Some Sunday thoughts coming at you on a Monday: While my church has been virtual since March, many friends' churches are meeting in person with messaging like "We strongly recommend masks, but won't require it," or "We offer a masks-required service and a masks-optional service."

At a glance, this seems reasonable - everyone gets to gauge their own personal comfort level with masks, and make their decisions accordingly. Except... I have a hard time reconciling that stance with literally any of Jesus' teachings about loving our neighbor.

Nowhere in the Bible did Jesus say, "Love thy neighbor as thyself, according to thine own personal comfort level. If loving thy neighbor makest thou uncomfortable, thou art exempt."

Wasn't the Parable of the Good Samaritan supposed to be about caring for others even if it inconveniences us, costs us financially, makes us targets of scorn, and requires us to diverge from our plans for ourselves?

I've never heard a single pastor or Biblical scholar argue that Jesus' point was that, while he strongly RECOMMENDED following in the footsteps of the Good Samaritan, it was equally valid to cross to the other side of the road if helping the traveler is in any way inconvenient.

Like, I'm pretty sure that the priest and the Levite are not a part of that story to illustrate that there are Equally Valid Options on Both Sides. When Jesus commanded the expert in the law to "go and do likewise," he didn't mean to pick ANY character in the parable to imitate.

If church leadership is "strongly recommending" masks, why? Is it because they believe masks are in the best interests of the community? Is it because it helps protect the vulnerable from getting sick? Is it out of love for their neighbor? If so, then... why is it optional?

No church can FORCE members to wear masks. But they CAN say, "Out of love for our neighbor, we will require masks in our building. If you don't want to wear a mask, we offer a virtual service." (And seriously, ALL churches should be offering virtual services right now.)

The fact is, there is a significant population in the U.S. right now who is getting their main source of guidance in how to handle the pandemic not from epidemiologists and infectious disease specialists, but from faith leaders and politicians.

Politicians are gonna politician. But Christian faith leaders are theoretically in the business of offering guidance on how to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. And Jesus was in the business of advocating for the vulnerable, the poor, the oppressed, the sick. Always.

There are surely many churches who are making masks optional because those in leadership DON'T actually believe they help, but are trying to pacify everyone by not taking a firm stance. Seems a little lukewarm - Jesus had Things To Say about that too - but not my point here.

My point is that for faith leaders who *do* believe that masks are about protecting the vulnerable, caring for the marginalized, and giving the sick the best possible chance for healing - who believe this is about loving our neighbor - please, TEACH that. And practice it.

Saying "this is about loving our neighbor," and then hedging that teaching by saying, "unless you really don't want to," communicates that loving our neighbor is optional, or dependent on our own personal whims.

When you "recommend, but don't require" masks, when you offer an unmasked service to placate your congregants who believe COVID is a conspiracy, what you are teaching your congregation that looks to you for guidance is that there is a "both sides" to loving your neighbor.

You're teaching a huge, powerful, privileged group that prioritizing their own desires and comforts over the needs and wellbeing of others is a valid stance, and that Jesus has no strong feelings about how we treat the vulnerable.

Jesus did not give religious exemptions for loving your neighbor. Why would he? The central tenet of Christianity beyond loving God is loving your neighbor. So no, you don't get to just not do it because it's uncomfortable for you.

So for church leaders who have been saying, "masks DO help, but you don't have to wear one," consider that you're communicating, "you COULD help the wounded traveler, but crossing to the other side of the road is also fine." And your congregations are hearing you loud and clear.

Your members will always be "free" to not wear masks. But they don't have to be free to do that within your building. They can stay home. They can attend virtually. They can go to a different church where leadership also thinks masks are dumb. That's America.

But if your stance on masks is motivated by a "WWJD" mindset, and you actually believe it's about loving your neighbor, then don't communicate that it's an agree to disagree thing. Don't teach that you can do it, or not, and it doesn't matter.

You can say, "We will be requiring masks inside the building, period," without encroaching on anyone's religious freedoms. You can say, "This is about loving our neighbor as best we can, which we don't believe is optional." You can say, "If you choose to leave, that's okay."

(You can also say "We believe that the best way to love our neighbor is to go virtual indefinitely," which is what my church has done, and what I'm personally most comfortable with. Also a very valid option!)

Yes, some people will be mad. Some people will leave. That sucks. But if you're a faith leader, please don't be afraid to actually LEAD, especially now when you are the ones many people are *most likely* to listen to, even more than doctors and experts and teachers and friends.

And if you're a faith leader who's already using your platform & influence to teach that loving our neighbors means taking this virus seriously, masking up, staying home, staying distanced, and sacrificing our wants and comforts for the good of others, thank you. You're awesome.

Addendum: Are there all sorts of OTHER uncomfortable ways churches could/should be advocating for loving our neighbors right now? Definitely! Are they as simple as wearing masks? Probably not! Masks are an incredibly easy place to start, not the finish line.

Addendum 2: Since this thread is getting passed around a fair amount, I’d also like to take this opportunity to urge pastors to use your platforms to communicate that listening to scientists and experts is Not Bad, and is Good, Actually.

Addendum 3: This really applies to all sorts of Christian leaders, not just pastors. Christian business owners, Christian influencers, Christian entertainers - people look to you for spiritual guidance. Lead wisely. Love your neighbor. Mask up.

(I'm actually of the opinion that if you're a Christian business owner who is actually turning a PROFIT in This Economy, loving your neighbor should go beyond requiring masks/offering WFH if possible - that feels like the bare MINIMUM - but that's a more complex discussion.)