covid

To Vaccinate or Not To Vaccinate

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Don’t get excited oen way or the other. I’m not actually addressing the question of vaccinating or not, nor am I presenting either viewpoint. Rather, I’m presenting here some arguments from both sides that are disconcerting and don’t fit in a Biblical world view. There isn’t any order to the points I address, so feel free to read any of them in any order.

Charity

I’ve read that a large Christian charity organization has come out and stated that they will not help someone who is not vaccinated. I mentioned this to a fellow follower of Yeshua/Jesus and they commented that they thought that this was okay.

So, whether or not you think society should be barring the unvaccinated from some activities or services, this attitude from a so-called Christian organization is problematic. It has, at its core, the same lack of care towards who Yeshua is and what is written in the Bible, that plagues our churches now.

When lepers came up to Yeshua, he did not turn them away. The rest of society did. They even thought that they were doing what God wanted by turning such people away. Yeshua’s love for each person broke through the taboos of society and valued each and every person.

New Technology

For over a millennia now, Christianity has feared what is new. The same fear has been mongered in regards to the CoVid vaccine, and the fact that it uses a new technology to achieve its goal.

I wish that I could give some Bible passage that was at the core of this fear but I can’t. The closest that I can come is to quote the passages in the Torah (“Old Testament”) where God tells the Israelites to not copy the ways of the nations around them. However, this applies to how they (we) were to worship and follow God. It would have to be twisted way out of context to be applied in the context of avoiding new technology.

So what is behind this fear? In my opinion it is the age-old issue of control. People want to control other people. Religions want to control masses of people. The leaders want to be seen as the ones in ultimate control (in place of God). New technology can, at times, challenge this false feeling of control.

Technology can also challenge what religion (Christianity included) has taught. When this happens, leaders speak out and condemn lest they be shown as having been wrong. Or worse, having to admit that a long held tradition was wrong.

In other words, religion wants to always be the one saying what is right and what is wrong and nothing should be allowed to challenge this preconception. To me, this sounds like the attitude that Adam and Eve had in the garden of Eden when they took of the forbidden fruit. They knew it would put them in the position of dictating what is right and what is wrong.

The End Times

Many of the mandates and restrictions that are being enforced seem to be taken directly out of the pages of the book of Revelation in the apostolic writings (“New testament”). There are several things that many Christians have taken as being the “mark of the beast,” spoken about in the book of Revelation, or as being the harbinger of the end times as spoken about in the Bible.

One example is that the book of Revelation tells us that those who have not taken the “mark of the beast” will not be able to buy or sell. We see more and more businesses requiring “proof” of vaccination to be allowed to work, get groceries, or other such things. The current reality sure seems to fit the description in the Bible.

But wait! If we are to accept this reasoning, it amounts to saying that God allows trickery to lure people away. It says that He allowed the fear and hype of the Covid virus to trick people into getting vaccinated, and once vaccinated, that they are separated from God.

Does God really allow trickery and deceit to lure people away? Of course not! Unfortunately this idea that God is a trickster and deceiver is actually rather prevalent, being at the root of a couple popular Christian teachings.

Rather, the “mark of the beast” will involve a deliberate choice of going against God and His Word. Nothing about the vaccine qualifies for this. The only examples we have in scripture are of people choosing to rebel against Him.

Aborted Baby Stem Cells

A few cell lines were started decades ago from the stem cells of a couple electively aborted babies. Drug companies use these cell lines for a variety of purposes. This is simply a statement of fact. What I find disconcerting is the argument used to discount the use of those old stem cell lines.

The argument basically states that since the abortion took place so long ago, and that the cells have replicated themselves so many times, that there isn’t any connection anymore to the original abortions.

Now, whether or not you think abortion is okay or evil, this kind of argument sets a dangerous precedent. It is basically saying that if an incident happened long enough in the past, then it is no longer of consequence. (Remember, this discussion is not about whether abortion is okay or not; but it is a discussion by Christians who hold that abortion is wrong).

I have two important questions about this precedent. First, where in the Bible is such an argument ever accepted? Second, who decides how much time is enough?

To put it a bit clearer, this argument is saying that it doesn’t matter if the Bible says something is wrong, if enough time has gone by, it is then okay.

The use of that argument justifies much ungodly behavior by our churches and Christians as they point to long held traditions as proof that something is okay. (I could give several examples here but one or all of the examples would rile people up and they’d then forget what this posting is really about).

So, to wrap up this discussion, this is a call for us to think about what we are saying and doing. Let us weigh our opinions against the Word of God, and let the Word of God prevail! And most importantly, let us love one another! There is nothing about any of the arguments going back and forth about the vaccine and Covid that should cause hate between people of God. Rather, let us aim all this energy at tackling issues God sees as more important. Issues such as people relegating the belief in God to fairy tales, and freedom of speaking of Jesus being taken away.

I had the sad realization during this Christmas season that I don’t recall seeing any religious symbology, or even a “merry Christmas” sign, at any of the churches I may have passed in my goings to and fro. What happened to Christianity’s mantra of “Jesus is the Reason for the Season!” It seems that even the churches don’t believe any more. And that is of great concern!

Shalom!

Censorship

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The USA used to be a country where free speech reigned. Seemingly, not any more. Now big corporations can censor even the President. (Sorry – this is a relatively long post).

Okay, now that I’ve got your attention, let’s look at what’s happening – at the root of the issue. The issue is people being blocked from saying what they want when they want.

But was this ever the case? Not really. Every culture has its rules about what can and can not be talked about. Even in the ‘olden days’ of the USA, if you talked openly about murdering a child you’d encounter a lot of difficulty. Some level of censorship has always been around and is actually good for society.

But who sets the rules as to what is good for society and what is not? We now live in a society where special interest groups (they started and are promulgating ‘political correctness’) and big corporations can decide on what is truth and what is not. Both are forms of censorship.

Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and others have started banning persons from using their platforms if the person is, in their opinion, promoting falsehood. Right now its all about ‘making sure people know the truth about Covid-19 vaccines.’ But will it stop there? Is it really about truth?

That sounds like a good cause, doesn’t it? But who is deciding what is ‘true’ and what is ‘not true’? Apparently the corporations have taken it upon themselves to do so. Unknown people in their organizations are being allowed to tell millions of people what they can and can not think! And what are they being told to think? Whatever the corporations want them to think.

I wonder if it is even allowed to discuss whether or not the AstraZeneca jab is good for people over 65? Why? Some countries allow it and some don’t, both sides citing ‘science’. And yet, when Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram decide that the jab is okay, they can suddenly start censoring anyone that disagrees with them.

Here is a quote from Twitter’s Help Center (help.twitter.com/en/rule – general guidelines and policies) as to what grounds can be used to ban a person.

If a post promotes “The safety or efficacy of treatments or preventative measures that are not approved by health authorities…” it can be removed and the author banned.

Sounds good, but suddenly all those that hold to natural medicines and herbs could be found in violation of Twitter’s policies!

I can take just about any one of their ‘policies’ and easily extend it into broader areas such as I did in the above example. It shows that the issue isn’t actually about truth, but about the power of being able to tell millions what to think.

Why do I bring all this up? Well, besides the fact that it is a frightening precedent, it won’t stop at silencing unpopular political figures or people with concerns about the vaccine.

History has proved over and over that such movements grow unless there is an uprising of the people (Uh-oh – I used the word ‘uprising’! Am I now in danger of inciting violence?) Look at the political correctness issue. It started with just one issue, but as it became successful, political correctness started dictating what people can and can not say or do in just about every situation in life.

Truth is not the issue behind the censorship!

Why am I concerned? Because religious freedom is falling. Political correctness has already started battering at what Christians can and can not say, and soon they will be banned from social media sites if they hold to traditional values. Don’t believe me? The beginnings are already happening. Look to our learning institutions. Traditional moral values and belief in God are becoming unwanted and targeted. Look at the many law suits against various learning institutions that are currently in progress!

Soon it will be that to even name ‘Jesus’ will be considered a crime. I know this sounds extreme, but it is the logical progression of the various movements currently sweeping this country.

If, after reading this, you are thinking that such won’t happen, or that companies have the right to decide who and what to ban, or that it needs to be done because lives are at stake, then you are missing the point completely.

It will happen. Just read some recent history to see how the political correctness movement started and then progressed. The same type of thing will happen (and has already started) with this censorship.

Companies do and don’t have the right to block people based on the person’s beliefs. That is a legal battle going on in this country right now. One example is the recent case determining whether or not a small bakery has the right to refuse to make a wedding cake for a gay couple.

Lives are at stake? True, but the core issue is who decides what is truth and what is not. Do we want big companies deciding for us?

If the issue were anything but political, and it is political, there are better ways to ensure that ‘truth’ is available to all and easy to find. The IEEE organization (the group that sets communication standards that all phones and computers use) recently ran an article about how one could make a change to the operation of the internet that would make it far easier to verify the truth of an article.

But the issue isn’t truth.

Letting people decide for themselves is not wanted. Groups, corporations, and governments want power over people. It’s always been that way.

I fear for religious freedom in this country! Such forces as the special interest groups and large corporations have been battling against Christianity for several decades now, and this current trend of censorship will start battling Christianity very soon, if it hasn’t already.

Wake up! Most people in this country don’t know what it means, or what it is like, to live in a country where speech is monitored closely. I hope we don’t go that far, but we’re certainly on the road there. Inevitably, this censorship moves into religion. Why?

The apostle Paul tells us that there are spiritual forces at work, and the battle we see is only a reflection of a spiritual truth. One of those truths is that Yeshua (Jesus) is returning to judge the living and the dead. Will he find you following and obeying his word?

A spillover from the spiritual battle of people coming to know Yeshua and the subsequent freedom and peace that brings, is the battle to suppress all things Biblical.

Let your voice be heard! Pray for your country! Respect one another!

Shalom, – Yosef