V RaptureChrist Newsletter
October 1, 2014

Scary news of developing diseases are all over the internet. We see patients with ebola virus coming from Africa. We read news of children dying of an enterovirus with paralysis similar to polio. Where are we heading? How can we avoid getting sick?

In the case of the "diagnosed" D68 enterovirus, we need to realize that the PCR - Polymerase Chain Reaction testing is not a conclusive identification of the virus.

Scientists who do the testing can only narrow this type of virus to an enterovirus, but to determine for sure it is enterovirus D-68 is another thing. The symptoms for enterovirus d-68 are usually flu-like symptoms such as malaise, headache, vomiting, and respiratory difficulty; it does not present with paralysis. That is why the news media now is saying "polio-like symptoms," because there are many children who now are developing paralysis from this infection. Polio is also an enterovirus, meaning that these types of viruses replicate in the intestinal track. That is why people contract it from the feces to mouth route, and that is why the only advice that you see doctors give is "wash your hands."

But we need to be more clever than just washing our hands. The usual time of year for victims of polio was in the summer. That is why many years ago, when we had epidemics of polio, the public swimming pools were closed. Polio could be spread to other children by contaminated food, especially ice cream. With the development of a polio vaccine, we thought the scare was over, but this comeback of another form of enterovirus makes us wonder.... are we seeing a new form of enterovirus? Is it related to polio?

All of these viruses, ebola, enterovirus D68, etc could be transmitted by the blood of the patient (ebola is hemorrhagic), by the mucus of the patient, by ingesting uncooked contaminated food (such as salads or ice cream), or by touching surfaces or clothing contaminated with the mucus or feces of the patient. When a person touches a contaminated surface, the viruses do not go through the skin. The skin is a very good protective surface. The viruses need to come in contact with mucosa in the body such as the eyes, the nostrils, the lips and mouth. Therefore, besides the ingestion of contaminated food, people need to be aware that the utensils used in restaurants (cups, glasses, forks...) could be carriers of virus particles, and that any other contaminated surface would be a threat if you do not wash your hands, because touching your eyes or your lips will be enough to pass the virus from your hands into your body. As feces are full of bacteria and viruses, using public restrooms is a way to get contaminated, especially from the toilet dispenser and the doorknobs. 

We write this newsletter in order to make you aware that prevention is the best medicine, and being aware empowers you to defend yourself against any threats lurking in your surrounding area.

A long time ago, God gave commandments on how to treat people with disease. There were some people to be put out of the city so they could not infect anyone.

Numbers 5:1-3 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead: Both male and female shall ye put out.

Quarantine was a method instructed by God to avoid transmission of disease. That is something that has been practiced for thousands of years. People knew it worked, but they did not know the reason.

Lev 15
7 “‘Whoever touches the man who has a discharge must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

8 “‘If the man with the discharge spits on anyone who is clean, they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

The reason God gave these commands is for people to clean themselves from germs so they would not get sick. Washing hands before eating was also important. This is seen by some as a way to keep us holy, but the real reason is to get rid of germs. There is a type of defilement caused by germs, and a type of defilement caused by sin.

MATT 7:14-23  And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

There are some who misuse the previous bible verse to claim that we do not have to wash our hands anymore. Well, there are still plenty of germs. In the above quotation, Christ is talking about spiritual defilement.

Most health laws God gave us are obvious now, and those that do not make sense yet, we should keep them, because God knows more than we.

Fact is, people did not know about bacteria until the 1800's and later on found even smaller germs -- viruses. Washing your hands reduces the chance of getting sick.

Pasteur told doctors in the 1800's about germs, but, they did not believe him. Blood splattered uniforms were common on surgeons because they refused to clean them, as well as they refused to wash their hands before an operation. Finally, years later, Pasteur was proven right. Doctors began to wash their hands and use antiseptics.

God's laws are to help us. If we keep His commandments we will have good health and prosper. He gave us these laws because He loves us and they will serve to keep us healthy.