I just heard on Facebook Messenger that a nephew of mine,

[MineralMan]

the son of my late brother, and his wife have tested positive for COVID-19. I expressed my concern and hope that they recover quickly and completely in a reply to his message.

He and his wife are arch-conservatives and fundamentalist Christians. They have been anti-maskers and gatherers at all sorts of mass functions of a political or religious nature. I didn't mention any of that in my reply to his Facebook message, of course. I hope that he will come to realize that his following the example of Trump was partly to blame for their diagnoses.

They have four children, including two young adult women who are identical twins. I hope none of them contract this virus, as well.

It is sad that Donald Trump's example and his attacks on people who have been wearing masks led to their illness, and the infection of many, many others who followed Trump's example. I hope that people begin to recognize how they were misled by that poor excuse for a President of the United States.

[MaryMagdaline]

1. 70 million more Americans would be wearing masks if only their president had told them to

He could have put his face on a mask and mass produced for billions of dollars. Short sighted, evil, and we’re all paying for it.

I’m sorry for your family. Even when they’re wrong, our families matter. Speedy recovery to all.

[PufPuf23]

27. If Trump had masked and delivered copious amounts of

of MAGA and Trump emblazed masks to his base, Trump likely would have been re-elected POTUS.

Not implying that Trump should have been re-elected but that Trump had a poliitcal gimmee and did not take advantage to promote his own vile ends.

Of course, the nation would also would not be facing the same ongoing and worsening crisis with cv19.

Joe Biden is rising to the occasion to deal with the hole dug by Trump and the GOP.

[MaryMagdaline]

38. Yep. He's just that short-sighted.

[spinbaby]

2. I hope he recovers and doesn't spread it

I have relatives like that, too. We get along, but studiously avoid certain subjects. They go to church and are having a big Thanksgiving dinner. We’re not going to attend and they knew better than to ask us.

[highplainsdem]

3. Sympathies and I hope they'll be okay. I have anti-masker relatives who'll be getting together for

Thanksgiving with relatives they rarely see, and I'm hoping they'll all stay safe despite their idiotic ideas that not wearing a mask is about freedumb. A number of them have age and health concerns that would make them at much greater risk of being hospitalized, at least, if they catch Covid.

[Cbus Girl]

4. My cousin died from covid last week

She was 68 and had macular degeneration and fibromyalgia and rarely left her home. Her 40 something son has always lived in her basement. He works as a prison officer here in Ohio and brought it home to her. I went to his Facebook page to see if I could copy a picture of her for my mom. The day his mom died her posted several anti mask memes. To think I wondered how he’s doing worried he’s blaming himself for his mom’s death. With that attitude I guess the asshole is responsible.

[niyad]

5. So very sorry to hear about your cousin.

[nattyice]

6. Unfortunately, some folks are only able to learn the hard way

[MineralMan]

9. And some never learn at all.

I hope my nephew does, but I'm not counting on it.

[appleannie1]

7. Hopefully they recover without long health issues BUT

don't count on them ever realizing it was their adhering to the Word of Trump, the savior sent by God, that caused them to be ill in the first place. My niece, her husband and the youngest of their two sons, age 20 all contracted the virus from church friends they gathered with. All of them say it was the worst case of "flu" they have ever had, all of them still go to every church function numerous times a week. My sister, age 81 and her husband, age 83, are traveling two hours to be at my nieces house for Thanksgiving and will include many of my nieces church friends. They look on it as a gathering to "Thank God for all His many blessings and give Him praise'.
And if any of them get sick or even die as a result "it is God's will". AMEN

I begged my sister to not go to church till this is over. She relented enough to watch their televised church on Sunday's, mainly because she cannot walk without a walker and it is difficult for her. That said, she still goes to a "ladies" function almost every week where they sit in an even smaller room but one with better access to a bathroom. There is never a day goes by that one or more of her church friends do not drop in with food or goodies they have baked etc. etc. I have been to her house, since she can't get around they come to her. Believe me, the one thing she does not need is home baked goodies. Their belief is stronger than reason or facts.

[bluestarone]

8. THIS!

This is who they are. In their eyes RUMP is their savior! Hard to believe BUT that's where we are at! I have Brothers and Sisters that are THIS WAY!! RELIGION will DESTROY this country, as i've said before.

[KPN]

17. Me too sibling-wise. Over time, I've concluded

they belong to a cult. There is little difference between what we saw and know about the notorious cults of the past 4 or 5 decades and many of the evangelical churches. It is frightening to see the grasp they hold on my siblings.

[BComplex]

26. "RELIGION will DESTROY this country, as i've said before." I totally agree, bluestarone.

The churches already have a legion created whose members are told to believe things that are not provable, and just to take things on "faith" that their authoritarian leaders say are true. (Such as: abortion is a "sin", even though it is mentioned NOWHERE in the bible.)

So, with critical thinking suspended, the devil himself can step into the pulpit and tell them to believe just about any old thing he says. Which is what happened when trump stepped up.

[sdfernando]

12. Its sad to say, but if they recover without any COVID related lingering issues

Its not likely they will have learned any lesson at all!

Hell, there are people who almost died from COVID and are insisting they never had it! There are people insisting they don't have it right up to the time they are intubated and a lot of those ones die. I don't say "they died for lack of knowledge" they died because they are cultists!

[uponit7771]

35. They've been incorrectly told the bible says its ok to play in traffic

[Ford_Prefect]

10. I wish you the patience, strength and serenity to weather this...

Sometimes Family is not an easy or logical experience.

[MineralMan]

11. Many Thousands of Families Are in the Same Situation

It's a story that will be repeated again and again, sadly.

[Ford_Prefect]

13. Indeed, very sadly. With yet to be understood future consequences I am sure.

[KPN]

18. Yes. That's my concern; the yet to be understood

future consequences. Especially within my own family (3 of my 7 living siblings are evangelicals; our communications have waned significantly over the past 4 or 5 weeks or so (just prior and since the election).

[BobTheSubgenius]

14. Because you have the grace to do so, I will also hope it's a mild case and he/they recover quickly.

I doubt I'd be above some oblique mention of masks, etc...in the course of normal FB posting.

You are a good uncle.

[AllaN01Bear]

15. after having a horrible experiance at age four with these people i have nothing to do with fundies

my condolances to u and your family

[rainin]

16. I find myself feeling much less generous than you. I've found myself hoping my trumper

relatives get it and even worse, hoping it's a bad case. I think every time a trumper goes out maskless without consequences, it reinforces their certainty that covid isn't anything to be afraid of, all the while further endangering other people, essential workers for example. They deserve to be removed from the population for willfully endangering the lives of others. Harsh maybe, but justified.

I resent their arrogance. I resent that they've been out going dancing, traveling to island get-aways, having family gatherings while posting facebook memes about how libs are living in fear. We've been stuck at home since March, while they're laughing at us and I've grown to hate them for it. My relatives are also fundamentalists and are as self-righteous as they come. I'd be fine to see them all taken down a notch for their arrogance.

[KPN]

19. Hard to argue with your reasoning.

[roamer65]

21. They have a rendezvous with natural selection.

Darwin was right.

[MineralMan]

24. It's too bad you feel that way, it seems to me.

I do not wish illness on anyone, whatever their political position. I encourage people to take precautions, to get vaccinated, as with the flu, etc. However, as someone said to me as a child, "You're not the boss of me."

Nobody deserves to get sick and die. Nobody. Yes, they should have taken precautions, but now they're sick, and I hope they recover fully and learn something from what has happened.

Hatred is a self-destructive emotional response. I recommend against it.

[rainin]

32. I regret their behavior far more than I regret my feelings about their behavior.

How is the consequence of getting COVID from reckless behavior any different than getting a consequence from drunk driving? Would you want a drunk driver whose reckless behavior caused someone's injury or death to escape his consequence?

Hypothetical: I'm watching my family drive drunk with careless abandon. I believe a single-car accident would be the best lesson, and the only thing that will stop them. I also believe that every day that passes without any personal consequences reinforces for them that driving drunk isn't dangerous.

I want them to suffer personal tragedy, partly because I resent their smugness, but mostly because they need to be stopped.

And yes, hatred is self-destructive. I'll allow myself to feel this hate until I'm done with it and decide to move on.

[tavernier]

20. My three grandchildren (young adults) in Indiana

had it and are all recovering well. They are maskers and are not trumpers. I’m of the opinion that even maskers can contract it but could have less severe symptoms because of the smaller load of virus they have been exposed to.

[roamer65]

22. They made their choice and will have to deal with the repercussions.

I feel sorry for their kids, virus and parenting-wise.

Make sure you stay the hell away from them, MM.

[MineralMan]

23. Hmm...I guess I'm not that cold-hearted.

I'm very sorry they have caught the virus, despite my political disagreements with them.

I haven't seen my nephew for many years. He lives in a state I almost never visit. In fact, the last time I saw him was when he got married there, over 20 years ago.

[roamer65]

31. It transcends political beliefs.

No masking and their lack of respect for basic health safety protocol represents an atrocious and caustic disdain for fellow human beings.

I would feel the same if they were Democrats. A covidiot is a covidiot.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

25. Unfortunately, they probably all will recover just fine,

because most people do. And they'll go about bragging that the disease isn't anything at all.

Instead (and I know this makes me a cold-hearted awful person) they should get desperately ill, and find there's no space in the ICU for them.

We're having such a huge outbreak precisely because of idiots like them. They deserve minimal sympathy at best.

[bucolic_frolic]

28. Their lives are based on beliefs that fence out reality

God will protect them. They are the chosen ones, so if they are sticken, they'll be ok. Surprising they don't perceive it as punishment for sin. Religion trumps science. They enjoy suffering and death. It makes them Christian. Death brings inheritances too. They don't question their own invincibility. They don't believe science if they see it, but trust in unproven religious dogma. If you can't see it, it doesn't exist, but their beliefs are real to them. I would say folks like these are seriously mixed up.

They're doing it with the election. The winner lost, unless we're the winner that we see. Batshit crazy!

[MerryBlooms]

29. They're responsible for their diagnosis, and they're also responsible for anyone else's diagnosis

they may have infected. Being irresponsible and reckless has been their choice. Hopefully they're quarantining, but a lot of trumpers who test positive don't quarantine until they become symptomatic. Best of luck.

[DFW]

30. As fundamentalist Christians, they will be familiar with Galatians 6

"A man reaps what he sows."

As humans (presumably) capable of rational thought, they will maybe rethink blindly following false idols in the future.

And you're right, bringing any of this up to such people is spitting into the wind. They will either figure it out on their own or not, and no potentially fatal illness has much of a chance of changing that.

[uponit7771]

36. +1, nothing in the bible says play in the middle of rush hour traffic as normal course

[Wounded Bear]

33. Way to stay classy. Best wishes for your family...

[Martin Eden]

34. Natural consequences Trump religious belief

I don't care what people believe as long as it doesn't harm others.

Such is not the case with "fundamentalist Christians" who are anti-maskers attending mass gatherings.

Inevitably, they spread disease and death to others who do not share their beliefs or irresponsible behaviour.

As adults of normal intelligence your relatives along with millions like them share responsibility for the economic calamity and horrible tragedies being inflicted on the rest of us.

What has happened to your relatives is indeed a tragedy, and I'm not referring only to their illness. The usurpation of the Christian religion by charlatans whose lust for wealth and power has does done so much to divide our country and damage our government was a grievous national tragedy before this pandemic struck.

More important than the health of those who share responsibility for this tragedy is the health of our republic and of the American people (and the world) going forward.

Natural consequences inevitably come into play, as a corrective measure or as a terrible calamity from which we never fully recover.

If the only way this can be limited to a corrective measure is for large numbers of those who share responsibility for the calamity to suffer the natural consequences of their own irresponsible behavior, then so be it.

[Imallin4Joe]

37. I had covid back in March, my breathing is still affected.

Through daily deep-breathing exercises I have managed to restore my lung function back to about 75%. Deep breathes are still a problem but I hope to improve it by doing said exercise.

Post-covid, my lung function was at about 50%.