opvoedingsproblemen - gedragsproblemen - jeugdcriminaliteit - orthopedagogiek - politiek voor de 21ste eeuw   

The corona pandemic differs in three characteristics from pandemics in the past such as the plague and the Spanish flu: (1) there are fewer deaths, (2) is all about the fear of a painful agony and death itself and ( 3) an economic collapse accompanies it.

Incredibly, a tiny, invisible to the naked eye particle can cause throughtout the word a disaster of huge magnitude. Our civilization, as we know it so far, has come to a standstill. People are quarantined, and social interaction is minimal, most economic activities have come to a halt.

 Is this pandemic due to chance? Did this virus come about by itself? Two answers are possible here:

(a) the pandemic is the result of an unfortunate course of events. The virus originated from certain eating habits in a Chinese market, and thanks to globalization, it has spread all over the world so quickly.    

(b) the hand of God is behind this. The pandemic fits God's plan.    

In the first option, we must use scientific research to find a cure and take the necessary measures to prevent spreading and further contamination. People infected by the coronavirus receive the assistance required.

With the second option, of course, we also do everything we can to curb the pandemic and help the sick as well as possible, but at the same time, we discover the meaning and purpose of the corona pandemic. I will elaborate on the latter. For those who radically reject faith in God, there is no point in further reading.

God must intervene in the world for three reasons:

(1) Over the past 20-30 years, immorality and corruption in the world have grown tremendously. The man behaves against his nature. There is no more attention for reproduction, many no longer have children, so there is no transfer of norms and values.    

(2) there is a destruction of our civilization by all hatred and hostility. This is encouraged by social media. Political parties deeply hate and despise each other, and the political scene is a bad example for all of humanity.    

(3) people are immersed in materialism. There is hardly any attention to spirituality. We are obsessed with money, luxury goods, and travel.    

These three phenomena are obstacles to the Salvation of humankind, this is to universal brotherhood. Satan has free rein. However, the coronavirus helps us to overcome these obstacles. We see this in the following measures that are taken:

- quarantine: this means that there is no interaction with others. People stay in their own homes. They are anxious and, therefore, do not have time to spread hatred.      

- the guidelines to prevent further spread: people adhere to these rules so as not to infect their fellow humans. This creates a form of brotherhood and a climate of unity and togetherness.      

- the enormous efforts of health workers who risk their own lives for others. This is the highest form of moral behavior.      

- the economic downturn. Many economic activities have stopped. Although many people are anxious about the future, there is a beneficial peace. Even nature is recovering. The obsession for money and other forms of materialism are out of the world. No more traveling. Man becomes aware that all this worldly is very transitory and temporary.      

The corona pandemic is a biblical plague in which God shows what is really valuable in our lives. It is a wake-up call, a warning to stop what we are doing. It is a call to add a spiritual dimension to our lives without hate speech, with good morals, and no longer obsessed with materialism. The corona infection is a respiratory disorder, as a result of which we can no longer speak and, therefore, do not spread hatred.

If we respond to this wake-up call, we will make the world a place where everyone can enjoy themselves. A world without 'Third World-countries' where poverty and corruption are absent. A world without unemployed, homeless, and people living below the poverty line. A world where God wants to live. The 21st century will become the best century ever.

Literature: Van Acker, J. (2020). The best century ever: How to prevent the 21st century to become a repeat of the previous one?

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