The cautionary parable of the bacteria that cause Lyme disease

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There is a bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi that has been causing a lot of pain lately.

In the body of a small mammal or a bird it does not pose problems, but the story changes when it enters the human body. A bite from a tick that has previously fed on one of these mammals or birds is all that is needed for infection to occur.

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Once the parasite enters our body, it reproduces and causes Lyme disease. For most, the impacts of the infection are minimal and short-term, but for some, the effects can be life-altering, all due to the corrupting activities of a tiny, nefarious and elusive bacteria.

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After an in-depth interview with University of Calgary researcher Dr. George Chaconas, I was struck by how the destructive ways of this bacteria echoed those of spiritual corruption: bacteria as a biological warning.

Borrelia burgdorferi are masters of disguise. To avoid being detected by our immune system, they change an external protein regularly and remain invisible. They cover up and hide in a physiological blind spot. In one of Dr. Chaconas’ videos you can see how the immune system’s neutrophils pass by these destructive intruders, as if they were not there.

Years ago I read Mere Christianity by CS Lewis and was exposed to the opening words of his chapter on the parasitic nature of pride: “There is one vice from which no man in the world is free; that everyone hates when he sees it in another person; and of which almost no one, except Christians, ever imagines being guilty. [of] themselves.”

The mortal sin of pride (the self full of self) hides in a psychological blind spot and will do anything to avoid detection, just like Borrelia burgdorferi.

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As these covert bacteria travel through our bloodstream, they find a way to adhere to the walls of our veins and arteries and then penetrate various parts of our body. Dr. Chaconas describes this adhesion ability as if it were Velcro. Only if they stick around can these bacteria wreak real havoc.

The same can be said of our thoughts. The bad things we do—speaking angry words, taking a huge slice of the economic pie, flirting inappropriately with others—are often the result of choosing to entertain unhealthy thoughts for longer than we should. By letting them stay, we give them the opportunity to attach themselves to our souls.

In the biblical story of Cain and Abel, Cain’s envious thoughts toward his brother prompt a warning from God: “Sin is lurking at your door; He wants to have you, but you must govern him.” (Genesis 4:7) It is difficult to govern our thoughts and live with inner integrity, but if we do not, the negative consequences can be serious. For Cain this led to murder.

When Borrelia burgdorferi crosses the vascular wall, it causes an inflammatory response in our body. For many, the effects of inflammation can be as problematic as the infection itself: extreme fatigue, joint stiffness, and headaches.

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While we don’t have a choice in how our body responds to intrusive bacteria, we do have a choice when it comes to how to handle negative intrusive thoughts. If treated properly, perhaps this can help with the “spiritual inflammation” that many of us experience.

Carrying dark thoughts and putting on a brave face can be exhausting, a recipe for feelings of incongruity, self-condemnation, and lack of inner peace.

This is not what we are made for.

Christianity teaches that God made humans complete and integrated beings. However, much of what we feel is disintegration. When the parasites of pride, envy, anger, or lust enter our systems and our consciousness triggers an inflammatory spiritual response, perhaps we should see discomfort as a gift, a sign that something is not right.

Once we get the signal, hopefully we can find a cure.

But for this to happen, we must start at the origin. Just as science needs to clearly understand the nature of Borrelia burgdorferi, we need to understand spiritual parasites for what they are: outside intruders who, if we let them, can steal our lives.

John Van Sloten is a community theologian working to engage God everywhere: through science, art, work, sports, education, politics, and everything in between. You can watch his interview with Dr. Chaconas at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbOfN39fyiE&t=0s.

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