“Romans 13 and Covid 19” – my review (2)

Unusually (for me), this is my second review of a book I have read, a sequel if you will for the same book. I confess, I had an inkling I might first time round (see here) (why I added “1” after the title – now it is a “2”). Even so, I thought at the time I had said most of what I felt was worth saying, despite only at the half way point. What I didn’t reckon was what was to follow was in effect another book, even though the first book (imho – yes, it is a criticism despite my glowing endorsement) seemed to be incomplete. But then what a good book should do (again imho) is to take us out of our comfort zones, tell us stuff we didn’t know before for us to think critically about our response, inspiring us on to activism – so whatever any criticisms I may have, this book did all these things and a lot more.

Like many, I have been following some of the many aspects of the Corona story, ever since it began to hit the news early in 2020, and have my own take on what has been going on, recorded in part in my being added as new developments come to light “Covid-19 – an historical review from this blogger’s perspective” ebook, as well as my own story of how it has affected me, family, friends etc. (personally speaking, I have got off lightly although it has affected me markedly spiritually and psychologically, as I will soon relate). Also, like many, I did not expect the lockdown to flatten the curve should go on for so long and lead to the call for what are questionable vaccines and the increasing likelihood for vaccine passports in order to return to a normal, which as far as Boris and co are concerned is about build back better. Unlike many, I do not follow the regular news because, even before the Covid story broke, I had decided it was too much into lying, fear and manipulation and not what I might have hoped would have been the case – balanced and objective reporting. Subsequent events confirmed my suspicion of the media was justified, as well as in reducing my respect for government, “experts” and the “elite” and, more sadly, many of those who are church leaders. It has inclined me to the views of many “conspiracy theorists” that for the bad guys that run the world, Corona just happened to be a convenient weapon in their armoury to bring about their nefarious plans to depopulate and enslave the world. While my contact with some Christians has lessened, it has caused me to seek out fellowship with some who are among the group of Christians I refer to as the “deplorables” or the “remnant”.

All this sounds pretty dismal but I must not use righteous indignation as an excuse for unChristian behaviour. When it is ungodly, we need to repent, and I have. While I believe the Lord has called me to be a “gospel preaching, community activist, watchman on the wall (in the Children of Issachar and prophet Ezekiel mould)” he has also called me to love my neighbour and especially the brethren, including those who send folk like me to the “Christian” version of Coventry. Getting back to the book and my criticism, which in fairness is more an observation, while it is full of killer info I could use to challenge the official narrative, a lot of which is false, and to challenge those folk close to me who have been taken in because Boris and the BBC says so, I felt it still didn’t quite do enough to help me make my case in the light of the Boris pronouncements, assisted by his “trust the science” experts e.g. Professors Chris Whitty and Neil Ferguson and his “prophet” (before being thrown under a bus) Matt Hancock or influence those near and dear who, despite my best efforts to dissuade, decided to take the jab, then the second jab and then the first of who knows how many boosters. Rather than start on a new subject, which I put in the going down rabbit holes category, which is to look at the bigger picture, and then a further one, which is to give spiritual counsel as to how Christian leaders and ordinary members of the flock should respond, I had hoped and expected the author will provide me an idiot’s guide as to what to say when it comes to these all too common situations when the opportunity arises.

But hey ho, the author, J.L.Fuller (which I will from now on refer to in the feminine having discovered JL is a she) has every right to discuss whatever subject she sees fit (after all, that is the approach I often take as an author) just as I, as a reviewer, have every right to express my disappointment that the ammo I had expected to be given to challenge the official narrative and persuade others was insufficient. Besides, her strength was to lay bare the facts and it is for us how we apply them. But the new subjects she did bring up as to what is truly going on in the world, which up to now has been hidden from most, were not only interesting but also very helpful when deciding to take our heads out of the sand and formulating an appropriate response. I confess her second longest chapter “Discerning Babylon in our time” (74 pages) interested me more than her longest “Enforced Vaccines” (100 pages), having written myself recently on the subject “The Mystery of Babylon and today’s events”. She rightly detects “Babylon” is at the heart of what is going on and, to her credit, has gone down the path that angels fear to tread, to try to work out what that means practically.

When in my previous post I made the point the author was not a theologian, I may have done her a disservice, since she is more theologically on the ball than many who are, even if I am not 100% on board with all her views. After all, Babylon is a huge subject biblically and relates to the branch of theology called eschatology, where imho many otherwise fine theologians do not get it! My own background is Plymouth Brethren, many of which had a view on end times prophecy that is dispensational, non-replacement of Israel by the Church, pre-tribulation rapture, pre-millennial (millennium happens after Jesus returns), which seems not entirely to be the author’s position, although she would have agreed that a key player in the Babylon system was the Roman Catholic church. All this may seem a far cry from the subject of Covid but the author argues (correctly imho) that the Corona saga being played out is tied into that system and is something that true believers should come out of, just as the Bible says. She also backs up her arguments with many references that are worth checking out, and while a lot of these I haven’t done, this is a subject that especially interests me, and I was aware already of a lot of the points that she was making. While this is an important and powerful part of the book, I do urge caution, noting she is opinionated, often showing her approval or otherwise of what / who she is referring to by using the appropriate adjective.

This book is not about Donald J. Trump although he is mentioned in a number of places and never as far as I can make out in a positive light. I make the point because Trump is imho a key part of the big picture, just as at the beginning of 2021 I identified the November 3^rd 2020 US Presidential election steal as just as significant as the Corona scamdemic that has been playing out in front of our very eyes and also strangely related. For all his faults, we would probably not have been aware of the depth of and dirt in the “Swamp” if it were not for Trump. Her reservations seem to be related to Trump’s support of vaccine (reference Operation Warp Speed) and his Jesuit education. My point is Trump was seen as a threat by the evil cabal who used Covid-19 as a bio-weapon to derail the US (and world) economy and turn people from Trump and introduce dubious changes in how elections took place e.g. more use of mail-in ballots. Of all world leaders and for all his faults, by my reckoning Trump more than any has what it takes to stand up to the evil cabal, whose dastardly plan was such a global pandemic will facilitate their plans. I have argued Trump will be back and, whether the Great Awakening will overturn the Great Reset, it matters less than our trust and hope must be put in God. For my further thoughts on Trump and things he is / was involved with, then read here.

This brings me to the last part of the book, arguably the strongest part – how we, the people of God should operate in these extraordinary times (and especially if we are a “leader” – although I would argue, leader or no, we all are called to lead people away from darkness and into the light). Going back eighteen months, like many, I was taken off-guard with the unexpected and rapid turn of events and it was with consternation fools and villains seemed to control what happened. Like many, I have taken a battering because of what happened, a feeling of anger over what has transpired, of helplessness that I couldn’t change things for the better and that I have fallen out with those I did not expect over the matter, as well as a measure of guilt that I was not more proactive when it came to doing the right thing, and thus a reason for the psychological and spiritual malaise that I have felt. But I see all this is part of God’s plan to refine His people to do exploits in these coming days. Practically, it has shown us how bad the world really is, the folly of humankind, including Christian leaders, and the need to take God seriously, including Him being our only hope. What the author did was to encourage her readers to stand up and be strong for the cause of truth and righteousness, and make helpful points how to respond. For that she should be thanked. While the best of books tells us of making many books there is no end, if we are going to read any, “Romans 13 and Covid 19” should be high up on our list!