I find an odd dichotomy in those who fervently claim that (Christian) religion must be used and upheld in America to make laws (while ignoring the separation of church and state) while also claiming that their individual freedoms are being impugned by mask and vaccination laws. Now, I read the Bible quite a long time ago, but hearing and seeing people proclaiming these two disparate resolutions made me think, "Didn't the Bible have something about the common good and welfare of many? Wasn't Jesus wholly on the side of the greater good?" A small sampling of what I found:
Isaiah 56:1
God's Message: "Guard my common good: Do what's right and do it in the right way, For salvation is just around the corner, my setting-things-right is about to go into action.
Jeremiah 29:7
Seek the welfare of the city ... for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
Philippians 2:3-4
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.
Romans 12:5
So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another
Matthew 25:31-46
The entire parable of the Sheep and the Goats is all about doing for the common good. Jesus specifically teaches that those who feed, clothe, and administer to the sick (et al) in His name will reach Heaven and those who do not will be cast down to Hell.
1 Corinthians 12:12-14
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.
There are a wealth more quotes. I mean, the New Testament portion of the Bible seems to me to be primarily about working for the greater, common good and against selfishness. It seems to me like the people who profess their abiding Christianity should be promoting mask-wearing and vaccination for the good of the many. Of course, those who are using faith-based attacks on masks and vaccines seem to also have a hard time remembering any parts of the Bible when asked. Maybe there is a correlation?
