Common Question: Should Christians get vaccinated?

[HRankin (Hillary Rankin)]

Is it really that much of a risk to just opt out? How can we really know these vaccines are safe? And what about the ethical concerns regarding how they’re made? These are important questions—questions worth taking seriously. As a Bible-believing Christian nonprofit, we at BioLogos hold no financial stake in your vaccination decision. Our interest is to help Christians make wise decisions that are both true to our shared faith and based on accurate science. As you seek to learn more and make an informed decision, here’s why we think vaccination is a safe, ethical, and wise choice for Christians.

Should Christians get vaccinated? - Common-questions

MOD NOTE: Please ensure any discussion around the use of fetal cells does not get into the morality of abortion in general, as these discussions tend to get too politically charged for many and will be removed. We ask that you read the article and bring specific points from the article to discuss.

[jpm (Phil McCurdy)]

Great article to share. I especially feel the last section about how taking the vaccine (and wearing a mask) as an act of care and love is relevant to Christians in particular, as that is our command and should be the desire of our heart.
I was just talking with my wife, Jill, how even if we do not think those actions are of benefit to us personally, we should be willing to act in such a way as to make others feel safe out of love for them.

[T_aquaticus]

From the article:

Despite their safety record, vaccination rates have dropped in various communities across the country. The result has been a stark look at the other half of the risk equation. Measles for example, previously eliminated from the US by the year 2000, has recently reemerged as a concern, with numerous outbreaks of the aggressively contagious disease in communities with low vaccination rates. A torrent of online misinformation and misunderstanding has obscured one essential fact: The risks of modern vaccination pale in comparison to the risks of being left vulnerable to the dangerous diseases vaccines protect us from.

It may be worth mentioning recent outbreaks of measles.

On Oct 16, 2019, the Samoan Ministry of Health declared a measles outbreak, the first Pacific island country to do so in the current global resurgence of measles. 1 As of Jan 22, 2020, 5707 measles cases and 83 measles-related deaths (estimated attack rate of approximately 285 cases per 10 000 population) have been reported. 2 87% of deaths have been reported as children younger than 5 years, a mortality rate of approximately 25 deaths per 10 000 people in this age group. 2
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30053-0/fulltext

There were just under 6,000 measles infections in the Somoan outbreak and 83 people died, mostly children. Obviously, no measles vaccine is killing 100 people out of every 6,000 vaccinated. Unfortunately, measles is coming back, but it isn’t nearly as bad as it was before the vaccine.

Since 2017, approximately 110,000 people worldwide died from measles, according to the World Health Organization. Before the introduction of the measles vaccine in 1963, widespread epidemics happened every two to three years or so, and an estimated 2.6 million people died annually.
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2019/apr/15/viral-image/no-measles-vaccine-didnt-kill-hundreds-infants-las/

The measles vaccine isn’t killing millions of people a year. It isn’t killing anyone. The choice is pretty obvious when you think about it, and the same logic applies to COVID-19.

[HRankin (Hillary Rankin)]

Yes, unfortunately we couldn’t address every single statistic in this super long post ha! But we obviously did make an attempt to make a note of recent outbreaks.

[maggie777 (Margaret L Eriksson)]

Should Christians get vaccinated for COVID19? For JESUS CHRIST’S SAKE, YES! Jesus loved us so much he died for us; thus we should live in love and get vaccinated, so as to NOT risk becoming a carrier, and passing the disease to someone who could die from it!

The vaccine is safe. It saves lives, not only of those who get the vaccine, but of those who are never exposed to it because OTHERS are vaccinated.

My granddaughter, 30, was exposed to the virus and became a carrier, not having had the vaccine. She passed it to me. I developed the symptoms of COVID19 as it attacked my lungs, but I was already suffering from congestive heart failure (I am 77). My oxygen saturation level dropped until I was incapacitated, gasping for breath.

I just got home from the hospital last night, stabilized, fully diagnosed and on appropriate medications to help restore my damaged lungs. I still have COVID, and must isolate for one more week, but I am safer at home than in a germ-ridden hospital, where pneumonia would be a risk - a likely fatal one.

If you love your neighbor as yourself, you are OBLIGATED to get vaccinated.

[HRankin (Hillary Rankin)]

Maggie!!! We are so glad that you are home now! Oh my goodness, how scary. I’ll be praying for your full recovery!

[maggie777 (Margaret L Eriksson)]

Hilary, Thank you for prayers. I need more than full healing from the COVID and CHF, which is essentially a lung problem. There is an underlying life-long weakness in my respiratory system from the effects of whooping cough as an infant 77 years ago. I have had almost a dozen near-death cases of pneumonia in my life. It is time to wrestle in spiritual warfare against POWERS AND PRINCIPALITIES who do not want me to finish my work in the Kingdom. I would appreciate your joining me and others in this battle for my life, both spiritual and physical… Blessings.

[Scott_Garrison]

@HRankin, this was a very well written article. Kudos to you, or to whoever else wrote it (it’s of course one of those w/ no byline identifying anyone in particular as the specific or primary author).

Second, kudos especially on addressing the fetal cell issue so thoroughly.

Third, I still must say, though, that it gives me the sads that an article such as this one even needs to be written to Christians.

Finally, God bless, Maggie. Please continue to get better.

[HRankin (Hillary Rankin)]

Thanks, Scott! I am glad your symptoms have also subsided!

I did not write it!! Our common questions are always a big team effort, and rotated through a lot of experts to make sure our science (and theology, when relevant) is good.

[Larry_Hoffman]

I received my first Pfizer vaccine today. I want to do anything in my power to help eradicate Covid, which I contracted in early November. I’m still not completely recovered, having completely lost my sense of smell.

Christ’s command to love our neighbors, for me, means wearing a mask, social distancing, washing hands, getting vaccinated. You cannot fulfill this command if you can’t do these simple things to prevent the spread. It’s really not about me but those around me. Just my $0.02 worth.

[Mr.Sandy (Sandy Estabrook)]

I have heard that, this vaccine works as no other by altering ones RNA. I’ve never heard that explained to be safe, let alone the moral issues of altering ones genetic makeup. An additional concern I have is regarding the human element of responsibility when given ZERO Liability to Big Pharma for any long term ill effects.

[Randy]

@Mr.Sandy

I have heard that, this vaccine works as no other by altering ones RNA.

Mr Estabrook,

thank you for asking. It’s a good question. It does not alter one’s RNA, nor messenger RNA. It doesn’t alter any of our DNA, either. If you would like to learn more of how it works, I am sure there are others that can do better, but I will take a stab at it this weekend if no one else does (I am on duty). Thanks. Blessings,
Randy

Here’s one brief description. CDC is very reliable:
Understanding How COVID-19 Vaccines Work | CDC

[Mervin_Bitikofer]

@Mr.Sandy

An additional concern I have is regarding the human element of responsibility when given ZERO Liability to Big Pharma for any long term ill effects.

Far be it from me to ‘poo-poo’ concerns over big Pharma. I think there are a lot of valid concerns around all that too - but as it applies to vaccines, I think the fear here is misplaced. There is a good reason that firms need liability protection. If companies can be sued by the first person who has any complications from among the millions that will receive it, then no company is going to step up and take such risk. There would be no vaccines developed (at least not with the considerable help of the private sector). As to drug prices, knowingly manufacturing highly addictive products … all that stuff - I agree that ‘Big Pharma’ is probably every bit the culprit that you might suggest. But keep in mind that in the midst of all their obscene (at least at the top) money-making [money-consumption], they are doing some good along the way too - we must presume - at least if you or any of your family has ever enjoyed any relief from drugs.

[jpm (Phil McCurdy)]

There is one way to get immunity that involves tinkering with the DNA and producing mRNA that the produces viral fragments that can be recognized by the body as foreign. It is called Covid -19 infection.

[Randy]

@Mervin_Bitikofer

But keep in mind that in the midst of all their obscene (at least at the top) money-making, they are doing some good along the way too - we must presume - at least if you or any of your family has ever enjoyed any relief from drugs.

Well put. I agree! There’s a lot of hurt that goes on in the world–much more than ill intent. Two of my family members have been, or are currently, involved in quality control in one of the major pharmacies. I know them well, and they are honest and self-examining–hyper-conscientious–to the point of near illness.
The opioid epidemic was also scarred by some doctors who were pill millers, I think; and I think we need more government oversight. In med school, we saw in 1999-2001 that the well intentioned “control the pain” lobby used a poorly made study implying lower-than-expected addiction rates to push the opioids as the fastest way to control chronic pain. It came from the highest motives. In fact, if you look at the lack of opioids in overseas countries, especially for end of life care, you can see the converse

Are we missing the real opioid drug crisis? - BBC News

In Africa, for folks dying in agony, all we had was Valium and tramadol. If you’re in a Muslim area, you can’t even use alcohol to numb the pain.
So, as you put so well, there are two sides to the problem. We need more oversight, for sure. There is grace for everyone.

[cosmicscotus]

Vaccination is not just to protect yourself. if it limits your own infection it may also slow transmission to others as more get vaccinated. it is therefore about love of our neighbours.

[Scott_Garrison]

Thank you, Hillary, That’s very kind of you.

I was fortunate to have a very mild case – wouldn’t have even missed work, except for the fact that it was this particular Andromeda strain. As I stated in the other thread, what’s ironic is that I had had my first dose of the vaccine six days before what I think was my date of infection. I’m an anesthesiologist, and we were put into the first group to get the Pfizer shot, literally within 48-72 hours after the refrigeration trucks made it to North Carolina. It’s crazy that I’ve probably taken care of dozens of patients with Covid – even intubated a bunch of them – and dodged this bullet for nine months, only to get infected from my lovely wife…who in turn got in from my mother-in-law, who (we think) in turn got it at a physical therapy appointment.

To add a little insider info, you guys will be pleased to know that the efforts on all fronts appear to be working, at least where I am. Our total number of Covid inpatients is down to 20 as of today; we peaked at just north of 80 just a few weeks ago. Total patients on ventilators now down to 5; this had peaked at about 21 or 22, also a few weeks ago. We had had numbers almost this high back in late April-early May, as well.

[Randy]

Awesome! My sister is an ICU nurse in North Carolina and reported similar trends. You have particularly high aerosol risk in your professions. Praying for that improvement to continue.

[T_aquaticus]

@Mr.Sandy

I have heard that, this vaccine works as no other by altering ones RNA.

If your RNA was altered it wouldn’t be a big deal anyway since the half life of RNA in your cells is quite short at about 1 day or so. However, the vaccine doesn’t alter your RNA, so that isn’t a problem. The vaccine is mRNA itself, and all it does is get translated into protein.

It is worth mentioning that the vaccine behaves in a similar fashion to the virus itself. SARS-CoV-2 releases its RNA genome into your cell, and it uses your cells’ translational machinery to make the proteins it needs.

@Mr.Sandy

I’ve never heard that explained to be safe, let alone the moral issues of altering ones genetic makeup.

It doesn’t alter your DNA.

@Mr.Sandy

An additional concern I have is regarding the human element of responsibility when given ZERO Liability to Big Pharma for any long term ill effects.

The other option would have been to wait for 5 to 10 years for a Covid-19 vaccine. Do you want to live in this same situation for another 5 years?

[T_aquaticus]

@jpm

There is one way to get immunity that involves tinkering with the DNA and producing mRNA that the produces viral fragments that can be recognized by the body as foreign.

SARS-Cov-2 doesn’t interact with any DNA or alter any DNA. Retroviruses alter DNA, but SARS-CoV-2 is not a retrovirus.