“When asked by Fox News' Peter Doocy about smash-and-grab thefts and whether it was because of COVID-19, Psaki responded, "I think the root cause in a lot of communities is the pandemic. Yes." https://www.foxnews.com/media/jesse-watters-comments-on-jen-psaki-turfing-blame-crime-coronavirus
“a: any of a large group of submicroscopic infectious agents that are usually regarded as nonliving extremely complex molecules, that typically contain a protein coat surrounding an RNA or DNA core of genetic material but no semipermeable membrane, that are capable of growth and multiplication only in living cells, and that cause various important diseases in humans, animals, and plants
also : FILTERABLE VIRUS
b: a disease or illness caused by a virus
c: the causative agent of an infectious disease” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/virus
Viruses attack the health of humans, they have no mechanism to control behavior.
Behavior is learned. Behaviorism is “a scientific approach to psychology in which the study is based on observable, quantifiable facts and not on subjective thoughts and emotions. In order to be objective and verifiable, the stimuli and responses have to be investigated further under controlled conditions. Most behaviorists agree that much of behavior is acquired through conditioning, and it is changed as an adaptive function. “ https://psychologydictionary.org/behaviorism/
Covid-19 is defined as “a mild to severe respiratory illness that is caused by a coronavirus (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 of the genus Betacoronavirus), is transmitted chiefly by contact with infectious material (such as respiratory droplets) or with objects or surfaces contaminated by the causative virus, and is characterized especially by fever, cough, and shortness of breath and may progress to pneumonia and respiratory failure
NOTE: While fever, cough, and shortness of breath are common symptoms of COVID-19, other symptoms may include fatigue, chills, body aches, headache, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/COVID-19 To say that Covid-19 is responsible for the thefts is lunacy. Why would a human being attribute an immoral choice on a virus incapable of making such a choice? Is the person who made this assertion incapable of discerning good from evil, or of understanding how and what viruses do? Is the person just blindly choosing to be irrational?
Psalm 111:10 New American Standard Bible 1995
“10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments;” For many people today this is a foreign concept. Many today choose to deny the existence of God. That is okay. God gave man free will. Over the course of history many have chosen to deny God. But, there are always consequences to our decisions. Contrary to the belief of many not everyone will inherit eternal life in the presence of God.
Matthew 7:15-23New American Standard Bible 1995
“15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will know them by their fruits.
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’”
If you do not acknowledge God and the atonement He provided through Jesus you will not live with God in eternity. Those that don’t accept the free gift of salvation through Jesus will be in eternal torment.
The world is changing very quickly.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 New American Standard Bible 1995
“3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.”
Exodus 20:15 New American Standard Bible 1995 “15 “You shall not steal.” Stealing according to Biblical truth is not permitted. If we say that Covid-19 caused people to rob, that means that no where within man is there a moral compass to tell us what is right and what is wrong. That means we are not responsible for our actions. “The Devil made me do it.” Charge the Devil with the thefts not me. I had no choice in the matter. And by the way let me out without bond if I should be arrested for stealing. Obviously, I am being sarcastic.
Human beings always have choices. God gave us free will. He will not impose His will on us. Jeremiah 17:9-11 New American Standard Bible 1995 9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? 10 “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds. 11 “As a partridge that hatches eggs which it has not laid, So is he who makes a fortune, but unjustly; In the midst of his days it will forsake him, And in the end he will be a fool.”
If society determines that individuals don’t need a moral compass, then anything goes and anything is permissible.
Today in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Seattle local governments are choosing to return felons to the street rather than have them confined to jail. These cities have talked about defunding the police and supporting rights of criminals over victims.
Isaiah 5:20-23 New American Standard Bible 1995
“20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes And clever in their own sight! 22 Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine And valiant men in mixing strong drink, 23 Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!”
Proverbs 12:20 New American Standard Bible 1995 “Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy.”
One can be deceitful to oneself as well as to others. Satan is the father of lies. John 8:44 New American Standard Bible 1995
“44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
Can you tell the difference between truth and deception?
Picture by Billy Huynh/unsplash