[These Days] Viruses Are More Urgent Than Gods

Religious gatherings that cannot be stopped even when prohibited. Services were held despite police intervention. Worship service at a large church in Seoul on the 22nd.
[Photo by Moon Honam, Asia Economy]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] The air on Earth has become clearer as factories stopped operating due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, human lives have become more impoverished. This is because the economic situation of the poor has worsened more than the virus transmitted by family and neighbors, and absurd discriminatory and contemptuous remarks based on race have continued, causing shock.

According to major foreign media and international academic journals such as Nature, air quality around the world, including China and Europe, which were identified as the origin of the COVID-19 outbreak, has significantly improved. This is analyzed to be due to most countries imposing strict movement restrictions, schools halting classes, and even factories stopping operations.

Analysis of satellite data from February by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) showed a sharp decrease in nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere over China. During this period, China's carbon emissions dropped by more than 25%, and oil consumption decreased by more than one-third.

According to NASA, China usually experiences a decrease in nitrogen dioxide concentration during the Lunar New Year holiday when factories close and industrial activities slow down, but the concentration thickens again about a week later. However, this year, even long after the Lunar New Year, nitrogen dioxide pollution in China was reduced by about 10 to 30% compared to the same period last year.

Thanks to this, the air in Korea has also improved. From December last year to March this year, there were only two days classified as 'very bad' for fine dust. During the same period last year, there were 18 such days, so this year, due to COVID-19, people have been able to breathe cleaner air.

The skies over Europe have also cleared. ESA's Earth observation satellite analysis showed a significant decrease in nitrogen dioxide concentration in northern Italy, and similar phenomena have been observed in the UK, Spain, Germany, and other countries.

While the Earth's atmosphere becoming cleaner is good, the problem is 'food.' This is because the economy is heading toward its worst situation. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) recently forecasted that, in the worst case, the global economic growth rate this year will fall below 1.5%. Although the reduction in carbon emissions is positive, the economic pain is a harsh reality, causing great concern.

In fact, the global economy is facing a serious situation. As of the 2nd (Korean time), 73% of major automobile factories worldwide have shut down. According to a comprehensive survey by the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association on the operation status of 18 major global automakers' factories, 88 out of 121 factories (counted as one factory per country per company) have stopped operating.

The skies have also been closed. With all countries shutting their borders, 87% of aircraft have stopped flying, and airlines are facing the risk of bankruptcy. As cars are not selling and fuel consumption has dropped, refineries have also been hit hard. With social distancing prolonged, academies, education sectors, store management, and service industries are facing the threat of closure.

Aircraft parked at the apron of Incheon International Airport. 87% of aircraft are unable to fly, and the aviation industry is facing a crisis.
[Photo by Moon Honam, Asia Economy]

In this situation, the behavior of religious people is increasingly making things difficult for others. Despite government requests for restraint and assembly bans (Article 49 of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act), many Protestant churches forcibly held worship services. Eventually, mass infections became a reality. Worshippers attending services were consecutively diagnosed with COVID-19.

Some churches claim that measures preventing worship services are unfair and constitute severe religious persecution, but there are criticisms that this is because church officials' livelihoods are difficult due to lack of offerings. However, this is no different from taking someone else's livelihood to protect one's own.

Wouldn't refraining from gathering for worship and eradicating the infectious disease as soon as possible be a way to protect both one's own and others' livelihoods?

Not only in Korea but also in France, large-scale religious gatherings have caused COVID-19 mass infections, becoming a problem. After a five-day religious gathering attended by about 2,500 people at a church in France, mass infections have spread throughout the country. The president of distant South America even mentioned the nationality of God.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro recently sparked controversy by stating, "God is Brazilian, and there is already a cure for the coronavirus," insisting that everyone except the elderly should work. Although the Brazilian president said 'God is Brazilian,' the situation in Brazil does not look very good. Why, then and now, does the Brazilian God not help Brazil?

In Australia, there has been an increase in people discriminating against Asians by saying "Asians brought the virus." Are they ignorant? Or is it because they cannot let go of negative prejudices against Asians? While discrimination may be amusing to those who discriminate, it is painful for those who are discriminated against. The virus is revealing the bad sides of humanity that were hidden and unexposed.

As elections approach, all kinds of words are pouring out. Moreover, the noise from politicians around the world is not insignificant. While airplanes and factories have stopped, making the Earth's skies clear, humans are becoming more impoverished. These days, mental suffering is greater than physical illness.

Is God also 'social distancing' from humans? Or is it a test? This is a crisis created by humans. It is right for humans to overcome it themselves rather than relying on God. If God helps humans, wouldn't God consider the many humans who strive on their own more than those who only rely on God?

Now, eradicating the virus in front of us is more urgent than seeking God. Neither the virus nor God discriminates based on human skin color. Regardless of the country you live in or your race, please be a person who practices 'social distancing' well these days.