Messages in the masks

Some say faith in the midst of COVID-19 means following health recommendations Editor's note: Faith editor Carla Hinton was asked to take off her mask as she conducted a recent interview in Tulsa. The person being interviewed noted that they were outdoors and also indicated that she consider going without a mask as testament to her faith that God would protect her and others from COVID-19. Hinton later learned that other Oklahomans choosing to wear masks have had similar discussions in which their faith is questioned. Their comments are shared in the following story.

Margee Gaeddert took to social media to explain that she has an abundance of faith — and, yes, she chooses to wear a mask.

The two are not mutually exclusive, Gaeddert and other Oklahomans said in recent Facebook posts.

Ga ed de rt, a metro area graphic artist, said she has been asked several times why she, as a Christian, has been wearing the personal protective equipment recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and some of the nation's leading scientists.

As a believer, doesn't she have faith that God will provide protection from the coronavirus? she was asked.

In answer, Gaeddert used her talents to create a colorful header for her Facebook page. In this era of COVID-19, the powerful montage features people of different races wearing masks and other images including symbols of different faiths. Gaeddert said it helps explain her actions — and why the message behind her mask is one of Christian love.

“Yes, it bothered me to be questioned about my desire to protect myself and others. I replied that I believed in science as well as being a Christian and to love one another by wearing a mask,” she said.

“I hope were member Christ's message daily — Love One Another.”

For better or worse, masks have become symbols beyond their use as protective gear

Gaeddert

Ford

during the pandemic. The CDC said cloth face coverings are recommended asa simple barrier to help prevent respiratory drop lets from traveling into the air and onto other people when the person wearing the cloth face covering coughs, sneezes, talks or raises their voice.

“COVID-19 spreads mainly among people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet), so the use of cloth face coverings is particularly important in settings where people are close to each other or where social distancing is difficult to maintain,” according to the CDC's website.

Somehow, masks have been politicized as a partisan choice. And now, some metro residents said masks are also in the middle of debates about faith — or the lack thereof.

Nancy Miller, an Oklahoma City hospice chaplain, said her faith has been questioned regarding her decision to wear a mask.

Miller said such questioning hasn't changed her mind.

“It's a shallow faith if we feel the need to prove our faith to any man,” she said in a Facebook post.

Midwest City resident Erma Ford said she has felt that some people are judging her for wearing am ask. One person who didn't wear a mask told her that “God got me covered,” inferring that Ford, with her mask, didn't feel the Lord's protection.

“Please stop faith-shaming people. Don't equate my faith with fear because I'm wearing a mask,” she said.

“If you don't want to wear one, that' s fine, but stop acting as if you have so much more faith. I trust God way beyond COVID-19. My mask has nothing to do with my faith — it has to do with my need to keep me and my family safe and living.”

Befitting her stance, Ford rocks a mask emblazoned with the slogan “I Live Blessed.”

Let's talk about it

The Rev. Trey Witzel spoke about the topic during a weekly online devotional in April.

Ministers at First United Methodist Church of Edmond model their masks in the church's sanctuary. They are the Rev. Sam Powers, senior minister; the Rev. Trey Witzel, associate minister; and the Rev. Don Vaught. [DOUG HOKE/ THE OKLAHOMAN]

Witzel, associate minister at First United Methodist Church of Edmond, said the church's leaders have made it a general rule to be candid about ways church members may limit the spread of the coronavirus. He said the church reopened for in-person worship two weeks ago but pastors had been talking about social distancing and masks during virtual worship services that started in March.

“We haven't s hi ed away f rom saying what does our faith look like in this moment,” Witzel said.

“I really think that talking about it has helped people come around to say `This is serious. Let's wear a mask.' It' s a small, really in significant inconvenience that could really be life or death for someone.”

Witzel proudly wears a mask that his mom made him that is long enough to cover his beard.

He said it's unfortunate that masks currently carry “baggage” as political symbols. He said in some ways, the politics

of the masks have also intertwined with religion.

“Masks have become a political statement,” he said because some people see members of one political party as more Christian than members with different political affiliations.

“What I tried to say in my devotion was that I believe in God so much that when God says `Love your neighbor' that means any way I can, I should love my neighbor. So for this moment, what we can all do is wear masks.”

The Rev. Leslie Long, another minister, shared a similar view.

“I have had people say `Faith not fear' to me as they talked a bout mask wearing. As a pastor, I believe God gives us the chance to care for others. A mask is one way we can love our neighbor,” she said.

Like Witzel, Rabbi Ovadia Gold man, spiritual leader of t he Chabad Community Center for Jewish Life and Learning, also said he realized that masks have taken

Chabad mask distribution

When: 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Chabad Community Center for Jewish Life and Learning, 3000 W Hefner Road

Cost: Free

Information: 286-0900

on different meaning sin America.

“Definitely, there's different types of people who see the masks from a different prism than a health prism,” Goldman said.

The rabbi said he views the coverings as helpful to limiting transmission of the coronavirus. Thus his community center will host a drive-thru mask give-away event from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at 3000 W Hefner Road, as a service to the community-at-large.

“We felt that we would do our part,” Goldman said.

Meanwhile, some metro residents like Kelly Riley Arnold said wearing a mask simply comes down to choosing to protect others and hoping they will do the same for you.

“Doesn't God say love thy neighbor? That's what wearing a mask is all about,” she said.

Henry Dolive shared a similar view.

“My faith means that I'm willing to use the brain that God gave me — and that means listening to the health experts, and doing what they say. And they say wearing a mask protects the other person, and the other person's mask protects me,” he said.

Joy Pike of Edmond said: “God has promised to be with us in the fire and through the flood, but He doesn't ask me to jump into a burning structure or a raging river. He gives us wisdom to do the right thing.”

Karen Lynia Coates said faith has nothing to do with her decision to wear a mask. She sees it as common sense and a way to protect others around her.

“Wearing a mask has nothing to do with my faith. God gave me a brain and expects me to use it ,” Coat es said. “If wearing the mask doesn't protect me or others, so be it. I'd rather try to protect others than think of my own comfort.”

And Karen Webb said another perspective on faith's role in the pandemic is to consider that God is at work through scientists and health care providers.

“Who do you think provided the wisdom to the doctors who are warning us?” she said.