George Mason (not to be confused with the Father of the Bill of Rights) is the Baptist pastor of Wilshire Baptist Church and often spoke to the media for Ebola victim Thomas Eric Duncan’s fiancee, Louise Troh.
Things that stood out:
- He knows the difference in defending the faith and being defensive about it.
- “The one thing I think nobody has really talked about is how much the community wanted to get this right, in part because we have 1963 all over the back of our minds. Mayor Rawlings will tell you especially. This was like a shot at redemption for the city.”
- In reference to a Catholic bishop taking in Duncan’s family: “The bishop was good,” Mason says. “Somebody asked him, ‘But they weren’t Catholic. Why did you do this?’ and the bishop said, ‘We didn’t do it because they were Catholic, we did it because we are Catholic.’”
- “Look. The church in America is always positioning itself as being opposed to science, fearful of everything, promoting fear instead of confidence and love. The World Health Organization has studied this for 38 years. I have my faith, but I also believe in science.”
- Mason even found a way to bridge the CDC-recommended 3-foot distance. “We had a way of hugging without touching. Louise and I would cross our arms over our own chest and hug in that touchless way.”
- A week later, I open my childhood Bible. I stumble into John 4:14 and smile.