christianity/religio ns and covid 19

Christianity isn’t a centralised social service, it’s a membership organisation, and the same is true of other religions. Many of those out there doing volunteering, caring for their neighbours and supporting their communities have a religious faith. Many, many churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and gurdwaras, especially in rural areas, are at the centre of community life, organising support for local residents. If you want another stick to beat religion with, go ahead and whinge, but fortunately for you, kind people of all religions and none will probably still help to support you if you need it.

I would be very surprised if you could find any church who has not been working their socks off during this time. Every church I know has been ensuring the elderly or vulnerable are taken care of, helping with food donations to those in need etc etc. Maybe those who attend church just get on with things quietly, they don't shout about it and plaster it all over the media.

On top of that they have reorganised themselves to ensure that their congregations can all continue to gain support and fellowship through online services etc. Many churches have had a steep learning curve coping with new technology to benefit both their own congregations and the wider community.

They have also been praying for all those affected, and those working for our recovery from this situation.

I would also add that this applies to Christian, Sikh, Moslem, Jewish and any other denomination you wish to include.

I am inclined to agree that the Church of England could have taken a stronger lead, with a daily prayer on the BBC, after all we are still legally a Christian country. There could have been prayers for other faiths as well. We could have national church services streamed regularly too.

The churches have not been inactive, they are streaming services, having virtual cafes after services, the clergy still are available to their congregations, chaplains are still visiting on the front line.

But totally shutting the churches and banning even the clergy from going in seems to be a very strange response from the Archbishop of Canterbury when that was not a legal requirement. Streaming services from kitchens or gardens when congregations are longing to see 'their' church only makes the longing worse.
Of course members have been looking out for each other and anyone else they are aware of, that will never stop, but I do agree the Church hasn't handled this well.

I disagree B9exchange. I love the daily service from the gardens of the Deanery at Canterbury Cathedral and the lovely quiet and peaceful tones of the Dean. He comes over as knowledgeable in many things and have found his daily services interesting and restful. I think they try and vary the setting every day so that we have lovely trees and flowers to look at. If you want a view inside the Cathedral there is that too on the website. I agree with wildswan I think churches and other organisations, religious and otherwise have been working hard in this crisis. My neighbours church have allocated someone to phone her every week as she is on her own and offered other support too.

I'm not religious but surely your faith is carried within you and the actual building is irrelevant .I can see no great need for people of any religion to congregate to worship ,unless churches can install hand washingfacilities at the door and socail distancing regulations I cant see them opening their doors anytime soon

Amir Khan has been doing his bit as the Moslems are on their fasting programme. He and others have been dropping off food in their area of Manchester.

Red1, where was this article you read online - where did it come from, who wrote it? It’s all very well you making sweeping statements about a particular group but it is pretty meaningless when you don’t back it up with references for people to check for themselves.

Our local mosque has been quietly delivering thousands of home cooked ready meals to key workers and the needy without any self promotion whatsoever.

What have the christian churches been doing? Bullishly demanding access to wards that dont allow family to visit the sick so they can pray near the sick

true colours noted..

chaplains are still visiting on the front line.

Do you think thats fair?
I think its disgusting that my spiritual support, my family, cant visit me if I gey sick.
But Chaplains are insisting that their visits are a need
How is there any fairness there.

The muslim chaplains have not been demanding that their access to hospitals but are delivering means to the families at home waiting to hear news and meals to the doctors and nurses.

The Christian chaplains sense of self importance in this has been disgusting. Absolutely vomit inducing.

I think, notanan2 that you will find that there have been many, many groups of all religious persuasions (including Christians) and none doing sterling work during this pandemic. It’s very unfair to make sweeping generalisations about any group of people.

It was B9 actually who cited the christian chaplains who are still insisting on visiting when family can't.

Other denominations are acting in more humble, sensible and practical ways

How anyone can look at the Christian response Vs the responses of other religious groups and remain a supporter is beyond me!

Christians: people need our prayer
Other denominations: people need our help

says it all.
no humility from christian leaders.

Our neighbour (a vicar) has been busy shopping for vulnerable parishioners.

Could you give chapter and verse for those quotes and facts and articles, notanan and red1? I have not read them (but then, I am not particularly on the lookout for ammunition to fire at Christians , or at any other religion. You two seem to be either very anti all religion or else very specifically anti Christian )

It was B9 who cited christian chaplains going into no visitor zones Elgran

I just added that that is not a good, sensible, understanding or humble thing to do in the circumstances

My local church is very active in supporting the local community during this time. It is busy shopping, delivering food and working with other organisations to ensure that those on their own are receiving help and friendly phone calls. We have a phone service every Sunday and there are facilities for us to call up for chats on other days. The Parish committee regularly contacts Parishioners to see how they are. I understand that many churches are doing exactly the same.

Christians are there in the community, helping those who need help, volunteering when they can, believing that God is in control of all things. We pray regularly, hold 'virtual' services via Zoom and love to see the faces of our friends in the church. Above all, our aim is to glorify God through all things, even this pandemic and pray for those who have given their lives in caring for others.
Yes, church leaders could have been more active and there is always room to improve but our biggest weapon is prayer and it is to Him that we pray for courage and humility to get through this.
And yes, other religions are pro-active as well and we thank all those who have done what they can in their communities. Criticism of all faiths is nothing new!

Christian chaplains calling themselves keyworkers and visiting no visiting zones is a kick in the teeth to the sick, their families, and real keyworkers.

Prayer is not what is needed. Staying away if everyone else has to is whats needed.

So, red1 and notanan, are you condemning all practical projects and attitudes to helping by Christians during this crisis, on the evidence that you heard a few spiritual leaders saying in interviews that they will pray?

Do you condemn even the ones whose activities you have never heard about? They are not pursuing " any self promotion whatsoever." while they are "busy shopping, delivering food and working with other organisations to ensure that those on their own are receiving help and friendly phone calls." and while they get on with "ensuring the elderly or vulnerable are taken care of, helping with food donations to those in need"

In between they also pray, as do members of other faiths.

It is perhaps, more newsworthy for the media to mention that mosques and gurdwaras are doing all these things, because they take it for granted that churches do them. Other faiths are just that - "other" - and possibly run by foreigners and such people, who the media don't really think of as doing things for Brits.

Thank you, notanan.

It is perhaps, more newsworthy for the media to mention that mosques and gurdwaras are doing all these things

It has not been in the news. It has not been promoted at all. We know about it through word of mouth from the needy.

Meanwhile while all that quiet real work is going on, christians are loudly declaring themselves keyworkers are barging into closed wards.

How many Christians did that?