We Are Living the Ten Commandments Movie — Wouldn’t You Think We Could See What’s Coming?
A Question of Faith
I remember watching The Ten Commandments movie when I was a kid. I was struck by how, when people became hungry and uncertain of their future, they broke away from social values and traditions. Their frustration and outspoken community member, Dathan, propelled them to act upon their desires.
When Moses returned from the mountaintop where he received the 10 Commandments, he saw people were having an orgy and giving devotion to a golden calf. Dathan, who rallied the group, told Moses “we will not live by your commandments, we’re free.” He asked “whose laws” Moses was presenting and even questioned if Moses carved them himself. Moses wasn’t defensive. Instead he plainly asked, “who is on the Lord’s side?”
The group divided into those who stood by Moses and those who stayed with Dathan. Dathan reminded the group that Moses didn’t show them “the land of milk and honey” but he “showed (them) a god of gold”.
Old is New Again
This aligns with our current situation. It’s social conscience versus doing what feels good. Doing the right thing for the good of the whole versus enjoying the moment with like-minded people. Outcome concept versus current experience.
“Those Who Shall Not Live by the Law Shall Die By The Law”
Moses said this in response to Dathan’s statement that he showed the community a god of gold. Then Moses threw the tablets at the calf and the earth opened and swallowed the screaming orgy-participants.
How This Aligns with Us Now
Orgy anyone?
The pandemic has brought out people’s true colors.
Some insist on their ‘right’ to congregate or circulate throughout the community without masks. Some stay at home and order all food and supplies to their door. Some venture out as necessary, with masks and gloves. Just like Dathan and Moses, everyone has conviction that what they are doing is the ‘right’ thing.
Currently, we see that some immature and selfish people are focused on continuing to engage with others and move about society as they always have. Others act with maturity and willingness to sacrifice their desires to help stop the spread of the virus.
Its not tablets being thrown
Local and state government throw the book at people for breaching the laws of mask-wearing and social distancing, engaging with others with knowledge of having Covid-19, or gathering in large groups that help create ‘super-spreader’ outcomes.
Well, they did until others in society challenged the right to tell people what to do. Sheriffs said they wouldn’t enforce the laws. People stormed state capitals. People sent death threats to governmental health leaders and others stating the severity of our situation. Some outraged people rubbed their faces on other people’s clothes or coughed on them. Others screamed at or physically attacked those who asked them to put on a mask.
Some people in the crevice were in too deep and some could crawl out
Ironically, some governors and sheriffs who resisted regulating pandemic-appropriate behaviors got Covid-19. Some politicians who refused to wear masks or mandate that others distance got the virus too. Sadly, there were people with Covid-19, who denied the virus’ existence, that used their last words to announce their disbelief in the virus that killed them. Some went out and lived their lives because they believed those who told them there was no risk. Or they just got tired of staying inside so they went out to eat or shop or join a small group of people in someone’s house.
Free will means you own your decision
Just like in the movie, the people had to choose what they believed and how they’d act. People think that if they want to risk their health to have a drink at a bar or have Thanksgiving dinner in a loved one’s house, its their business. But that’s not the truth and there’s the rub. They can decide for themselves but we all own the fallout of their decisions.
We’re running out of everything
From hospital beds to medical staff; from disinfecting wipes to food; from rent money to small business revenue we are running out. If we don’t start working together to stop the virus from spreading, there will be crevices in the landscape of our community. And more people will lose their footing.
Everywhere we go and everything we do may help spread the virus
When people go out, they touch surfaces and breathe in the airspace of others. They may have left their house healthy, but got exposed to the virus while they were out. When they return home, they may expose people in their path. They may live in a building where they push the elevator button to get to their floor. They may hold onto the banister of a stairwell. They’ll touch common areas like community mailboxes or garbage areas. Even if they live in a single family house, they may stop at a store and give cash to the clerk or touch items in the store.
Maybe the people who are going out are not in vulnerable age groups. Maybe they are healthy without underlying conditions. But maybe the next person to breathe in their space or touch something they touched isn’t. Maybe its a nurse who just finished his shift or a paramedic who rings for the elevator next. Maybe its the store clerk who stood next to the customer. Or another customer who’s pregnant and on her way to a doctor’s waiting room filled with other pregnant women.
We don’t all want to go to the orgy
People like me plan on surviving this and living for years to come. I don’t want an orgy-goer to take away my opportunity. Unless a person lives in an area where he’s the only one, the outcome of his casual pandemic behaviors cascade to everyone. Just ask the people who love the hundreds of thousands of people who died of Covid-19.
I remember a Detroit bus driver who was upset that a woman got on his bus and coughed on passengers. He wound up dying of the virus. Or the nurses and doctors who were exposed to the virus when they treated so many Covid-19 patients, only to succumb to the virus too. They didn’t pound their chests with righteousness about shopping without a mask. They served the community. Our community.
Thank you
For every person who is making social sacrifices, grooming sacrifices or partying sacrifices by staying away from others and avoiding mingling. For every business that complies with recommendations or goes above and beyond requirements for the safety of their employees and customers. For the entities that are debt-forgiving. For every person who has donated or helped distribute food and supplies to people devastated by Covid-19. Thank you for being considerate, mature community members. I hope what you do comes back to you a hundred-fold.
It’s not too late
You can pull back on questionable behaviors. Why not start right now? You can be the one in your social group who leads the way towards socially responsible decisions. Virtual get-togethers. Charitable collaboration. Considerate actions. You can do it. You can help save lives because that’s literally where we’re at. Stop staring at the shiny gold calf and link arms with those acting in faith of our future — the future we jointly manifest.
