In Sacrament meeting recently the speakers were a young couple fairly new to our ward. They both spoke on the topic, “From small things come that which is great.” What caught my attention, though, was that neither of them wore protective face masks. The practice in our ward has been for speakers at the podium to remove their mask while speaking, but to put them back on when they had finished.
At least since the August 12, 2021 reminder from the First Presidency that the pandemic is not over, our Bishop, and everyone else sitting on the stand, wears their masks. But this couple didn’t appear to even have masks with them.
I was stunned that the speakers couldn’t see the irony of the situation. Surely, during a pandemic, a face mask is a perfect example of “small thing” that could have a great effect?
Simple courtesy
In a recent Adult Sunday School class, I counted about 50 people. We were in a pretty large Relief Society room, but we certainly didn’t have room for safe “social distancing.” Most of the people were masked, but I noticed, in particular, one couple and one older gentleman who were not. I remember glancing at the couple and thinking, “What kind of arrogance does it take to think that you are right and everyone else in the room is wrong?”
Wearing a face covering is a sign of Christlike love for our brothers and sisters.
Dale G. Renlund
Of course, me judging them is also a kind of arrogance, but in this case I thought, “Everyone in this room is willing to put up with some discomfort and inconvenience in order to protect YOU from a potentially fatal disease, but you don’t have the simple courtesy to do the same to protect US?”
Potential disease source
The gentleman without a mask puzzled me even more. His wife was wearing a mask. Also, she had just told the ward (in the Testimony meeting prior to this Sunday School class) that their daughter was very sick with Covid-19.
I do not know if they have been visiting their sick daughter in person, but, if so, then this man without a face covering could well be a disease carrier. Rather than attending church without a mask, he should possibly be at home quarantining himself in order to protect others.
The Trump influence
Yes, I happen to know that the gentleman and the couple referred to here are Trump supporters. But in an LDS ward in Davis County, Utah, I am quite sure that the majority of the people in that room voted for Trump — probably twice. In fact, I am the only “out” Democrat that was present (though I suspect a few others who were there may be Democrats).
Yet, most of those Republicans were wearing their face masks. Why not these three? What is it that will cause some people to put their own self-righteous opinions above a simple courtesy to others WHILE SITTING IN CHURCH?
Even if one believes the pandemic is a complete hoax, what is the harm of following the advice of the President of the Church (whom we supposedly revere as a prophet of God, and who is also a medical doctor) at least while in Church?
Inconsistent beliefs
Cognitive dissonance (noun) – Anxiety that results from simultaneously holding contradictory or otherwise incompatible attitudes, beliefs, or the like.
Dictionary.com
It must be difficult when your politics conflicts with your religion. Cognitive dissonance makes people uncomfortable. They will go to great lengths to justify their preferred beliefs (and actions), and they will work hard to avoid contradictory information that may challenge their preferred view of the world.
So, along with believing the misinformation that puts right-wing politics ahead of science (and puts the inflammatory propaganda of Tucker Carlson ahead of the knowledge and experience of Russell M. Nelson), these people, of necessity, must also become stubborn and deliberately blind.
They cannot allow themselves to take in accurate medical, scientific, or even religious information that might disturb their paradigm and upset their insecure sense of themselves.
“It wasn’t a command”
To limit exposure to these viruses, we urge the use of face masks in public meetings whenever social distancing is not possible. To provide personal protection from such severe infections, we urge individuals to be vaccinated. Available vaccines have proven to be both safe and effective.
The First Presidency
Many members of the Church try to justify their non-compliance with the wishes of the Prophet by saying, “He urged us, but he didn’t command us.” This excuse reveals a serious misunderstanding of the role of prophets, and the definition of the word “urge.”
No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;
Doctrine and Covenants 121:41
A prophet is not a God. He will never “command” the people. A prophet will teach by example. He will “suggest,” he will “advise,” and he will “encourage.” If a prophet must “urge” the people to do something, things are pretty serious — and the people have already ignored several previous warnings.
How strong is the word “urge”?
Urge (verb) – 1. To push or force along; impel with force or vigor: 2. to drive with incitement to speed or effort.
Dictionary.com
“Urge” is actually a very strong verb. The First Presidency Statement also referred to the fight against COVID-19 and its variants as a “war.” Their warning could not have been any stronger.
This pandemic is literally a matter of life and death. Not getting vaccinated and refusing to mask up and social distance, at the “urging” of a Prophet, is like not getting on the Ark when Noah “urged” the people to repent and join him. Just as it is too late to get the vaccine once you are infected, it was too late to get on the ark once the door was closed.
Sources
News Release, “The First Presidency Urges Latter-day Saints to Wear Face Masks When Needed and Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19,” Newsroom, August 12, 2021.
News Release, “The First Presidency and Apostles Over Age 70 Receive the COVID-19 Vaccine,” Newsroom, January 19, 2021.
Peggy Fletcher Stack, “What would Jesus do? LDS apostle Dale Renlund says wearing a mask shows ‘Christlike’ love.” The Salt Lake Tribune, December 7, 2020.
Yep. Just read this today:
“According to an analysis of 38 states and D.C. by the New York Times, unvaccinated Americans in those states were five times more likely than vaccinated Americans to be hospitalized with COVID-19 and eight times more likely to die. A CDC study found that between May 1 and July 25, 2021, unvaccinated residents of Los Angeles County, California, were 29 times more likely to be hospitalized by COVID-19 than their fully vaccinated counterparts.” https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/delta-variant-unvaccinated-and-vaccinated-people-are-not-in-the-same-ballpark-in-terms-of-risk-141843308.html
My wife, Shauna, just saw a Facebook post from a Utah County friend of ours who justified rejecting vaccination as an issue of Freedom. I could not help but think of Alma 32:20, “Now there were many who were so hardened that would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they did not look is because they did not believe it would heal them.”
The definition of the word “urge” was very pertinent. I have used the same examples before, but being able to quote that word in context with the directive from the first presidency would have made my explanation more weighty.
At a Stake Relief Society meeting, out Stake President said everyone need to carefully make their own choices.
And that when he looks into the eyes if members, he tries to not see if they are wearing masks.
He also mentioned that the Savior reserved his harshest words for those who judged other.
When Noah looked into the eyes of the people, he could see whether or not they would join him and his family on the ark. He did not judge them, they condemned themselves.
Also, it seems to me that the Savior reserved his harshest words, not for those who judged, but for the hypocrites.
I do not judge people who have made the decision not to socially distance, get vaccinated, or wear masks. I do worry they might get sick or die, because I love many of them (although I wish everyone would take precautions, because I think the urging of an intelligent and educated man who is a medical doctor and — oh yeah — the current chosen prophet of the Lord’s church on earth seems like a big deal. One other thing — although, their being around me and my family who have been vaccinated and wear masks will not hurt them, in our opinion, and we would not be vaccinated and wearing masks, neither of which are convenient or comfortable, if we did not believe it not only keeps us safer, but it keeps people who have decided not to take precautions, in our opinion, safer. In other words: our masks and shots will not hurt anyone, but your lack of them could. In my opinion — that alone should be enough — but being urged to vaccinate. social distance, and wear masks when appropriate, by The First Presidency. — which includes. a medical doctor, who, btw, is the actual president of the church , should make it mandatory. It is not just a matter of health and safely — it is common courtesy — and for us, as church members, isn’t it also a matter of faith? It is for me.