What's In a Name?

The Mexican or Swine Flu that has caused so much panic now has a name: H1N1. Although if I understand what I'm reading, This particular strain of flu is a sub-type of H1N1. The 1917-19 epidemic was a strain of H1N1, but not exactly the same. H1N1 was considered behind half of the ordinary seasonal flu in 2006.

But as soon as the WHO gave it a name, the news media had to pick up on it. Mexico was getting a bit bugged (pun, get it?) by the name Mexican Flu since it absolutely killed their tourist business. Pig farmers were unhappy with the term Swine Flu because some people were avoiding pork products.

But if H1N1 is only a class of flu and not the designation for this strain within that class, isn't using H1N1 actually imprecise? Mexican Flu identifies the place of its first known outbreak, just as the 1917-19 epidemic was called the Spanish Flu. (Although researchers believe that it originated elsewhere and had its initial big outbreak among WWI soldiers in France. Military control over the media in France kept the news out. The first that the world heard of the outbreak was from Spain. Hence the name.)

I have always been amused at the desire for faux-precision in terms. Recently I saw this sign. Didn't we used to call this a Blind Curve? Surely, the sign-makers were not motivated by some desire to not insult the blind. I think it is the quest for unnecessary precision at work again. No, the curve itself does not lack sight--it is trying to describe a curve that you can't see around so you should be careful. But everyone understood Blind Curve. To be honest, this sign makes me stop and think a second, "What in the world are they talking about?"

Precision in language is a good thing. I have to be aware of it all the time when doing exegesis and theology. But sometimes precision becomes ridiculous.

Maybe We're Not All Going to Die After All

In the words of the late Emily Litela, "Oh, that's very different. Never mind." Now it seems as if the swine flu might not be "a more serious strain than seasonal flu."

Unlike the kneejerk reactions of some, I really don't blame the news outlets or government authorities for causing panic. The news needs to be reported and the government needs to be proactive.

The real "villain" here is modern technology. 200 years ago, the severity of the disease would have been known long before the news could travel widely. In fact, you stood a good chance of getting infected yourself before the news reached you that an epidemic had spread. Today we know instantly.

I put "villain" in quotes because though modern technology allows news to be spread widely before enough facts are known, it does not qualify as some kind of evil. Had the disease been as bad as first feared, knowing as soon as possible would be a good thing.

I repeat my original point. When we hear bad news, we need to spend at least as much time in prayer as we do following the reports. If we do that, God can properly align us with him so that we might trust him in everything.

Killer Flu?

Note: I am still thinking about the death of my co-worker Regina today. I went to make tea and would have left the remaining hot water for her (as she did for me), but there was no need today. I just poured it out. That was hard. I have written some lighter stuff already, but not today. I will post that stuff next week.

There is another lesson from the terrible epidemic sweeping around the world: Despite all of our knowledge and advances and hubris, we are not in control. There are many things that are just bigger than we are.

This latest spreading killer is not a new type of cancer or a disease that we have never heard of. This is the flu. Now we've all had the flu, both the cold-symptom flu and the stomach flu. And while we use expressions like, "I'm so sick I think I'm going to die," we know that we won't. It's just the flu!

I assume that, as with any disease, those who die are from the pool of people in poorer health or with weaker immune systems. Even so, the flu, an illness that typically causes you to miss a couple of days of work or school, can become so bad that it kills people. It's a bit scary when you think about it.

As thoroughly modern people, we live most days as if we do not need God. When we need food and shelter, we work for it. When we are sick, we go to the doctor. When our transportation breaks down, we take it to the mechanic. We are normally capable of meeting our own needs or can get the help that we need in this world.

Modern medicine has become a victim of its own success. We cure nasty cancers. He have pills and shots for problems we didn't even know we had. Artificial limbs have become commonplace. Therefore, when our modern technologies are unable to fix a problem we are surprised.

I broke my shoulder in December 2007. Badly. Even so, I never doubted that it could be fixed; it was simply a matter of what needed to be done. Imagine my surprise when the doctor said that the 50% range of motion that I had was as good as it was going to get.

Anyone would be unhappy with a prognosis like that, but I was doubly disappointed because I had placed my faith in the ability of modern medicine to fix anything.

We are not in control as much as we think. We sail along through life and then the economy tanks or a teeny tiny germ lays us low. And at times there is nothing we can do about it.

This is why we need God. You might still lose your job or I might still get sick. But when those things happen, we need to be holding his hand and not putting our trust in ourselves.

Faith not Flu

In the midst of our economic melt-down comes news that a nasty flu virus is spreading the globe. One child has died in our country and many more in Mexico. It is possible that there will be more before this is over.

There have been plagues throughout history. One of the worst in very modern times was the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1917-1919, during the climax of World War I. In all, an estimated 525 million people were infected world-wide. It killed 21 million, more than 1% of the world's population and more than were killed in the war.

My grandfather was an city policeman when it broke out in Los Angeles. The virus had hit hard in the poorer communities of East L.A., and the entire region was put under quarantine. He was part of the squad assigned to enforce the embargo on people coming or leaving the zone. So frightened were the city leaders that the orders they gave the police were shoot-to-kill. I wonder if they would have been so draconian if the outbreak had been in Beverly Hills.

We have become a bit numb to crises like this. There seems to be a new one every week and many, like the bird-flu scare of a few years back, didn't impact us too much. On thge other hand, I do know people, as do you, who are in a perpetual state of worry over dramatic news events.

Whatever reasonable precautions you and I take, there is one thing that should be added to the list: prayer. Not so much intercessory prayer, though that is always in order. No, what we need is aligning prayer. The kind of prayer that seeks the face of God for peace and comfort rather than demanding answers and understanding. The kind of prayer that puts us in proper relationship with the creator and sustainer of the universe.

Even when we are properly aligned, it is possible that we may get sick, that someone close to us may die. I would never minimize the tragedy if this occurs, but I know that if I am aligned with my God and his ways, then I will be able to walk through this disaster and the next one becasue he is my strength.

So the next time the news scares you, turn off the TV or internet and go into the presence of God. Align yourself with his majesty. Receive his grace and comfort. And then go out ready to face anything.