There is a long history of Christians being blamed for various ills that have befallen a city, region, nation, or empire. One of the most famous is Roman emperor Nero blaming Christians for the burning of Rome, a fire that many historians believe he was responsible for. Recently, author and journalist Katherine Stewart donned her own inner Nero and delivered an anti-Christian smear op-ed published in The New York Times entitled “The Religious Right’s Hostility Toward Science Is Crippling Our Coronavirus Response.” And by “Religious Right” Stewart makes clear she means evangelical Christians.
In her article, Stewart asserts a false characterization that has been repeated ad nauseam by those on the Left — the claim that evangelical Christians are opposed to science. She writes, “Donald Trump rose to power with the determined assistance of a movement that denies science, bashes government and prioritized loyalty over professional expertise. In the current crisis, we are all reaping what that movement has sown.”
As evidence for this outlandish accusation, Stewart cites a few examples of obviously fringe “Christian” leaders making various ridiculous (and unbiblical) assertions regarding the China Virus. One Louisiana pastor ridiculously advertised, “We’re also going to pass out anointed handkerchiefs to people who may have a fear, who may have a sickness, and we believe that when those anointed handkerchiefs go, that healing virtue is going to go on them as well.”
Kooks and charlatans can be found associating themselves with any religion or group, but for a “journalist” to suggest that such individuals accurately represent the beliefs and practices of evangelical Christians at large is to engage in a blatant smear.
Furthermore, the false assertion that Christians are “anti-science” is quite ironic given the fact that it is Leftmedia “journalists” and outlets like Stewart and the Times that deny the scientific biological reality of gender and reject the fact that a baby in the womb is an actual human being.
Finally, throughout the country Christian congregations have observed and followed the authorities’ orders for social distancing and have engaged in teleconference church meetings. It is a false charge to claim that Christians are opposed to science, and this kind of yellow journalism is exactly why Americans have the lowest opinion of the Leftmedia of any institution during the present crisis.