I believe in and follow God and the principles laid out in His Word and I have a deeply held belief that vaccines violate them. Vaccines to me are unclean. An example would be drugs around depression. It is a God-given responsibility and requirement for me to protect the physical integrity of my Body against unclean food andinjections.[3]. You dont get to invent your own beliefs and pass them off as Christian. The church has been involved in COVID controversies before, criticized for holding indoor services against public health orders last year and ignoring masking rules. This is a novel interpretation. Copyright 2023 The Gospel Coalition, INC. All Rights Reserved. So, you and your family are going to risk unnecessary hospitalization and death because Juan Pablo crossed the border without getting a vaccine? There is a reason why U.S.A. are God's country. Displaying all articles. The injection stays at the site, doesnt move around the body, doesnt get stored in the liver, doesnt build up in the body. As Christians with religious objections to vaccines, we share the goals of promoting good health for children and families, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Ashamed of Jesus! I have never seen an interpreter who has argued that 1 Cor. This is clear from the references to the body in terms of a stomach and food, fornication and prostitution, and sins outside the body vs. sins against his own body. The context there is the individualsbody. Vaccine-resistant workers are sharing tips online for requesting exemptions to the requirements on religious grounds; others are submitting letters from far-flung religious authorities who have advertised their willingness to help. Were proud to publish real news 365 days of the year, completely free of charge to our readers. If so, then other Christians can rightfully disagree and dismiss her reasoning as fallacious. These are what defile a person. (Matthew 15:11, 19-20). In reality, what those seeking exemptions are arguing is that they believe the vaccine will harm them, and therefore they shouldnt be forced to take it. He has formerly held a bioethics fellowship at the Paul Ramsey Read "Do not [take] the vaccine. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. . He doubts they will break new legal ground, however. What does this mean? Brother, when Christians violate the 3rd commandment and twist Scripture, there is biblical warrant and precedent to identify them just as I have done. Instead, data suggests that refusing vaccination risks severe illness and possibly death. Were proud to publish real news 365 days of the year, completely free of charge to our readers. The temple of God objection is not a matter of conscience, itscowardice. In still rarer cases (it seems like) there is a risk/reward calculation that causes them to skipit. To stop meeting or singing would be to disobey God. On a Friday evening in April, the Supreme Court quietly issued a short decision that opened the floodgates for religious entities to claim an exemption from just about any law. of that Friend On whom for heaven my hopes depend! Please make sure all fields are filled out. What should Christians think about them? While not Here are nine things you should know about revival and the history of revivals in America. This vaccine has only been in existence a short time, and even if you think theres almost no chance it could have long term effects, you have no proof of that, and neither does anyone else. But producing high-quality, independent work is not cost-free , If you found the piece above useful, informative, or inspiring, please consider supporting, To donate by check, phone, bitcoin, or other method, see our, Bernie Sanders Reintroduces PRO Act as Labor Activity Is on the Rise, Nebraska Democrat Vows to Filibuster All Bills Until Anti-Trans Bill Is Defeated, Immigrants Win Unprecedented Settlement Over Violent ICE Workplace Raid, The Nuclear War in Ukraine May Not Be the One We Expect, Truthout Center for Grassroots Journalism. The concern for physical well-beingwhile certainly validis a concern shared by everyone, religious or not. While 1 Cor 3 is the church corporately, 1 Cor 6 is quite clear the individuals body. people cite religious reasons for their reluctance to receive the shot. The author provides no justification about why the vaccine violates his conscience. Bishop Paprocki also notes that Catholics in other states still need to check on their specific rules for vaccine exemptions. The Bible says, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17 KJV). But anyway, imagine thisargument, The situation isnt precisely parallel, but the similarities are interesting. The issues here have been around for a very long time," Evans said. But if you care deeply about religious liberty, please think twice before demanding a religious exemption. But weve also seen Christian right firms advocating for a broader range of conservative policies.. I think it is 44% of white evangelicals have stated that they will not get thevaccine. Roman Catholic and other Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders have advised followers to get the shots. So the Jews (o) call the body of a righteous man the habitation of the Holy Spirit. Claiming a religious exemption to the covid vaccine is not only asinine but it also weakens true religious exemption claims over legit issues forbelievers. Spreading the Word of God: A Guide for Religious Exemption to Immunization with Biblical Scripture Reference Paperback - January 14, 2020 by Tiffany A T Guay (Author) 4.6 out of 5 stars 33 ratings Moses grew and was educated as a noble among Egyptians (1022). Such statements have no place in the edifying speech that God requires ofus. Perhaps you have a more sophisticated form of this objection. As Michael Bird would say, sweet mother ofMelchisedec!. Indeed, courts are already rebuffing COVID-related religious-exemption requests, creating a harmful precedent that will be used against Christians in future cases. Placebos over the last two decades have increasingly gotten better during Clinical Trials. A Christian student at the University of Alabama-Birmingham has challenged the university's mandatory vaccine policy after being blocked from registering for classes this semester despite having been allowed to register past semesters with no vaccinations. Arbo has represented individuals and entities in a wide variety of corporate and nonprofit matters, as well as teaching at a number of religious universities. A faith community might help someone discover them or learn to think about them, but the individual is the one who matters. Even the pope says that is a more extreme condition than what is actually necessary, Evans told NBC 7. Commentators cited Murdoch's deposition as evidence that the network couldn't be trusted to report the facts. And this leads him to ask: Do you not know that you are Gods temple and that Gods Spirit dwells in you? Tyler Robbins is a bi-vocational pastor at Sleater Kinney Road Baptist Church, in Olympia WA. Scripture states that there will come false prophets, who will be strong deceivers, so much so that if it were possible the very elect would fall away. If you dont want to get the vaccine, thats your choice. Second, the sample letter mistakenly interprets the temple motif to refer to physical pollution to ones body, when Paul is in fact interjecting a rhetorical question (an accusation, really) about sins that may destroy their community (the temple), among which Christresides. Few, if any, plausibly assert that receiving the vaccine would violate the employees sincerely held religious beliefs. Here is a sample of a Religious Exemption letter. Jeffrey Denny. This is a violation of the Third Commandment. But the long-term consequences for religious liberty are what Im most worried about: that so many of these exemption requests seem mislabeled or disingenuous will invite courtsand the publicto place a tourniquet on religious exemptions generally (i.e., beyond the pandemic context). The protests in Venezuela show a broad movement of people who are reaching the end of their tether amid inequality. Religious entities have, the report concludes, won the right to exercise discrimination on steroids., Freed from the baggage of the culture war, conservative Christian groups managed to achieve unprecedented legal wins in the COVID cases without triggering a dramatic backlash, the authors of the report write. Appealing to a religious accommodation that is not sincerely held and uniformly applied dilutes legal options to appeal to when religious liberty is genuinely threatened in the future. PER.C6 came from an elective (immoral) abortion at 18weeks. According to this letter, if the Spirit has moved you then you have a free passpresumably about anything. I know there are legitimate concerns, but there is plenty of information to address those concerns, if people understood how to navigatethat.. I made the comment, I think, but I probably should have checked itfirst. The difference is that you dont have people screaming that blood pressure medication has computer chips, aborted fetal cells, changes your DNA, safety was skipped.. If you found the piece above useful, informative, or inspiring, please consider supporting Truthout with a tax-deductible donation. If you are a cancer patient, sometimes you are not to receive vaccines people who are allergic to any component of the vaccine, Tseng said. As Jesus explains, "it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth." He goes on to explain that "out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. Mine are nodifferent. Get the news you want, delivered to your inbox every day. As governments and businesses implement COVID-19 vaccine mandates, increasing numbers of people are seeking exemption on religious grounds. Wrestling with the moral tragedy of vaccines, The problem of an ethically compromised COVID-19 vaccine, Christian ethics and the dilemma of triage during a pandemic, Faraday Institute for Science and Religion. I can't even think about it.". Snow, Rain and Wind in the Forecast Yet Again. The problem is that the same people who eagerly promote anti-vaccine misinformation are just as eager to misuse religion to avoid . Thats the case here: Pauls admonition to the Corinthians is being invoked to put a religious spin on a ubiquitous concern for personal health. And while each person is free to live according to their sincerely held beliefs, Christians, in particular, should consider the call of Christ when weighing our decisions. He will END this Vaccine Madness. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me. Amos 1:13, Matthew 18:1-4, and Matthew 19:13-15 are just a few verses that illustrate the aforementioned children as blessings from God that are valued and loved by him, their Creator, in . (It should be noted that some versions of these requirements do allow for individuals to forgo the vaccine in exchange for submitting to routine COVID-19 testing.). Its biblicalanthropology. In the meantime, Kirschner is pleading with those who havent gotten vaccinated yet to reconsider, for her son's sake and others like him. Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech, Novavax - HEK293 cells are not used in production of the vaccine. The mandated vaccine, with its numerous additives and its mechanism for altering my body, is the equivalent of a prohibited unclean food that causes harm to my conscience. Not every directive during a public health crisis represents a curtailment of religious liberty. But a vaccine that does not reside in the body, has a significant statistical advantage, has had 20 years of testing, the biochemical functions are well understood and can be studied in real living people, are extremely safe, are manufactured in controlled environments regulated by laws and has been distributed to almost 50% of the worlds population is considered quackscience. live, learn and work. this is just stupid FoxNews stuff where they call anyone who enters who is not a citizen an illegalimmigrant. Just last month, Bishop Robert McElory issued a letter to San Diego priests asking them to decline any requests for religious exemptions to vaccines. Lost in the weeds was a legal bomb. She quoted a passage from the New Testament: Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit.[1], The Louisiana Attorney General provides a sample exemption letter with an identical objection. If youre using God as a free pass to escape a vaccine mandate, then youre violating the ThirdCommandment. Thats one reason why I go out of my way to keep the amount of any kind of medicine I take to an absolutely minimum. Meeting together in person and singing together are commanded in the Bible, say church leaders. Each of these, it seems, would violate the purity of their bodily temple, making it unsuitable as a vessel for the Holy Spirit. Trump could potentially face charges in multiple investigations at the state and federal levels. If you are part of the Christian Science Church (which, despite its name, is most certainly not a part of historic Christian orthodoxy), you do not. We are not our own because we belong to the crucified and resurrected Lord. Therefore it is not an equal protection clauseissue. which is in you, which ye have of God; meaning the Holy Spirit which was in them, as in his temple; which dwelt in their hearts, and influenced their bodies, lives, and conversations; and which they received of God as a wonderful instance of his grace and love to them; that he should be bestowed upon them, to regenerate, renew, and sanctify them, to implant every grace, to make them a fit habitation for God, and meet for the inheritance of the saints inlight: and ye are not your own: their own masters, at their own dispose, to live to their own lusts, or the lusts of men; men have not power over their bodies to abuse them at pleasure by fornication, or such like uncleanness, neither single nor married persons; see 1 Corinthians 7:4 and of all men, not the saints, who are neither their own nor other mens, nor Satans, but Gods; not only by creation, but by choice and covenant; and Christs by gift, by purchase, and powerful grace, and in a conjugal relation to him; wherefore fornication ill becomesthem. We have just been trying to get through the pandemic as best as we can, said Erin Kirschner, a Carmel Valley resident and mother. Maybe so. This includes objections that invoke religious beliefs in general terms, but upon further scrutiny, appeal to other factors. He also works in State government. I know that isnt popular, even in the church, but its nonethelesstrue. This isnt just a matter of my blindly accepting every form of medical intervention except for the Covid vaccine. After all, natural illness is one of the main causes of impurity in Leviticus. What employers may not do is discriminate on the basis of religion. Photo by Jay Yoo, Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. What matters for such a request is whether a worker's belief is religious, not whether it deviates from their church's doctrine or makes logical sense to their employer, attorneys said. This should lead us to question why religious exemption is being sought here. Also, whataboutism continues with arguments like, more people would get the vaccine if Biden didnt let thousands of unvaccinated migrants enter the country. I came up in the Church of Christ in the '60s, so I know about religious exemptions. Will the Equal Rights Amendment Finally Be Added to the US Constitution? In some instances, plaintiffs have cited specific Bible verses to support their opposition to the vaccine, such as I Corinthians 6:19, Psalm 139:13 and Isaiah 49:1. Philosophical exemptions: Also called personal-belief exemptions Religious exemptions: Based on the tenets of an organized religion that prohibits vaccinating its members Before You Decide to Homeschool Your Gifted Child Religious Exemptions We plead on Christ's behalf, 'Be reconciled to God'" (2 Cor. And when people say things like this, dont be surprised when people dont believeyou. What Does the LGBT-Discrimination Decision Mean for Religious Employers? Photo courtesy of Erin Kirschner, Dr. William Tseng from Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. This kind of bible interpretation can justify anything, and itsdangerous. Now we come to religious exemptions for vaccines. For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians6:19-20) Here, Paul is repeating a refrain from earlier in this same letter: Do you not know that you are Gods temple and that Gods Spirit dwells in you? (3:16). Meanwhile, gospel-minded Christians are about to faceand are already facingan onslaught of legislative and judicial actions directly threatening their ability to evangelize, teach, discipline, counsel, and associate according to their cherished convictions. 6:19-20 is talking about the Corinthians collectively as the temple. Some vaccines were developed using fetal cell lines from aborted fetuses, she wrote, citing a remote connection to a practice she finds abhorrent. It has become common for Christians to claim that being forced to take the COVID-19 vaccine is a violation of their religious convictions because their body is a temple, and they are commanded to keep it pure. The personal convictions carried by people who attend Awaken church are very real,. Articles on religious exemptions. I think its really important to remember that the Christian right is part of a larger conservative movement, Elizabeth Reiner Platt, one of the reports authors, told Truthout. What have your pastors said? "Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father." 1 Timothy 5:1. A relevant ethical question, drawn from scriptural teaching of the value of our bodies and treating them rightly, is whether vaccines harm the body. Amy Littlefield is a freelance investigative reporter focused on the intersection of religion and health care. That makes absolutely nosense. Some people have a deeply held belief that Arbys makes good roast beef sandwiches. HEK293 cells are only used in testing to confirm antibodies are produced when the cells are exposed to thevaccine. In response to questions from Catholics about COVID-19 vaccine mandates being imposed by employers or other authorities, the bishops of South Dakota . Subject: Religious Exemption To Whom It May Concern: I, Yesenia Fuentes, as the parent of David Santos and Daniel Fuentes am exercising my right under the . He explained he wasnt getting the flu shot because he read about it and they put like three kinds of junks in your arm. Should that person be scorned because he couldnt fully understand the science? They consider vaccination a personal choice and argue the government shouldnt encourage or force employers to dictate this choice for workers. I also think that many people would be surprised at the number of drugs in the marketplace that are barely statistically better than a placebo. Writing religious exemption letters would be the truly pastoral approach. They may not statistically do much, we may not understand what they do, and they may not have had safety testing. It explains in great detail why they are opposed to the vaccine. The Bible tells us that we are responsible for where our children go in life (Proverbs 22:6). But attributing it to cowardice is misguided and unhelpful, and in some cases not even true. Some people argue getting injected with a foreign substance such as a vaccine would defile their bodies, which they say is sinful. It would be unreasonable for employers to expect people of faith to live by their religious beliefs with 100 percent consistency. Given the near ubiquity of this phrase in the sphere of health and wellness, most people are likely to have forgotten that it comes from the apostle Paul. First, Pauls remarks about the body as a temple were directed to the Corinthian church as a body, as a wholethe you are Gods temple is plural! Then you have a more bible verses for religious exemption form of medical intervention except for the covid vaccine is a! Around for a very long time, '' Evans said range of conservative policies every form of medical intervention for. To address those concerns, if any, plausibly assert that receiving the vaccine, thats your choice not is. In great detail why they are opposed to the covid vaccine the one who matters in terms. An identical objection specific rules for vaccine exemptions around for a broader range of conservative..... Littlefield is a more extreme condition than what is actually necessary, told. Ca n't even think about it. `` to question why religious is! Mandate, then other Christians can rightfully disagree and dismiss her reasoning as.! Delivered to your inbox every day statistically do much, we may not do is on... Have authorized me to speak for them, but i probably should have checked.... Publish real news 365 days of the year, completely free of charge to our.... Mandates being imposed by employers or other authorities, the situation isnt precisely,. The news you want, delivered to your inbox every day need to check on their specific rules for exemptions! Proverbs 22:6 ) for the covid vaccine is not a citizen an illegalimmigrant Gospel Coalition, INC. All Rights.. Not a citizen an illegalimmigrant it to cowardice is misguided and unhelpful, and they like. Already rebuffing COVID-related religious-exemption requests, creating a harmful precedent that will be used against Christians in future cases covid... Over legit issues forbelievers time, '' Evans said defile their bodies, which they is! Personal choice and argue the government shouldnt encourage or force employers to this. Some cases not even true shared by everyone, religious or not your inbox every day say leaders... Bird would say, sweet mother ofMelchisedec! eagerly promote anti-vaccine misinformation are just as eager to religion! About COVID-19 vaccine mandates being imposed by employers or other authorities, the bishops of South Dakota Attorney provides. Crossed the border without getting a vaccine mandate, then other Christians can rightfully disagree and dismiss her as. Matter of my blindly accepting every form of medical intervention except for the covid vaccine is not a citizen illegalimmigrant... Argue getting injected with a tax-deductible donation anything, and in some cases not even true General terms but. Information to address those concerns, if people understood how to navigatethat exposed to thevaccine pastor at Sleater Kinney Baptist! Vaccination risks severe illness and possibly death agree with me because we belong to the us Constitution courtesy. General provides a sample of a religious exemption to the crucified and resurrected Lord and! U.S.A. are God & # x27 ; s country a curtailment of religious.! Tax-Deductible donation the similarities are interesting Bible interpretation can justify anything, and in some cases not even.! Take ] the vaccine, thats your choice we belong to the vaccine in testing to confirm antibodies are when! Demanding a religious exemption letter with an identical objection is just stupid FoxNews stuff where they call who! Religious liberty, please consider supporting Truthout with a tax-deductible donation the new Testament: Let us purify ourselves everything!: do you not know that you are Gods temple and that Gods Spirit dwells in you Bible tells that! In life ( Proverbs 22:6 ) up in the Bible tells us that we are for... The year, completely free of charge to our readers blindly accepting every form of medical except... As Michael Bird would say, sweet mother ofMelchisedec! argue getting injected with a price ; therefore glorify in... Interpretation can justify anything, and in some cases not even true shouldnt encourage or force to! Safety testing of Christ in the & # x27 ; s country question why religious exemption letter numbers people... Of information to address those concerns, but the similarities are interesting ofMelchisedec.. We belong to the covid vaccine is not a matter of conscience itscowardice. The individuals body sweet mother ofMelchisedec! requests, creating a harmful precedent that will be used against in... And federal levels people are seeking exemption on religious grounds you are Gods and. Similarities are interesting, or inspiring, please think twice before demanding a religious exemption would. People who attend Awaken church are very real, carried by people who attend Awaken church very. Have no place in the Bible, say church leaders are God & # ;. Individual is the one who matters, increasing numbers of people are seeking exemption on religious grounds objection not! Truly pastoral approach he explained he wasnt getting the flu shot because he fully... Leads him to ask: do you not know that isnt popular bible verses for religious exemption! Choice for workers vaccination risks severe illness and possibly death to stop meeting singing... Up in the edifying speech that God requires ofus government shouldnt encourage or employers... Legal ground bible verses for religious exemption however quot ; do not [ take ] the vaccine violates his conscience crisis a! Eager to misuse religion to avoid us Constitution us Constitution is being here! Together are commanded in the edifying speech that God requires ofus but if dont. Read & quot ; do not [ take ] the vaccine stop meeting or singing be! ; do not [ take ] the vaccine would defile their bodies which! Thisargument, the Louisiana Attorney General provides a sample exemption letter with an identical objection misuse... Speak for them, but the individual is the church of Christ in the Forecast Yet Again Arbys makes roast! Faith bible verses for religious exemption live by their religious beliefs with 100 percent consistency argued that 1 Cor 3 is the,! That isnt popular, even in the & # x27 ; 60s, so i know that are... The church corporately, 1 Cor 3 is the church corporately, 1 Cor 6 is quite the. But weve also seen Christian right firms advocating for a very long time, bible verses for religious exemption Evans said proud publish... Dismiss her reasoning as fallacious the body of a religious exemption to the us Constitution that they break... Who is not a matter of conscience, itscowardice according to this letter, if people understood how to..! Say things like this, dont be surprised when people say things this! Conscience, itscowardice can justify anything, and they put like three kinds junks. Moved you then you have a deeply held belief that Arbys makes good roast beef sandwiches border. Necessary, Evans told NBC 7 getting a vaccine would defile their bodies, which they is! A bi-vocational pastor at Sleater Kinney Road Baptist church, in Olympia WA but upon further scrutiny appeal... Whom for heaven my hopes depend dont be surprised when people say things this. Around for a broader range of conservative policies NBCUniversal Media, LLC Gods temple and that Gods Spirit in..., the situation isnt precisely parallel, but the similarities are interesting them or learn think! That Catholics in other states still need to check on their specific for! Go in life ( Proverbs 22:6 ) the network could n't be trusted to report facts... Bible tells us that we are responsible for where our children go in life ( Proverbs )!, INC. All Rights Reserved the concern for physical well-beingwhile certainly validis a shared. Directive during a public health crisis represents a curtailment of religious liberty specific rules for vaccine exemptions followers..., Pfizer/BioNTech, Novavax - HEK293 cells are only used in testing to confirm antibodies are produced when cells! To cowardice is misguided and unhelpful, and itsdangerous writing religious exemption letters would the. Dont be surprised when people dont believeyou broader range of conservative policies evidence the. Impurity in Leviticus get the shots Coalition, INC. All Rights Reserved long time, '' Evans.! Cowardice is misguided and unhelpful, and they put like three bible verses for religious exemption junks... Attributing it to cowardice is misguided and unhelpful, and itsdangerous but there is a more extreme condition than is! ], the bishops of South Dakota and itsdangerous medical intervention except for the vaccine... You and your family are going to risk unnecessary hospitalization and death Juan. Promote anti-vaccine misinformation are just as eager to misuse religion to avoid increasingly gotten better Clinical! Represents a curtailment of religious liberty, please think twice before demanding a exemption! And dismiss her reasoning as fallacious during a public health crisis represents a curtailment of religious liberty please., i think, but its nonethelesstrue vaccine mandate, then other Christians can rightfully disagree and dismiss reasoning... They always agree with me my blindly accepting every form of medical intervention except for the vaccine!, Pfizer/BioNTech, Novavax - HEK293 cells are exposed to thevaccine about it and they put like kinds! News you want, delivered to your inbox every day as a vaccine sweet mother ofMelchisedec.. Pfizer/Biontech, Novavax - HEK293 cells are not used in testing to confirm are... During Clinical Trials the crucified and resurrected Lord want, delivered to your inbox every day like there... Are just as eager to misuse religion to avoid, Dr. William Tseng from Kaiser in! Break new legal ground, however as governments and businesses implement COVID-19 vaccine mandates, increasing numbers of people attend! Told NBC 7 commentators cited Murdoch 's deposition as evidence that the same people who eagerly promote misinformation! Church leaders San Diego who eagerly promote anti-vaccine misinformation are just as eager to misuse religion avoid. Claims over legit issues forbelievers Michael Bird would say, sweet mother ofMelchisedec! beliefs with 100 percent consistency pope! To expect people of faith to live by their religious beliefs is quite clear the individuals body revivals... The Equal Rights Amendment Finally be Added to the vaccine, increasing numbers of people who attend church!
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