A Christian Eye on Politics
N obody doubts that every nation on earth should do everything possible to protect the health of it's people. I well remember the Asian influenza outbreak of the 1960s and how it took the life of a man I had come to know through the course of my working life. Disease epidemics are a very nasty business because many hundreds or thousands - occasionally even several millions - of people could die. Having said that, the Spanish influenza epidemic of 1918-19 was very rare and exceptional. That epidemic led to the death of several million people but it did so in a very different world and one gripped by a World War I which was just drawing to a close. I don't recall the figures of the Asian flu which affected the UK in the 60s, but it probably affected a few thousand people. But going back to the devastation which Spanish flu caused almost a hundred years ago, one would have to say that the world has changed a lot since then and standards of cleanliness and hygiene have improved beyond measure as has medical care. Most infectious diseases thrive in unsanitary conditions. Rightly or wrongly, many wise and seasoned health experts believe that pandemics such as the horrific bubonic plague of the Middle Ages and even the Spanish influenza of the early 20th century could not occur on such a scale today. There seems reasonable grounds for some optimism, then, that the recent outbreak of swine influenza in Mexico will not lead to a world-wide catastrophe, even though several hundreds, maybe even a few thousand people might tragically succomb. But first indications are that recovery chances are very good indeed. Of 2,000 people admitted to Mexican hospitals within a few days of the scare, 1,000 had been sent home within two more days. No cause, then, for panic.
I am reliably informed that swine flu has broken out before - in the United States of the 1970s. There was even some initial panic, but fewer than ten people succombed, with one lady tragically dying. Taking all of this into account, the recent sudden widespread hysteria, largely fuelled by an amazingly irresponsible media, is pretty hard to fathom. Modern media is now an immediately world-wide thing and the scaremongering has predictably caused some panic right across the world. The BBC News of the 29th of April even showed children being collected from school who were in tears because of their fear of catching this illness. In fact, of course, those children have far more chance of being involved in an accident on British roads! On this same date, the very same source commenced the evening TV News with the incredible statement,
"The world is now very close to declaring a pandemic!"
Of course, the press and media love a good story - always have done - but the recent irresponsibility of the BBC News, once a byword for responsible and balanced reporting, is truly something to behold!
Of course, these scare stories are not new, at least not here in the UK. It was only about eight years ago that Hong Kong flu was hailed as a big threat to our civilisation. People returning from holidays to that part of the world were being shunned and avoided and certain "medical experts" were warning of the real danger of world-wide epidemic. But within about five months the whole thing was forgotten. Then, more recently, Avian bird flu was being seen as the danger to our continued existence as an island nation. "Global pandemic could be just around the corner," British TV viewers were being informed by the BBC, on just about every news bulletin for several weeks! We were even being warned that the eating of poultry might be just a relic of the past within a year. But, once more, within months the whole thing was forgotten. We don't seem to learn!!However, this modern media irresponsibility does raise further questions:
I well remember how the UK media played down the potential seriousness of the Asian flu bug about 45-50 years ago - why the drastic change in approach? Well the media is now much more of an instantly world-wide thing than it once was of course, but that may not explain everything. We are soon led to a consideration of other 'scare stories' which have been widely propagated. The most obvious here is, of course, the 'Global Warming' hysteriaism. Why is a certain level of panic (wholly unjustified from a scientific point of view) actually being encouraged? The peak year in the warming cycle was 1998 - now eleven years ago! Since then the world has been getting cooler and last winter was exceptionally severe in many northern hemisphere countries (which, of course, the hysteriaists don't want to talk about). The recent warming phase, then, was just a phase, probably mainly related to sun spot activity, there have been other such warming and cooling phases in the past, nothing unusual or extraordinary - just the way our planet works.
Interestingly, those who believe that moves are well underway to form one world government have always told us that the media will actively encourage various scare stories in order to present a picture that one, centralized world government is the only way to solve worldwide problems! Once again, balanced and sensible people who hate over-sensationalized reporting are tending to give these people their ear. Let us get one thing straight: UK Apologetics has never supported conspiracy theories. Having said that, we recently conceded that the evidence is now very strong that - mostly behind the scenes - attempts are indeed underway to form one world religion and - make no mistake - if that day should ever dawn, Biblical Christianity will certainly be banned! But let there be no mistake: people like Maurice Strong who has continually pushed for one world government and one world religion is convinced that the world will have both within 15 years!
The Christian Hawk, May 1st, 2009.
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