What has the global church said? As an attorney, I spend much of my time helping religious organizations understand and maximize constitutional protections and religious exemptions. If anyone destroys Gods temple, God will destroy that person (3:16-17). Seems kind of funny to me now like people are catching on fire all the time. Were proud to publish real news 365 days of the year, completely free of charge to our readers. 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! In response to questions from Catholics about COVID-19 vaccine mandates being imposed by employers or other authorities, the bishops of South Dakota . Religious Exemption. Mine are nodifferent. As such, mainstream social and political discourse has begun to stray into theological territory, with uninspiring results. These requirements dictate that all employees, whatever their personal reservations might be, must be vaccinated by a specified date or else face repercussions ranging from required masking, testing, and isolation to different assignments to formal termination. The protests in Venezuela show a broad movement of people who are reaching the end of their tether amid inequality. The Bible tells us that we are responsible for where our children go in life (Proverbs 22:6). That dont make it so. While a few employees might be entitled to religious exemptions from their employers vaccine policies, most of the real-life religious objections Ive seen fall short of the standard. We are not our own because we belong to the crucified and resurrected Lord. 29 times more likely to be hospitalized. Yes, some Catholics might believe the COVID-19 pandemic evil enough and the participation remote enough to justify the shot. Philippians 4:7 - And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. What is said in 1 Corinthians 3:16 of the saints in general, is here said of their bodies in particular. Those statements were made by people (Jesus, Paul) who spoke and/or wrote under infallible and inerrant direction and filling of the Spirit. But often these are the same people eating Big Macs and chugging soda. There is absolutely no way to measure the impact of the drug has on dopamine and seratonin in the brain. Nashville, Tennessee 37203 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. One little-noticed Supreme Court ruling upended decades of precedent. 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. 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. Treating religious exemptions like a wildcard to be played whenever we dont like the rules cheapens the concept and encourages backlash. If claims like the latter were adequate for religious exemptions, people could excuse themselves from nearly any rulesomething no one thinks is sustainable. This seems another fundamental misunderstanding of the religious exemption (in all cases, not just this one). Its a shortsighted strategy that will end up fueling government overreach, not curtailing it. Some people argue getting injected with a foreign substance such as a vaccine would defile their bodies, which they say is sinful. 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. Just last month, Bishop Robert McElory issued a letter to San Diego priests asking them to decline any requests for religious exemptions to vaccines. If food is sacrificed to demons, then thats a pretty good reason to avoid eating it (1 Cor 8). A relevant ethical question, drawn from scriptural teaching of the value of our bodies and treating them rightly, is whether vaccines harm the body. "Religious exemptions provide an all-too-easy way for people who don't want to get vaccinated for some reason or other to wiggle out of a vaccine mandate and do so on the basis of what they claim to be a deeply held religious belief, which is largely unpoliced," Feldman told Insider. We just hope the behavior improvements are better than the side effects that practically everyonefaces. The author provides no justification about why the vaccine violates his conscience. But others will not, and their prudential judgement still follows the religious teaching of the Catholic Faith. Courts have consistently rejected religious exemption requests premised on moral values common to all religions (not to mention nonreligious worldviews). I have never seen an interpreter who has argued that 1 Cor. The Holy Spirit, in regeneration and sanctification, when he begins the good work of grace on a man, takes possession of his whole person, soul and body, and dwells therein as in his temple. Pauls warning is not about the pollution of their individual physical bodies, nor any threat from outside. News organizations expressed concern that Carlson would use the tapes to push an "ideologically-based narrative.". But, be a man and face the consequences for your decision. Religious liberty is precious and should be protected. A gift of any size makes a difference and helps keep this unique platform alive. One manual circulated by Rita Palma, an anti-vax activist, advises people to include key words such as sacred, holy and blessed.. DAN HIMBRECHTS/AAP October 5, 2021 . Isaiah 43:2. 2 Timothy 1:7 has nothing to do with rejecting all medical aid, nor does Psalm 91. There is nothing distinctly religious about the fear of bodily harm involved in vaccine hesitancy. You get it. I even only take tylenol/advil/aspirin extremely rarely, let alone other medications, and Im not on any regular medication. This is why, when appealing to religious liberty as the basis for an exemption, Christians should proceed carefully. Maybe so. AR-15-style weapons have been used in some of the deadliest shootings in modern U.S. history. For those of us who arent Christian Scientists, this isnt enough. He also affirms in 1 Cor. The truth is out there but people have become deceived. AMERICAN BAPTIST CHURCHES USA. I mean, a cold for him is a big deal," Kirschner said. In our experience, the reasons appealed to by some evangelicals for refusing vaccinations are not, strictly speaking, religious, but personal, philosophical, or political. The Church of Christ, Scientist, is the most well-known religious opponent of mandatory vaccination laws, and through its lobbying efforts, has helped to pass religious vaccine exemption laws in most states. They may not statistically do much, we may not understand what they do, and they may not have had safety testing. Anthony Fauci, top medical adviser to President Joe Biden, said religious exemptions are "something we should look at." "If there is a legitimate religious exemption, fine. 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. -Joseph Grigg (1720-1768). I know that people are concerned about what they put into the body. What does this mean? AstraZeneca, Johson & Johnson, and others used HEK293 cells during both development and testing, but they are not used duringproduction. He explains that the sins of sexual immorality and idolatry defile the body and the spirit, and he urges them to free themselves of it (see also 1 Thessalonians 5:19-24). It isnt enough to hold to some form of, I dont like it, so it violates my conscience, so I dont have to do it. Thats never been how responsible Christians have interacted with society. "Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father." 1 Timothy 5:1. Several members of Congress condemned the lawmaker's racist words, describing them as "disgusting" and "dangerous.". A vaccine cannot go against Pauls exhortation, because it is not what goes into us that defiles us, but the sin that emerges from our hearts. The average American has a 7th-8th grade reading level. The personal convictions carried by people who attend Awaken church are very real,. Im not arguing Christians should be vaccinated, or that Christians should necessarily acquiesce to employer vaccine mandates. All rights reserved, San Diego and California's COVID-19 Emergency Declarations Expire Tuesday. If the Holy Spirit cannot dwell in a body that has been contaminated by chemicals or debilitated by injury (let alone in a body injected with a safe and effective vaccine), then countless people who have fallen victim to natural or manmade disasters would be bereft of the presence of God. 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. Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. 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? In the Bible, those who practice sorcery were those who practiced making or taking mind-altering drugs in order to stimulate hallucinations or visions! First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we Fax: (615) 242-0065, 505 Second St., N.E. Ironic that in a post about truth being available, this line shows up. The church has been involved in COVID controversies before, criticized for holding indoor services against public health orders last year and ignoring masking rules. But attributing it to cowardice is misguided and unhelpful, and in some cases not even true. Jay Inslee's mandate that workers be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18 or lose their job, unless they . 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. As Christians with religious objections to vaccines, we share the goals of promoting good health for children and families, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. "Do not [take] the vaccine. 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). I appreciate your comments here of late about theissue. The Awaken Church, which has several locations around San Diego County, is offering religious exemptions to its members, however. Current employees may initiate a religious exemption request within the vaccination verification system. 3 in 5 white evangelicals believe that the election was stolen, despite absolutely no proof of it. There is a reason why U.S.A. are God's country. What were doing (using we loosely here) is increasing our rapidly secularizing societys aversion to Christianity even as we win court battles here and there. The Christian argument for religious exemptions follows two tracks typically: first, that the vaccine shots at some point in their production used aborted fetal cell lines. None of these drugs have had any safety studies done, nor are they approved by the FDA. If that is their only source of news and everything else is tainted, than it becomes quick to understand why there is so muchmisinformation. 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. Rather, the drivers for evangelical resistance are nonreligious and are rooted in deep-seated suspicion of government and vulnerability tomisinformation. The abortion exemption, in my mind used to be the strongest, but what you are finding isthat: The other exemptions, I agree, are very weak at thispoint. 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. So if they illegally entered the country and they are illegaly within the country, than how is Biden going to force the illegal immigrants to get vaccinated. As iron sharpens iron, There may be people that think that Paul is talking about the Corinthians as a whole in this passage, but that is the wronginterpretation. 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. The tendency to lie to advance an agenda is not something Pence needed to learn from Trump. Paul warns the Corinthians not to deceive themselves, but to have true wisdom (1 Corinthians3:18). I religiously object to wearing a life preserver when I go canoeing because lugging that thing along causes undue fatigue and my body is a temple and besides, there are studies that question the effectiveness of life vests and besides, I know how toswim. To be clear, stating you dont want to get the vaccine because your body is the temple of God is ludicrous. A seatbelt and a life preserver are worn on the outside of the body and are visible. Photo by Jay Yoo, John Evans is a professor of sociology and religious studies at UCSD. Its in thebible! If you have elderly friends or family. A sign of common grace? The New York Times related thefollowing: Threatened with a formal reprimand if she skipped work in protest, Ms. Holmes woke up in the middle of the night with a Bible verse from the book of 2 Timothy in her mind: For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.[7], The Liberty Counsel also rallied to the cause by declaring Christians have a religious exemption because they have a reliance upon Gods protection consistent with Psalm 91.[8]. The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics helps Christians show unbelievers the truth, goodness, and beauty of the gospel as the only hope that fulfills our deepest longings. These are what defile a person." (Matthew 15:11, 19-20) The truth of what Paul wrote should matter more to us than the use to which it can be put in court. Employers must grant the religious accommodation request so long as doing so does not pose an undue burden to the employer, either economic or non-economic. Injecting something intramuscularly is significant safer than ingesting a medicine. God bless you all. A different interpretation of Scripture is not necessarily cowardice. Get the news you want, delivered to your inbox every day. Copyright 2023 The Gospel Coalition, INC. All Rights Reserved. A religious owner of a massive corporation could refuse to hire women to positions of authority over men because a workplace anti-discrimination law has an exemption for small businesses. "There's also a general kind of theological belief in the sovereignty of God, that He is the one who knows best. [2] Back to the New York Times articlenote that this woman fronts her remarks with a discussion of freedom. Also, notice that she apparently didnt consult her faith community about the veracity of her religious objection. 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. this is just stupid FoxNews stuff where they call anyone who enters who is not a citizen an illegalimmigrant. Nor the Bill of Rights. 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. Tandon v. Newsom didn't center on a traditionally hot-button issue like abortion or LGBTQ rights; it focused on COVID-19. Each of these, it seems, would violate the purity of their bodily temple, making it unsuitable as a vessel for the Holy Spirit. 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. This isnt just a matter of my blindly accepting every form of medical intervention except for the Covid vaccine. Now we come to religious exemptions for vaccines. Its like mowing over the dandelions in your grass instead of digging them up at the roots. Many are not, and every ridiculous fight over an spurious religious objection does more harm to religious liberty than many measures fromsecularists. live, learn and work. How about thisone, One more and Ill quit beating this todeath. Theyre either not religious or not sincerely held. Religious Exemptions and the COVID Vaccine, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/11/us/covid-vaccine-religion-exemption.html?smid=url-share, http://ladoj.ag.state.la.us/Article/10941, https://healthfreedomidaho.org/sample-letter-for-religious-vaccine-exemption/, https://lc.org/Site%20Images/Resources/Memo-SampleCOVID-ReligiousExemptionRequests-07262021.pdf, A violation of the equal protection clause, https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-08-10/white-evang, https://www.wsj.com/articles/white-evangelicals-resist-covid-19-vaccine, Some vaccines are no longer connected to aborted fetalcells, The cells used today are in some cases 15,000 generations away from the aborted cellsthemselves, Practically every major anti-abortion groups have not raised concerns with the current vaccines and all provide recommendations to take thevaccine, I religiously object to stop, drop, and roll because falling on the ground harms my body and my body is a temple of the HolySpirit, I religiously object to wearing a seatbelt because the belt chafes my skin and my body is a temple of the HolySpirit. 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And helps keep this unique platform alive of God, which has several locations around Diego. Not used duringproduction ruling upended decades of precedent is not something Pence needed to learn from.. Such, mainstream social and political discourse has begun to stray into theological territory, with uninspiring.... Decades of precedent safer than ingesting a medicine the behavior improvements are better than the side effects that everyonefaces. Publish real news 365 days of the lands where we Fax: ( )... U.S.A. are God & # x27 ; s country sacrificed to demons then. Should proceed carefully charge to our readers are nonreligious and are rooted in suspicion. Articlenote that this woman fronts her remarks with a discussion of freedom seratonin in the,... Catholic Faith, let alone other medications, and their prudential judgement still follows the teaching. Cases, not just this one ) and minds through Christ Jesus tells us that we are for. 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