Kristian James
21st Century Wire
Faiths rise from humble gatherings between a number of people with a shared set of beliefs. With a further aim to expand and bring others into the fold. Their collective grows, and the message expands. A process of refining the narrative to make the barrier to entry streamlined and more appealing. The message has to be simple for all to grasp, yet holding enough complexities that there is a compulsion to engross oneself in the details. Those details are ever moulded and reforged by those with the inner knowledge, under their careful instruction and tutelage you too can be instrumental to bringing about the conclusion. Moving through the stages of becoming an initiate, before a disciple and continuing the recruitment cycle ad-infinitum.
As the novel coronavirus of unknown origins entered the lexicon, COVID-19. The seeds of a new faith were already planted into the collective consciousness. For years there have been rumblings of a future “coming” some would claim a reckoning. A rhetoric fuelled by legitimate concerns from science camps talking about super viruses, resistant to the strongest of antiviral and antibacterial developed drugs. A precipice it is claimed we have reached.
Consider the many hospitals challenged with MRSA. Fear-fuelled headlines have run rampant for years. Warnings from the organisations charged with monitoring such viral developments. Coupled with the dangers of biological engineering, so-called ‘gain of function’ research, sophisticated bio-warfare, and the unrestrained manipulation of genetics. A deluge of media communicating that the brink is here. Entertainment media has toyed with viral outbreaks in a variety of different guises. The end of 2019, these threads were combined and coalesced to create the powerful message we have been primed with in order to react to for decades, “The end is nigh.”
The fireworks had erupted and celebrations were enjoyed as the second decade of the 21st century began. The new year always carries a sense of buoyant excitement of what possibilities may lie ahead. Those wall calendars were swapped, and desk calendars flicked over to welcome in 2020. “A new roaring twenties,” was one such expression. But such optimism began to be challenged as information dropped from within China, alleged leaked photographs and videos of people dropping dead in the street, mass deaths, officials in white biohazard suits spraying bodies with disinfectant. Vehicles crawling the darkened streets pressure spraying a concoction of chemicals left and right, seemingly sanitising doors and pavements. The welding of doors shut with metal bars on apartments, ‘locking down’ residents inside – mirroring the medieval practice of the red ‘X’ on the door. A mark reserved for those beyond salvation. Those inhabitants condemned with no means of escape to their perceived fate. These provocative images mainly circulated via the alternative media, and those sharing out what they were seeing on social media channels. There was a lag between the information people were apparently seeing and what was appearing on the mainstream legacy media outlets. The most obvious questions being posed were: are they real? Were people really dying and collapsing in the streets in the way those videos pertained? The reactions became more and more concerning.
Eventually, so-called experts appeared on our televisions, with a bevy of talking heads and panels, and so the speculation went wild. Suddenly a whole different machine kicked into gear behind the scenes. Decisions were made.
Three years on, we all have our experiences and views. Throughout the time, I kept taking mental notes and making little scribbles. Understanding and trying to make sense of the patterns in the chaos. Two years ago penning a piece entitled, “The Hallmarks of a new religion within the new normal.” An idea, a thought. How it looked in a nutshell, is that we are watching the formative birth of a brand-new faith. Potentially a faith dedicated to death. The worship of death.
Let’s place our perspective to be one from the rickety wooden pews, and remind ourselves of the grand priests who stood above looking down across the gathered flock. Ready to hear the latest. The assembly we are huddled within are hungry for information on “what to do next,” and perhaps rightly they are terrified. A fear filled whisper from a row behind, “Have the gods forsaken us?” Those people sitting either side of you clasping their hands tightly as the preacher speaks, doting on his every word. Remember the words that we all heard and the phrases they have used. This is the sermon of COVID-19.
I see you gathered to give adoration for the holy corona! 2020 was the year of the New Normal, the eternal normal, the perpetual year. Thou shall not venture out into the street without a face-covering! Thou shall not meet friends or loved ones, unless we say so. Heresy if you do! Having faith in those in high priests in white coats, concocting the elixir-remedy. Mantras most of all, “Stay alert, control the virus, save lives!” Follow us and take our guidance as we go through blindly into the night. Proclaim the new religion of Covidianity.
The unseen virus and the collective reaction to it, has acquired many of the properties of religion. The corona, it is everywhere, it is ever-pervasive, indestructible, and transcendent. It has achieved godlike status. There are symbols and sacraments to acknowledge. The most important outward symbol is the wearing of a mask, a symbol that you are a true believer, devout in your faith. Much akin to those people who have worn crosses for 2,000 years, and are awaiting deliverance. Deliverance comes in the form of the most important sacrament! The vaccine.
As many leaders coordinated in their statements, British Prime Minister at the time, Boris Johnson, exclaimed, “Wait for the vaccine”, and Australian PM at the time Scott Morrison said, “Expect it to be mandatory…” We were all told to sit it out, and stay home, salvation is coming.
Heretics are usually defined for their non-compliance. Then punished and shunned. Restrictions on travel, work and life. Refusing the sacrament of the vaccine is tantamount to decrying the Holy Saviour. Non-believers in the church of the New Normal will not be tolerated (with arrest and internment camps on the table as options, as in New Zealand). There are rules and tenets to follow. Monitoring the daily display of the number of deaths, before taking a deep breath when they switch to cases. To show rectitude one must wear a mask. If you wear a mask, you believe in the virus, you believe in its virtuous power. To the true-believers, it not only wards away the virus, but it wards away evil itself. Like the crucifix to a vampire. True believers of Covidianity, will take a deliberate side-step of wide-berth if you are too close. No touching, no handshakes. One must socially distance. A clear indication they walk the faith. Never to be somewhere where there are six people. Accepting track and trace, all powerful, all knowing, always watching. Omnipotent.
In Covidianity, the rules are set, including the washing of the hands on entering any premises. More than reminiscent of a splash of holy water upon entering a church. Gaining purity. COVID-19 has many of the measures of becoming a faith, for other reasons too. People are keen to follow, to obey, for the rules to be simple. In a disenchanting time of false worship of celebrities and brands. Here is something that is reminiscent of old school faith, in that it is based and sold on fear.
Those inside the pews say together in one voice. Echoing out in the grand hall of obedience. “I am afraid, therefore I act in accordance with the articles of faith, with absolution. I will display my faith. I cannot wait to take the holy sacrament when it becomes available, blessed be, the vaccine.” There is a powerful psychological reinforcement, you will accept the Saviour, or you will die. If you do not, others will die, and you will be the cause. Powerful emotive language. The names bestowed upon the miracle, made available freely to all are Ambush and Triumph.
It is evitable there will be camps who do not fully embrace the power of Covidivity, but play out the rules and display the symbols to create non-arousal of suspicion. Those just getting on with it, keeping their head down. Those who believe, say 50/50; they wear the mask to make others feel safe, or those who simply wear it just in-case. Helping maintain decorum, especially with their elders and family, is the common position. And then there are the devout. The pious.The strong believers in Covidianity. They give a hard time to others. Public shaming, threatening to inform the authorities of transgressions. The new inquisition. No hesitation to inform on their neighbours, friends and family to the clerics, the Covid marshals. “For they are non-believers!”
The true believers become increasingly intolerant of the new heretics, any flicker of rational humanity long extinguished, powerful booms in the mind of the newly empowered neo puritans. “For they, the unvaxxed, are endangering others! Just get the jab so it can all go back to normal!”
Foreseeing how witch-hunts have a potential of becoming a regular part of the New Normal too. “It was her! She refused the test. She refused the vaccine!” We have seen this happen at the hospitals and in the care facilities across the globe, those who chose to be cautious for their own health and were waiting until the science was settled before considering the experimental gene injections. Losing their jobs. Pitchforks at the ready from the baying mobs. “She could give Covid to the community! Cast them out! Out!” Whilst the possibility of the town crier calling out names of those who haven’t had their boosters is low, one can still imagine. “Mary hasn’t taken her 6th booster! How can we ensure granny will be safe?!” Lists of who have and have not rolled up their sleeves, by those dedicated to the cause leaking said files for instance to the internet.
For many in modern western society, they are experiencing empty discontent. People have struggled to make meaningful sense of the disconnect in their lives. As we receive a scale of information greater than ever before. Social media has been the lens that has empowered people to engage with new virtues to chase; gender imbalances and systemic racism, in the pursuit of social justice. There are bandwagons to jump on for righteous and seemingly noble causes. To be part of a tribe, more importantly a successful tribe. One such tribe who we must touch at least in passing is XR, Extinction Rebellion, running almost parallel in terms of time to COVID. The brainchild of a collective including Roger Hallam. Bankrolled with serious amounts of free-flowing cash from wealthy donors with a connection to many activist outlets, decrying we are at the eleventh hour of catastrophe. Very clear in their messaging and documents.
“Extinction Rebellion isn’t about the climate….never say we’re a climate movement….we’re not. We’re a Rebellion coming together through mass political action that breaks the law. It’s the most effective way to actually create a crisis in society. Through mass civil resistance, we’re going to create a new global regime.”
They have gained a reputation for large public spectacles portraying death. Frequently dressed as the characters similar to those of the dystopian book and television show The Handmaid’s Tale, complete with their scarlet outfits. Elaborate shows of suffering and death. Strategies and actions including calling for sacrifices, suicide, hunger strike to the death, depicting hell on Earth. Making public a roll call of people who have died (see the XR UK Vital Action Strategy document). Nigh is the time of madness and disdain!
The religious and eschatological themes bleed into one another.
Covid is an ever-present danger everywhere – the invisible evil among us! The devil that walks, concealed within the people, through the asymptomatic spreader. One of the prime reasons proclaimed by those in the pulpit for the imposed Lockdowns and life restrictions.
For those who believe unconditionally, they are doing all they can in their trained reasoning playing their part in the great work to save everyone.
“If not for yourself, do for others.”
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