christianity/religio ns and covid 19

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

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

says it all.
no humility from christian leaders.

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!

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.

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.

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..

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.

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.

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

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 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 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.

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.