaptive strategy to protect against overwhelming events and feelings."

Therein is the appeal of denial to humans. Denial allows someone to keep going unchanged despite reality. Denial is the path of psychological and moral least resistance.

University of Washington social psychologist John Gottman has described a set of behaviors as "the Four Horsemen," referring to a symbol of the apocalypse in the Book of Revelation. These four interpersonal dynamics have a predictable and powerful negative impact on a relationship and are often indicators of worse problems to come:

• Criticism: Presenting a problem as though it were the result of the other person's defective personality.
• Contempt: The suggestion that you're superior in some way to the other person.
• Stonewalling: A refusal to engage and provide feedback.
• Defensiveness: Denial of responsibility for any part of a problem.
• 
  

(Ellie Lisitsa. The Four Horsemen: Criticism, Contempt, Defensiveness, and Stonewalling. The Gottman Institute. 2013)

People with strong narcissistic traits cannot process information, emotions and unresolved pain as it brings up such feelings of shame that they avoid looking at what they have done wrong and taking responsibility for it. They try to get others to make up for what they did not have in childhood in order to make themselves feel better. They cannot tolerate internal negative emotional distress and turn it on others instead of looking within to see their own part of the problem. An inflated self-esteem is a defense using grandiose thinking to cover up their sense of shame deep within.

We can apply all of the findings about denial to Donald Trump. Not only does he possess all the Four Horsemen indicators, he routinely practices simple denial, minimisational denial, and transference denial. His followers are so used to hearing Trump deny that they offer excuses for his behavior. The Trump faithful says, “That's just the way he is.”

Consider the truth: virtually anything said followed by “That’s just the way he is” is, itself, denial. Author Lynn Namka, Ed. D. explains …

“The five year old who can’t admit what he or she has done wrong is acting within normal developmental limits. The adult who cannot see the ugly truth about himself because he or she feels embarrassed is stuck in an immature defense. Denial is the reversal of responsibility. It comes from the inside when you feel embarrassed and powerless to be able to do anything different because you are caught in an earlier way of thinking.

“Without the willingness to own one’s own actions, the person cannot change for the better. Life’s lessons are denied and the person is stuck in his or her own rut.”

(Lynn Namka. “Denial and Other Common Narcissistic Defenses.” 1996.)

Ultimately, any act, no matter how terrible, can be carried out and condoned once people have developed the necessary level of denial. Trump is guilty of the following:

Wishing away science,

Misusing scientific data,

Making things up,

Ignoring expert advice,

Blaming China and the Democrats

Trump's response to COVID-19 and climate change alone present a disturbing reality: he is a present danger who places his narcissistic well-being above the health of the nation. His irresponsible gaffes and tweets once considered annoying and sophomoric by many are now getting more and more dangerous. This pattern of immoral behavior influences others who, in turn, empower movements driven by disregard and random conjecture. For Americans counting on the Trump administration to protect them from the disease, this should be deeply disturbing.

Vanity

There lives a silent evil deep within

Which once was locked inside Pandora's box

Now said to be the "father of all sin"

And one's denial is it's paradox

Abiding in us all, though well disguised

Once caused an angel's fall from God's sweet grace

When there are times it goes unrecognized

A mirror will reveal it's hiding place

Yet even in admitting it exists

We yearn to feel that superficial glow

For deeds of man which crumble in time's mist

Then feed the fire that burns self-serving souls

It often hides as false humility

But ash and dust know not of vanity

by Daniel Turner

COVID-19 Orders and Recommendations: Understanding Obedience, Conformity, and Entitlement

“This obedience to the voice of the Earth is more important for our future happiness... than the desires of the moment.”

– Pope Benedict XVI

Negative psychological effects of the quarantine – most commonly boredom, perceived immobility, and anxiety – are beginning to wear on most people and seem likely to become more serious over time. Why do some people readily submit to these effects and increasingly take risks while others willingly follow orders and recommendations that err on the side of safety?

Obedience occurs when we are told to do something (authority), whereas conformity happens through social pressure (the norms of the majority).

Obedience involves a hierarchy of power/status. Therefore, the person giving the order has a higher status than the person receiving the order.

Most people conform and maintain obedience with minimal opposition. Much of this is because they have a natural desire to avoid change. Traditionally they tend to stick with rules and routines that they are used to following. They obey rules that are ingrained in society because deviating might mean losing what they have already established.

Still, some object to limitations to their personal freedoms. They view obedience to some norms as unnecessary encroachments on their freedom, their liberty, or even their Constitutional rights.

Protests are the result of people believing rules and laws are incorrect. In order to have these perceived injustices rectified, they have to break some rules. Psychologically, they feel their knowledge outranks the traditional hierarchies. This can include parent to child, teacher to student, or citizen to government relationships.

Who is most apt to protest against the norms of the majority and reject authority?

A study by Emily Zitek and Alexander Jordan in Social Psychological and Personality Science (SPPS, 2018) from Cornell and the Harvard Medical School found that people with a greater sense of entitlement are less likely to follow instructions than less entitled people are, because they view the instructions as an “unfair” imposition on them. They would rather lose at something than "submit" to the rules of others. And, the research also found these entitled people are also less concerned about what is socially acceptable or beneficial.

Admittedly, according to research, sometimes a bit of fleeting entitlement can be a good thing; it can increase creativity and lead to novel, unusual solutions to problems, the kind of out-of-the-box thinking that organizations and employers encourage. However, on the negative side, entitled disposition may diminish the motivation to put in extra effort.

Psychological entitlement is a personality trait characterized by pervasive feelings of deservingness, specialness, and exaggerated expectations. Entitlement as a cognitive-personality increases vulnerability to psychological distress.

Research reveals …

“Entitled individuals are likely to interpret these unmet expectations in ways that foster disappointment, ego threat, and a sense of perceived injustice, all of which may lead to psychological distress indicators such as dissatisfaction across multiple life domains, anger, and generally volatile emotional responses.”

(Grubbs, J. B., & Exline, J. J. “Trait entitlement: A cognitive-personality source of vulnerability to psychological distress.” Psychological Bulletin. 2016.)

People are making huge sacrifices, including often their jobs and income. But we must all put the common good ahead of our personal interests – as difficult as that might be in many cases. People’s lives depend on it. The idea of staying home to protect the greater health of the community is a tough sell, particularly in an era of entitlement.

People who are entitled or who are self-focused and egoistic may not be able to connect the dots to help the world at large. People who are entitled believe the rules do not apply to them, and while that can be merely annoying when they skip the line at the supermarket, it is dangerous when the world is trying to contain a virus.

Ramani Durvasula, Ph.D. and professor of psychology at California State University, Los Angeles says …

“Sadly, we are living in an era of entitlement, of selfishness, of egotism, of limited empathy. If this virus was making everyone significantly ill or made a visible impact (e.g. like a rash or other visible sign)—the most entitled and selfish amongst us would have felt enough of a personal sense of vulnerability and fear and may have followed the containment procedures more readily. But for these types of personalities, the idea of sacrifice for others is an all but impossible sell. Most health officials recognize that we have lost the battle on containment and at best can hope for mitigation.

“Please stop minimizing this and listen to what you are being told to do. I can only hope that we, as a world, may actually emerge from this a little less selfish, less entitled, and a little more willing to keep an eye out for each other. We, as a society, have been hurtling toward a pathological level of selfishness that has already been taking a toll on the mental health of many. We are now seeing, in a very acute way, the toll it may take on the health of the world as well.”

(Ramani Durvasula. “Entitlement, Narcissism and the Spread of a Virus.” Psychology Today. March 16, 2020.)

Erring on Safety -- COVID 19 Liberty and Responsibility

When the COVID-19 pandemic finally leaves us and all the self-isolation measures are lifted, we will each ask ourselves if we acted in good faith to stop the spread of the deadly disease. The answer to that question will be extremely revealing of each person's compassion and concern for their fellow human beings.

Those who erred on the side of safety will not regret their overly protective actions. Instead, they will rest assured that they followed restrictive directives with the best interest of others in mind. Although these charitable individuals will never know if their timely actions actually saved lives, they will rest peacefully with that subjective assurance.

Doing the right thing during a health crisis is less dependent on government rules and regulations than on personal responsibility. Along with the liberty we Americans cherish also comes specific responsibility. If we don’t commit to these charges in tandem, we risk losing them both. We all rely on the responsibility of other citizens to police themselves and to protect not only themselves but also their society. In that manner, personal choice also protects individual freedom.

“Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly,

while bad people will find a way around the laws.”

– Plato

We need to understand that executive orders, recommendations, and policy decisions made by elected officials were enacted after tremendous reflection, studious debate and the best interests of all citizens in mind. Most elected officials have recognized no perfect course of action is available; however, they also realized they must err on the side of doing too much and restricting too much, rather than doing too little with fewer restrictions.

Still, some of us refuse to make sacrifices for the common good.

By our American birthright, we naturally resist limitations to our freedoms. Yet, we should not assume our defense of personal rights supersedes the health and welfare of others, especially in these dangerous time. In the threatening turmoil and disruption caused by the virus, some forget real and present threats to their fellow humans. That is unacceptable. Their actions endanger countless others.

We must understand that restrictions on some rights can be justified when these orders have a legal basis, are strictly necessary, are based on scientific evidence, and are neither arbitrary nor discriminatory in application. We must remember these restrictions are of limited duration, respectful of human dignity, subject to review, and proportionate to achieve the objective.

We live in unprecedented times when a worldwide pandemic has quickly and severely altered our lives. The prize of freedom that lies before us is best attained through strict measures to insure the health and safety of all. That focus rests in the comfort of knowing we are going through this battle together … and that we are all willing to do the best we can. May your soul rest assured on that glorious day of liberty – the day COVID-19 is relegated to history.

Invictus

By William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.

Responsible Behavior: How Do You Stay-At-Home?

So many people are helping in so many ways to stop the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. People are responding with innumerable acts of kindness as we fight the raging storm of an invisible enemy. Facing more restrictive orders and directives, we continue to exhibit a degree of obedience and patience unparalleled in our lives.

There seem to be two general categories of compliant response by the public. I am basing this conjecture on personal observation and reports about social interaction from friends and acquaintances.

1. One group errs on the side of caution by refusing to expose themselves and others to the virus with exceptions of infrequent excursions for strictly essential goods such as food and prescription drugs. They wear masks and defensively avoid inconsequential contact while practicing social distancing and no group contact.

2. The other group practices limited contact, but they continue a routine based on their personal assumptions of risk versus precious personal freedoms. They grudgingly distance themselves from others; they do not wear masks; and some remain lax about family contact as they visit businesses in moderate to large size groups.

Consider:

• A person may be carrying and transmitting the virus without knowing it. Eighty percent of people with COVID-19 have mild symptoms like fever, cough, runny nose, and general tiredness, which matches the common cold. Researchers say 25 percent to 50 percent of people with COVID-19 are unaware they have the virus.
• Someone does not have to be around an infected person to get infected. Infected people can cough and generate respiratory droplets, which then land on nearby surfaces. Or people with the viruses on their hands can deposit the viruses onto a door handle when they open the door.

• About 20 percent of infected people develop a more severe illness and may need to be hospitalized; 3 percent of all those infected die. However, the virus is particularly aggressive among the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, resulting in a death rate several times higher for these vulnerable individuals.

Daniel P. Chin, global health expert, says …

“This virus is particularly difficult to control because it causes complacency among the vast majority of people who have the infection, which facilitates its transmission from person to person while causing the greatest harm to the most vulnerable individuals.”

The information begs the question: “Why would any responsible human or group organize and conduct outings that increase NONESSENTIAL social contact?”

The answer to that question lies deep in the heart of an individual's concern for public safety. It requires a thorough understanding of the words “limitation” and “essential.” Some prefer a loosely implied connotation of those terms favoring broad interpretations based largely on personal preferences and past customs while others grasp the deep gravity of the denotation of those words as they apply to the unique subtleties of all dangers during a global pandemic – the COVID-19 virus that is right on their very doorstep.

In which group do you count yourself? For how long are you going to maintain the stay-at-home routine you practice? I hope you commit to the policy that makes us all just a little safer. Working together, we will defeat the unwanted foe.

“The purpose of life is to obey the hidden command which ensures harmony among all and creates an ever better world. We are not created only to enjoy the world, we are created in order to evolve the cosmos.”

– Maria Montessori

The Top Ten Advantages of Celebrating a Locked Down, No-Travel Easter

Well, it's almost Easter and this year is different. We are spending this important holiday under COVID-19 pandemic stay-at-home orders. Of course, this is a tremendous sacrifice for families across America who enjoy getting together for Easter, going to church services, sharing a big meal, and generally enjoying the close camaraderie.

But, take heart, these unprecedented restrictions may present some unexpected silver linings. Here is a list of the Top Ten Advantages of Celebrating a Locked Down, No-Travel Easter.  

1. You don't have to worry about falling asleep and snoring in church.
2. No one a couple of pews over will look at you and whisper to the person next to him: “That's the only time you'll see him here this year.”
3. You can save lots of money since you're not buying new clothes you're likely to wear only once. (Like that ugly green suit and pink-printed tie)
4. You don't have to invite that pesky, inconsiderate Cousin Eddie over to Easter dinner.
5. You don't have to sit through Grandpa's marathon Easter dinner prayer. Amen.
6. You don't have to eat Aunt Myrtle's nasty hot cross buns. Equally big Amen. 
7. After the Easter meal, you can sit in your recliner in your pajama pants, sweat pants, or no pants at all while burping and passing gas to your heart's delight.
8. You won't have to eat boiled eggs and egg salad leftover from the Easter egg hunt for the next three weeks.
9. You don't have to fret about finally discovering next July that one missing egg from the kids' egg hunt.
10. You can take a long nap without worrying that someone is going to write “The Real Cadbury Bunny” on your forehead with magic markers.

Wishing You a Happy and a Safe Easter

As churches across the country prepare for Easter services, religious leaders are now struggling with decisions to obey health recommendations while practicing their rights to religious freedom. In my state of Ohio, the COVID-19 virus is ravaging communities large and small, and people are working very hard to flatten the curve of the rate of infection to stagger the number of new cases over a longer period, so that people have better access to care.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's new stay-at-home order remains in effect through May 1. The order, while explicitly telling all Ohioans to stay at home unless they are engaged in essential work or activity, ceases operations of all non-essential operations, prohibits all public or private gatherings, and outlines what is considered an essential activity to leave home for.

Church is exempt in the order; however, DeWine offered a strong rebuke to churches like Solid Rock Church that are continuing to meet. He said religious leaders gathering their members are endangering their families and strangers. DeWine said …

“Any pastor who brings people together in close proximity to each other, a large group of people, is making a huge mistake. It is not a Christian thing to do. It’s not in the Judeo-Christian tradition to hurt people.”

To accommodate their parishioners, religious communities across the state are utilizing the various technologies at their disposal, from real-time virtual “gatherings” in Zoom to prerecorded devotions via website portals. Whereas digital initiatives were previously supplemental, they now have become the central means of convening during the pandemic – at least for those adhering to social distancing.

Compliant religious leaders are reminding their congregants that the tenets of religion are best served by not meeting during the coronavirus pandemic. They believe Easter this year is an occasion for charity and empathy toward others. Some are offering the additional instruction that the Easter holiday (the liturgical calendar) is a construct, not something necessarily bound to observance on a certain day.

In hard-struck New York, the situation is dire. Rev. Joseph Jude Gannon, the parish priest of St. Gerard Majella, a Roman Catholic church in the Hollis section of Queens, New York, said, “We are a Resurrection people, and the Resurrection is more than just one day.”

Here in Ohio, many Christians understand that their faith is bigger than a physical building, or in the case of drive-in services, bigger than a parking lot, but some communities – like the aforementioned Solid Rock – continue to meet and defy reason.

The Solid Rock Church in Monroe, Ohio (Butler County), issued an official statement saying …

“As Christians we are charged by Jesus Christ to obey the laws of our land. Therefore, if the laws of our nation should ever change with respect to our First Amendment right to assemble, thereby restricting us from having our church doors open, we will willing comply.

“If there has ever been a time in the history of our world when we all need God’s help, it is now. For that reason, we believe that the doors of Solid Rock Church should remain open. It is in these times of crisis that the church should play a critical role as a place of refuge… A place where anyone can come to pray, to worship, and to find healing and hope.”

I am amazed at the insistence of other congregations to invite all community members to public drive-in observances. Such is the case in Beavercreek, Ohio, where four consecutive services will will take place on Easter, tying up public officials for over five hours. Here is the online invite and information:

“With new information and daily changes, we have the assurance that God’s promises never change. The greatest promise was the resurrection of His son on Easter morning! So we will safely celebrate that together with an Easter Drive-In at Be Hope Church – Beavercreek Campus.

“With approval from the State of Ohio Health Department, City of Beavercreek Planning Department, Beavercreek Police Department, and the City Manager, we are hosting an outdoor, Easter service drive-in at 9am, 10:30am, 12pm, and 1:30pm.

“You and your family can experience the HOPE of Christ’s resurrection with us from the safety of your own car as we celebrate Easter together. To fully enjoy this unique, drive-in experience, please enter 1850 N. Fairfield Rd. (Beavercreek Campus) at the traffic light. Our parking lot greeters will direct you where to park.

“Everyone is asked to remain in their vehicle for the duration of the service so we can ensure our community’s health and safety.

We have spots for 100 vehicles per service. Click the button below to reserve your spot. You may also watch online at live.behope.church.

I wish everyone a happy Easter. I also wish everyone a safe Easter – that observance requires social distancing, obeying the order of your state, and taking every possible consideration for your fellow human beings. If that means rescheduling services for later in the year or canceling services altogether, then so be it. There are many viable alternatives to meeting face-to-face or even car-to-car on Easter Sunday. These are drastic times like we have never seen before. They require some drastic measures. A single life saved by sheltering in place is a precious gift of grace and understanding.

People opposing public gatherings and congregations of crowds during Easter are not heathens or atheists: they simple want to insure that the public won't break health rules and create unneeded complications. They want to cut down on the spread of the virus, to reduce the unnecessary heavy traffic, to leave public servants free to respond to emergencies, and to guarantee all people are safe from accidental and unsuspecting dangers. In short, this Easter we must be willing to make important sacrifices to heal a very sick nation.

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

(Matthew 18:20 ESV )