Sounding the alarm and asking questions during a time of crisis is crucial:
Before proceeding, for the umpteenth time, let me share a few basic truths. Yes, corona is real and dangerous. But statist overreactions, overzealous policing, mass lockdowns and shutdowns, and the destruction of economies are also real and dangerous. As always, trying to get the right balance here is critical.
Since it seems that there may be far more sheeple out there than those who dare to try to think critically, ask hard questions, and seek the truth, I for one will keep posting articles like this. Do I have all the truth? Of course not. But the only way we can get to the truth is to not accept everything the state tells us, to learn how to ask probing questions, and to learn how to do some independent thinking.
So let me offer what has now become my daily list of outrageous corona crisis crackdowns and overkill. To do this is NOT to say that all governments are evil, and all this is one giant conspiracy. It is simply to say that freedom matters, and eternal vigilance is a prerequisite for liberty. Here then are a few more recent cases of corona madness.
A UK story is pretty shocking: “A police officer has been filmed telling a dad that he’s not allowed to play with his children in his own front garden. The South Yorkshire Police officer approached Daniel Connell as he played with his two very young children in his front garden in Rotherham Eastwood village. Mr Connell filmed the incident and posted it on social media.” https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/police-under-fire-for-telling-dad-front-garden/
Let me turn to America for a few more examples. Check this out from Boston:
“A Boston suburb has set up one-way sidewalks in order to have residents practice social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic. Police in Beverly, in the north of the city, have mandated that locals who are walking in opposite directions along bustling Lothrop Street must now use separate sidewalks so that they are not brushing up against one another. Pedestrians must now walk against traffic and failure to comply with the new directive could result in a $100 fine.” https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8207015/Boston-suburb-sets-one-way-sidewalks-fine-walk-wrong-direction.html
There has been so much of this occurring of late. One satirical meme making the rounds shows a picture of a church with a large banner hanging from it with the words “Planned Parenthood”. Yep, while churches all over America are being forced to close down by various state governments, abortion mills are still allowed to do business as usual.
Here is one final case which really is a shocker. I wonder how anyone who is so keen to defend the state in all things during this crisis can defend something like this! A recent order by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, has alarmed plenty of people:
An extended “stay at home” order by Governor Gretchen Whitmer bans selling fruit and vegetable plants. Workers at greenhouses and nurseries say that makes no sense. The governor wants people to restrict their trips from home to getting the essentials such as fuel and food. Retail garden centers have been ordered to close temporarily. Callie Gafner works at a small garden center. She says banning fruit and vegetable plants does not help limit the spread of COVID-19.
“If you’re growing them yourself, you’re reducing the contact between people because you’re not going anywhere. You’re going out in your own garden and picking them up rather than going into the store and coming into contact with how many people?” Gafner explained. . . . Farmers markets are also barred from selling seedlings for fruits and vegetables. https://www.michiganradio.org/post/fruit-and-vegetable-plants-nonessential-under-governors-order
Really? Not even seeds for your own home garden!? I am not a conspiracy theorist, but if I get many more of these crapola cases of Big Brother madness, I might be tempted to become one! If stuff like this does not convince you that things are getting WAY out of hand, nothing will! No wonder American political columnist Benny Johnson tweeted this recently:
During this crisis people have been arrested for:
-Going to church
-Playing with their own kids
-Being in their own yard
-Paddle boarding
-Not wearing a mask
-Jogging on a beach
Perhaps the biggest victory for China during China Virus has been the world turning into China
Hey, I am starting to get a bit paranoid here! A few weeks ago when I went out to the shops, I thought I was doing well if I returned with some toilet paper. Now I think I am doing well if I return and I was not arrested for something! (Yes I am being a bit satirical here – but only a bit!)
Let me close by responding to a few of my many critics. Ever since I have tried to sound the alarm and raise awareness of what is happening with the corona crisis, I have had all sorts of folks attacking me and accusing me of various things. One typical num num retort so often heard is this: “You just want people to die”. Um, yeah right.
Indeed, for daring to raise some hard questions during this period, I have been called all sorts of things. One person even suggested it was dangerous of me to be raising these concerns and worrying about how sheeplike so many folks seem to be. Well, I guess I can wear that. The prophets, Jesus and the disciples were all thought to be dangerous as well.
One of the more loony things I had one Christian tell me was this: “Don’t forget, personal freedom is also an idol.” Oh good grief – one might as well foolishly try to argue that it is idolatrous to try to defend your wife when she is being attacked. Can your wife become an idol if you put her before God? Sure, but I am also called to love my wife, and that includes protecting her when necessary.
No, personal freedom is NOT an idol. However, can it become an idol? Absolutely, as with most everything. But it is NOT idolatrous to keep sounding the alarm and championing liberty while we still have it. Unlike too many folks, I am not going to be cavalier and blasé about growing statism, the abuse of government power, and the loss of liberty.
Let me say once more what I have been saying all along, since so many of my critics just don’t seem to get it:
-Yes, there is a place for some government intervention during periods of emergency, and yes some temporary limitations on freedom may be needed while in these times of crisis.
-If folks really think we should just say and do nothing until all this is over, it will be far too late by then. The only warning worth its salt is one that is done before it is too late – not after. To urge us all to be silent, compliant sheep during this time is the height of irresponsibility. It certainly is not the marching orders of the Christian who knows that unchecked statism must always be guarded against.
-And I guess I need to say it again: Australia has 25 million people. How many have died from corona so far?
-I am simply asking questions in these posts – questions every single Christian and defender of freedom should be asking.
-If we really believe that the state can do no wrong in times like this, then yes, we might indeed be part of the problem!
-And no, it is not treasonous, unbiblical, disrespectful, reckless, or dangerous to be asking questions, highlighting concerns, and encouraging people to think for themselves and not just be docile sheep during such a time as this.
-Yes, we must pray for our leaders that they will have the wisdom of Solomon here. Pray that they make wise, balanced and fair decisions that are in the best interests of the people.
The thing that strikes me Bill, is that for the most part, this country endorses euthanasia, among other death wishes. Yet, suddenly the entire nation is caught up in an endless quest for preservation of human life. We must ‘save lives and livelihoods’. Why the glaring inconsistency? Has the country become pro-life overnight? Doubt it.
So for all those euthanasia advocates, now is your finest hour. The Wuhan virus has just provided you with a great opportunity. Start practicing what you preach; otherwise preach what you practice!
Yes quite so Marian.
Thanks Bill, again.
An important point for your readers during this lockdown:
Vitamin D is vital for a robust and healthy immune system, as well as for strong bones – so we all need to ensure that sunshine reaches a good deal of our skin each day.
Best it seems to spend time in the sun – wearing a hat still, though at this very lovely time of year burning is less likely – in your back yard or balcony, away from the fining reach of overzealous cops.
Note: Vitamin D is produced by our bodies when the sun’s UVB rays warm our skin. However glass blocks UVB wavelength rays, so Vitamin D will not be produced by the sun warming our skin through the glass of windows.
Here’s to good physical, mental and social health!
p.s. He is risen! . . . He is risen indeed!!
Excellent article Bill. Im asking questions not only in a crisis but always. Happy Easter!
Thanks Anita.
Thanks Bill, I am getting some flak myself for asking questions. But I love the saying ‘kites fly highest that fly against the wind’. True believers are lovers of ‘truth’ because we love ‘The Truth’, the Lord Jesus. Pilgrims Progress has a line in it when Pligrims Faithful and Christian were being attacked at the market place and evil stall holders trying to sell their evil wares were saying ‘buy this’, ‘buy that’,’ try this’, ‘try that’… Pilgrim Faithful sternly answered back putting his hand up at them saying, ‘We buy the TRUTH’!. Thanks for holding up a banner, the ‘standard’ which sheds light on darkness and declares that we are buying only the Truth. It is our obligation.
Yes quite right Terry.
Just a quick Australian angle on the Michigan ban on sale of vegetable seeds/seedlings. During the past two weeks, in a 150-kilometre radius around my place-of-residence, I haven’t been able to find ANY vegie seeds or seedling punnets available for sale in any of the usual outlets: supermarkets, Big W and similar, Bunnings/Mitre 10 warehouses. Heard on the radio it’s similar in other states, too, according to a nursery supplier who’s been run off their feet with orders for ‘edibles’. Not flowers/ornamentals. Edibles.
Remembering the earlier official edicts “Don’t panic-buy! No need to panic-buy!”, I can’t help thinking that a large swathe of the populace had a ‘gut feeling’ as to what was coming. It seems to me that somehow they ‘knew’ (perhaps via forewarning from overseas relatives?) what was likely to happen, viz., long-term authority-imposed ‘lockdown’ with everything that entails, and purchased trolley-loads with that knowledge. I now regret heeding the authorities’ entreaties not to ‘panic-buy’; rather, I ought to have stocked up intelligently for a possible three-month to six-month confinement to ‘barracks’.
Thanks for that David.
Good on you Bill. It’ll be interesting to see how this Vidcon spins what is going on worldwide. I’ve registered to watch it.
I’m seeing more and more people divide off into the propaganda mantra of “Stay (spicy expletive removed) home, save lives” to “It’s all bull” with a growing cohort of the middle ground saying, like you, the current political response is overboard. Emotionally, all camps are getting short on patience because of the mental strain of social/physical isolation. The stated purpose of the ‘distancing’ was to slow down the infection rate, not the absolute number, so that the health system could cope with the less than 4% that present with critical care needs. That’s what flattening the curve is. Shutting down everything costs more than can be justified when our infection rates are already so good and it continues without a clear exit plan. e need to start returning to ‘normal’ life to prevent the cost (of shut down) from becoming too high. For a start they should allow all recovered people to immediately return to fully normal life with no restrictions at all. That’s 3,338 people to date.
One of the more loony things I had one Christian tell me was this: “Don’t forget, personal freedom is also an idol.”
We are all like prisoners on daily work release – with the added insult of going broke.
Tyrant virus; entire government apparatus policing something more heavily and speedily than the national road and domestic violence tolls combined, but where total population deaths still remain around each daily average, and with largely the same annual predictable victims.
Policing health heavily is going to strain the relations with the public, the government and large business are already using security guards by proxy, and in numbers which dwarf the police. There’s instant fines upon all and sundry. For almost any regular and reasonable activity.
But by next winter – the governments and business will have to plan and make law our restrictions with regulations and the like – international, domestic, regional and local travel restrictions, kids grounded, work limited, no sport, limited physical activity, social distancing, supermarket hours, and no pubs, restaurants, picture theaters open, and having only 2 beers to be able to drive annoys most people but with the added 2 visitor limit per household?
They really think they can regulate and legislate that in, or even plan to do so – it will look like a marshal law plan for membership to the USSR, Communist China, North Korea and the state of Victoria – halve an economy and quarter a society? – we will all be like prisoners on daily work release with the added insult of going broke —— and just in panicked expectation of something about as hazardous as the flu. That’s not stoic and reasonable minded behaviour in bushfire season, the elderly are prepared for the hazard. Or shark, boating, fishing, swimming, crocodile season, the international and local travelers are prepared for the hazard.
Ventilators for the most part and planning around rest homes and airports are all that’s needed at the national level and legislation around disease monitoring etc. at the international level. China more so.
Globalists and ‘the money’ won’t like the ‘end of china’ but will make the most of some business moving elsewhere, and the last thing they’ll ever be asking for is a slowdown, anywhere, neither will a responsible government. Conservatives will hold the same view.
“Don’t forget, destitution politics is an idol”, but no one in the west can any longer afford to vote for a living, its back to work for a living; a annual pay bonus is a bonus, and having a baby is a bonus – a baby shouldn’t be a socialised ‘birthing’ expense. Increasing the tax free threshold to $50k or more is best, people then have far more to spend, business then pays reasonable taxes, and good wages to house a baby, if they believe in freedom and the benefits that go with that. Or they can continue being part of doing it the soviet way with low wages and high taxes, so that it is largely government who does the spending, and the societal problems that go with that, general mediocracy at best then reliance and gradual decline for certain. That’s not a market place.
Thanks again and God Bless Bill.
It would have been better if Shorten had won the Election. He would have relished the role of PM destroying the Economy and gladly adopted these unproven shutdowns and lock up the
entire population under home arrest. The Leftist authoritarianism is more natural to Shorten. But the truth must be faced that a fake conservative like soft target PM Morrison and the blindsiding of Trump, his Achillies Heel being his germophobia and still listening to Leftist panic merchants evil Fauci and Brix now the unelected expertocracy of America, have been fooled into this suicidal action of killing the Economy and plunging their Nations into steep financial and freedom decline and basically we have become repressive communist hell holes overnight.
This madness is unprecedented. Just the usual caution was appropriate when dealing with yet another flu SARS 2 covid19 coronavirus . Sensible self isolation personal responsibility and normal care and cleanliness. Like Sweden . It is not Ebola ! This is irrational fear and panic . It does not fit the definition of a pandemic where 40% to 60% of people who get the disease die. Nothing like that 99% of people will get a slight flu or cold or asymtomatic and not even know they have had it as it has been in Australia since November. This mantra of ” social distancing saves lives” is nonsense of the highest order let alone, ” We’re all in this together ” disgusting to say this to people who are underemployed or unemployed and unlikely to get their jobs back. What an insult to decide most jobs are not essential !
It has become increasingly weird the way everyone is reacting to this hyped up panic and anxiety. The lines to enter Bunnings were ridiculous ‘ spaced ‘ queues in the full sun of Cairns weaving around the outside of the building. This mandated spacing is so unnatural and has created a coldness and suspicious interaction between people . This intense suspicion and fear of others is unhealthy as everyone is now viewed as a potential walking petri dish of germs and contagion. People now are so intimidated and fearful and anxious ( as the Bible teaches we are ,” made in the Image of God ” ) People are not going to be the same again. I predict this will scar the collective health of Australia. Unfriendliness and suspicion will rule the day. Gone is the happy go lucky larikin spirit , humor and laughter , the” she’ll be right mate” , the indominable fighting spirit , help and friendly words and deeds offered to the lonely and marginalized , the love of sports and outdoor activities, the enjoyment of the environment , parks , beaches and fresh air. This illegal cabal council coup in Canberra dreaming up this horror for the people of Australia and the sheeple don’t object and follow submissively rule by rule by our ‘ betters ‘. Elite PM , Premiers and Political hacks, media journalists, medical so called experts who don’t have an ounce of common sense let alone wisdom.
It is madness on a colossal scale! A fear driven exaggeration faux flu which has massively under delivered on death statistics. 50 older people die and we destroy our economy and future ? 247 unborn babies die per day in Australia and we care nothing for them ? We live in evil times far in excess of the ” interesting ” times !. It is a case of mass delusion and panic . It was and is and will be one of a long line of hoaxes and stupid scams that people want to believe no matter how counter intuitive and non rational.
Over the decades and centuries people have fallen for Evolution ” goo to you via the zoo ”
Climate change global warming with it’s demonisation of CO 2 ( the first premise not proven and models like the health ones faulty and misleading ) Chemical evolution of life from non life Abiogenesis. Fake science. Molecules to Man evolution. Weird nonsense medical practices and blood letting with leeches before the germ theory of disease discipline Fathered by Pasteur and Jenner Schimmelwiess and Lister etc. Big Bang nothing exploded and created everything.
Human beings coming from ape like creatures. All the racism that is still resulting from that ridiculous belief. Non belief and faith in the Creator God of the Bible. The foolishness of Atheism. Blindness of the obvious design in Nature from a supernatural Designer and Sustainer. Genocidal conflicts and the Social Darwinism put into practice by Hitler Stalin Mao Pol Pot etc. Believing that darker skinned people are closer to apes. The belief and suppositions of millions and billions of years that have never happened in the true Biblical time frame of 6000 years from Creation. Eugenics a very popular belief of the 19 th and 20 th Centuries. Spontaneous combustion. Abortion universally approved of couched in Orwellian words like choice and reproductive health. Feminism and all the consequences destroying the family . Near universal acceptance of the LGBTIQ industry.
It is a long list to which we can now add fighting the world of microscopic viruses CoVid 19 Coronavirus the current bizarre reaction to a flu , better to sacrifice whole Nations to this hysterical fear than just be rational and keep our freedoms family and faith ? Total collapse of Western Civilization with previously Christian foundations. God help us !
So freedom is an evil? I don’t recall the scripture that says that freedom is an idol. The one I remember is:-
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Truly, truly, I say to you, Whoever practices sin is the slave of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the slave does not abide in the house forever, but the Son abides forever.
Joh 8:36 Therefore if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.
(MKJV)
I know I keep coming back to 1 Sam 8 but this is very much like the Israelites asking God to give them a king to rule over them. Dumb huh?
I personally don’t have an issue with sensible rules for social distancing etc. if it is going to prevent people dying and we did have similar restrictions during the 1918 flu pandemic in which my grandmother and my father’s baby brother (my uncle) died. The problem is we have way too many foolish and corrupt people in positions of power and I believe that all comes back to the corruption within the media, especially the publicly funded media, that skews people’s thinking away from sensible decisions. Hopefully, just as with the George Pell case, this pandemic will highlight the people who should not be allowed into power.
We also have the situation where, like New York, NSW has just enacted draconian abortion legislation, when it was against the Liberal Party policy that was taken to the election. We also see that COVID-19 seems to be affecting areas that were not previously greatly affected by drought and fires. Whether it and the other problems will bring people to repentance remains to be seen.
Tyrant virus; entire government apparatus policing something more heavily and speedily than the national road and domestic violence tolls combined, but where total population deaths still remain around each daily average, and with largely the same annual predictable victims.
Precisely, Mike.
Today the Victorian Chief Medical Officer Professor Sutton released this statement to the media:
“Media release 13 April 2020
The total number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Victoria is 1281 – an increase of 13 from yesterday.
There were no new deaths reported yesterday. To date, 14 people have died from coronavirus in Victoria.
The total number of cases is made up of 669 men and 612 women, with people aged from babies to their early nineties.
At the present time, there are 122 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Victoria that may have been acquired through community transmission. Currently 40 people are in hospital, including 14 patients in intensive care. 1075 people have recovered. More than 70,000 Victorians have been tested to date.”
That’s just fourteen in intensive care and 40 hospitalised. Our medical system has definitely NOT been overrun with cases as the doomsayers were predicting.
But the danger is further down in the release:
“Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton today urged Victorians to remain vigilant and not erode the gains made in preventing the spread of the virus over Easter.
“Now is not the time for complacency. We still have a long way to go,” Professor Sutton said.
“While we are starting to see some improvement in the rate of transmission, that rate could climb quickly if we lose focus.”
That there is a recipe for draconian restrictions to be in place permanently.
Thank you very much Bill for reminding us yet again that we have to be vigilant about our freedoms and responsible people will see the need for that. As for freedom being idolatrous it probably is if you think you have a right to do whatever you want to do without giving a thought to the adverse effect it has on other human beings. An example would be when you rob an unborn child of its God given right to life, the only life it will ever have because if he/she was allowed to come into the world it would present an inconvenience for you.Freedom is a good thing but it should not be allowed to hurt other people and a man playing in his front garden with his kids is not hurting anyone and should have been left alone. However, there is always the danger that when you give some people more power they will become drunk with it. Hitler and Stalin were prime examples but we have politicians, leaders and millionaires alive today who would probably be just as bad if they could get away with it.
Hi Bill,
I agree with you that the fines and penalties relating to COVID19 in Australia are extremely excessive when compared to other harmful behaviours and practices, such as a Victorian mother can legally consent to killing her unborn baby and she doesn’t experience any fine/penalty nor does the Victorian abortion clinic. It is obvious that western governments around the world aren’t wanting to eliminate the abortion practice, so the abortion pandemic which legally kills millions of unborn babies around the world every year is allowed to continue without any fine or penalty. It is obvious that the COVID19 fines/penalties are more in line with the New York mis-pronoun fine up to $250 000.
However, my community in Melbourne were thinking ahead of The Australian governments’ strategy for COVID19. This virus is 10 times worse than the flu as it can cause heart muscle damage and scarring on the lungs etc. Also, COVID19 has a mutation property like HIV which will make it difficult to develop a vaccine. Plus, COVID 19 is extremely infectious and there is only a 20-50% survival rate for patients who require ventilation in ICU, as well as it has killed young, healthy people including healthcare professionals. No one in Australia would want to risk their life for an experience of COVID19 nor would they want to experience the other pandemic diseases, such as the Spanish Flu, Small Pox, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB), Ebola etc. It is obvious that the biosecurity standards at all Australian airports and seaports will be improved as a result of the COVID19 pandemic. Also, Australian hospitals and Ambulance services have had to adjust their CPR practices for COVID19.
There were many Australians who wanted government and government authorities to close international and state borders, as well as quarantine people with COVID19. My daughter’s private school started teaching on-line prior to Daniel Andrews informing parents that the Easter Holiday would start early. My husband started working from home before the Victorian government had introduced restrictions on non-essential services. We stopped attending church the week before it went online. Most Australians were stocking up on supplies when there weren’t many cases of COVID19 in Australia. Unfortunately, the education about COVID19 and other pandemic diseases have been minimal, so this makes it hard for most Australians to understand the change of strategy for COVID19 within Australia. The current Australian strategy for COVID19 has worked to not only flatten the curve, but there is now the possibility it will be eliminated in Australia. The Victorian Department of Health and Human service has information about COVID19, and I have been educating my family & friends about COVID19 in order to make them more informed, as well as it has reduced their anxiety & fears. The World Health Organisation has warned not to lift restrictions too early, and I’m hopeful that when the restrictions are lifted we will gain the benefit of minimal deaths caused by COVID19 when compared to China, Europe and America.
COVID19 pandemic has made Australians stop and re-evaluate their life, as well as many people are working less outside the home. I’ve received emails from businesses & companies wishing me a “Happy Easter” compared to previous “happy holidays.” I’ve seen plenty of advertising within on-line news about churches conducting their services on-line, so I’m praying that people will feel free to connect. My Anglican church has advertised for the first time its on-line services to our Anglican school community. Christians have a hope of eternal life with Christ Jesus and this is the opposite of the COVID19 and abortion pandemics which have caused horrible physical death. There isn’t a government within this physical world that can control the conscience of an Orthodox Christian because God’s children understand the real truth about life, as well as real freedom. Therefore, I am hopeful that God’s Kingdom will come and we’re not to live in fear.
Great article Bill, spot on! You are one of the few willing to face the truth.
The ‘virus statistics for Australia, released every day by the Health Dept, show that present measures have defeated this disease, in Australia anyway. Reported cases for yesterday were 46 (for whole of Oz) and the day before were 12. More than half the cases reported in Australia have now recovered. Our leaders must know this so why do we need another full month of draconian restrictions? To destroy our economy and freedom totally? Maybe!
It appears to me that those who watch TV and the mainstream media swallow all that is being fed to them.
Thanks David.
Some of the people remind me of a quote by Frank Burns: Unless we each conform, unless we obey orders, unless we follow our leaders blindly, there is no possible way we can remain free.
Happy Easter Bill and thanks for your article.
The thing that strikes me Bill, is that for the most part, this country endorses euthanasia, among other death wishes. Yet, suddenly the entire nation is caught up in an endless quest for preservation of human life. We must ‘save lives and livelihoods’. Why the glaring inconsistency? Has the country become pro-life overnight? Doubt it.
So for all those euthanasia advocates, now is your finest hour. The Wuhan virus has just provided you with a great opportunity. Start practicing what you preach; otherwise preach what you practice!
Yes quite so Marian.
Thanks Bill, again.
An important point for your readers during this lockdown:
Vitamin D is vital for a robust and healthy immune system, as well as for strong bones – so we all need to ensure that sunshine reaches a good deal of our skin each day.
Best it seems to spend time in the sun – wearing a hat still, though at this very lovely time of year burning is less likely – in your back yard or balcony, away from the fining reach of overzealous cops.
Note: Vitamin D is produced by our bodies when the sun’s UVB rays warm our skin. However glass blocks UVB wavelength rays, so Vitamin D will not be produced by the sun warming our skin through the glass of windows.
Here’s to good physical, mental and social health!
p.s. He is risen! . . . He is risen indeed!!
Excellent article Bill. Im asking questions not only in a crisis but always. Happy Easter!
Thanks Anita.
Thanks Bill, I am getting some flak myself for asking questions. But I love the saying ‘kites fly highest that fly against the wind’. True believers are lovers of ‘truth’ because we love ‘The Truth’, the Lord Jesus. Pilgrims Progress has a line in it when Pligrims Faithful and Christian were being attacked at the market place and evil stall holders trying to sell their evil wares were saying ‘buy this’, ‘buy that’,’ try this’, ‘try that’… Pilgrim Faithful sternly answered back putting his hand up at them saying, ‘We buy the TRUTH’!. Thanks for holding up a banner, the ‘standard’ which sheds light on darkness and declares that we are buying only the Truth. It is our obligation.
Yes quite right Terry.
Just a quick Australian angle on the Michigan ban on sale of vegetable seeds/seedlings. During the past two weeks, in a 150-kilometre radius around my place-of-residence, I haven’t been able to find ANY vegie seeds or seedling punnets available for sale in any of the usual outlets: supermarkets, Big W and similar, Bunnings/Mitre 10 warehouses. Heard on the radio it’s similar in other states, too, according to a nursery supplier who’s been run off their feet with orders for ‘edibles’. Not flowers/ornamentals. Edibles.
Remembering the earlier official edicts “Don’t panic-buy! No need to panic-buy!”, I can’t help thinking that a large swathe of the populace had a ‘gut feeling’ as to what was coming. It seems to me that somehow they ‘knew’ (perhaps via forewarning from overseas relatives?) what was likely to happen, viz., long-term authority-imposed ‘lockdown’ with everything that entails, and purchased trolley-loads with that knowledge. I now regret heeding the authorities’ entreaties not to ‘panic-buy’; rather, I ought to have stocked up intelligently for a possible three-month to six-month confinement to ‘barracks’.
Thanks for that David.
Good on you Bill. It’ll be interesting to see how this Vidcon spins what is going on worldwide. I’ve registered to watch it.
https://covidcon.org/
I’m seeing more and more people divide off into the propaganda mantra of “Stay (spicy expletive removed) home, save lives” to “It’s all bull” with a growing cohort of the middle ground saying, like you, the current political response is overboard. Emotionally, all camps are getting short on patience because of the mental strain of social/physical isolation. The stated purpose of the ‘distancing’ was to slow down the infection rate, not the absolute number, so that the health system could cope with the less than 4% that present with critical care needs. That’s what flattening the curve is. Shutting down everything costs more than can be justified when our infection rates are already so good and it continues without a clear exit plan. e need to start returning to ‘normal’ life to prevent the cost (of shut down) from becoming too high. For a start they should allow all recovered people to immediately return to fully normal life with no restrictions at all. That’s 3,338 people to date.
One of the more loony things I had one Christian tell me was this: “Don’t forget, personal freedom is also an idol.”
We are all like prisoners on daily work release – with the added insult of going broke.
Tyrant virus; entire government apparatus policing something more heavily and speedily than the national road and domestic violence tolls combined, but where total population deaths still remain around each daily average, and with largely the same annual predictable victims.
Policing health heavily is going to strain the relations with the public, the government and large business are already using security guards by proxy, and in numbers which dwarf the police. There’s instant fines upon all and sundry. For almost any regular and reasonable activity.
But by next winter – the governments and business will have to plan and make law our restrictions with regulations and the like – international, domestic, regional and local travel restrictions, kids grounded, work limited, no sport, limited physical activity, social distancing, supermarket hours, and no pubs, restaurants, picture theaters open, and having only 2 beers to be able to drive annoys most people but with the added 2 visitor limit per household?
They really think they can regulate and legislate that in, or even plan to do so – it will look like a marshal law plan for membership to the USSR, Communist China, North Korea and the state of Victoria – halve an economy and quarter a society? – we will all be like prisoners on daily work release with the added insult of going broke —— and just in panicked expectation of something about as hazardous as the flu. That’s not stoic and reasonable minded behaviour in bushfire season, the elderly are prepared for the hazard. Or shark, boating, fishing, swimming, crocodile season, the international and local travelers are prepared for the hazard.
Ventilators for the most part and planning around rest homes and airports are all that’s needed at the national level and legislation around disease monitoring etc. at the international level. China more so.
Globalists and ‘the money’ won’t like the ‘end of china’ but will make the most of some business moving elsewhere, and the last thing they’ll ever be asking for is a slowdown, anywhere, neither will a responsible government. Conservatives will hold the same view.
“Don’t forget, destitution politics is an idol”, but no one in the west can any longer afford to vote for a living, its back to work for a living; a annual pay bonus is a bonus, and having a baby is a bonus – a baby shouldn’t be a socialised ‘birthing’ expense. Increasing the tax free threshold to $50k or more is best, people then have far more to spend, business then pays reasonable taxes, and good wages to house a baby, if they believe in freedom and the benefits that go with that. Or they can continue being part of doing it the soviet way with low wages and high taxes, so that it is largely government who does the spending, and the societal problems that go with that, general mediocracy at best then reliance and gradual decline for certain. That’s not a market place.
Thanks again and God Bless Bill.
It would have been better if Shorten had won the Election. He would have relished the role of PM destroying the Economy and gladly adopted these unproven shutdowns and lock up the
entire population under home arrest. The Leftist authoritarianism is more natural to Shorten. But the truth must be faced that a fake conservative like soft target PM Morrison and the blindsiding of Trump, his Achillies Heel being his germophobia and still listening to Leftist panic merchants evil Fauci and Brix now the unelected expertocracy of America, have been fooled into this suicidal action of killing the Economy and plunging their Nations into steep financial and freedom decline and basically we have become repressive communist hell holes overnight.
This madness is unprecedented. Just the usual caution was appropriate when dealing with yet another flu SARS 2 covid19 coronavirus . Sensible self isolation personal responsibility and normal care and cleanliness. Like Sweden . It is not Ebola ! This is irrational fear and panic . It does not fit the definition of a pandemic where 40% to 60% of people who get the disease die. Nothing like that 99% of people will get a slight flu or cold or asymtomatic and not even know they have had it as it has been in Australia since November. This mantra of ” social distancing saves lives” is nonsense of the highest order let alone, ” We’re all in this together ” disgusting to say this to people who are underemployed or unemployed and unlikely to get their jobs back. What an insult to decide most jobs are not essential !
It has become increasingly weird the way everyone is reacting to this hyped up panic and anxiety. The lines to enter Bunnings were ridiculous ‘ spaced ‘ queues in the full sun of Cairns weaving around the outside of the building. This mandated spacing is so unnatural and has created a coldness and suspicious interaction between people . This intense suspicion and fear of others is unhealthy as everyone is now viewed as a potential walking petri dish of germs and contagion. People now are so intimidated and fearful and anxious ( as the Bible teaches we are ,” made in the Image of God ” ) People are not going to be the same again. I predict this will scar the collective health of Australia. Unfriendliness and suspicion will rule the day. Gone is the happy go lucky larikin spirit , humor and laughter , the” she’ll be right mate” , the indominable fighting spirit , help and friendly words and deeds offered to the lonely and marginalized , the love of sports and outdoor activities, the enjoyment of the environment , parks , beaches and fresh air. This illegal cabal council coup in Canberra dreaming up this horror for the people of Australia and the sheeple don’t object and follow submissively rule by rule by our ‘ betters ‘. Elite PM , Premiers and Political hacks, media journalists, medical so called experts who don’t have an ounce of common sense let alone wisdom.
It is madness on a colossal scale! A fear driven exaggeration faux flu which has massively under delivered on death statistics. 50 older people die and we destroy our economy and future ? 247 unborn babies die per day in Australia and we care nothing for them ? We live in evil times far in excess of the ” interesting ” times !. It is a case of mass delusion and panic . It was and is and will be one of a long line of hoaxes and stupid scams that people want to believe no matter how counter intuitive and non rational.
Over the decades and centuries people have fallen for Evolution ” goo to you via the zoo ”
Climate change global warming with it’s demonisation of CO 2 ( the first premise not proven and models like the health ones faulty and misleading ) Chemical evolution of life from non life Abiogenesis. Fake science. Molecules to Man evolution. Weird nonsense medical practices and blood letting with leeches before the germ theory of disease discipline Fathered by Pasteur and Jenner Schimmelwiess and Lister etc. Big Bang nothing exploded and created everything.
Human beings coming from ape like creatures. All the racism that is still resulting from that ridiculous belief. Non belief and faith in the Creator God of the Bible. The foolishness of Atheism. Blindness of the obvious design in Nature from a supernatural Designer and Sustainer. Genocidal conflicts and the Social Darwinism put into practice by Hitler Stalin Mao Pol Pot etc. Believing that darker skinned people are closer to apes. The belief and suppositions of millions and billions of years that have never happened in the true Biblical time frame of 6000 years from Creation. Eugenics a very popular belief of the 19 th and 20 th Centuries. Spontaneous combustion. Abortion universally approved of couched in Orwellian words like choice and reproductive health. Feminism and all the consequences destroying the family . Near universal acceptance of the LGBTIQ industry.
It is a long list to which we can now add fighting the world of microscopic viruses CoVid 19 Coronavirus the current bizarre reaction to a flu , better to sacrifice whole Nations to this hysterical fear than just be rational and keep our freedoms family and faith ? Total collapse of Western Civilization with previously Christian foundations. God help us !
So freedom is an evil? I don’t recall the scripture that says that freedom is an idol. The one I remember is:-
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Truly, truly, I say to you, Whoever practices sin is the slave of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the slave does not abide in the house forever, but the Son abides forever.
Joh 8:36 Therefore if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.
(MKJV)
I know I keep coming back to 1 Sam 8 but this is very much like the Israelites asking God to give them a king to rule over them. Dumb huh?
I personally don’t have an issue with sensible rules for social distancing etc. if it is going to prevent people dying and we did have similar restrictions during the 1918 flu pandemic in which my grandmother and my father’s baby brother (my uncle) died. The problem is we have way too many foolish and corrupt people in positions of power and I believe that all comes back to the corruption within the media, especially the publicly funded media, that skews people’s thinking away from sensible decisions. Hopefully, just as with the George Pell case, this pandemic will highlight the people who should not be allowed into power.
We also have the situation where, like New York, NSW has just enacted draconian abortion legislation, when it was against the Liberal Party policy that was taken to the election. We also see that COVID-19 seems to be affecting areas that were not previously greatly affected by drought and fires. Whether it and the other problems will bring people to repentance remains to be seen.
Precisely, Mike.
Today the Victorian Chief Medical Officer Professor Sutton released this statement to the media:
That’s just fourteen in intensive care and 40 hospitalised. Our medical system has definitely NOT been overrun with cases as the doomsayers were predicting.
But the danger is further down in the release:
That there is a recipe for draconian restrictions to be in place permanently.
Thank you very much Bill for reminding us yet again that we have to be vigilant about our freedoms and responsible people will see the need for that. As for freedom being idolatrous it probably is if you think you have a right to do whatever you want to do without giving a thought to the adverse effect it has on other human beings. An example would be when you rob an unborn child of its God given right to life, the only life it will ever have because if he/she was allowed to come into the world it would present an inconvenience for you.Freedom is a good thing but it should not be allowed to hurt other people and a man playing in his front garden with his kids is not hurting anyone and should have been left alone. However, there is always the danger that when you give some people more power they will become drunk with it. Hitler and Stalin were prime examples but we have politicians, leaders and millionaires alive today who would probably be just as bad if they could get away with it.
Hi Bill,
I agree with you that the fines and penalties relating to COVID19 in Australia are extremely excessive when compared to other harmful behaviours and practices, such as a Victorian mother can legally consent to killing her unborn baby and she doesn’t experience any fine/penalty nor does the Victorian abortion clinic. It is obvious that western governments around the world aren’t wanting to eliminate the abortion practice, so the abortion pandemic which legally kills millions of unborn babies around the world every year is allowed to continue without any fine or penalty. It is obvious that the COVID19 fines/penalties are more in line with the New York mis-pronoun fine up to $250 000.
However, my community in Melbourne were thinking ahead of The Australian governments’ strategy for COVID19. This virus is 10 times worse than the flu as it can cause heart muscle damage and scarring on the lungs etc. Also, COVID19 has a mutation property like HIV which will make it difficult to develop a vaccine. Plus, COVID 19 is extremely infectious and there is only a 20-50% survival rate for patients who require ventilation in ICU, as well as it has killed young, healthy people including healthcare professionals. No one in Australia would want to risk their life for an experience of COVID19 nor would they want to experience the other pandemic diseases, such as the Spanish Flu, Small Pox, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB), Ebola etc. It is obvious that the biosecurity standards at all Australian airports and seaports will be improved as a result of the COVID19 pandemic. Also, Australian hospitals and Ambulance services have had to adjust their CPR practices for COVID19.
There were many Australians who wanted government and government authorities to close international and state borders, as well as quarantine people with COVID19. My daughter’s private school started teaching on-line prior to Daniel Andrews informing parents that the Easter Holiday would start early. My husband started working from home before the Victorian government had introduced restrictions on non-essential services. We stopped attending church the week before it went online. Most Australians were stocking up on supplies when there weren’t many cases of COVID19 in Australia. Unfortunately, the education about COVID19 and other pandemic diseases have been minimal, so this makes it hard for most Australians to understand the change of strategy for COVID19 within Australia. The current Australian strategy for COVID19 has worked to not only flatten the curve, but there is now the possibility it will be eliminated in Australia. The Victorian Department of Health and Human service has information about COVID19, and I have been educating my family & friends about COVID19 in order to make them more informed, as well as it has reduced their anxiety & fears. The World Health Organisation has warned not to lift restrictions too early, and I’m hopeful that when the restrictions are lifted we will gain the benefit of minimal deaths caused by COVID19 when compared to China, Europe and America.
COVID19 pandemic has made Australians stop and re-evaluate their life, as well as many people are working less outside the home. I’ve received emails from businesses & companies wishing me a “Happy Easter” compared to previous “happy holidays.” I’ve seen plenty of advertising within on-line news about churches conducting their services on-line, so I’m praying that people will feel free to connect. My Anglican church has advertised for the first time its on-line services to our Anglican school community. Christians have a hope of eternal life with Christ Jesus and this is the opposite of the COVID19 and abortion pandemics which have caused horrible physical death. There isn’t a government within this physical world that can control the conscience of an Orthodox Christian because God’s children understand the real truth about life, as well as real freedom. Therefore, I am hopeful that God’s Kingdom will come and we’re not to live in fear.
Great article Bill, spot on! You are one of the few willing to face the truth.
The ‘virus statistics for Australia, released every day by the Health Dept, show that present measures have defeated this disease, in Australia anyway. Reported cases for yesterday were 46 (for whole of Oz) and the day before were 12. More than half the cases reported in Australia have now recovered. Our leaders must know this so why do we need another full month of draconian restrictions? To destroy our economy and freedom totally? Maybe!
It appears to me that those who watch TV and the mainstream media swallow all that is being fed to them.
Thanks David.
Some of the people remind me of a quote by Frank Burns: Unless we each conform, unless we obey orders, unless we follow our leaders blindly, there is no possible way we can remain free.