He has a B.A. It is about people who have faith in God. These letters, obtained by THE CITY, are among the thousands of the notes that clergy members have given to city workers and nonprofit staffers contracted with the city to get out of the employee vaccine mandate put in place by the de Blasio administration. Check out her blog atBetty by Elizabeth Dunning and her website,www.elizabethdunning-wix.com. People with religious exemptions are not just looking for excuses, people get these exemptions because . I have worked on my health with the great help of a medical community. Tandon v. Newsom didn't center on a traditionally hot-button issue like abortion or LGBTQ rights; it focused on COVID-19. Bible verses related to Coronavirus from the King James Version (KJV) by Relevance. COVID Vaccine Religious Exemption Letters Show Battle of Faith vs. Science Notes from clergy, obtained by THE CITY, range from citing "morality" to erroneous declarations that the vaccine causes COVID. Among those who were not inoculated, the mortality rate was 15 percent. However, it is not easy to understand Gods Word. Ive learned to care for my body, my temple of God, by babying myself with good health habits, such as following a lifestyle full of fresh vegetables and fruit, regular sleep, and exercise. My third reason for refusing vaccines is due to the fact that vaccines / inoculation are the renown Mark of the Beast. He rescues me unharmed" (Psalm 55:4-5, 16-18). The method used by Boylston would deliberately infect healthy persons with a live smallpox virus. According to The New York Times, millions of white evangelical adults in the United States don't intend to be vaccinated against COVID-19.This poses many challenges to battling the virus, including the prevention of herd immunity. In response to opposition, a Bostonian pastor by the name of William Cooper wrote a pastoral letter entitledA reply to the objections made against taking the small pox in the way of inoculation from principles of conscience. . She then quotes 2 Corinthians 7 out of context and assumes a vaccine will "contaminate" her. Our view and understanding of people going through a similar situation are forever changed. We know this from our friends and loved ones personal experiences with modern medicine in addition to published research reports. Life is precious and the sanctity of life is at the core of all divine purpose, the missive states. I pray more regularly and study more scripture after my health scare. Isaiah 41:10 YouVersion reported that Isaiah 41:10 was ranked the most read, searched and bookmarked verse on the. They make this argument for a variety of reasons. The letters flowed in as everyone from the pope to the prominent rabbis and imams has encouraged their followers to get the jabs. To make a credible argument against the vaccine mandate, an employee would have to prove they do not take those drugs and many others, the legal experts said. Again, the idea that most people die "with" COVID-19 rather than "of" COVID-19 is a conspiracy theory that arose last summer. Subscribe to receive more stories, directly in your inbox! Some members of the military are being required to be interviewed by chaplains, with the intent of determining the legitimacy of ones convictions. In fact, the purpose of the Tribulation itself is to bring pressure for men to surrender to Jesus and find salvation." The Salvation Army Silicon Valley These preachers built followers around innovative readings of the Scriptures. Coopers letter makes the case for allowing inoculation as a legitimate means to avoid suffering and preserve life. There were also queries tied to justice, racism and oppression in the week following George Floyds death. Here are six important things you need to know: Christy Edwards. I dare not advise; but if she can quietly return at the usual time, and neither run intentionally into the way of the small-pox, nor run out of the way, but leave it simply with the Lord, I shall not blame her. The Israelites left Egypt accompanied by a tabernacle, which served as Gods temple in the Promised Land, as did the Ark of the Covenant when the Israelites marched into battle with neighboring tribes. During the pandemic, many people have turned to Bible verses for strength and encouragement. The three nurses unsuccessfully argued the mandate did not give enough latitude to people who argue their religious beliefs should exempt them. Despite these tactics, it is surprising to note that Increase Mather did not want anyone to receive inoculation contrary to conscience, but instead for them to be persuaded to change their minds. The court found that Fallon's beliefs were not religious because they: 1) did not "address fundamental and ultimate questions having to do with deep and imponderable matters," 2) were not part of a. What should one do if there is no religious exemption? The former should seem to require the strongest faith of the two. Megachurch pastors, televangelists, conservative media commentators and social media influencers have far more power over ordinary evangelical Christians than those local pastors who encourage their congregations to consider that God works through science. Bible Verses about Coronavirus: Scripture Quotes on Plagues, End Times and God's Judgment During this Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, many people are turning to the Word of God for guidance and comfort in these tumultuous times. Let us not insist that anyone receives a medical treatment contrary to conscience, and let us not trample on the consciences of our brothers and sisters. In court filings, the nurses argued that they refused to buy one-way tickets to hell on the hysteria express.. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10, If youre doing just fineRemember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Vaccines violate our ability to follow the teachings of the Bible. Scripture reminds us that God began good work in us and through us. - Sort By Book Order. Perhaps more time in prayer, less time reacting in fear and anger would help bring peace in this difficult, pandemic time. John Fea does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. I still repeat this verse from time to time. 31 Bible Verses and Scriptures for Hope during COVID-19. Protestant denominations formed around such interpretations. Other federal defense agencies have rarely granted religious exemptions for other vaccines. If they obey the convent, they will prosper in the land. It may come as no surprise that John 3:16 topped the most searched Bible verse list. It comforts me in my journey with an incurable illness. Many Catholics currently find themselves faced with a COVID vaccine mandate of one sort or another. On the other hand, Jesus did not always follow his cultures Jewish law. (Mark 7:14-15). You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Those who mandate vaccines give little room for liberty of conscience. I have the right to do anythingbut I will not be mastered by anything. Prayer makes the distinction between right and wrong for you and your health situation much clearer. Over this past week, multiple people inside and outside the church have asked about navigating matters of conscience and healthcare when it comes to COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Among those who were inoculated, the mortality rate dropped to 2 percent.1Though inoculation protected most of those who received it, this success came at the price of human life, as a few of those who were sickened through inoculation died. John Newton and Liberty of Conscience The Bible calls the human body "a temple of the Holy Spirit." The New Testament makes multiple references likening the human body to a temple. A pastor at Manhattan Baptist church wrote a letter on behalf of a congregant. From my perspective, the response of some evangelicals to the vaccine reveals the dark side of the Protestant Reformation. A historian of the Bible in American life explains how Bible verses are being picked out of context to make a case for the anti-vaxxer movement. Inoculation Controversy: Cotton Mather, Jonathan Edwards, and John Newton Meanwhile, the Omicron variant looms. 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, If you have elderly friends or familyDo not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. 1 Timothy 5:1, If youre heartsick over racial injusticeWhoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. or make a one-time gift. Without a church hierarchy to reign them in, these evangelical pied pipers had little accountability. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Ben Purves is a pastor at Occoquan Bible Church in Woodbridge, VA. Ben joined OBCs staff in 2008. New Testament scholar and charismatic Christian Craig Keener shot down arguments that the COVID-19 vaccine could represent the mark of the beast, noting the medical treatment is not accompanied. Paul preached to the rowdy citizens of Corinth in 1 Corinthians 6:12, I have the right to do anything, you saybut not everything is beneficial. by Clarence Haynes Jr.). The church has determined 'Covid' to be a fake plague no more dangerous than the flu and that the measures being used for the first time in history to 'combat it' are Satanically-inspired and contravene New Testament scripture - by design. Luke 21:11 - And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. Yes! This book hit the press (copyright 2020) too early to address COVID vaccines; so if you are wondering whether or not this includes anything related to COVID, COVID-19, Coronavirus vaccines Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson the answer is no. My faith became stronger due to praying and searching for an answer to this popular question. from Capital Bible Seminary (Lanham, MD), and is a D.Min. Philippe Lissac/Godong/Universal Images Group via Getty Images, built followers around innovative readings of the Scriptures, destroyed two of the citys Catholic churches, Committee Member - MNF Research Advisory Committee, PhD Scholarship - Uncle Isaac Brown Indigenous Scholarship, Associate Lecturer, Creative Writing and Literature. It is not rooted in emotions or feelings. If it pleases him, I hope it will please me. (1 Peter 5:7) 7. Nay, I shall praise him for you both. I certainly dont have the answers to solving these huge problems. In the 16th century, Martin Luther and other Protestant reformers translated the Bible from an already existing Greek text into the languages of common people. Back to the Third Commandment. "If he or she thus comes to the sure conviction in conscience that they should not receive it, we believe this is a sincere religious belief, as they are bound before God to follow their. This would result with the inoculated patient being sickened, though usually with a less severe case of the smallpox. How strange is it, that when we think we can do thegreater, we should be so awkward and unskillful when we aim at theless! No major religion has come out in opposition to the COVID-19 vaccines. The Apologetic Value of the Christian Story, will refuse AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, while choosing Pfizer or Moderna, or rejecting them altogether. 8 Of their flesh ye shall not eat, and their carcasses ye shall not touch; they are unclean unto you. As for city employees, their religious and medical exemption applications are reviewed by each agencys Equal Opportunity Commission officer and human resources staffer. In matters that are unspecified by God's Word, the Christian is to consider the teachings of Scripture, and remember that all things must proceed from faith and be done for the glory of God. Jesus also preached on a broader view of a Kosher dietrelated to our current dilemma over prescription and non-prescription use of drugsas stated in the passages from Marks gospel and I Corinthians. This epidemic would take 844 lives before it came to an end. on 02/18/2021, 4 Ways the Parable of the Sower Encourages Spiritual Growth. In the trenches of the COVID pandemic today, fear of contracting COVID has placed many people in an isolated, depressed state. Normally, those who wish not to get vaccinated can request a religious exemption. Jesus went around healing lepers and touched them without fear of getting leprosy, he said. John Price / Unsplash. After receiving a frightening medical diagnosis several years ago, I searched my soul and the Bible to find an answer to my overriding question: Why did this happen to me? Please enter your name, email and zip code below to sign up! Salem Media Group. [6.] Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. As a historian of the Bible in American life, I can attest that such shallow reading in service of political and cultural agendas has long been a fixture of evangelical Christianity. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.Philippians 4:6, Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? On July 8, 1772, Edmund Massey preached a sermon at St. Andrews Holborn of London entitledA sermon against the dangerous and sinful practice of inoculation.6This text was republished and circulated in Boston, with Massey denouncing inoculation as a dangerous and sinful attempt to escape Gods judgment or to avoid the testing of ones faith. However, getting through the initial grief and changes in my life and moving on to a place of greater faith and understanding was not an easy journey. (Could this be a metaphor for doctor-prescribed drugs today?). While the Bible may not use the word "vaccine," it gives clear principles about medicine and handling disputes with other Christians. He rejected the legalism of pastors who sought to prohibit inoculation, and called for freedom of conscience in choosing or refusing inoculation.4 Eric Kruszewski . Indeed, I had a name for it: the 6% gambit. The chances of defeating the mandate are between slim and none and slim is out of town, said Manhattan-based lawyer Jerold Levine, who focuses on civil service and gun rights cases. By contrast, the Air Force had received 4,817 religious exemption requests but not granted a single one, as of Nov. 16. employee regarding their sincerely[-]held religious beliefs or practices. A weekly brief of our new teaching resources. 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 - If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the . "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" Hebrews 13:5 We hope these verses encourage you and provide comfort, regardless of where you're at today. If a person should talk to me in this strain, most certainly I could not say, Notwithstanding all this, your safest way is to be inoculated. The City of Chicago, for example, requires this affirmation in the form it uses to request a religious exemption from a COVID-19 vaccination for employment with the city: "I have met with and provided religious or spiritual counsel to the . One is that God will restore our relationship with us. Isaiah 41:10 says, So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. To save my soul from death? and Yes! In all its splendor, Solomons temple in Jerusalem housed the Spirit of God. Job has a whole new perspective on misfortune in his life. The Bible says, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17 KJV). Two similar cases by New York workers trying to overturn the government mandate are pending. Nay, admitting, which however is not always the case, that inoculation might exempt me from some pain and inconvenience, and lessen the apparent danger, might it not likewise, upon that very account, prevent my receiving some of those sweet consolations which I humbly hope my gracious Lord would afford me, if it were his pleasure to call me to a sharp trial? The unnamed staffer is fulfilling her obligation to religious obligation to morality, the letter contends. John 3:16 says, For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life. Think about Gods sacrifice, giving His only Son so that those who put their faith in Him would not spend an eternity separated from God. [4] William Cooper. While this fear of Catholics was mostly rhetorical in nature, there were a few moments of violence. I've seen 1 Corinthians 6:19 quoted in countless vaccine exemption requests. If they disobey it, they will be kicked out. February 3, 2021 Can an employee object to. Throughout the ages, God's Word has been a source of hope in troubled times. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. The mandate is directly affecting my religious beliefs.' . Mather also faced violence as a bomb was thrown through the window of his house on November 13, 1721, with the attached note: Cotton Mather, you dog, dam[n] you! And if you will mind your praying and preaching, and believe that the Lord can take care of her without any of your contrivances, I shall not blame you. In July of 2020, the Marcionite Christian Church foresaw the likelihood of dangerous mandatory RNA vaccinations being administered under an emergency order and issued a Subitis Medicinae Edicto - a ban on RNA and . 5 Things You Should Know about the ESV Bible Translation. Maldonado's approach to COVID-19 is also shaped by the prosperity gospel, a teaching . Do not seek your own good, but the good of the other person.. But not with just a verse or two from the psalms, or even just one psalmbut with psalms. 13:17)? It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon (v. 11). Some others they cite include Salem Radio host and author Eric Metaxas, the Liberty Counsel and Tennessee megachurch leader Greg Locke, to name a few. The verse says, Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. This is a passage that many people who are battling fear, anxiety and depression turn to. When Does Forgiveness Not Lead to Reconciliation? The COVID-19 vaccine has been scientifically proved to save lives, but for a select group of people in the religious realm, a more important matter is at stake - eternal salvation.. As the delta variant of the coronavirus spreads, many Americans resist COVID-19 vaccines, some citing the uncertainty of long-term side effects, others lacking trust in the medical field. If you lost your jobLook at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. As people read the Bible many for the first time they inevitably began to interpret it as well. But our citizenship is in heaven. Sign up and get the latest stories from THE CITY delivered to your inbox each morning, COVID Vaccine Religious Exemption Letters Show Battle of Faith vs. Science. Here are the top six searched Bible verses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, a Nov. 28 ruling by a federal appellate court will allow 15 Department of Education employees whose religious exemption requests were denied to reapply. 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 you, plans to give you hope and a future. This is a verse that many Christians are familiar with, but sometimes we forget its promises. . 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