# Today's Bible Lesson: "You Reap What You Sow." **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [May 19, 2020, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112 "2020-05-19T14:35:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2020, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112/81 "2020-05-24T17:58:03Z")
> [@susan](#): > > Sure, though I don’t see people storming their governors’ offices for the “right” to go to Pilates class. Most people I know are doing video or internet-based exercise classes now. It’s not the same thing, but it’s satisfactory. I was just going to say that my online Zoom yoga classes have been fine, although videotaped classes don’t work for me. Actually the Zoom classes have been better than fine, simply because I can take classes from anywhere. Even though I live in N.C., I’ve been able to take classes at the places I went to when I lived in NY and with my yoga retreat group that’s based in Texas. The gist of my post was simply to point out that the idea of fellowship wasn’t limited to churches. But I’m also acknowledging that religion is different, legally if not practically and I’m not comfortable with forbidding services like they were yoga classes. But I think still think church services are a really bad idea, and churches, with their older congregations and singing and outloud praying are possibly the least safe place around. I also think that with a responsible and consistent government response, we could have had close to 100% voluntary cooperation from churches, even evangelical ones. but again, I’m not going to elaborate in QZ. ---
**Author:** ![Brayne\_Ded](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Brayne\_Ded](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brayne_Ded)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2020, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112/82 "2020-05-24T18:06:07Z")
" Church isn’t something you receive; it’s something you participate in." Cue lengthy historical theological debate. Some say yes, some say no. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2020, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112/83 "2020-05-24T19:20:42Z")
> [@](#): > > " Church isn’t something you receive; it’s something you participate in." Coronavirus is something you receive from proximity from those who participate. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2020, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112/84 "2020-05-24T19:37:51Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Where this digression seems to have started was with **monstro** ’s suggested ways to get a good ole churching-up in the absence of being physically present at church services, and my objection that they were basically irrelevant to the essential attribute of church - participation in a faith community - and as such weren’t good or bad replacements for church, but not replacements in the least. This is your opinion about what makes church “essential”. Plenty of other people would disagree with you that participation in the faith community requires a physical presence in a specific facility. > [@](#): > > This was not intended as an argument that church services should continue: just a few posts earlier, I’d posted that: > By the same logic as in my reply to monstro, I wouldn’t expect you or your friends to react kindly to suggestions that you watch videos of yoga classes or contra-dancing events, or the notion that doing that would even partly fill the void of not being able to do such things oneself. But such reactions wouldn’t in any way constitute an argument that contra-dancing and yoga classes should be exempt from limits on gatherings during the present health emergency. I did yoga for several years at a yoga studio. I can easily imagine my yoga instructor recommending to the class a yoga app to help us keep practicing during a lockdown. And you know what? I would accept this recommendation without a negative kneejerk reaction, because I would recognize that she wasn’t implying that a yoga app is a complete substitute for a real-live yoga class in a real-live yoga studio. I would understand that she was only presenting the yoga app as a tool. Plenty of yogis maintain their practice with similar tools, so why would I take offense to that kind of suggestion? For lots of people, yoga is both a form of exercise and spiritual journey. But as **susan** pointed out, you don’t see yogis storming state capitals and declaring yoga an essential business. None of the yoga enthusiasts I know are flouting social distancing out of a belief that they will be protected from the virus through supernatural intervention. Plenty of churchgoers are doing these things. So forgive me for not being convinced that these folks are all being driven by an innocent need to participate in their respective faith communities. I really do think some of them are ignorant blowhards who don’t like a bunch of scientists telling them what to do. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2020, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112/85 "2020-05-24T20:58:26Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > [More than 40 diagnosed with COVID after Frankfurt church service](https://www.insider.com/germans-diagnosed-with-covid-19-after-frankfurt-church-service-2020-5) [Now it’s 107 infected](https://www.wsj.com/articles/more-than-100-in-germany-found-to-be-infected-with-coronavirus-after-a-churchs-services-11590340102) ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2020, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112/86 "2020-05-24T21:46:01Z")
I’m going to say that my quarantine yoga experience isn’t less adequate than my real life experience. It’s just different. In many ways it’s better. I’m taking classes with teachers I like that teach all across the country. I’m taking class and reconnecting with friends I haven’t seen in years . The variety of available classes is mind-blowing and i have more choices when it comes to times. I get to play my own music. I don’t have to drive anywhere to class and I don’t have to stress about being on time. I admit I resisted the online classes for awhile, just because I didn’t think it would be the same. And it isn’t. But it’s just as good, if not better. And I bet if some people wanted to try, they could find the same advantages in online church. Go to the church you used to go to before your last move. Go to church with your friends from across the country. Find the silver lining. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2020, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112/87 "2020-05-25T00:00:35Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > This is your opinion about what makes church “essential”. Plenty of other people would disagree with you that participation in the faith community requires a physical presence in a specific facility. In civilized debate, the accepted practice is to wait until someone makes an assertion before disagreeing with them over it. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2020, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112/88 "2020-05-25T01:14:37Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > In civilized debate, the accepted practice is to wait until someone makes an assertion before disagreeing with them over it. I could say the same thing to you. But I won’t because I’m trying to be a good Doper and not catch another warning. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2020, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112/89 "2020-05-25T13:46:57Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > I could say the same thing to you. But I won’t because I’m trying to be a good Doper and not catch another warning. Well, here’s a [Pit thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=896902) where you won’t have to hold back. Sorry, everyone, that this has taken up as much of this thread as it has. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112/90 "2020-05-28T01:44:33Z")
[Reopened SC church closes again after members exposed to coronavirus at services](https://www.thestate.com/news/coronavirus/article243021321.html). The article only says that the congregation (40 people) was exposed, not that any of them have tested positive yet. And even though the headline says “services”, the exposure only happened at one service–the one this past Sunday. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112/91 "2020-05-28T08:23:21Z")
[Oakland pastor recovers from COVID-19, urges churches not to reopen until it’s safe](https://www.fox9.com/news/oakland-pastor-recovers-from-covid-19-urges-churches-not-to-reopen-until-its-safe) on [fox9.com](http://fox9.com) > [@](#): > > The pastor said fighting the coronavirus is one of the most difficult experiences of his life. > > “Sure, I miss going to the building,” Clark said. > . . . > He has a message to faith leaders who want to reopen their places of worship against the advice of public health officials: “How dare you? Who are you to tell people to go to a place that’s unsafe?” > > Clark said the church is not a building, that it’s people who make up a church. > . . . > Clark said he misses going to his church, preaching his sermons and feeding the homeless. > > But for now, what’s most important is listening to medical professionals about wearing masks and social distancing. > > Clark said it’s about saving lives. There seem to be more stories like these lately. Pastors with stories like these on Fox News debunks the myth that coronavirus is not happening. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112/92 "2020-05-28T13:49:08Z")
> [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](#): > > There seem to be more stories like these lately. Pastors with stories like these on Fox News debunks the myth that coronavirus is not happening. [Even Sean Hannity is urging people to wear masks](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/hannity-slams-vacationers-without-masks-trump-political-divide-ppe). So weird to hear him say the right thing for once, but good on him for doing so. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112/93 "2020-05-28T14:19:17Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > [Even Sean Hannity is urging people to wear masks](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/hannity-slams-vacationers-without-masks-trump-political-divide-ppe). > > So weird to hear him say the right thing for once, but good on him for doing so. Wonder what made the worm turn? It wasn’t so long ago he was in lockstep with COVID being a hoax. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112/94 "2020-05-28T15:05:51Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Wonder what made the worm turn? It wasn’t so long ago he was in lockstep with COVID being a hoax. Covid-19 must’ve hit someone he actually knows. That’s my WAG anyway. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112/95 "2020-05-28T16:20:16Z")
Or he bought stock in 3M. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112/96 "2020-05-29T08:08:06Z")
> [@susan](#): > > I don’t see people storming their governors’ offices for the “right” to go to Pilates class. And if you read the First Amendment you’ll see that it doesn’t mention Pilates. Religion is more deeply rooted in our society than pilates. I agree that churches should remain closed, but I understand why that causes more pain than closing gyms. (And in any case, no matter how much pain is caused, there is no excuse for carrying rifles to a rally. ) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112/97 "2020-05-29T09:13:00Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > And if you read the First Amendment you’ll see that it doesn’t mention Pilates. > Religion is more deeply rooted in our society than pilates. What do you mean? Pilates are right there in the Bible! Or at least one of them is… ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112/98 "2020-05-29T15:04:08Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > I agree that churches should remain closed, but I understand why that causes more pain than closing gyms. I don’t. If g-d knows all, sees all, people who believe in Him are going to church for the social part of it, not so He can see you doing so. Yes, it’s a very _important_ part of their lives but is fear of g-d a bigger hill to (literally) die upon than fear of fat? ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112/99 "2020-05-29T17:14:51Z")
I didn’t go through this entire thread, but it is obvious to the cynical me that churches are about collecting money from the flock. ---
**Author:** ![SingleMalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/singlemalt/32/3961_2.png) [@SingleMalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SingleMalt)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112/100 "2020-05-29T18:08:21Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > What do you mean? Pilates are right there in the Bible! Or at least one of them is… He was also a firm advocate for hand-washing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/todays-bible-lesson-you-reap-what-you-sow/854112.md?page=6)