Pastor’s notes, May 2020 2020 Enough Information
I am going to borrow from the Newsletter in March before trekking into the arena of information. The previous newsletters dealt with what is wrong and what is right with the world. And as we are now ordered to remain in our homes due to the COVID19 situation, you may again wonder if the world is okay or not. As I talk to folks and watch the news stories, I get the sense that folks are leaning toward the “What is WRONG” end of the scale.
The mind that focuses only on what is wrong will leave out seeing the good. When a person fails to see the good, she or he is bound to fall into what Martin Luther called being led into false belief or despair. If you keep looking for what is wrong, then you will probably fall into despair. You will certainly miss the good.
While taking stock of the situation we are in, I find folks being frustrated with all sorts of things and one of the main reasons they give is information. This may be my personal bias, but as one who delights in mathematics and associated statistical matters (have I lost you already?) I find myself wanting more information.
Without getting into the minutia of what we are going through, I see the daily broadcasts covering the latest reports by the President and the Governor. What I hear leaves me wanting less and more.
I want less of their speculations and sermonizing (imagine me speaking against sermons!) and wanting more cold hard facts. I simply want to know if things are getting better or worse based on hard statistics.
Examples: Are less people getting sick than yesterday?
What percentage of those getting sick are being hospitalized?
What percentage of those being hospitalized for COVID19 are in critical Condition?
What percentage of those in critical condition end up dying?
Of the total number of those diagnosed (this part really bothers me, they just keep adding up those who have gotten the virus, but never report how many are now well) how many are now well?
Then all these same questions applied to specifically Allegheny County
Then, and here I confess my self-centeredness, all these same questions applied to McCandless and Ross townships.
It is from these hard numbers can we get an answer as to how much we should panic. But, of course, you know there are those who like to report accurately, those who desire to govern rightly and those who would like to keep you riveted to the screen because ratings translate into profits and some politicians desire power. Wouldn’t it be nice to hear straight talk that describes the situation concisely? The one place I can turn to has been before us all along; God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him will not perish, but have everlasting life. That is straightforward. I can rely on that.
I am going to borrow from the Newsletter in March before trekking into the arena of information. The previous newsletters dealt with what is wrong and what is right with the world. And as we are now ordered to remain in our homes due to the COVID19 situation, you may again wonder if the world is okay or not. As I talk to folks and watch the news stories, I get the sense that folks are leaning toward the “What is WRONG” end of the scale.
The mind that focuses only on what is wrong will leave out seeing the good. When a person fails to see the good, she or he is bound to fall into what Martin Luther called being led into false belief or despair. If you keep looking for what is wrong, then you will probably fall into despair. You will certainly miss the good.
While taking stock of the situation we are in, I find folks being frustrated with all sorts of things and one of the main reasons they give is information. This may be my personal bias, but as one who delights in mathematics and associated statistical matters (have I lost you already?) I find myself wanting more information.
Without getting into the minutia of what we are going through, I see the daily broadcasts covering the latest reports by the President and the Governor. What I hear leaves me wanting less and more.
I want less of their speculations and sermonizing (imagine me speaking against sermons!) and wanting more cold hard facts. I simply want to know if things are getting better or worse based on hard statistics.
Examples: Are less people getting sick than yesterday?
What percentage of those getting sick are being hospitalized?
What percentage of those being hospitalized for COVID19 are in critical Condition?
What percentage of those in critical condition end up dying?
Of the total number of those diagnosed (this part really bothers me, they just keep adding up those who have gotten the virus, but never report how many are now well) how many are now well?
Then all these same questions applied to specifically Allegheny County
Then, and here I confess my self-centeredness, all these same questions applied to McCandless and Ross townships.
It is from these hard numbers can we get an answer as to how much we should panic. But, of course, you know there are those who like to report accurately, those who desire to govern rightly and those who would like to keep you riveted to the screen because ratings translate into profits and some politicians desire power. Wouldn’t it be nice to hear straight talk that describes the situation concisely? The one place I can turn to has been before us all along; God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him will not perish, but have everlasting life. That is straightforward. I can rely on that.