We are living in an unprecedented time in world history. The COVID-19 pandemic at the beginning of 2020 sent the whole world into a tailspin as it tried to come to terms with this strange virus. No one was expecting what would transpire as the months passed. There were confusing calls from governments at first that masks were useless to ward against COVID-19, that it was racist to stop flights coming from Wuhan, China where the virus was believed to have originated, only later to change course and call for the need to wear masks. We were told that it would take 2 weeks to flatten the curve of COVID infections, and those 2 weeks later turned into a month, and then several months, and now almost a year later, we are still in the alleged throes of this virus. The most destructive aspect of this virus has been the repeated lockdowns by the government that have resulted in disastrous consequences which are not generally reported by the mainstream media. In addition to all this, we have witnessed the abusive overreach and purge by the big tech giants such as Facebook, Twitter, Apple, Amazon, and YouTube. They have taken upon themselves the right to control social media, censor views they don’t like, and de-platform those conservative voices that are deemed “offensive” and “hateful”.

The most destructive aspect of this virus has been the repeated lockdowns by the government that have resulted in disastrous consequences which are not generally reported by the mainstream media.

The mainstream media has also selectively chosen what they wish the public to hear and will even distort facts to advance their own agenda. Much like the official newspaper of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Pravda (ironically, the Russian word for “truth”), the mainstream media has become at best, a propaganda vehicle to present their version of “truth,” and truth is whatever the government tells you to believe with the help of the media. Consider the fact that the mainstream media of Canada has been virtually bought off by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to the tune of 600 million dollars, a point Trudeau personally admitted and gloated about at a Parliamentary Press Dinner address in 2019.[1] Another jarring point is that the Trudeau government sides with the big tech social media companies in restricting other views they deem contemptuous. It is therefore no surprise that Trudeau and his Liberal party are moving in the direction of censoring social media in Canada.

In light of all this, it is no surprise that people generally have become extremely wary of what the media tells them, but more significantly, it has created an atmosphere of doubt and confusion. Who is telling us the truth? Is there such a thing as truth? Like Pilate who interrogated Jesus after His brutal scourging, many find themselves asking the same question, “What is truth?” (John 18:38). The Leftist media has a narrative to tell, and any rival views and opinions are dismissed as “far right” and bigoted, and they will do all within their power to silence and censor dissenting voices. Canadians and those in the West are being lulled to sleep and mesmerized to depend on the government for everything, whether it be a proposed basic income for all across the board, or to follow whatever the government and its appointed medical doctors say regarding COVID-19. Truth does not matter here.

This has been evident in the way that medical professionals with data and facts on hand, obtained from both Health Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Health, have been silenced and suppressed. They have argued that the COVID pandemic has being highly exaggerated and has become a fear mongering tool in the government’s hand. There have been voices in government that have opposed Ontario’s lockdowns such as MPP Roman Baber, who in a letter to Ontario Premier Doug Ford wrote, “The lockdown isn’t working. It’s causing an avalanche of suicides, overdoses, bankruptcies, divorces and takes an immense toll on our children. Dozens of leading doctors implored you to end the lockdowns.”[2] Baber goes on to note in his letter that, “Approximately 3,500 (70%) of all Ontarians who died were over age 80. While we mourn every death, only 200 people or 4% of all deaths were under age 60 and ZERO children died from COVID in Ontario.” The numbers according to Baber and the claim that hospitals are overwhelmed with COVID cases just do not seem to add up. He writes, “Today, there are 385 COVID ICU patients, that’s less than one patient per Ontario’s 492 hospitals. Risk can be minimized with transfers and good management. Urban area hospitals are always above capacity at this time of year” (italics mine). The mental health and the well-being of our children, he notes, is being impacted by unnecessary lockdowns. He fears that children will develop anxiety disorders and become disconnected towards the normalcy of life. He bases all his figures on facts obtained from federal and provincial sources. What was Ford’s reaction to Baber’s letter? He removed him from the caucus. [3] In a tweet, Baber stated, “Look at the data — the virus is real but the crisis is mostly in LTC (long-term care). Let’s focus on LTC & hospital capacity, but ending the Lockdown is best for our health.”[4] Even the former Ontario Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Richard Schabas agrees with Roman Baber and forwarded a letter to Premier Doug Ford arguing that lockdowns are not supported by the science in curbing COVID. [5] I suspect that Dr. Schabas’ words will similarly fall on deaf ears.

Religious places of worship like churches have also faced systemic lockdowns where the regular gathering of Christian believers has been seriously affected. While big box stores like Costco, Walmart, Home Depot, the LCBO, and even the Dollar Store are deemed “essential” by the Ontario government, churches are not. There is something seriously wrong with this picture, to argue that a store that sells alcoholic beverages is deemed essential. In all likelihood it actually poses a serious threat of increased alcohol consumption which can lead to drunk driving and other related accidents, especially now due to an increase in despair and depression brought about by job losses and marital breakdowns. A personal friend who has family relatives that are first responders (medical professionals and law enforcement) shared how police are frequently being called to the location of a suicide or attempted suicide in numbers never-before experienced. He noted that the same is being reported by nurses and doctors in hospital emergency rooms. Who are the ones who suffer the consequences of these lockdowns? The poor, small businesses, students, and those who are financially struggling including those who struggle with mental health issues. I have heard this first-hand from people who shared their struggles with me in a pastoral context.

Since the pandemic, many have had the luxury of being paid to ‘work from home’ with full benefits, some for almost a year. Sadly, some who enjoy this luxury will be the same ones who will virtue signal about staying safe and staying at home, or will champion phrases like “we are all in this together” when in fact we are not. We have forgotten our neighbour who depends on a pay-cheque-to-pay-cheque income (with no benefits) in order to survive and feed their families, and who are losing their jobs due to lockdowns. We are told to “love our neighbour…therefore wear a mask,” when they have, in actual fact, butchered that biblical command and changed God’s Word. The command to love your neighbor as yourself, points away from yourself to the ‘other,’ to love the other one first, and think of their predicament and need. Wearing a mask and staying at home is not going to financially provide for them. We have become selfish in trying to save our own lives and have forgotten the Master’s words, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mk. 8:35).

The command to love your neighbor as yourself, points away from yourself to the ‘other,’ to love the other one first, and think of their predicament and need. Wearing a mask and staying at home is not going to financially provide for them.

Why would an entire Province like Ontario have to shut down due to a virus which Health Canada shows has an over 99% recovery rate if you are under 70 years of age?[6] Did we ever witness any shut downs, or wearing masks on a mass global scale when we had SARS, H1N1 (swine flu), or Ebola? These inconsistencies raise suspicion.

The picture we see today in our society and the West is described best by George Orwell in his classic novel 1984 where he writes:

“There will be no curiosity, no enjoyment of the process of life. All competing pleasures will be destroyed…always there will be the intoxication of power, constantly increasing and constantly growing subtler… trampling on an enemy who is helpless. If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face— forever.”

Orwell goes on to write the following ominous words in almost prophetic fashion that, “walking in the streets, having fun, singing, dancing, getting together, everything was forbidden”. How did we arrive at such a time as this, where truth has thrown to the wayside? The reason truth has been debased in our society, indeed in the West, is because at the root level, we as a nation have turned our backs on God. While we assert in the preamble to the Canadian Constitution Act (1982) that “Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law,” we have found and experienced these words to be hollow. Canada has reproached the King of heaven, it has committed high treason against the Triune Majesty, it has spurned His law, and when this happens, Scripture shows men will call good evil, and evil good (Is. 5:20-25), and the end result is that, “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Ps. 9:17, KJV). When people forget the knowledge of God, they are destroyed (Hos. 4:6). There is mass confusion in our country and deep mistrust in government and the media, there is a loss of direction and purpose, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Prov. 29:18, KJV). There is no truth and consistency in the land, and I tremble when I read these words, “because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thess. 2:10-12).

We who are followers of Him who claimed, “I am the way and the truth” (John 14:6), should be lovers and champions of truth. Truth matters, and it doesn’t care about your feelings or your subjective opinions. It is objective because it is grounded in the immutable Triune God of Scripture in whose image we are made. The Christian position should always be ‘truth over power’. In our day and age as the tentacles of Socialism and Cultural Marxism reach out into our governments, educational institutions, and alas, even our churches, their motto is ‘power over truth’. They don’t care about truth. This is evident in the West’s approval of the slaughter of the unborn, redefining gender identity and sexuality, demolishing the biblical definition of marriage and so on. The unregenerate heart hates God (Rom. 1:30). The psalmist David asked, “if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Ps. 11:3). We need to stand for truth, and follow Him who is the truth. The world hated Him, and hung Him on a cross between heaven and earth, and He reminds us, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18).

Truth matters, and it doesn’t care about your feelings or your subjective opinions.

We should not be surprised at the vitriol that is thrown at us. Christ’s true followers will be persecuted for His sake and cause (2 Tim. 3:12), and Jesus says you are blessed when this happens (Mt. 5:10-12). Persecution is the common lot of all God’s people throughout history. God is still on His throne and He is our refuge in times of trouble (Ps. 46:1), and we have the promise of our King that His church will continue to be built, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against her (Mt. 16:18). Victory is assured, Christ has won the battle, and He will win the war and be universally recognized as Lord of all. We need to be reminded of the sovereignty of God that He is working all things for the good of His people, to those called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). Even in the midst of the darkness His light shines and it can never be overcome (John 1:9). Let us be faithful to the end, and proclaim His truth, for it is the truth that will set people free (John 8:32). Let us remain focused on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12:2), who has promised His abiding presence to be with us always, even until the end of the age (Mt. 28:20).

Victory is assured, Christ has won the battle, and He will win the war and be universally recognized as Lord of all.

Sources

[1] See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpY9vJuLmxU (accessed January 19, 2021).

[2] https://www.healthing.ca/news/provincial/lockdown-isnt-working-ford-caucus-member-breaks-rank-to-speak-out/wcm/4a03e5cf-2e8c-4ddf-b17d-c706003b1885 (accessed January 20, 2021).

[3] https://globalnews.ca/news/7578229/roman-baber-ontario-mpp-lockdown-coronavirus-letter-doug-ford/ (accessed January 20, 2021). Interestingly, when former Ontario Minister of Finance Rod Phillips was caught vacationing in St. Bart’s over the Christmas holidays and staged a fake video to make it appear he was in his Ontario home, Premier Doug Ford fired him when he returned to Canada, but kept him in the caucus, but removed Mr. Baber from the caucus.

[4] https://twitter.com/Roman_Baber/status/1350039239090601984 (accessed January 20, 2021).

[5] https://torontosun.com/news/provincial/former-ontario-chief-medical-officer-sides-with-roman-baber-on-lockdowns (accessed January 21, 2021).

[6] See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgkOTk9cNDo (accessed January 20, 2021).