All I got is that perhaps there's a religion I've never heard of that requires sticking your tongue out at people for whatever motive they've come up with...and wearing a mask condemns them to hell because they can't comply!
No... They could just switch to the clear plastic face shield that they all wear at my doctor's office...
In terms of religious practice, the only thing I can think of, coming from a Roman Catholic background, is the receipt of the Eukarist. It used to be when I was growing up that you opened your mouth and the priest would place the wafer on your tongue, but more recently, the practice has been for the priest to hand you the piece of bread and for you to place it on your tongue. Obviously, if you are strictly wearing your mask during the ceremony, then you cannot literally place the wafer in your mouth because the mask is in the way; however, I am sure that you can move your mask up or down right before the priest hands you the wafer and then move it back once you have placed the wafer in your mouth.
No. I think a couple of other things are at work here. First is the point that a former girlfriend (we are still friends) made to me on a recent phone call. The woman's mother, who is in her late eighties, has complained that when she goes to see old friends, she can't see their faces. Regardless of what church you are in, parishoners want to see each other's faces and watch the reactions of others to what is being preached--and you can't see the facial reactions of others when their faces are being covered by a mask. Along the same lines, many ministers like to see the faces of their parishoners as the sermons are being given to see their reactions--and masks prevent that.
Wearing a face mask is also uncomfortable. While you and I are willing to wear one when we go to social events, there are a lot of people who 1) don't believe in COVID-19; and 2) are not willing to give up their comforts for something they just don't believe in.
The fact that wearing a mask goes hand in hand with social distancing requirements is a big negative for churchgoers. Here, the wearing of the mask is actually secondary to the social distancing requirements when attending church, but many worshipers lump them together as being one and the same policy. For the record, it is the social distancing requirements that have forced many churches to shut down (before the latest U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the matter) and not the mask requirement, but that doesn't stop ministers and parishoners alike to chafe at the mask mandate.
The only reason that I can think of for Catholics and mainstream Christians is in receiving the Eucharist (communion.) My take on Catholics is that they are rather a private people when it comes to attending mass, and I don't think wearing a mask would bother them at all in a religious sense.
Also, participation in communion is entirely voluntary in Catholicism. I think Catholics are expected to take communion at least once per year, but it's not like anyone is watching. There is no judgment if you do not take communion at any particular mass. Some take it at every mass, some monthly, and some at longer intervals.
blindguy: "...[people] are not willing to give up their comforts for something they just don't believe in."
I often wonder what people are thinking when they or their loved one/s contract the virus and are very ill or even on their way out. At some point do they develop a "belief in" COVID?
By no means do I rejoice in their suffering or passing but I do question whether they have regrets and wish to get a do-over. I feel sorry for those who follow the (bad) advice of people they respect who are just dead wrong about viral transmission and options for prevention. Sadly, it seems like it's usually the little guy who pays the price and not those they hold in high esteem who are giving them false and dangerous ideas. One of the chief COVID naysayers adhered to medical advice behind the scenes, having instant access to the foremost medical treatment and medications not available to others and later accepted a vaccination as well. What do trusting followers into obvious danger think about that I wonder, especially if they or loved ones end up very ill or breathing their last (the latter with great difficulty, unfortunately). COVID is a nasty beast, nothing you'd want to play around with. I'd be yelling "kill me now" rather than face the prospect of drowning or smothering to death.
Nightingale Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > One > of the chief COVID naysayers adhered to medical > advice behind the scenes, having instant access to > the foremost medical treatment and medications not > available to others and later accepted a > vaccination as well.
What--you didn't get a secret vaccination in January? I'm disappointed, NG.
------------------ > What do trusting followers > into obvious danger think about that I wonder, > especially if they or loved ones end up very ill > or breathing their last (the latter with great > difficulty, unfortunately).
The religious know that "the Chosen One" is so important that he and his family should be given the best medical care possible. And if that conflicts with divinely-inspired political rhetoric, the vaccinations become sacred and must be performed as secret rites.
The ways of the Lord are mysterious--except to the True Believer, who accepts unquestioningly every word that proceedeth from the prophet's mouth.
Lot's Wife Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > What--you didn't get a secret vaccination in > January? I'm disappointed, NG.
Ha! Nor in February, nor March to date. We're doing them in age/need order and still this week they're only at age 90 in the general population, 85+ coming up, then 80 etc. Few months at least to go before I can get in line. It's tough to wait. We didn't get much of a vaccine supply in Canada at first and in my province of BC the number seems pitiful. Hope things speed up any time now but not holding my breath. Glad though that finally people can get access and sooner than first thought we could all be protected.
> The ways of the Lord are mysterious--except to the > True Believer, who accepts unquestioningly every > word that proceedeth from the prophet's mouth.
Undoubtedly, some people finally recognize at the end that they were wrong. On the other hand, I have heard on NPR an interview with a nurse who stated on record that she has had COVID-19 patients die on her never believing they had the disease. These people realize they are dying, but they believe that their problem is from some more well-known ailment and not the "fictional" COVID-19. It is very tragic but there are some people in this world who absolutely refuse to accept facts even when those facts are directly affecting whether they live or die.
I've heard that too, blindguy, about people denying they have COVID even on their deathbed, from COVID.
Very sad. Because if they had recognized it they could perhaps have prevented becoming infected.
I can't think of another disease where people disbelieved physicians and scientists and relied on the input of non-medical personnel to make life/death decisions for themselves. Maybe there is an example but I'm not aware of it or have forgotten. I think it's good to ask questions but that goes along with taking time to study the issue/s objectively as well as getting input from those most likely to know what they're talking about.
It's about power and superiority which the inferior desperately crave to shore up their inadequacy and so grasp at something as inane as mask wearing as a means to show their pitiful might.
Done & Done Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It's about power and superiority which the > inferior desperately crave to shore up their > inadequacy and so grasp at something as inane as > mask wearing as a means to show their pitiful > might. ===============================
Virology, epidemiology, and immunology come from observation/data processed through the methodological application of reason (science).
Religion is the systemization of permanent immutable magical "truth" (Belief).
These two methods have nothing to do with each other. They're just orienting principles. How one navigates life.
So mixing masks and religion is nonsense. It's like trying to connect the price of oil to lunar gravity.
There is a legitimate perspective that does allow religion ascendancy over science. Remember Lysenkoism? The State was the religion that decided to amend science to its liking, and people starved to death.
elderolddog Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > There is a legitimate perspective that does allow > religion ascendancy over science. Remember > Lysenkoism? The State was the religion that > decided to amend science to its liking, and people > starved to death. ===============================
Religion and science have to do with each other just as the Hatfields and McCoys had to do with each other.
Both are laying claim to truths even if their methods are different.
And EOD is right on. Religion is always looking for ascendency over science in order to stay relevant by grabbing at straws as science ignores religion using fact. When you are desperate even the mask issue seems like power.
I just quit my job working for a bunch of Jesus freaks who were convinced the pandemic was just a liberal hoax to prevent them from going to church, so as a result, they just completely ignored the government's mandate to wear masks in public and kept on meeting with large groups, going to church and singing in choirs. It's just amazing they didn't have a large outbreak of Covid in the past year.
Did he quit because they were dumbasses or did he quit because ghawd never visited his wrath upon them for being dumbasses, and thus this is all ghawd's fault?
Elder Berry Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Dang. I hope you are okay. I couldn't be out of > work. I’m fine. Thanks for the concern. Got the first job I applied for, which pays better, has a lot better benefits, totally remote and I don’t have to deal with idiot anti-masker science deniers. Shoulda switched jobs when this shit started a year ago.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/08/2021 04:40PM by schrodingerscat.
I do not think the wearing of a mask inhibits or restricts religious faith in any way. From personal experience I believe that some use their decision not to wear one and to continue attending church as a yardstick for the faith level of others.
It muffles speech when praying so god might not hear what they said correctly.
For example, a faithful person might say this regarding their sinful ex-mo neighbor "please save my neighbor from his sinful ways" but god hears "please slay my neighbor for his sinful ways."
Or they might plead in supplication for mercy..."please fill me with your spirit before its too late" but god hears "please kill me, I deserve it, for I masterbate."
Long time ago, the church became a "victim" of excessive governmental regulation when existing meetinghouses had to be square with current building and fire codes. Part of the plan that ward members found so objectionable was the replacement of existing doors with latching mechanisms. They also were pissed about the need to replace one of the side exits stairwells with a ramp for people with disabilities (members resorted to expressing their anger and disgust during f/t mtg about the need for wheelchair ramps to a side which did not have handicap parking stalls).
I was a deacon at the time and the modified doors were noisy when opening and closing the two sets of chapel doors. We were accused by several in the ward as being intentionally irreverent. We actually were rounded up by members of the bishopric to be "instructed" on how to open and close the chapel doors with the least noise. They quickly discovered that it was simply not doable. In time the door mechanisms become worn and softer.
messygoop Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > In time the door mechanisms become worn and > softer.
Revolving ones never do and that is what Mormonism has - churning doors into the windows of heaven which fail to provide adequate moisture from heavens but require it from members' eyes as well as gold from their teeth for an endowment from the sky.
An evangelical preacher in Northern Alberta is in custody because he refuses to hold virtual services, choosing instead to hold full capacity services with no social distancing or mandatory mask wearing. His case goes to trial in May and today a judge ruled he should remain locked up. This of course has the religious right in a fury.
Just a stark reminder of how stupid, irrational, and morally bankrupt the religious set can be. Apparently "love thy neighbor" doesn't trump batshit crazy, pseudoscientific views.
Isn't it time society moved passed these morons? They are irrelevant, so let's go baby!
The morg and RFM are becoming one and the same, focused on obedience to government authority.
Wearing a mask is now seen as proof of righteousness, obedience, and faith. I read many stories about pressure from the church and other members to wear masks. For example:
"I know of a missionary that had a doctor's mask exemption. The missionary department sent him home rather than have him serve in his current area, nor in another "maskless" mission. The need to "appear" as if we are following local rules was one of the reasons given. In fact, this mission in particular, or I should say the area presidency, was even more strict on masks than the local mask mandates. The local law allowed nearly the entire ward to meet, but the area leaders kept the numbers down to the teens."
"When Elder Renlund shared the video about how masks are “Christ-like” he couldn’t believe it. When Pres Nelson released his social post about the vaccine, he was blown away. When his area presidency enforced mandates beyond the local health board, he was beside himself. And me... I didn’t know what to tell him. My son “was condemned by every missionary that he brought it up to.
And myself? I asked to be released as a stake high councilor over masks and vaccines, among other things"
"I would hope the church would honor someone’s request to finish in a maskless mission... but I’m not holding my breath. I just received an invite for our Stake Relief Society Women’s Conference. It’ll be held vis zoom of course. It’s titled: “Masks and Miracles”. Yeah... not Christ and Miracles, but Masks."
Free Man Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The morg and RFM are becoming one and the same, > focused on obedience to government authority.
LOL! love it. I want my never have to enter a temple recommend but I know I will have to email a moderator to establish my worthiness first as well has proving I've donated.