The Mysterious Coronavirus Spreading Worldwide

[Bob]

On 5/22/2020 at 5:47 PM, Loopy said:

Looks like it’s definite now. Our CO visit will be ZOOMED. Visit is June 2 thru June  7. 
 

Govenor of Michigan extended the “Safer at Home” order till June 12.
 

 

 

https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/content/news/Gov-Whitmer-extends-Safer-at-Home-order-through-June-12-570703681.html?fbclid=IwAR1Dj38Ik_EK5eYAPnYs41Fbh-YCPq0EHrzzmxDZdZhBNj6ndBZqCTk_1pI
 

LANSING, Mich. (Press Release) - Friday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-100 to extend Michigan’s Safer at Home order until June 12, 2020. The governor’s order also protects Michiganders from the spread of COVID-19 by extending the temporary closure of certain places of public accommodation such as theaters, gyms, and casinos. 
 

The governor also signed Executive Order 2020-99 to extend the state of emergency declaration related to the COVID-19 pandemic, which was upheld by Judge Cynthia Stephens on May 21, 2020. Since COVID-19 was first discovered in Michigan, Governor Whitmer has taken swift action to protect Michigan families and workers. The governor’s aggressive measures are working, but there is still more to be done. For instance, cases in some counties in Western and Mid-Michigan are now doubling approximately every 10 days. 

 

To continue to protect Michigan families from both the public health and economic impacts of the virus, and to lower the chance of a second wave, the governor’s emergency declaration is extended until June 19, 2020.

 

LOL - what a joke. So she allows us to gather in groups of 10 (knowing this allows people to leave their homes to gather) but she extends the “stay home” order?

 

Its not a “stay home” order - it’s really a “stay closed” order to the small businesses that are being railroaded unnecessarily now. 

 

 

[AH173]

4 hours ago, Shawnster said:

Why not?  I wear mask at work and talk to customers.  I don't understand why it would be impossible to wear a mask in the ministry 

A mask, to me isn't the problem. To me its the  unknown effects of SARS-covid-2. Just think... our elderly brothers and sisters., our young ones(in some cases infants) in the ministry.

 

And the asymptomatic nature of the transmission of the disease, the unknown of surface transmission, the microscopic droplets and the overall fear (and perception) of the disease would caution the FDS of deciding on when public witnessing is an option.

 

I don't mind this phase of the ministry. I am adapting to it. And I think that Jehovah and Jesus have work to do even during a pandemic. 

[AH173]

And for reasons like this:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/23/us/missouri-hairstylist-coronavirus-trnd/index.html

 

 

[Bob]

1 hour ago, AH173 said:

the microscopic droplets and the overall fear (and perception) of the disease would caution the FDS of deciding on when public witnessing is an option.

I think this is the key point, brother. Unknowns combined with fear is a bad recipe. I don't think its advisable to come to a stranger's house with a mask on. I wouldn't open the door to a masked person myself unless I invited them.

 

So I don't personally foresee a "masked ministry". 

 

[GoldAussieGirl]

15 minutes ago, Bob said:

I think this is the key point, brother. Unknowns combined with fear is a bad recipe. I don't think its advisable to come to a stranger's house with a mask on. I wouldn't open the door to a masked person myself unless I invited them.

 

So I don't personally foresee a "masked ministry". 

 

I agree. I think people will feel uncomfortable and object to us being there. Let’s be honest, most didn’t want us at their door before Covid. 
 

Either way the preaching work will go on but I do think it might be a while before we go back to door to door. If ever. 
 

Are any of our brothers in other countries still doing door to door? 

Edited May 24, 2020 by shans81
Spelling error

[Bob]

2 minutes ago, shans81 said:

I agree. I think people will feel uncomfortable and object to us being there. Let’s be honest, most didn’t want us at their door before Covid. 
 

Either way the preaching work will go on but I do think it might be a while before we go back to door to door. If ever. 
 

Are any of our brothers in other countries still doing door to door? 

Agree. They sure didn't want us there. God forbid someone gets covid after coincidentally accepting our visit and trying to sue the organization for "spreading covid". So the GB will carefully consider the issue. 

[Tbs77]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/basketball-legend-patrick-ewing-hospitalized-after-testing-positive-coronavirus-n1213496

Basketball legend Patrick Ewing hospitalized after testing positive for coronavirus

[Shawnster]

1 hour ago, shans81 said:

Are any of our brothers in other countries still doing door to door? 

No. The formal ministry has been suspended worldwide.  Likewise, all public meetings have been suspended worldwide. 

[GoldAussieGirl]

9 minutes ago, Shawnster said:

No. The formal ministry has been suspended worldwide.  Likewise, all public meetings have been suspended worldwide. 

Thanks, I thought so but wasn’t 100% sure 

[pnutts]

Baptist church in Germany held meeting May 1st following guidelines yet a few dozen got the virus. On BBC news app. 👀

[Old]

49 minutes ago, pnutts said:

Baptist church in Germany held meeting May 1st following guidelines yet a few dozen got the virus. On BBC news app. 👀

??? 

[Amygdala]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52786242

[Old]

3 minutes ago, Lieblingskind said:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52786242

Yes, what are you posting? Why should we go there not knowing what is on the other end. 

A little preview would be appreciated.

Edited May 24, 2020 by Old

[Tortuga]

1 hour ago, pnutts said:

Baptist church in Germany held meeting May 1st following guidelines yet a few dozen got the virus. On BBC news app. 👀

 

11 minutes ago, Lieblingskind said:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52786242

Thanks for the link.

[Old]

4 minutes ago, Bro Richard said:

 

Thanks for the link.

To what?

[Mykyl]

2 hours ago, Old said:

To what?

Bro Richard put it together in his post. 

The link and the preview you requested.

[Hotteok]

This virus won’t end... it won’t just go away. It still stay with man.

But schools are still opening up and so are the businesses.

Yet FDS won’t let JW gather together until they are convinced COVID is over, which won’t be over ever. 

Which means we might continue to have meetings thorough zoom...

Which is in itself a test of faith. 

Whoever stays with JW throughout this period of test may be worthy of deliverance.

 

And two, maybe this is how the world might completely forget about us and go on destroying other religions.

Then we show up with our hailstone msgs, after which they try to destroy us too, after which Armageddon strikes them.

[ChocoBro]

1 hour ago, Tryin'SoHardToBeSpiritual said:

This virus won’t end... it won’t just go away. It still stay with man.

But schools are still opening up and so are the businesses.

Yet FDS won’t let JW gather together until they are convinced COVID is over, which won’t be over ever

This is entirely misleading. Corona has been around since the dawn of humanity. In fact my wife and I had a Corona infection just last December.

 

Once the major impact of an epidemic is over with, a certain level of herd immunity and cross immunities create an environment where the virus no longer has the amount of hosts it needs to continue to spread. Cross immunity is pretty much what we are seeing with the high amount of asymptomatic carriers. Their immune system is keeping the Corona in check because of immunity to a similar strain. 

 

And again, the scientific community is coming up with more and more promising methods of treating patients with more severe symptoms, all sorts of things from reducing the inflammation (in many cases overraction by neutrophiles and T-helper cells causes more damage than the virus or bacteria) to better oxygenation (intubation seems to be one of the major mistakes that caused such a high death rate in Italy), along with a lot of other interesting concepts. From natural remedies like CBD to HIV medication, they have all sorts of promising methods of treatment. 

 

What people need to understand is that there is no point in buying exclusively into the pessimistic narrative of the media. Oh no, life will never be the same again! Oh no, immunity against Covid19 is not possible! Oh no, the vaccine may take until 2022, oh no, the vaccine may not even help!

 

If we pass this on to people having trouble coping due to mental health issues and they commit suicide because of their inability to cope, would that not also make us bloodguilty?

 

Fact is, the depression epidemic is going to be as bad or worse than Corona, but it will mostly affect young people and not people in their 80ies who already have one or two severe physical health issues. 

Edited May 24, 2020 by ChocoBro

[ChocoBro]

15 hours ago, Snority said:

 If we do not and we unknowingly give someone covid and that person died, the elders asked, 'might we be held blood guilty in Jehovah's eyes?'

 

 

I really don't know what to think about this. I remember how during the normal days, brothers would come to the meeting with a cold and just shrug it off and say "it's not so bad". 

 

Now, we are suddenly responsible for getting others sick with a disease we don't even know we have?

 

No, no bloodguilt there at all, especially since social distancing and masks only slightly reduce risks. It is still a plague.

 

Now knowingly going places while exhibiting symptoms of a cold is a different matter. But then again, how often have I had a slight cough or an itchy throat in the past months, simply because I was in the cold wind too long?

 

Sorry, let's not go overboard here. To blame somebody for potentially having infected another person with a sickness unknowingly has nothing to do with bloodguilt. Otherwise, anybody who ever passed the flu on to somebody that died from the flu was bloodguilty. The Bible makes no such claim. 

 

This is totally the type of worldly, overboard mentality that is driving my crazy at the moment, and I am not going along with it!!

 

EDIT: I just thought of how Israel was struck with a plague because of David's disobedience concerning the census..... thousands died. Who was responsible? Not the thousands that passed it around to each other.. it was David himself, the people only suffered the consequences of his incompetence in making that decision. Not only did David disobey the command not to carry out a census, he even preferred a quick and deadly plague over the idea of personally being persecuted again. 

Edited May 24, 2020 by ChocoBro

[GraceH]

34 minutes ago, ChocoBro said:

 

What people need to understand is that there is no point in buying exclusively into the pessimistic narrative of the media. Oh my God, life will never be the same again! Oh my God, immunity against Covid19 is not possible! Oh my God, the vaccine may take until 2022, oh my God, the vaccine may not even help!

 

Hi ChoBro. I like some of your comments but I think you may want to edit the bits I have underlined above. I understand the context of your comment (lol) but I think some of us may find use of those words offensive when it comes to considering the use of the word 'God' in a throwaway context - “You must not take up the name of Jehovah your God in a worthless way, for Jehovah will not leave the one unpunished who takes up his name in a worthless way.”—Ex. 20:7. https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101970613#h=3

 

I always use omg - oh my goodness.

Edited May 24, 2020 by GraceH

[JennyM]

3 hours ago, Tryin'SoHardToBeSpiritual said:

This virus won’t end... it won’t just go away. It still stay with man.

But schools are still opening up and so are the businesses.

Yet FDS won’t let JW gather together until they are convinced COVID is over, which won’t be over ever. 

Which means we might continue to have meetings thorough zoom...

Which is in itself a test of faith. 

Whoever stays with JW throughout this period of test may be worthy of deliverance.

 

And two, maybe this is how the world might completely forget about us and go on destroying other religions.

Then we show up with our hailstone msgs, after which they try to destroy us too, after which Armageddon strikes them.

Bethel warwick said we just don't know what  will this pandemic lead. 

[Ms. Piffle]

4 hours ago, ChocoBro said:

I really don't know what to think about this. I remember how during the normal days, brothers would come to the meeting with a cold and just shrug it off and say "it's not so bad". 

 

Now, we are suddenly responsible for getting others sick with a disease we don't even know we have?

 

No, no bloodguilt there at all, especially since social distancing and masks only slightly reduce risks. It is still a plague.

 

Now knowingly going places while exhibiting symptoms of a cold is a different matter. But then again, how often have I had a slight cough or an itchy throat in the past months, simply because I was in the cold wind too long?

 

Sorry, let's not go overboard here. To blame somebody for potentially having infected another person with a sickness unknowingly has nothing to do with bloodguilt. Otherwise, anybody who ever passed the flu on to somebody that died from the flu was bloodguilty. The Bible makes no such claim. 

 

This is totally the type of worldly, overboard mentality that is driving my crazy at the moment, and I am not going along with it!!

 

I was quoting what was passed on to our congregregation by our elders and CO.  The point they were making is if we choose to go out in public without taking the recommended precautions, we could be asymptomatic, pass covid to someone else, and that person could die. We have all been told by the governing body that as Jehovah's people we should be obeying the superior authorities including WHO, CDC, but not only the guidelines but also the spirit behind the guidelines.  So by not social distancing and wearing masks in public, we are choosing to not comply with the superior  authorities, and in turn not obeying Jehovah.  So IF because of our Disobedience we were to pass covid unknowingly to someone, we were asked, " might we be blood guilty in Jehovah's eyes? "

 

Our elders have been reminding us that although the world is opening back up and easing some of the restrictions, we as Jehovahs people have not been asked to do so yet.  Also reminded us that our obedience now during this time may very well prove to be getting us ready for obeying instructions  during the GT.

 

You said, "This is totally the type of worldly, overboard mentality that is driving my crazy at the moment, and I am not going along with it!!" 

                 I'm sorry you feel this way brother.  This came straight from our CO and from our elders.  

Edited May 24, 2020 by Snority

[BenJepthah]

5 hours ago, Tryin'SoHardToBeSpiritual said:

 

And two, maybe this is how the world might completely forget about us and go on destroying other religions.

Then we show up with our hailstone msgs, after which they try to destroy us too, after which Armageddon strikes them.

That IS an interesting thought.

[Ms. Piffle]

20 minutes ago, Snority said:

 

*

Edited May 24, 2020 by Snority

[Bob]

4 hours ago, ChocoBro said:

This is entirely misleading. Corona has been around since the dawn of humanity. In fact my wife and I had a Corona infection just last December.

 

Once the major impact of an epidemic is over with, a certain level of herd immunity and cross immunities create an environment where the virus no longer has the amount of hosts it needs to continue to spread. Cross immunity is pretty much what we are seeing with the high amount of asymptomatic carriers. Their immune system is keeping the Corona in check because of immunity to a similar strain. 

 

And again, the scientific community is coming up with more and more promising methods of treating patients with more severe symptoms, all sorts of things from reducing the inflammation (in many cases overraction by neutrophiles and T-helper cells causes more damage than the virus or bacteria) to better oxygenation (intubation seems to be one of the major mistakes that caused such a high death rate in Italy), along with a lot of other interesting concepts. From natural remedies like CBD to HIV medication, they have all sorts of promising methods of treatment. 

 

What people need to understand is that there is no point in buying exclusively into the pessimistic narrative of the media. Oh no, life will never be the same again! Oh no, immunity against Covid19 is not possible! Oh no, the vaccine may take until 2022, oh no, the vaccine may not even help!

Totally agree with this entire point. Doomsaying sells right now. Asymptomatic carries are often demonized as "silent spreaders" which is nothing more than a stigma. It helps to think about it this way: not only do they confer immunity as you say, but it shows the death rate is significantly lower than people play it up to be.