Two sides to every story? Or just one?

Vending machine selling face masks and hand sanitiser

This will probably please nobody...

It seems to me that at the moment in the UK there are two camps. 

There are the Covid19 deniers. I'm sorry, but at the moment it is as if even the conspiracy theorists have gone nasty. You used to be so sweet, so free in thought. Now it is all so cruel in debate. That's not free thought is it? But, you are getting demonised and are not in power, so you have an excuse.

The second camp are the freedom deniers. All is peachy with them. Some are thriving. To them, the BBC tell the truth. The Government are only trying their very best. The NHS are nothing less than angels. The Queen is surely in 24/7 prayer for us all.

In this camp, it is 'socially illegal' to question. You would have thought that the greatest argument for this camp would be that not taking the vaccine is a kind of ignorance. Nope. It's largely just about shutting down any discussion or debate. Not clever.

Clearly, neither side will work together. Which is a bit of a shame, because the 'coronavirus deniers' do have some rather good points at times, concerning the way in which the vaccine has been rolled out so quickly and about the way in which discussions are going on in Government. And concerning granting greater access or travel rights to those who take the vaccine and restricting those who do not. And yes, concerning the precedents which are being set for the future.

It seems to me that both sides in this polarised debate are in denial. The alternative thinkers say that when you look into it, the entire pandemic is not actually so bad. And the majority seem to be entirely in denial about the unprecedented restrictions in freedoms and the knock-on economic and social aspects of the Government edicts.

It is not unusual to hear people, out and about, complaining about other people out and about. Put a post on Facebook showing how everyone is not obeying the rules (whilst outside, taking the photo or video). We basically have zero self awareness. Of course, I am only speaking for myself.

The most worrying thing is that both freedom of thought and freedom of expression have been so oppressed during this. It is, as they say, life and death

This is not a prison camp. There should be no thought crime. We are allowed to think freely and express thoughts freely. That is kind of important. Both camps should attempt to work together. But the established media has basically polarised all remaining debate and, in my opinion is currently at its worst since the death of Princess Diana. Specifically because Government rules are effectively repeated to us rather than questioned (on the whole). 

It is not unusual to wake and reasonably ask 'So what can't we do today?' But careful, even questions like this may not be allowed tomorrow.

What I think may be most worrying is that this blog comment post is coming from a moderate voice. In a way it is anodyne. And yet, even so, it appears entirely outrageous. That is a problem really isn't it? Something is not right. 

Clearly all is being done for the greater good - whatever other way of thinking could there be?

Of course I have generalised and simplified the situation in both society and media. And perhaps it is only people like myself who are in denial. But at least I know it. 

And THAT is the only difference.

Top ten reasons this is not the end of the world

Okay. Time for a new blog entry. I've been trying to write, but failing throughout much of the pandemic. I've only been brave enough to admit that I am afraid. Warning - this entry is dumbed down as my brain is slow at the moment...

I’m an armchair expert in eschatology from a Christian perspective. That is the study of the end of the world for newbies. It is something we should be interested in. And I've got good news and bad news..

Firstly, although this is not the end of the world, we are a little bit closer and the hope of leaving earth before the sun collapses, explodes or whatever it is expected to do, is not, in my opinion, going to happen. Similarly, we simply are not going to evolve into spiritual beings who escape death. Not going to happen. We are also unlikely to escape this sick planet onto another planet either. Not impossible, but unlikely....

Welcome to the good news, or Gospel as we call it. Can you sense my heaviness as I write? Everything is conspiring to stop me from writing this, but you have a right to know. So here’s the bad news first. There is probably much less time left than you think. That, as you know, is a dogmatic statement. I can’t possibly know can I? No-one knows do they? We may destroy the world with nukes or we may have millions of years left before we rip the planet apart. Well, you and I don’t have millions of years. The bad news is that we almost certainly have a lot less time left than most people think.

The pandemic is not the end of the world. It is a result of the fall (as in the Bible fall, the original curse). It just happens. I won't get into the theological stuff regarding who is to blame and why God allows suffering because the greatest minds have not been able to solve it satisfactorily. So I don't think some obscure blogger will either. And you are unlikely to be able to do so either. Sorry.

But here are your top ten reasons why this is not the end of the world, if you are into this kind of thing…  It is supposed to bring you a little peace, that there is hope for the children, should you have them...



1. The Jewish temple has not been rebuilt. Sorry, but that has to happen if it is the end of the world according to most of the Christian meta-narrative. And do you know how many prophecies have really been fulfilled in our lifetimes? One. Uno. The Jewish people returning to Israel. The rest of the prophecies have always been going on. And you know what? Those who believe in the rapture will tell you that it could happen at any moment. But it is extremely unlikely. Because even this debated event is based on other things happening first...

2. You’ve got to look very hard at the Biblical prophecies. Here is number two and it is debatable. Jesus said that the love of many will grow cold. It is debatable. But there is still love and mercy and despite our selfishness, people can be loving.

3. A bit of a biggy. Visit The Joshua Project, it's an online statistical analysis of the great commission (the only commissions some of us get). According to the prophecies given from Jesus and the prophets, the whole of the world must hear the gospel. Yeah, God loved the world so much that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him might basically make it through to Heaven. But according to our favourite stats, we are only about 60% through. So does this mean that we are more concerned about this great commission rather than the other signs? No. In fact, this really big fact is probably the most ignored sign. We don’t like it because it means there is a lot of work to do. And as many know, immantisising the eschaton is an actual thing. In layman's terms that means trying to bring about the end of the world.

4. You’ve got to go deep into internet territory to get this one. I will put two-in-one for fun. Apparently the Nile will dry up, according to scripture. It hasn’t but maybe it did once and wasn’t recorded. No religious leader tells you this stuff (Which is why I’m blowing the whistle). And the second? Damascus in Syria has to be destroyed. Sorry Damascus. Still going strong there though, despite a few hairy moments recently.

5. OMG the Sun will turn to sackcloth and the Moon to blood. This kind of speaks of more than just eclipses and blood moons. So, before we feel too smug, remember that the Sun and Moon are symbolic references to our parents, if the Bible is to interpret the Bible and blah blah blah. And the stars to our siblings. And the end of the world to our own deaths. But the prophecy is literal too.

6. 6. 6. Nice obscure one for your attention. In the apocrypha Maccabees says that the Ark of the Covenant will be found in the very last days. Apparently it was made of acacia wood. Not sure how it is supposed to survive but think Indiana Jones. For those interested, it seems likely to be hidden in the mountain ranges of Jordan somewhere. Good luck finding it.

7. Oh, I’m sorry, where does the antichrist happen to be? Not here for a start. Not Trump. Not the Pope. Ain't nowhere to be seen. There are a lot of nasty characters out there, but that's all. No-one is a particularly good contender at the moment for that dubious position. I have been taught that he will most likely be a politician.

8. Again, slightly obscure, according to prophecies, Israel has to prosper within history. No problem with that, but at the moment the country is in survival mode. Nice defence policy though. Buy New Israeli Shekels.

9. Hey, apparently there is a timeframe in which the Messiah, or the Christ has to appear. Jewish people largely reject Jesus so they are largely expecting a Messiah to appear before 2240. Do the math. That gives us 220 years. Hurrah? (I've just realised my maths is wrong even though I was in the top set at school and got a B)... Might not be the Messiah of course as it is doubtful we will get a better one than Jesus.

10. Oh, I don't know. There is no Season 4 of Stranger Things. Whatever. Could be anything. Fill in the blank.




Some of these are debatable. But if the temple gets rebuilt you have to run to the hills. The vaccine is not likely to be the mark of the beast despite what Kanye West may say. It's the arm, not the hand or forehead. But don't get too smug, governments have hinted at stopping travel for those who don't take the vaccine. That's not fair is it? It's freaky. It's weird. And by the way, the people who are getting demonised are those who are questioning. The demonised are not the ones in power. That's not normal. That's freaky.

Finally, don’t you think it is kind of funny that the end of the world just so happens to have come at the same time as the digital revolution where news and information is shared so instantly? Unless we are under Sod’s Law, we have a little more time. And no, non-believers, not so much time as to evolve and escape the earth on spaceships before the sun kills us all, blasting us into smithereens.


Think happy thoughts.