I am really annoyed at all the fear of swine flu. Now certainly, I feel bad for those that have been effected by it, but I feel worse for kids who have been fed needless fear.
Seriously, okay. The world: 6.5 billion people. People with confirmed cases of swine flu: 1085 cases (according to the World Health Organization.
Nancy received a text a few days ago that said millions have AIDS, but people complain about wearing a condom, but one thousand get the swine flu, and everybody is wearing a mask.
From the beginning looking at the numbers I was incensed at the irresponsibility of people making such a big deal of it, and even worse for parents and adults to overreact. Better safe than sorry is a pitiful excuse. If that is the truth, than don't dare drive children anywhere because the chances of a traffic fatality are thousands of times greater. Alabama wanted to be safe, so they shut down all sports activities. There is one likely case in Huntsville.
How many people will die from malaria? (1,000,000) from the regular flu? (83 children in the first half of 2008)
This is the sad state of 24 hour news networks that have to keep news constantly going and get advertising to gain a profit. They have figured out fear keeps people watching, so they will get more advertising money. What that means is the world isn't any more dangerous than it ever was, you just hear about everything bad that happens (unless it is to poor people who aren't pretty and especially if they happen to live in another country, those people don't matter because they won't bring in advertising revenue).
Side note: Good for Bill Gates releasing the mosquitoes to bring awareness for malaria.
Seriously this is why I get my news from the Daily Show. Is it slanted? Yes, but they don't pretend otherwise. They make no pretense about it. There excuse is that they are just entertainment and people scoff at that statement. Actually, they have a lot more integrity, because they are telling you they are entertainment while CNN, FOX, and MSNBC all pretend to be news. The way they report the swine flu proves there is little interest in the actual news.
Seriously, look at the numbers and quit letting fear and excitement dictate how you live. This whole thing does prove that it doesn't matter what is dangerous, it only matters what isn't known. The danger we know is much easier to dismiss than the potential danger we don't know.
So as Christians how should we deal with the hysteria? Trust God and go about your business. Don't let it change a thing. If you were going to Mexico, go. If you were visiting people in the hospital, go. Have we forgotten this life is not it? We have become afraid, and let fear stop our love. We forget what we have to look forward to.
Seriously, can we stop being dictated by an emotional culture of fear and look at the reality through the eyes of faith? We've got to work to conquer our fear, not give in.
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3 comments:
It's all nonsense. Em's school has canceled all extracurricular activities even though there are no confirmed cases in the school district. No visitors allowed on campus. When I tutor for pay I am allowed but as a volunteer I am not allowed. Evidently my germs change. We are not ruled by fear in this household.
We were scheduled to have a group come up to the farm from Kileen on Friday to go through our Living on the Other Side poverty simulation/world hunger issues presentation, but their parents didn't want them going near a farm because they were afraid of swine flu. We don't even have any pigs.
I agree that this is ridiculous and that people totally have overreacted. But there have been confirmed cases within an hour from me here in Texas. I suspect, like other things, this too shall pass, and until then don't let your blood pressure get up. And just continue to pray that your mission trip to Mexico goes well and that you don't come back with a curly tail . . . (But if you did, I would still love you).
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