In the
previous blog, I spoke about the Church's response to the othering that
has been a result of COVID-19 orders and recommendations. In this blog, I want
to respond to the use of the term, freedom as an argument to disavow orders
and recommendations put in place to flatten the curve on virus infections. Reports from news sources have documented protests
in Wisconsin, Colorado, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Carolina,
Utah, Western New York state and Washington, and Pennsylvania
The
New York Times reports, "…at least 316 million people in at least 42
states, three counties, ten cities, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico
are being urged to stay home."[1]
For some, the issue is concern personal freedoms and the government's intrusion into those rights.
For some, the issue is concern personal freedoms and the government's intrusion into those rights.
If I get sick, then I am going to bear the consequences of my
getting sick. If anybody else gets sick, they bear the consequences of their
free choice without government coercion to do so. That's what this is about.[2]
Interestingly,
we, at least most of us, do not argue against the government's intrusions that
make illegal murder. By limiting one person's freedom to murder, you save a
potential victim or victims. The same would be true for other crimes. The argument
I am presenting here is that our government restricts the personal freedoms of
others all of the time for the sake of all members of society. The intriguing
questions asked by Damato are, "What kinds of communicable diseases
function to void one's right of free movement? How deadly does the disease have
to be? How contagious?"[3]
These questions are not about whether or not freedoms should be impinged upon,
but concern who, what, why, and when should determine personal freedom should
be restricted.There are more than 100 verses in the Bible talking about freedom. The call of God's representative is to proclaim freedom.[4] One of the purposes of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection was to offer freedom.[5] The writers of the Psalms and the Epistles identify freedom as one of the gifts and characteristics of the faithful.[6] This makes it clear that freedom is not just an American value. It is a value of the Triune God.
Freedom for most is experienced in mobility, and the ability to live life on one's own terms. The Bible appears to differ with this definition. The letter to the Galatians reads, "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."[7] Jesus used his personal freedom as ways to confront and to right injustices. In this way, freedom is not to serve the individual; freedom is to serve the community. Our freedom is to be exercised to provide grace. Our exercises of personal freedom are always to be focused on delivering the invitation and welcome discussed in the previous blog.
I exercise my personal freedom to cover my face with a mask, to
eat and socialize at home, not because I might be sick or they might be sick,
but because this distance offers grace to both of us. I chose to follow the rules
of personal distancing because it is in this exercise of my personal freedom
that I reflect the love of God, self, and neighbor. As a Methodist, my practice
of personal freedom is informed by three simple rules, Do No Harm. Do Good.
Stay in love with God.[8]
[1] Vanessa Swales, Patricia Mazzei, and Baker Baker, “See Which States and
Cities Have Told Residents to Stay at Home,” The New York Times (New York, April 20, 2020),
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-stay-at-home-order.html.
[2] CNN, “Protests Erupt Again over Coronavirus Shelter-in-Place Orders.
Here’s Why Some Governors Aren’t Budging,” Newsdesk@CBS58.Com
(Milwaukee, April 20, 2020).
[3] David S. Damato, “Civil Liberties Under Attack During COVID-19.”
[4] Isaiah 61
[5] John 8:32
[7]
Galatians 5:13
ESV
[8] Rueben P. Job, Three Simple Rules
(Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2010).
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