Johnhwilburn.org

Originally written January 10, 2022

Over the weekend, I finished book two for 2022, the audio version of Pandemia by Alex Berensen. He is a former reporter for the New York Times who during the coronavirus pandemic gained a reputation for being anti-lockdown, and going against the use of masks as well as the vaccine.

I don’t agree with Berensen in all of his views as someone who is fully vaccinated, and uses masks. However, I was impressed with the fact that all of his views were backed up by facts.

Throughout the book Berensen used articles from scientific journals and medical experiments to prove his views were correct. During the initial 2020 lockdown he read and researched everything that he could get his hands on regarding the pandemic.

This isn’t a book I personally encourage others to read because of the profanity in it, and Alex Berensen himself admits to being a “jerk on twitter.”

But it has a very important principle for Christians….

Do your own research.

The pandemic has brought up many challenging situations, and hard questions. Those questions can only truly be answered by individuals who do their own personal study or research instead of simply using the answers given to them through social media, or the news. Those who become students of the culture instead of just consumers.

This idea of being a student of the culture is incredibly important because the surrounding world is continually trying to pull us away from the Lord. Therefore we must pay very close attention to the worldview, and belief systems of those around us.

That doesn’t mean lockdowns, masks, or vaccines are wrong (I don’t believe they are). It does mean just as Alex Berensen did his own research and study of the effects of the lockdown, we must study the message our culture proclaims.

I do appreciate this book, and an author who was willing to ask the hard questions when nobody else seemed to do so. It is a challenge for Believers to think for themselves, and take a stand against a pagan society.