As a scientist and a member of the healing arts, I’ve been distressed about the “fake news” for a number of years, but even more distressed recently since lives are at stake.

As of this morning there have been 172,120 deaths worldwide that were contributed to by the COVID-19 virus and 40,316 in the United States. It is presumed that there was community spread in the U.S., so 40,316 people reached out to someone else, infecting them with COVID-19 and causing their death. Even worse, we may never know if we were one of those people who infected someone else.

There is a balance between big federal government and state sovereignty as well as a balance between the need for cautious public health actions like social distancing and the desire to keep people employed. It is a balancing act, and even with clear cut information that is non-political, these are hard decisions that every elected official, business owner, and individual needs to make.

I understand that there is a lot we don’t know, but the “fake news” has taken on a sinister note with unproven (and dangerous) drug combinations being promoted as miracle cures, or vans setting up “rapid testing” in parking lots with unknown test kits.

My reading yesterday in The Good Book Club struck home. It was from Matthew 7:15-20 and talked about true and false prophets. Even back in the early days of the church, we had charlatans who were quick to pretend omnipotence and omniscience, when instead these “prophets” are to be feared and avoided.

I’m on the side of the scientists who provide guidance on what they know, and admit what they don’t. They are the “good trees” that bear the good fruit.

The tough part today is identifying the “bad trees.”

Matthew 7:15-20:  “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

Blessings, my friend,
Agatha