As COVID-19 vaccine mandates rise, religious exemptions grow

[Shawnster]

I've wondered what and how the vaccine religious exptions would work.  I thought the wording was in place just b people do not understand what real religious exemptions are.  Turns out I was right... and totally wrong. 

 

Jehovah's Witnesses are not opposed to vaccines so it would be wrong for any Witness to claim that they an exemption on religious grounds.  Ethical grounds?  Yes.  Religious grounds? No. 

 

https://www.wkyc.com/mobile/article/news/health/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine-religious-exemptions/507-ff1b7d8e-c149-4b76-85ab-e2bb0316ca3c

 

 

About 3,000 Los Angeles Police Department employees are citing religious objections to try to get out of the required COVID-19 vaccination. In Washington state, thousands of state workers are seeking similar exemptions.

 

And an Arkansas hospital has been swamped with so many such requests from employees that it is apparently calling their bluff.

 

A religious belief does not have to be recognized by an organized religion, and it can be new, unusual or “seem illogical or unreasonable to others,” according to rules laid out by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. But it can't be founded solely on political or social ideas.

 

That puts employers in the position of determining what is a legitimate religious belief and what is a dodge.

 

 

 

 

 

[Shawnster]

From the article 

 

 

Quote

 

The hospital responded by sending employees a form that lists a multitude of common medicines — including Tylenol, Pepto-Bismol, Preparation H and Sudafed — that it said were developed through the use of fetal cell lines.

 

The form asks people to sign it and attest that “my sincerely held religious belief is consistent and true and I do not use or will not use” any of the listed medications.

 

 

I found this point interesting.  Some people use the "developed through (aborted) fetal cell lines" as their ethical reason to not accept the vaccine.  Do these people also refuse these common medicines that are found in most every home in the United States?  Now, I did not know these products were developed by using fetal cell lines, but apparently it's no secret, either.  And I've never ever seen or heard people protesting any of these over the counter products because of how they were developed. 

 

It seems like a true ethical stand against any product because of how it was developed should be an ethical stand against ALL products that went through the same development process.  Ethics should then require examining each and every product a person uses to determine how it was developed. 

 

Ain't nobody got time for that. 

 

[pnutts]

33 minutes ago, Shawnster said:

Pepto-Bismol

I used to make that stuff in the early 70's. Yuk! 1/3 of an ounce ( 10 ml ) of the flavouring ( Methyl Salicilate NF-France ) would kill you. 🚫

FD&C #2 Red Dye was replaced due to being a cancer causing agent.🤢

[Saffron]

Nobody is protesting anything.. other than this vaccine. Religious reasons work with so much else, so I'm not surprised people are trying it with this. 

 

Is there any major religious group that officially has a problem with this vaccine? I thought it would be Catholics, but even the Pope is telling people that it's okay. 

 

Since so many are concerned about what they are putting in their bodies these days, perhaps they could do some research as to how many of these medications, OTC and prescription, were developed. Read about what's actually in them now. How about all of the processed food we eat? Back up though.. the way some of this stuff is grown is bad enough. Then the food companies get their hands on it and add their chemicals and dyes. How about what's in our clean drinking water? Or in the air? 

 

There is only one solution to this mess and it's coming soon. Everything else is a very imperfect bandaid. 

[Bob]

This is somewhat funny, but it illustrates the OP well. 
 

I knew a person, not a JW. Yet he was opposed to blood transfusions on principle and said that if a doctor ever told him he needed one, he would claim he’s a Jehovah’s Witness so it wouldn’t be forced on him. 
 

So people are willing to lie to circumvent a requirement. 

[Shawnster]

5 hours ago, Saffron said:

Is there any major religious group that officially has a problem with this vaccine? I thought it would be Catholics, but even the Pope is telling people that it's okay. 

The fetal stem cell line is the only moral objection I've seen. But, as I found out today, that cell line has been used to test nearly every medicine in our home cupboards. I highly doubt these people are going to start protesting/boycott Preoperation H.  Plus, the much promoted alternative to the vaccine, Ivermectin, has also been developed by testing on fetal stem cells. 

 

5 hours ago, Saffron said:

Since so many are concerned about what they are putting in their bodies these days,

How many people protesting the vaccine smoke or take recreational drugs? 

[Avuhe]

People are against religious exemption for military service to kill others but would want religious exemption from vacinations to save lives and most of such people claim to be pro life🤣

[Sofia]

https://www.theexaminernews.com/jehovahs-witnesses-support-covid-19-vaccinations/
 

I found this interesting

[vern]

I would use a blood argument... As many vaccines are propogated with materials with blood in it.

 

Biblical argument as opposed to religious...  Its my conscience.

 

Along with putting something in my body that would in my opinion defile it.

[Hope]

23 minutes ago, vern said:

I would use a blood argument... As many vaccines are propogated with materials with blood in it.

 

Biblical argument as opposed to religious...  Its my conscience.

 

Along with putting something in my body that would in my opinion defile it.

Brother @vern - We've already long been assured by the GB that the Covid vaccine has no blood products and is acceptable to Jehovah’s Witnesses; they've been extremely and publicly clear on these points. 

 

I honestly don't believe it would be wise- or unifying- to suggest to anyone that you have a religious or biblical reason/ argument for your decision against the vaccine. At least not one that represents Jehovah’s Witnesses in any way.. 😲😧

[vern]

Biblical reason has nothing to with jw organizations name.

 

If you watched update 8....  They aren.t opposed to deciding not taking the vaccine... I.ve already explained my reasons.  My reasons are against all vaccines for my response to them... My conscience... What i know about vaccines...

 

Propigation of the virus to make the vaccine uses all kinds of weird materials.... Use to be egg protiens... Which i wouldn.t have an issue with. But research it for yourself... Some really bad propigation materials.   The dna and protiens can.t be filtered out.   Now i understand we eat protiens and the liver deals with it... But going directly in the blood stream might not be the best idea....  Long term complications....  I.m not gonna bore you with the details...

 

But i was just saying for me... My decision... Has nothing to do with anyone else.... I.m not trying to change someone elses decision. And i see the brothers leaning.  But they also are ok with me deciding for myself aswell... My decision.

[Shawnster]

7 hours ago, vern said:

Biblical reason has nothing to with jw organizations name.

 

If you watched update 8....  They aren.t opposed to deciding not taking the vaccine... I.ve already explained my reasons.  My reasons are against all vaccines for my response to them... My conscience... What i know about vaccines...

You are right, Vern, in that you have already explained your reasons.  It's time now to let the matter go.  You have explained your reasons and we have listened to you.  We are not here to try to change your decision nor are you here to change anyone else's decision.  What is there left to say about the matter? 

 

 

[Doug]

On 9/16/2021 at 6:51 AM, Shawnster said:

 

A religious belief does not have to be recognized by an organized religion, and it can be new, unusual or “seem illogical or unreasonable to others,” according to rules laid out by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. But it can't be founded solely on political or social ideas.

 

That puts employers in the position of determining what is a legitimate religious belief and what is a dodge.

 

Employers and Governments.   Someday we may look back on this covid event and the subsequent "religious exemptions" to the vax and find a direct connection to the inevitable destruction of BtG.

 

It's not hard to imagine that governments chafe at so-called "religious exemptions".  Governments want compliance and orderliness.  As described above according to the EEOC, religion fosters disorderliness.

 

BtG has so severely damaged its own credibility in so many ways, this may be the final straw as far as governments are concerned.