Can anyone explain why Christians feel the vaccine is wrong?

Completely missed.

DiscoDancer1975

Well we’re Christians, and have had the vaccines. All of us. I don’t know anyone, Christian or otherwise, who’ve refused it. There are loads of ‘ Christians’ out there who have completed missed what Jesus said, and are doing it themselves.

Indeed. A man who was willing to be crucified because he believed it would save others wouldn’t refuse a vaccine because he was a tiny bit scared it had a minuscule chance of making him ill!

I’ve been a Christian for many years and I couldn’t wait to have my vaccine. My Christian friends have all had the vaccine.

indispensableme

OnwardandUpward

I've got quite a lot of American friends and yes it's all been Americans saying this.
It's pretty disturbing.
I asked them why they have this belief and they won't say. I wanted to know if there's something in the bible?
I've already had the vaccine so it's too late for me if I've done something terrible.

As soon as I see that this nonsense comes from American church people I know it's going to be rubbish, they're an embarrassment to the vast majority of Americans.

Not all Americans who go to church are the same. They vary like any other large group. Is it really fair to judge them all by what some do? The media only tend to report the weird stuff; we don’t hear about the rest.

As freedomfromthepast has pointed out, all kinds of people are refusing vaccines in America. It’s not just the churchgoers.

Or some (how many?) of the churchgoers.

I just don't see why people have to tell everyone they are a Christian.

Basically, people start with an opinion and then use their worldview to justify it. So someone who is anti-vax and anti-mask says their view is based on Christianity; someone who is not religious may say it’s based on science; someone who is politically extreme says it’s political; someone who believes in lizards relies on David Icke’s authority.

Once they have their main justification, they then support it using some or all of the other justifications. The point is that the decision itself is non-rational - all the reasons are just scaffolding for a decision already made,

It reminds me of Hare’s ‘blik’ theory of religious language

geekesse

Basically, people start with an opinion and then use their worldview to justify it. So someone who is anti-vax and anti-mask says their view is based on Christianity; someone who is not religious may say it’s based on science; someone who is politically extreme says it’s political; someone who believes in lizards relies on David Icke’s authority.

Once they have their main justification, they then support it using some or all of the other justifications. The point is that the decision itself is non-rational - all the reasons are just scaffolding for a decision already made,

It reminds me of Hare’s ‘blik’ theory of religious language

That’s how I see it.

Brainwashed springs to mind.

Or they already (without the religion) have the personality that likes to have everything in black and white, with boundaries clearly set by some strong authority figure into what is good and bad according to their "rules". People with that personality are often attracted to religions (not just Christianity) because they feel that if they obey the rules they will be "safe". Some just like applying the "rules" to others.

Any new situation gets run through the "What did XXXX say about this kind of dilemma?" filter, even if XXXX thought it unimportant, or said nothing at all about it. (After all, when asked which was the most important of the ten commandments, by bigots hoping to catch him out, Jesus paraphrased all 10 by replying "Love God, and love your neighbour as much as yourself") Nothing about blood transfusions or vaccinations.

Sometimes that brings approval for the innovation, sometimes it is damned. Sometimes there is a ban on a vaguely similar thing, and the ban gets applied to the innovation. Blood sacrifices of animals (very popular with some early religions) were banned in "You shall abstain from blood" - which was then interpreted by some sects as "from blood transfusions" A transfusion is NOT the same thing as killing an animal so that its dying blood can pour into the altar!

I do just want to point out that this isn't only in America and I'm hearing a lot of it offline. Also, it isn't just church goers there or here that are doing it.

It was the fact that I was condemned BY Christians that made me ask, but to be fair, I have been condemned by the anti vax non Christian brigade as well.

OnwardandUpward Is every single Christian of your acquaintance antivaxx? catholics, Methodists, Cof E, all antivaxxers?

Antivaxxers are scattered through out the population, people of every denomination and none at all, people of all political persuasions and includes a lot of medical staff who should know better.

DH has a saying for such people 'They have made up their mind, do not confuse them with facts'. It was never more true than in relation to antivaxxers.

M0nica

OnwardandUpward Is every single Christian of your acquaintance antivaxx? catholics, Methodists, Cof E, all antivaxxers?

Antivaxxers are scattered through out the population, people of every denomination and none at all, people of all political persuasions and includes a lot of medical staff who should know better.

DH has a saying for such people 'They have made up their mind, do not confuse them with facts'. It was never more true than in relation to antivaxxers.

LOL, true.

At one time, I attended a fundamentalist church in the UK.
They certainly had some strange beliefs but this was not one of them.
Their stance on medical treatment was that God gave us doctors with the knowledge and skills to help us.

Yes that's what I just said, that it's not limited to Christians. I know lots of people who are Christians who have had the vaccine. Mainly the ones who are anti vax are usually atheist that I've met, but also I avoid mentioning it so I don't 100% know unless someone else mentions it.

I was just a bit surprised about the Christians in the group having a go at me. I didn't expect that, so I was off guard. I know loads of atheist antivaxxers and usually have my guard up and don't discuss stuff. I knew these people existed but hadn't come into contact with them before.

I am a Christian and don't think the vaccine is wrong