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We are a church that prides itself on modern day revelation. When nothing comes forth from the 1st Pres or Q12, one way or another, then maybe the revelation that is interpreted is: it’s not important to be vaccinated. If I had children in the Primary Organization, I would want to know if
the teachers are vaccinated or not. I do know they don’t drink coffee, tea or alcohol, maybe that’s enough?
I understand that the leadership don’t want to get into a political debate but, IMO this is more than politics.
I think the frustrating and annoying part for me is that they did say something (as noted above “As appropriate opportunities become available, the Church urges its members, employees and missionaries to be good global citizens and help quell the pandemic by safeguarding themselves and others through immunization”) and then just left it. Not another word. I get what you’re saying about emphasizing one important health thing over another, especially when it’s not apparent that a cuppa Joe a day does any harm and may even be beneficial (ditto for a glass of wine). But if we’re looking at the same time frame, they’ve been silent about the WoW as a whole as well. Locally I hear a whole lot about obedience – generically. Neither have been mentioned of late. But we have had keep the Sabbath, follow the prophet, etc. There’s no doubt in my mind that every member is a cafeteria Mormon – we all pick and choose. Except the the vegetarians in the ward, everybody eats meat in summer. Follow the prophet? Sure, except when he says we should get vaccinated and they don’t want to.
I’m seeing a lot of people in stores and so forth not even wearing masks anymore. I don’t know when the church will have in person meetings again but it is important that masking is maintained even for vaccinated people. Limhah wrote:
I’m seeing a lot of people in stores and so forth not even wearing masks anymore. I don’t know when the church will have in person meetings again but it is important that masking is maintained even for vaccinated people.
Hmmm. The mask mandate was lifted here a few weeks ago, hence no masks in stores although unvaccinated people are encouraged to wear masks. Seeing a mask in the store is rare. Likewise, when the mandate was lifted church went maskless with no request the unvaccinated wear one. Full services resumed then, complete with singing. I thought it was pretty much this way everywhere in the US now.
The Covid-19 virus has been around since 2019. World wide 35m have had it & 618k have died. I would of hoped that the church would of taken a stronger role within “our” organization to contribute to the solution.
I think I’ve beaten this topic to death. MM over & out.
35m infected with 618k are the numbers for the US alone. Worldwide it’s 198m infected with 4.22m deaths. Those are the reported numbers it’s almost certainly higher.
nibbler wrote:
35m infected with 618k are the numbers for the US alone. Worldwide it’s 198m infected with 4.22m deaths.Those are the reported numbers it’s almost certainly higher.
The infectiona are underreported, but the deaths aren’t. Millions have had to have a test to even know they have it. In other words the infection to death rate is much lower than we’ve been led to believe.
The infection rate over the past two years is almost certainly in the billions.
DarkJedi wrote:
Hmmm. The mask mandate was lifted here a few weeks ago, hence no masks in stores although unvaccinated people are encouraged to wear masks. Seeing a mask in the store is rare. Likewise, when the mandate was lifted church went maskless with no request the unvaccinated wear one. Full services resumed then, complete with singing. I thought it was pretty much this way everywhere in the US now.
Different in different places it seems. I always mask inside stores etc. though I see a lot of people not masking so much anymore. It is recommended that vaccinated people continue to wear masks and social distance from what I heard.
Limhah wrote:
DarkJedi wrote:
Hmmm. The mask mandate was lifted here a few weeks ago, hence no masks in stores although unvaccinated people are encouraged to wear masks. Seeing a mask in the store is rare. Likewise, when the mandate was lifted church went maskless with no request the unvaccinated wear one. Full services resumed then, complete with singing. I thought it was pretty much this way everywhere in the US now.
Different in different places it seems. I always mask inside stores etc. though I see a lot of people not masking so much anymore. It is recommended that vaccinated people continue to wear masks and social distance from what I heard.
I’m sure it’s true that it’s different in different places but I happen to know where you live church has been meeting live for some months. There may be some differences in mask requests and things like singing but my wager is given the church and political makeup of the area you live it’s more open than you’re letting on. I get that not all of us are going to church (I go to SM only and sit in the foyer and I’m the only masked person there, and I am vaccinated) and may not be seeing what’s happening but despite the limitations on upcoming GC, wards and stakes are mostly “back to normal.”
A related note from the Salt Lake Tribune’s “Latest From Mormonland” https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2021/08/05/latest-mormon-land-better/ ” class=”bbcode_url”> https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2021/08/05/latest-mormon-land-better/ Quote:Top Latter-day Saint leaders — in written guidelines, on social media and from the pulpit — have encouraged members to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Church President Russell M. Nelson, a former heart surgeon, and other apostles showed the way by releasing photographs of themselves getting their first doses.
So are their exhortations and examples paying off?
Maybe so.
A fresh survey from Public Religion Research Institute and the Interfaith Youth Core — which showed faith leaders can help sway their flocks to get the shots — reports that 65% of Latter-day Saints are now vaccine acceptors.
That’s up 15 percentage points from a March survey.
Other survey numbers shed additional light as the delta variant spurs new worries in the war against the coronavirus:
• Some 37% of Latter-day Saints reported they did or would look to their church leaders for guidance about vaccines. That’s a higher percentage than every other religious group, save for Jewish Americans.
• Most white evangelical Protestants (63%) and Latter-day Saints (59%) agree kids should be able to attend public schools without required vaccines.
• About 41% of Latter-day Saints express at least moderate concerns about the vaccines, roughly in the middle of the faith groups surveyed.
• Latter-day Saints (72%), white evangelical Protestants (72%) and other Protestants of color (67%) are the most likely to favor religious exemptions to vaccine mandates.
• Latter-day Saints (46%) and white evangelical Protestants (31%) rank as the least likely to support requiring proof of vaccination for certain activities.
Church leaders still have their work cut out for them persuading vaccine refusers to roll up their sleeves. Nearly 1 in 5 (19%) of their members still fall in that category, about the same as March.
You also can read about a Latter-day Saint family in Utah who initially refused the vaccine but now regrets it after the husband-father landed in the hospital with COVID-19.
How does a religious exemption play out for LDS members when the handbook and the leaders encourage members to get vaccinated? Or is “religious exemption” just an absolving excuse to not get the vaccine?
nibbler wrote:
How does a religious exemption play out for LDS members when the handbook and the leaders encourage members to get vaccinated?Or is “religious exemption” just an absolving excuse to not get the vaccine?
I’ve wondered that myself. I live in an area that has some Amish folks. They do go to doctors and accept most treatments. But they don’t accept vaccinations because they believe that is in opposition to their religious beliefs. Likewise, just before COVID there was a measles outbreak in NY among orthodox Jews who believe likewise with the Amish (and there was a big to-do about required school vaccinations and lawsuits, etc., in relation to that). Then along came COVID. Based on these two anecdotes I can name two groups right off that are refusing the COVID vaccine.
But there’s nothing in our theology or doctrine that prohibits vaccination and vaccinations are encouraged by our leadership and apparently have been for decades. Is it the same people who believe Dr. Pepper is against the WoW? I don’t know because I tend not to associate with those people (or they see I have Dr. Pepper and don’t associate with me). If it is the latter, I’m clearly not in favor of adding to the gospel. At the same time, I believe it’s some of these same people who beat the drum of strict obedience and “follow the prophet.”
:wtf: Quote:At the same time, I believe it’s some of these same people who beat the drum of strict obedience and “follow the prophet.”
:wtf: Life is fascinating as humans gonna human.
DarkJedi wrote:
At the same time, I believe it’s some of these same people who beat the drum of strict obedience and “follow the prophet.”:wtf:
Could be the very first time they’ve run up against an issue where they’ve disagreed with church leadership. Still… I wouldn’t hold your breath waiting for the lightbulb of understanding to turn on. Cafeteria Mormons are like vampires, they don’t show up in mirrors.
The FP released a statement today that was published in Deseret News urging members to get vaccinated (and wear masks and social distance) and explaining why. I can’t link it from this device.
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