Pandemic, vaccines and evangelists in USA

Balaji Subramanian

4 years ago

When President Of The United States Joe Biden said that every American above 16 would be eligible to get COVID-19 vaccine, he was also concerned that many evangelists will not take the vaccination as they think God is the ultimate healer and deliverer.

What is even more surprising is that many of the evangelists are educated but their deep conviction and faith in their religion is stopping them from availing this potentially life-saving drug. For them, they are God’s chosen people and will be protected from any illness or disease.

According to the Pew Research Center, there are about 41 million white evangelical adults in the U.S. and 45 per cent said in late February that they would not get vaccinated against Covid-19. This not only put the lives of these people at risk but they also risk the lives of their family and the community.

Freedom of religion is a big thing in America and there are denominations who simply refuse modern medical treatment. Instead they rely on healing through prayer. The Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse blood transfusion. Christian Scientists refuse most medical treatment and rely on healing through prayers. The Faith Tabernacle Congregation in Altoona which is a city in Blair County, Pennsylvania, believes that disease is caused by the devil.

Such strong conviction comes straight from the bible that has many passages in the Christian Scriptures (New Testament) which describe Jesus Christ healing sick people in the first century CE.

It is ironic such perversion can be seen in Western society that the leader of the Catholic Church who is also known as the Vicar of Christ has to pronounce that vaccines are safe and it is “morally acceptable,”.

It is hard to comprehend that the Pope had to go and convince that it is ok to take the vaccine as the number of dead keeps rising. But significant Catholics in America still refuse to be inoculated even when President Joe Biden is from the same denomination.

It is no secret that the Abrahamic faiths, particularly Christianity and Islam that comes from scripture and dogma perspective have always been anti-science. For the many white evangelicals, the hesitancy is driven by Biblical mythology from the Book of Revelation.

The Book of Revelation is a very powerful part of the bible and has been used several times by priests and pastors to create panic in communities and this time around, the faithful think that the beast will force his mark on people and that the vaccine is this mark.

This is a reference to an apocalyptic passage from the Book of Revelation that suggests that the Anti-christ will test Christians by asking them to put a mark on their bodies.

To compound the problem, some of the largest Christian ministries that enjoy massive online followings on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube have made the claim that the vaccines contain fetal tissue or microchips, or ingredients is associated with the devil.

In India, the Ulema or the Islamic religious leaders of various seminaries had to issue a Fatwa that vaccines can be taken during the time of Ramzan. For Catholics, it is like the same when the Pope issues a Papal Bull .

While India has been portrayed by the West as superstitious it is pertinent to note that there was no need for leaders of faith native to this land, to guide followers that the vaccine is safe.