Why Would Anyone Refuse to Wear a Mask?

It is absolutely incredible to me that anyone would refuse to wear a mask and would see this as an eroding of their personal liberties.  How have we gotten to this place in our society, that seemingly intelligent individuals ignore the basic science of the situation and react with such emotion to such a small inconvenience?

I don’t expect this to do any good but…

Wearing a mask prevents those around you from inhaling the small droplets of moisture that you expel when you cough, sneeze, sing, whistle or even just exhale.  Those small droplets are a primary means by which viruses and bacteria are spread to others.  If everyone wore a mask, the spread would be very minimal.  This is truth!  

A mask may inconvenience you, but it doesn’t hurt you.  Reliable studies have shown that it doesn’t significantly reduce your oxygen intake.  Oxygen exists in the air in the form of a molecule which combines two oxygen atoms the size of which is much smaller than that of the moisture droplets the mask screens out.  Oxygen can pass through the mask fibers, and carbon dioxide (3 atoms in that molecule) can get out.  A virus is about 1000 times bigger than an atom.

Seeing the encouragement to wear a mask or the order to do so as an infringement of your rights is absurd.  We cheerfully do all sorts of other things for the safety of ourselves and others.  Many of these things we do without the need for a law.  We don’t insist on our right to drive through red lights.  We don’t let toddlers play with guns.  We wear seatbelts in cars and on planes.

Throwing a temper tantrum about wearing a mask is just plain immature behavior.  It demonstrates the most basic way in which humans display their sinful nature.  “I want to do what I want to do when I want to do it, and no one is going to stop me!”  That attitude is as old as the Garden of Eden or at least as old as Cain and Abel.

I am particularly troubled by Christians with a negative attitude about masks.  As believers we are obligated to put the needs of others before our own needs. I shouldn’t even have to say that!  We are also obligated to be obedient to those in authority over us.  If our government says we should wear a mask, we have Christ’s directive to “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s.”  He said this specifically in regard to paying taxes, but wearing a mask is obviously just another regulation from “Caesar.”  I know of no scripture that says, “no matter what…don’t wear a mask!”  It is NOT the mark of the beast.

You may think you have a right NOT to wear a mask.  I won’t argue with you in public.  I will smile at you (behind my mask) and speak kindly to you, but don’t mistakenly think I respect your rights in this regard.  

In my mind, I will see you as a toddler laying down on the floor and pitching a fit.