Guam, let's unite against arm-twisting tyranny and respect everyone's personal medical and religious choice. The pastor owes it to his congregation to provide a more robust argument than this. Jackie Gale has never had a single vaccination because she believes that the Bible . Even the pope says that is a more extreme condition than what is actually necessary, Evans told NBC 7. But these cell lines were isolated from two fetuses from the Netherlands in 1973 and 1985 and then replicated over decades, and are commonly used to create and test other medications as well. AstraZeneca, Johson & Johnson, and others used HEK293 cells during both development and testing, but they are not used duringproduction. 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. If you found the piece above useful, informative, or inspiring, please consider supporting Truthout with a tax-deductible donation. People are unfortunately suspicious of newthings. One Christian named Curtis Chang, who is a former pastor, wrote what Yosemite Sam would consider to be fightinwords: Christians who request religious exemptions rarely even try to offer substantive biblical and theological reasoning. 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. The Christian right filed a barrage of cases. Because their body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (6:19). But others will not, and their prudential judgement still follows the religious teaching of the Catholic Faith. In its most robust form, such an exemption might rely on a provision within a churchs confessional statement explicitly forbidding vaccines or other medical interventions. In the Bible, those who practice sorcery were those who practiced making or taking mind-altering drugs in order to stimulate hallucinations or visions! This class of drugs impact dopamine and seratonin. Please think very carefully before answering this question. a. John Evans is a professor of sociology and religious studies at UCSD. In 1990, the Supreme Court issued a decision called Employment Division v. Smith that essentially concluded that religious entities have to follow laws that apply generally to the rest of the population, even if those laws happen to burden their religious beliefs. In still rarer cases (it seems like) there is a risk/reward calculation that causes them to skipit. Second if the immigrant has entered the US, has lawful entry, but does not have a right to work yet as they are waiting for their immigration status to be updated, than they along with every other US citizen who is not employed are not required to be vaccinated. In August, she submitted an exemption request she wrote herself, bolstered by her own Bible study and language from sources online. Tandon v. Newsom didnt center on a traditionally hot-button issue like abortion or LGBTQ rights; it focused on COVID-19. "I'm very troubled by religious exemptions," Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis. Unless you're a member of a Dutch Reformed church or a Christian Science church, making a claim for a religious exemption to the COVID-19 vaccine as a Christian is going to be hard to prove.. Student Religious Exemption Request; Student Remote Learning Exemption Request; Click Download to obtain a copy of the desired form. "Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father." 1 Timothy 5:1. AR-15-style weapons have been used in some of the deadliest shootings in modern U.S. history. The ABCs Religion and Ethics portal is home to religious reporting & analysis, ethical discussion & philosophical discovery, and inspiring stories of faith and belief. We plead on Christ's behalf, 'Be reconciled to God'" (2 Cor. I want to ask you to re-ask that same question againdoes this distant abortion connection really outrage you, or is it just a get out of jail free card youre willing to use? Health Freedom Idaho offers thisattempt: the New Testament requires of Christians that we, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are Gods. (Mark 12:17). As an ordained pastor of (Name of Church), I am writing to affirm (name of individual) sincerely held religious objection to any voluntary or mandatory Covid-19 . Not to mention it is a bit ironic that people are insisting on the vaccine for others for fear of someone else making themsick. NBC 7 Investigates reached out to the Awaken Church by phone and e-mail multiple times to ask about their religious exemption letters. 15. Why not? During the pandemic, religious entities, often supported by influential right-wing firms like the Alliance Defending Freedom, Thomas More Society and Liberty Counsel, filed a barrage of religious objections to rules aimed at protecting people from COVID, culminating in more than 100 decisions, according to a preliminary tally by the Law, Rights, and Religion Project at Columbia Law School. As stated, the request for a religious exemption should rest on the foundation of a sincere and applicable religious belief. To be clear, stating you dont want to get the vaccine because your body is the temple of God is ludicrous. Are you sure you are not violating the 3rd commandment in using God as your justification for condemning someone elsesconscience? But did God really saythat? But often these are the same people eating Big Macs and chugging soda. That being said, if a Christian thinks it is wrong to take a vaccine that involved a cell line that came from a miscarriage, then, logically, that Christian would also have to be against organ donor/recipient situations. OPINION | JOHN BRUMMETT: Test of faith in exemption. Three chapters later, Paul returns to the image of the temple, this time with individual Christians in view. Here is a representative example from a professing Christian, quoted in the New York Times: My freedom and my childrens freedom and childrens childrens freedom are at stake, said Ms. Holmes, who lives in Indiana. Jeffrey Denny. People came out with huge numbers, great stories of impending disaster, and the like, much of which turned out to be distorted and exaggerated and some of which was known at the time to be exaggerated anddistorted. My issue istwo-fold: First, calling it cowardice. I understand I dont have *every* fact at my disposal, but I try to make as good a calculation as I can and stick by it, until or unless I see evidence that makes me reevaluate it. He created the earth and man in such a way that mans responsibility and unique capabilities are to subdue the creation. You are right. Tandon v. Newsom didn't center on a traditionally hot-button issue like abortion or LGBTQ rights; it focused on COVID-19. PER.C6 came from an elective (immoral) abortion at 18weeks. John Melcon is an attorney in the religious organizations group at Sherman & Howard LLC, based in Colorado. But a lot of the religious exemption claims I hear about don't have any real support in the Bible, or any other religious work. For those of us who arent Christian Scientists, this isnt enough. And in Washington state, some 3,800 state workers are have requested religious exemptions to Gov. Supposedly thats actually a known side effect but who knows. He's had, you know, reduced breathing capabilities since then, Kirschner said. This should lead us to question why religious exemption is being sought here. What is said in 1 Corinthians 3:16 of the saints in general, is here said of their bodies in particular. 29 times more likely to be hospitalized. The goal is not to vaccinate illegal immigrants, it is to remove them from the country. know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost,. Ive reviewed many of these vaccine exemption requests. But ask yourself, Is [insert religious justification] really why I dont want the vaccine, or is [insert religious justification] a convenient pass for me to avoid something I just dont want to do? If the answer is yes, then youre in danger of violating the ThirdCommandment. Vaccines violate our ability to follow the teachings of the Bible. When employees state abortion complicity objections to the COVID vaccines but have no qualms about using Tylenol, Claritin, or their favorite anti-aging skin cream, their employers are justified in withholding exemptions. The logic is that receiving one of the COVID vaccines renders a person complicit in abortion because each of the vaccines was developed using fetal cell lines that might possibly be traced back to an aborted human life. Is mandatory COVID-19 vaccination ethical? People with religious exemptions are not just looking for excuses, people get these exemptions because . This argument is a non-starter. And we think that not only violates the equal protection clause, but its just fundamentallywrong.. Trump could potentially face charges in multiple investigations at the state and federal levels. There is no Christian belief that the body must be kept free from physical contamination in order to be a fitting vessel of the Holy Spirit. God didnt just order us to subdue the earth. Johnson & Johnson did use a replicated fetal cell line in the production of its vaccine, and Pfizer and Moderna used them to test the effectiveness of their vaccines. Youth voting blocs are so powerful that most schools have enough students to easily tip an election in key states. At present, there is little to no evidence that they do. NBC 7 Investigates obtained a copy of the religious-exemption letter that Awaken is offering to its members. As Christians, we have a vested interest in ensuring that it is not. But if youre a federal employee, if youre a marshal, a Border Patrol agent, wherever you work, you have to get it. It would take many people (say those in the lowest 25% quartile) an incredible amount of work to understand if the vaccines are harmful or not. If youre using God as a free pass to escape a vaccine mandate, then youre violating the ThirdCommandment. Few, if any, plausibly assert that receiving the vaccine would violate the employees sincerely held religious beliefs. The Awaken Church lists this as the most notably significant reason why the acceptance of these vaccines would be considered sinful.. Here are nine things you should know about revival and the history of revivals in America. If so, then other Christians can rightfully disagree and dismiss her reasoning as fallacious. This is absurd. I didnt just run out and get it, and Im not going to let my doctor push me into it without a lot more thought andconsideration. Some vaccines were developed using fetal cell lines from aborted fetuses, she wrote, citing a remote connection to a practice she finds abhorrent. 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. I think many people would be surprised that pharmacies still do compounding when directed by a doctor. One way to be introspective here is to consider whether you were already against the vaccine before you learned about the abortionnexus. I even only take tylenol/advil/aspirin extremely rarely, let alone other medications, and Im not on any regular medication. This objection has a strong siren song, but is harder to justify than it seems. To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good itis! 2 Retrieved from http://ladoj.ag.state.la.us/Article/10941. This is a violation of the ThirdCommandment. A religious nonprofit could claim it doesnt have to pay its workers a minimum wage, because the states minimum-wage law has an exemption for contract work. Even some who are knowledgeable about vaccines. 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. The decision could affect everything from traffic laws to racial discrimination. I think it is 44% of white evangelicals have stated that they will not get the vaccine. Likewise, putting out a fire on ones body is obviously helpful to ones temple. Injecting something into your body that you dont fully understand is a different case. 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. The Gospel Coalition supports the church by providing resources that are trusted and timely, winsome and wise, and centered on the gospel of Jesus Christ. Evans said he expects legal battles over religious exemptions. "The flu would most likely require hospitalization and COVID. Pointing to verses from the Bible's Book of Revelation, Maldonado suggested that the coronavirus vaccine would help lay the groundwork for the coming of the Antichrist. Help train Christians to boldly share the good news of Jesus Christ in a way that clearly communicates to this secular age. Im happy to see how things play out first (and yes, time figures into my risk calculation aswell). So we all know that the focus among Christian right law firms has been on culture war issues making sure that marriage equality, LGBTQ anti-discrimination laws, reproductive health laws, dont apply to conservative Christians. Platt said that the report, co-authored with Katherine Franke and Lilia Hadjiivanova, is intended to help activists, policymakers and the public prepare for the implications of the new legal regime ushered in by the Tandon case. 3 Health Freedom Idaho, Sample Letter for Religious Vaccine Exemption, https://healthfreedomidaho.org/sample-letter-for-religious-vaccine-exemption/. What should Christians think about them? Meeting together in person and singing together are commanded in the Bible, say church leaders. Accordingly I believe, pursuant to my Christian faith, that my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. she does need to demonstrate how / why Scripture demands that conclusion (if she wants to be taken seriously by other Christians). Kirschners son Jonah, who is 13 years old, was diagnosed with congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation before he was born. Amy Littlefield is a freelance investigative reporter focused on the intersection of religion and health care. If our non-Christian neighbours come to see us as people who think the rules dont apply to us, or as people for whom the well-being of the wider community is irrelevant, their tolerance for our beliefs is likely to wane. If anything, the primary message from religions in America is that you have a moral obligation to take the vaccine through the idea of love of neighbor. . 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. "The most notable example was during the Vietnam and Korean [wars], people claiming religious exemptions from the draft.. If we take Pauls words seriously, our main concern shouldnt be the physical purity of our own bodies, but the purity of our witness to the world around us. The Corinthians have been drawing lines of separation based on who brought them to the faith. Regarding medications- in most cases theyve been around a while. AMERICAN BAPTIST CHURCHES USA. Seems kind of funny to me now like people are catching on fire all the time. Another popular search during the pandemic was Jeremiah 29:11, which says, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm . Ill provide one over-arching principle, then briefly discuss some common religious justifications we see offeredup. He was a very intelligent man who nevertheless was poorly educated. I think the frustration that is out there, and maybe it isnt directed at this individual, is the lies that are posted out there and the ignorance that people have in trying to discern truth. If he has one, hit didnt make it into the newsarticle. The New York Times reports thefollowing: In rural Hudson, Iowa, Sam Jones has informed his small congregation at Faith Baptist Church that he is willing to provide them with a four-paragraph letter stating that a Christian has no responsibility to obey any government outside of the scope that has been designated by God.[6]. Yes, sin has tainted this, but the mandate that God gave permeated the creation in the design. Statement of Religious Exemption. If they are legal, they have been processed at the border, given a court date and potentially released into the US. It's unclear as of yet whether the two will attempt to oppose the subpoena orders. 4 Liberty Counsel, Sample Religious Exemption Requests For COVID Shot Mandates, 26 July 2021, p. 3. https://lc.org/Site%20Images/Resources/Memo-SampleCOVID-ReligiousExemptionRequests-07262021.pdf. Religious Exemption. Fax: (615) 242-0065, 505 Second St., N.E. Christian notions of purity are not about food laws and physical cleanliness, but about the heart. The idea that she apparently didnt consult her faith community about the veracity of her religious objection is completely off base. In some cases its deception but, in many cases, its a lack of education. Treating religious exemptions like a wildcard to be played whenever we dont like the rules cheapens the concept and encourages backlash. I would gather that most Christians have no clue about these and/or what they are taking. Sin is lawlessness (1 Jn 3:4); doing what Gods Word forbids. That means they mix and prepare a drug at the pharmacy. So the noise is quiet and the only noise they hear is their doctor, or maybe no noise atall. And this may come just as Christians are about to need exemptions most. They may feel the policy unnecessarily overreaching or discriminatory, or perhaps presumptuous and hasty. 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. Its a symptom of what Scot McKnight has described as a puzzle piece hermeneutic rather than a contextual reading of the bible as a story. If that is their only source of news and everything else is tainted, than it becomes quick to understand why there is so muchmisinformation. 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