The Emperor Has No Clothes

It is nothing short of astounding how quickly and completely an entire society can be duped, misled and systematically destroyed. There is no scientific or statistical evidence to support the wholesale shutdown of an entire country. None. However, there is substantial evidence of political shenanigans and profit-mongering that lies behind the draconian orders that have changed lives and lifeworks forever.

The truth, as I understand it, is that COVID-19 is not the frightening killer we have been led to believe it is. The mortality rate is somewhere below one percent, and even that number is probably inflated by a financial motivation to report COVID-related deaths. Back in March of 2020 some wildly speculative mortality numbers were predicted, and the fright storm began. In the intervening months, the numbers have been adjusted down dramatically several times. Even with inflated numbers caused by the profit motive of medical providers, fewer people will die from this flu than several earlier versions.

More unreported truth: according to one study, nearly 75 percent of COVID-19 fatalities occur in people over 65, most of whom are housed in care facilities. Tens of thousands of these unfortunate senior citizens would have died from something else in 2020 (75% had underlying conditions contributing to their deaths), but their deaths are being attributed to COVID-19 because the government pays extra for corona-related patients. The average daily rate for non-corona patients is $200; those with COVID-19 get an $800 daily stipend from the government.

Finally, the death rate in many countries that have not practiced drastic shut-down policies is lower than in the US. The deaths per 100,000 population place the United States tenth highest in a list of 166 countries. It seems obvious that masks and social distancing have not accomplished their stated goals. The scientific fact is that the corona virus is actually fairly difficult to “catch.” It is not transmitted through the air unless an infected person coughs or sneezes in your face; even then, wearing a mask for protection has been likened to putting up a chain link fence to stop mosquitoes. You almost have to kiss someone or lick their fingers to get infected.

One may ask why the number of cases is rising. It should also be obvious that the more people you test, the more cases you will find. It is interesting to note that depending on the study, between 40 and 80 percent of people who tested positive for the corona virus had no symptoms. So, if less than half of the people who carry corona get sick, and if only a small percentage of the sick are serious, and if only a tiny fraction of the sick die, why are we so frightened? It’s because someone told us to be.

Hans Christian Andersen wrote “The Emperor’s New Clothes” in the nineteenth century. It really fits today. In the story, a vain, selfish emperor spends lavishly on his wardrobe while ignoring more important necessities. Two con men come to town and convince the emperor that they can make magical clothes that are finer than any every seen. The con is that these incredible clothes can only be seen by the most wise and worthy people. The emperor’s ego surpasses his IQ, and he hires the cons to make him a suit of clothes. The cons collect silk and gold from the emperor which they stuff in their bags while laboring away at looms with imaginary, magical fibers.

The emperor sends emissaries to the fake tailors to inspect their work. Naturally, the men can see nothing, but they don’t want to be seen as unwise or unworthy, so they praise the magical cloth to the emperor. Eventually he goes to the looms himself and has the same reaction. Needing to prove his wisdom and worthiness to be emperor, he too raves about the magnificent material. Finally, he dresses in the invisible clothes and sets out through town in a procession. A small child is the only person who dares to state the truth: “The Emperor has no clothes!”

I wish there were a few children like that child around today. Perhaps they could stand and say, “Emperor Corona has no clothes!” The media has jumped on board with the misinformed and sometimes miscreant politicians to trumpet the deadly dangers of the corona virus. Yes, if we do nothing about it, the virus will spread, and some small number of people will die. That has been the case with flu pandemics for centuries.

COVID-19 is not the deadliest flu we have ever seen. The death toll will not reach the number by cases per population count of several other pandemics. Why are we leaping off the cliff like lemmings led by unseen forces whose motives are suspect? I’m sorry to get political, but it has always been the goal of the progressives to wrest power from the people and put it in government hands. They want a population that depends on government for survival. I’m not a prophet or the son of a prophet, but I see this situation heading in that direction.

The American capitalist system has produced the most successful and free society in all of human history. Capitalism depends on individual inventiveness and industry. A creative mind and willing hands can bring meaningful rewards in a free market, capitalist system. The progressives want a state-controlled system based on socialist or communist ideas which supposedly share benefits equally. If you want to see how that works, remember the Soviet Union, or visit Cuba or Venezuela. It has never worked. Period.

No society based on the socialist philosophy has ever succeeded as America has. Heather MacDonald gave an excellent address at a Hillsdale College gathering recently. You can read a transcript at their website. In her speech she details the malfeasance of our government leaders. Our economy is being destroyed; our freedom is being systematically eroded; sadly, even those in the party which should be against such things are being swept along. I don’t like the word revolution, but I fear a coming groundswell of people who can see this simple fact: the emperor has no clothes.

As believers, we also need to realize that our prosperity is not measured in bank accounts or job security. COVID-19 and the resulting economic stress should not faze us. I explained why that is true in “Finding God in COVID-19”, “Today’s Chaldean Chastisement” and “The Winnowing Fork of God.” If I am truly seeing this situation from a biblical perspective, I can either laugh at the foolishness of man, or I can cry because of their sinfulness. Either way, I rest in the fact that I know the emperor has no clothes.