What’s up TRC and friends! This past week I was flying solo on the podcast and wanted to ask a question and give a fast thought about my question regarding the Covid vaccine. And, it was not just my question. I’ve had others ask the same question, but like me, were afraid of getting hammered by the evangelical elite.
As soon as the vaccine came out there was a barrage of Twitter prophets declaring that getting the vaccine was how Christians should love their neighbor. I suppose that was a decent take, and at the same time, I believe that sentiment led some folks to get the vaccine who might not have otherwise done so. AND them not getting it was not because they didn’t love their neighbor, but they had some decent questions that others might shame them for having and condemn them as conspiracy theorists.
It seemed that people who were hesitant or refused for good reasons were left with nothing except they didn’t love their neighbors well.
Maybe that was not the intent, but as the vaccine has proven ineffective for most, there seems to be no retraction from those who forced the issue as Christian love.
In fact, no one seemed concerned that a federal government that sent the Cherokee west from their land and defended Jim Crow would ok anything less than stellar in a hurried vaccine. No one seemed concerned that the experimentation of the vaccine would be the volunteers who took the vaccine. It was just accepted as the fix and that it was Christian love.
I question that it was love to get the vaccine. It was definitely a necessity for some because they couldn’t keep their job if they didn’t get it, and that mandate for employment is another topic for another day.
Unfortunately, some folks had no option but to get it in order to keep their jobs. They were coerced into it to keep income, and some were coerced into it in order to meet the standard of Christian love according to a mob of Christian voices.
I’d say it might be wise for Christian leaders to keep mum on experimental cures until we get some more evidence in the future.
But, that’s just my 2 cents.
Give it a listen. Maybe I’m wrong. And that’s what a podcast is for. We can discuss and chop some thoughts up and try to get better at practicing our worldview in the public square. BUT we have to be able to do so without condemning each other.
Hope you’ll listen, and I hope this short podcast will be helpful for you to analyze your world and make good decisions for you, your family, your church, and the world.
Theology in the Dirt 