Freedom of religion is a wonderful thing. I grew up with Christian Scientist grandparents and it is against their religious believes to not allow God to handle those things. They feel it is up to God to decide and everyone should show faith in God. I feel that religion, though sometimes it is not understandable to all, it is fair and America’s law.

No one forces a Catholic who has 14 children to go on birth control, no one says a Jewish person is not allowed to circumcise there son, no one says a Jehovah Witness needs to have a birthday party, and no one can tell a Christian Scientist that they have to be vaccinated. People often forget that this is their right. Just like you can not tell a Catholic child she is not allowed to go to her parent’s church no one can stop a Christian Scientist’s child from going to their church. This is America; the truth is that if there is an outbreak the children who are non-immunized are forced to stay home under quarantine. I had to do that once because I wasn’t caught up… we were living with my grandparents at the time. It is still how the schools react today (I have much family who still follows the beliefs of that church). You can not force religion on anyone, not children, not teens, not adults, no one.

No, I am no longer with that church, by my own free will (thank you America) and my children are up to date on their shots, because I have the right to pick the religion that I believe in, just like these people have chosen.

I want none of this to be taken in malice or spite; this is just an American law that should never be changed.

My grandfather turned 90 yesterday and he looks 65, so they must be doing something right.

"This is America; the truth is that if there is an outbreak the children who are non-immunized are forced to stay home under quarantine."

Are you claiming this is a violation of their freedom of religion?

Freedom of religion is not the same as freedom to endanger other people. Your rights stop where the next person's begin. God might tell you to go around stabbing people but if you stab someone it's not freedom of religion... it's a crime.

Adults who are Jehovah's Witnesses are not forced to have blood transfusions.

If an infected person can infect a pregnant woman, infant or young child, or immunocompromised person of any age or gender, then the Christian Scientists have about two options, leave society or get their shots.

Try an Amish Paradise.

"I like wifey's skirt and bonnet, they're hot

The doctor's nice, no vaccination shots.

I'm going out with my buggy and my horse

My vaccine-free religion is par for the course"

The author's apparent disinterest in even figuring out what those exemptions (which do not exist in all states) are supposed to mean is disturbing. A basic level of curiosity surely would have prompted most people to at least "ask Mr Google" about the terms.

There are "legitimate" religious and philosophical stances that prohibit vaccinations (or certain ones). By "legitimate," I mean stances that will seem entirely non-optional to the adherents. If you really, truly believe that getting a vaccination means "burning in Hell for eternity," then you have a "legitimate", Constitutionally protected religious reason to opt-out. We don't want people to be motivated to tell lies (how else can we quarrantine the unvaccinated?) or to commit suicide (which some Jehovah's Witnesses think is preferable to a blood transfusion).

The widespread abuse of these rules is an avoidable tragedy. We just need to change the incentives to make a lack of vaccination less desirable.

For example, I'd be perfectly willing to require people that claim a "religious or philosophical" exemption to provide a notarized letter from a member of their clergy that specifically names the child, the 'unacceptable' vaccinations, explains their religious law, and says that this law would apply even if the vaccines were conclusively proven to be entirely harmless to the recipients and even if the lack of the vaccine would result in a slow, painful, and certain death for the child. This would eliminate the "well, I read scary stuff on the internet" class of fake "religious and philosophical exemptions."

I'd also be perfectly willing to make these people civilly liable for wrongful death (and lesser charges) in the event that they or their children contract and spread the disease to any person at all. There's nothing like a good old million-dollar judgment for negligence to make certain people sit up and pay attention.

GuessWhoMe, the rule about quarrantining unvaccinated people is exactly how we have already implemented the "leave society or get their shots" idea. Once an outbreak has been identified, unvaccinated children (and adults) are required to withdraw from society -- and this rule can be enforced by the nice officers with the badges and the guns, not just on the "honor system".

For some people yes.

ETB_8 then why are some people allowed to cut off some of their sons flesh for religion and it's fine. No one is saying murder or kill. This is a religion that thinks God will protect them from harm. And places faith in God. Besides the way you are saying this is the childern with this faith will out live those not in this faith... if people die without getting their shots. So then with that logic this religion would be dead and not be near 200 year old.

well put

Are you saying that you would try to smoke-out a religion (so to put it) because it is not in their beliefs to do this and force them to live poor or go against their religion?
Why? They have just as much right to feel that shots are wrong as you do to feel that they are right. No one is forcing you not to get your shot which should then protect you. This is the right of choice. People have the right. This is America's Law, and if you take one groups away then whose to stop you from losing the rights in yours.
In truth, they are only hurting themselves if others are up to date on their shots.
And yes, the church (the reader) has to give the opt-out note to the schools for those who are in this religion, at least in CA.

But this mother can have her child go without a vaccine because he is sick… if it’s all or nothing then how does this one come into play?

GuessWhoMe ~

I’m sorry at first I thought you were being sarcastic, but then I read more of what you said elsewhere and realized that you really believe these people should be banished. And that you truly feel they should leave society and not return although they live here, work here, go to school here, you want them exiled. Now, are you saying that America should do what they once did with the Native Americans and cruelly force them to leave their homes while giving them blankets filled with smallpox, or are you talking concentration camps? You are showing a prejudice towards religion and I don’t understand why. They are not saying that everyone else isn’t free to get vaccinated they are just saying they are not going to do it. I am very amazed at the lack of thinking going on here. The First Amendment was placed as the first because it was seen as the most important. This group has been in our society for a very long time. They are not crewel, spiteful, hatful, or evil. Just like other religions they have their own beliefs that others might perceive as odd, but to them are normal. What happened in Nazi Germany was dreadful, and what happened to a number of American Indians was just as evil. That is what happens when you banish and shun a religious group like that, or any group. I’m not saying anarchy to all, neither were the Jewish people in Hitler’s time or Ester’s time. But I am saying they have the right to chose for their own bodies just like you are give the right.
They do not have to get shots. There is no law forcing them to do so. So the choice you are giving them is not one they have to do. This sick child doesn't have to get them so what makes you think anyone has to get them. America is the land of the free.

Side note ~ I also want to correct myself this religion is near 150 not 200. In a response somewhere in all of these writings I put it was near 200 and it is getting closer to 150 years old. I am sorry for typing that wrong.