Coming Events
(Contact me at mail@sosmin.com or (510) 282-5629 for outreach locations and times one or two days before outreach.)
Friday June 11, 18, 25 3-6 PM Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods.
Saturday June 12, 19, 26 12-5 PM Fisherman’s Wharf Taylor & Embarcadero St.
July 21 – 24 SOS – San Francisco Year 42
UNMASKING THE TRUTH
Dear Christian friends,
Of all the issues that have been raised during this past year’s lockdown, no issue has become more emotional that the issue of whether or not to wear a mask. In March, 2020, no health authority (including Dr. Fauci) was recommending that people should wear masks. That month, Time Magazine published this article: “Health Experts Are Telling Healthy People Not to Wear Face Masks for Coronavirus. So Why Are So Many Doing It?” From the article: ““It seems kind of intuitively obvious that if you put something—whether it’s a scarf or a mask—in front of your nose and mouth, that will filter out some of these viruses that are floating around out there,” says Dr. William Schaffner, professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University. The only problem: that’s not effective against respiratory illnesses like the flu and COVID-19. If it were, “the CDC would have recommended it years ago,” he says. “It doesn’t, because it makes science-based recommendations.” The science, according to the CDC, says that surgical masks won’t stop the wearer from inhaling small airborne particles, which can cause infection. Nor do these masks form a snug seal around the face.” That same month, England’s Deputy Chief medical officer warned that masks could “actually trap the virus” and cause the person wearing it to breathe it in, increasing their chances of becoming sick from COVID. On April 2, 2020, the Washington Post published an article titled: “Everyone wore masks during the 1918 flu pandemic. They were useless.”
However, within a few months, the recommendations suddenly changed. Today, billions of people worldwide have been forced to wear masks both by government orders and by private businesses. Dr. Fauci said on Feb. 21 that it is possible we will still be wearing masks in 2022.
Today, about 90% of people are wearing masks on the streets of San Francisco. It is virtually impossible to enter any business without a mask. Yet the actual science on masks has not changed. The scientific evidence consistently demonstrates that wearing face masks does not stop the spread of viruses, including the one that causes COVID-19.
For those who wish to look at the evidence, here is a good site that links to the existing research: swprs.org/covid-masks-review. Here are two recent examples: 1. A May 2020 meta-study on pandemic influenza published by the US CDC found that face masks had no effect, neither as personal protective equipment nor as a source control. “Evidence from 14 randomized controlled trials of these measures did not support a substantial effect on transmission of laboratory-confirmed influenza.” 2. A Danish randomized controlled trial with 6000 participants, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in November 2020, found no statistically significant effect of high-quality medical face masks in protecting the wearer against COVID infection in a community setting. (Three leading scientific journals refused to publish this study, not for a scientific reason, but because its conclusion was too controversial. The study was completed in July, but not published until November.)
It seems “intuitively obvious” that a mask would be useful in preventing infections from spreading. That’s why we conduct scientific experiments. Sometimes, it turns out that what is “intuitively obvious” isn’t in fact true. After March, 2020, the CDC, the WHO and other groups stopped making science-based recommendations concerning masks and bowed to political pressure to change their recommendations.
Health Care Becomes Politicized
Throughout the past year, we have seen an unprecedented politicization of health care recommendations. After insisting that everything in the world be shut down for COVID-19, on June 4, over 1200 public health experts signed a letter endorsing tens of thousands of people gathering with no required social distancing for George Floyd protests. I am not aware of any government leader who condemned these protests for risking COVID deaths. But they were quick to condemn every other gathering, including church services and people visiting their dying relatives. (On July 1, the New York Times reported that there was no surge of COVID cases following these gatherings of tens of thousands of people. So maybe what we have been told about the risks of mass gatherings isn’t true. I witnessed one of these rallies. There was no social distancing and many people were not wearing masks.)
On Dec. 24, Dr. Fauci told the New York Times: “When polls said only about half of all Americans would take a vaccine, I was saying herd immunity would take 70 to 75%…Then, when newer surveys said 60% or more would take it, I thought, ‘I can nudge this up a bit,’ so I went to 80, 85.” Can anyone explain why a “scientist” would change the percentage of a population that needs to receive a vaccination to reach herd immunity based on polls?
Today, many people have come to view anyone who walks around in public without a mask as someone who is selfishly endangering the lives of others. Virtually none of these people have looked at any of the scientific evidence on the subject. Instead, they believe the government leaders, media personalities, and government-approved scientists who tell them to wear masks, or even double-mask. Often we are told that our mask does not protect us, but it protects others. But there is no scientific research to support this claim either.
Florida and California have almost identical COVID death rates. California has had a statewide mask mandate since June and Florida has never had a statewide mask mandate. When some Florida cities issued mask mandates, Florida’s governor responded with an executive order preventing them from being enforced. 80% of all COVID deaths are in people over 65. The percent of people over 65 is seven times higher in Florida than in California. Why is Florida’s COVID death rate not many times higher than California’s? New Jersey has had a mask mandate in place since March 10. Their COVID death rate is 80% higher than Florida’s.
After warning over the past year that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ COVID policies would result in disaster in a state with a massive senior population, CNN sent a reporter to the Sunshine State this past March for a damage report. CNN’s Jeff Zeleny hedged his assessment, but he had to admit that things have turned out well. “The governor’s gamble to take a laissez-faire approach to coronavirus appears to be paying off,” said Zeleny.
Axios said Monday that “after a solid year of living with a pandemic, the national press are beginning to ask the question that even Democrats have been quietly pondering in the Sunshine State: Was Gov. Ron DeSantis’ pandemic response right for Florida?”
According to Eddie Scarry of the Washington Examiner, DeSantis did not take a “laissez-faire approach” to the pandemic. The DeSantis administration, he argued, used “the science” to focus on protection for the elderly while encouraging everyone else to carefully monitor their risk levels. In other words, he was following the advice of over 55,000 medical health scientists and practitioners who have signed the Great Barrington Declaration (gbdeclaration.org).
On the Streets
On Fri. Feb. 19, we witnessed at 16th St. and Mission and at 16th St. and Valencia. Valencia Street was once again open to outdoor dining, so the street was again closed to traffic and there were many more people there. Alex ministered to Jose, 20, a backslidden Christian whose father is a pastor. He had been hanging out with gangsters with guns and was afraid of what he had gotten involved with. Alex got his phone number and prayed with him. Tats, Roger, and Andy all witnessed to Tenisha, who said she wanted to start attending church. She said, “I need to hear this. All my friends are dragging me down. I don’t know any Christian women.” They got her phone number and invited her to attend church with them. Mike ministered to Dave, a Christian in need of fellowship. He invited him to City Impact’s Bible study and he came. Ryan witnessed to Paul, 20, a Samoan drug dealer. He broke down in tears when he shared the gospel with him. They prayed with him, but he was not ready to give up his lifestyle. Ryan also ministered to Melissa. She came out to witness with us, but said she was still smoking marijuana. After he spoke with her, she said she would stop. Since then, she has thrown away her drugs.
The next day we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf. Tim Moon and the Stars played excellent music. We witnessed at three locations on the Wharf. Tats and Ryan witnessed to Chris, a gay conservative. Tats shared his testimony with him and he was quite receptive. He was raised in a Christian home, but his grandmother hit him when he told her he was gay. Mike witnessed to Dave, 60, who had been drinking. He believed in Jesus but struggled with alcohol addiction and had attended AA meetings.
Corey witnessed to Ken, 40, a Mormon who was divorced and struggled with fornication and alcohol. He also witnessed to John, 21, a Catholic. Corey said that Mary only gave us one commandment: “Whatever Jesus says, do it.” John got mad and walked away, but thirty minutes later he returned and apologized. He was angry that Corey was not wearing a mask and said his aunt had died from Covid.
Alex witnessed to Christopher, 10, who was listening to our preaching. He was there with his father, who is a Catholic. His father didn’t seem interested in the gospel, but didn’t object to our talking with his son. They live in the Tenderloin district and attend St. Mary’s Church and Christopher sings in the choir. He really liked the preaching and seemed to be quite familiar with the Bible.
A Final Word
Thank you again for your prayers and financial support for this ministry.
We purchased two new Bose amps to use on the streets. They are the best ones available, but are expensive, costing $550 with a discount. Thank you for enabling us to purchase them.
Our life on this earth is short. We should do everything we can to reach as many people as we can for Jesus.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
