Im not claiming religious or conspiracy reasons, and Im not considering them as part of mycalculation. In Tandon, a Bible study group in California said it should be exempt from a rule barring in-home gatherings of more than three households. Regarding medications- in most cases theyve been around a while. He holds degrees from The Masters University, Talbot School of Theology, and the University of Virginia. Now it is most abominably scandalous and shameful that that body, which is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, which is sacred to him as a temple, should be defiled by the sin of fornication: it isadded. To be clear, stating you dont want to get the vaccine because your body is the temple of God is ludicrous. Fairenough. 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. 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 . I have family members in that camp. If anyone destroys Gods temple, God will destroy that person (3:16-17). Look anywhere, and youll find professing Christians using God as justification for their unholy ways. At present, there is little to no evidence that they do. I was recently prescribed a statin after a recent exam, for high (though not ridiculous) LDL, and Im still trying to decide whether I want to start that medication or not. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the What should Christians think about them? Johnson & Johnson uses PER.C6 in production of thevaccine. Aaron, I am generally pro-vax but I dont think these comparisons work. What has the global church said? Lets begin with Pauls first letter to the Corinthians itself. (it seems like) there is a risk/reward calculation that causes them to skipit. Many people are using Bible verses to justify their stance against vaccines. With that said, many people might be surprised at the number of drugs that are in the marketplace that we have no clarity around what makes them work. Before you say, he doesnt need to; just trust the experts, how does he know which ones to believe when the internet is telling him that many experts think itsharmful? be this my shame, That I no more revere His name. One organization, called Health Freedom Idaho, published a sample exemption letter on its website that used this objection and cited these passages. "Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father." 1 Timothy 5:1. Treating religious exemptions like a wildcard to be played whenever we dont like the rules cheapens the concept and encourages backlash. A group called One Washington is holding seminars around the state to instruct people on how to ask for a religious exemption from the COVID-19 vaccine. The Christian right filed a barrage of cases. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:6-7. One little-noticed Supreme Court ruling upended decades of precedent. Here are nine things you should know about revival and the history of revivals in America. The conscience and religious belief belongs to the individual, not another person and not a body (church or otherwise). Ill provide one over-arching principle, then briefly discuss some common religious justifications we see offeredup. Thus, a strong religious exemption would be based on recognized scriptural precept or a particular church or traditions confession or teaching. Lets start with the basics. Now he is discussing specific sinful habits that are causing division among the Corinthians. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of federally protected classes, including religion, and provides that applicable employers must provide a religious accommodation to an employee who holds a sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance against a workplace requirement. I just think we need to be careful not to be too critical of those who choose not to bevaccinated. According to this letter, if the Spirit has moved you then you have a free passpresumably about anything. If you have elderly friends or family. As I have prayed about what I should do, the Holy Spirit has moved on my heart and conscience that I must not accept the COVID shot. Claiming a religious exemption to the covid vaccine is not only asinine but it also weakens true religious exemption claims over legit issues forbelievers. As Michael Bird would say, sweet mother ofMelchisedec!. The author provides no justification about why the vaccine violates his conscience. I think it is 44% of white evangelicals have stated that they will not get thevaccine. God gave us His word. Vaccine mandates have arrived, and so have questions about religious exemptions. Many Christians are considering the ethics and wisdom of these situations for the first time, fielding advice and anecdotes from a variety of sources. It might not be convincing to you or me and we can certainly have that discussion. Because their body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (6:19). Title VII of the Civil Rights Act requires employers to accommodate workers whose sincerely held religious beliefs or practices conflict with workplace rules, so long as the accommodations dont impose an undue hardship on the employer. There are also those who are highly educated who refuse to get vaccinated. The temple of God objection is not a matter of conscience, itscowardice. 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. More, 901 Commerce Street, Suite 550 The truth is out there but people have become deceived. To stop meeting or singing would be to disobey God. Little matter, since such aid is not necessary in requesting a religious exemption. Contact Us Email us Church Info Center: 888-843-5267 Staff Switchboard: 800-248-1930 Donor Care Line: 888-930-4438 1333 S. Kirkwood Road, St. Louis, MO 63122-7226 Various religious doctrines direct people to take care of their bodies. In August, she submitted an exemption request she wrote herself, bolstered by her own Bible study and language from sources online. I know that people are concerned about what they put into the body. They do not contain any tissue from a fetus. Various news outlets explain this connection is distant and far removed, and that the vaccines themselves dont contain fetal tissue. Indeed, courts are already rebuffing COVID-related religious-exemption requests, creating a harmful precedent that will be used against Christians in future cases. And it reflects differently on a population than reality does. Setting aside the exegetical issues with this objection, it simply isnt enough to merit a religious exemption under our existing legal framework. What has your faith community said? But we certainly can explain the known facts to help them understand better, especially if they are being coerced into getting a vaccine they currently believe has immoralorigins. 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. 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. A lot of things happened. I think this disinformation that is just exploding is a precursor to what is coming for the church. You dont get to invent your own beliefs and pass them off as Christian. But if you care deeply about religious liberty, please think twice before demanding a religious exemption. Presuming for yourself that you are justified in saying similar things when speaking about things that Scripture does not speak about is an entirely differentmatter. Yes, some Catholics might believe the COVID-19 pandemic evil enough and the participation remote enough to justify the shot. "A religious, moral or other exemption of conscience should be ascertained not by documents, but by a simple conversation seeking only to establish that the individual has a sincerely held, reasonable belief that . Mine are nodifferent. 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 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. Larry, youve mentioned this in several threads, and I have responded to this in several threads. And a Texas-based. I once had a friend who was a believer in my church. A seatbelt and a life preserver are worn on the outside of the body and are visible. Even many of the objector's coreligionists don't agree with him. With this article, I will try to write a template for a Religious Exemption Letter, hoping it could be useful. God didnt just order us to subdue the earth. Since then, the Christian right has been trying to do away with Smith in order to win ever-broader exemptions from laws that apply to everyone else. While sin has allowed creation to kick back, man still has the ultimately ability and responsibility to subdue it. As it turns out, a large number of everyday productsincluding over-the-counter medicines, prescription drugs, and cosmeticsall have a similar attenuated relationship to these cell lines. "As His people, we are subject to His will and. I am one of the. 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. In most jurisdictions, employers are legally permitted to require vaccination as a condition of employment (and many employers may soon be required to do so under the anticipated OSHA emergency standard). These are what defile a person." (Matthew 15:11, 19-20) As Christians with religious objections to vaccines, we share the goals of promoting good health for children and families, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. For those of us who arent Christian Scientists, this isnt enough. But body is a temple actually argues for vaccination. Sin is lawlessness (1 Jn 3:4); doing what Gods Word forbids. Again, this does violence to the text. We witness this most acutely on the cross. Brother, when Christians violate the 3rd commandment and twist Scripture, there is biblical warrant and precedent to identify them just as I have done. Were proud to publish real news 365 days of the year, completely free of charge to our readers. 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? While 1 Cor 3 is the church corporately, 1 Cor 6 is quite clear the individuals body. At the same time, if our theological beliefs are sacred, then we should be unwilling to let people twist them for political or legal purposes. Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech, Novavax - HEK293 cells are not used in production of the vaccine. We have just been trying to get through the pandemic as best as we can, said Erin Kirschner, a Carmel Valley resident and mother. Washington, DC 20002 (That the Court sided against religious objectors in this case may have to do with the fact that it concerned members of the Native American Church who had been denied unemployment benefits after they were fired for consuming peyote in a religious ritual.) He is a supervisor in Theology and Religious Studies in the Cambridge Divinity Faculty, and he teaches courses for Ridley Hall and the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion. You can see theproblem. Unvaccinated employees may have any number of personal responses to a policy of vaccine mandates. (USNews https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-08-10/white-evang). Here are a few things toconsider: About 14% of American adults say they wont get vaccinated under any circumstances as of June, while the number is a much higher 22% among white evangelical Christians, according to a rigorous ongoing survey by KFF, the policy arm of the Kaiser Family Foundation. People misuse God's name for all sorts of sins. Some have been saying I belong to Apollos (which is to say, Im a member of Apolloss faction), while others say I belong to Paul. The goal is not to vaccinate illegal immigrants, it is to remove them from the country. A religious exemption played a critical role. The reasons? John Evans is a professor of sociology and religious studies at UCSD. 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. Follow me to be seated." Problem solved. My response is that if someone claims that her Christian faith as informed by Scripture doesnt allow her to get vaccinated, then she does need to demonstrate how / why Scripture demands that conclusion (if she wants to be taken seriously by other Christians). Still, some Christians find this horrifying. So, you and your family are going to risk unnecessary hospitalization and death because Juan Pablo crossed the border without getting a vaccine? HEK293s origins are not absolutely clear. Second, a misunderstanding of religious liberty and religious conscience exemptions. 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. In our experience, the reasons appealed to by some evangelicals for refusing vaccinations are not, strictly speaking, religious, but personal, philosophical, or political. It also provides a sample religious exemption letter on its website. This definition of sin is also specious. Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The personal autonomy objection turns not on the assertion that being vaccinated violates ones religious beliefs, but rather on the assertion that being required to be vaccinated violates ones beliefs. I agree. If youre using God as a free pass to escape a vaccine mandate, then youre violating the ThirdCommandment. Plenty of biblical precedent for making those remarks. I would gather that most Christians have no clue about these and/or what they are taking. Some of us definitely are making a calculation as to risk/reward. The second argument. There are no major religions in the United States that are officially opposed to the COVID vaccine, Evans said. To be clear: Im not arguing Christians should be vaccinated, or that Christians should necessarily acquiesce to employer vaccine mandates. 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. 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. . A New Mexico state senator will "help you articulate a religious exemption" by pointing to the decades-old use of aborted fetal cells in the development of some vaccines. In the active duty Army, 2,910 permanent religious exemptions have been requested, with 266. 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. Rabbi Abraham J. Heschel said true prophets dont allow for indifference and scream in the night against oppression. When it comes to consuming things into our own bodies, as opposed to make payments to government, compliance with Gods law is required. "I'm very troubled by religious exemptions," Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis. Psalms 23:4 - Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. "I have a religious exemption." "Great. I would never sign off on someones religiousconvictions. Proponents cite the Apostle Pauls well-known remarks at 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:19. He blogs as the Eccentric Fundamentalist. This shift toward religious exceptionalism is, in significant ways, a departure from precedent. Under current law, thats enough for employers to turn them down. Logically, a Christian does not have solid ground upon which to stand to claim the non-J&J vaccines are tied to an immoral abortion. But if youre a federal employee, if youre a marshal, a Border Patrol agent, wherever you work, you have to get it. I just dont get these arguments. (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.). Presuming for yourself that you are doing the same thing when speaking about things that Scripture does not speak at all about is an entirely differentmatter. One way we do this is when we invoke God as an authority to justify something we want to do. It's unclear as of yet whether the two will attempt to oppose the subpoena orders. They, by nature and theology, belong to the individual. Read Evans said he expects legal battles over religious exemptions. Therefore, we can claim and live in all the promises of the Bible which he, by the power of the Holy Spirit, inspired men to write (II Timothy 3:16,17). No such direct prohibition exists within wider Christian theology, but these religious groups are able to appeal to a unique teaching wholly adopted by their specific faith tradition. If food is sacrificed to demons, then thats a pretty good reason to avoid eating it (1 Cor 8). The tendency to lie to advance an agenda is not something Pence needed to learn from Trump. The thinking is that something is better thannothing. Some of those battles are important and worth fighting. Church officials did not respond, however. Those statements were made by people (Jesus, Paul) who spoke and/or wrote under infallible and inerrant direction and filling of the Spirit. That means they mix and prepare a drug at the pharmacy. 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