Do religious beliefs influence your decision not to vaccinate?

[grandmaofthree]

If so, what religion do you practice? I am just curious.

[k9sarchik]

I voted No.

[alegna]

Haven't voted.

I religiously believe that my first charge as a mother is to protect my children to the best of my ability. Part of that is making informed choices on their behalf. I do not belong to an organized religion. My beliefs are mine alone.

-Angela

[Pyrodjm]

Yes. I do not believe that the Almighty would want us to knowingly inject those toxins into our bodies. I also believe that children are an inheritance from God and that it is my responsibility to protect them.

This is not our ONLY reason for not vaxing, though.

[SunshineJ]

My religion does not, but my faith does if that makes sense. We no longer attend a formal church or follow a specific religious order, however, my beliefs are not just philisophical in nature regarding immunizations.

K.

[buttercupmama]

No, but I know one could argue that it is against our ethics. I'm Wiccan.

When making important decisions for myself and my family, the most important thing to me is simply what is most healthy. You may find that this runs parallel to your religious beliefs simply because both have a usually common level of morality.

[daisymommy]

I whole heartedly agree with Dana.

We don't vaccinate because we think it's an unhealthy thing to do to our bodies, the side effects, etc--all the things we generally talk about here. Thats 99% of it.

But I also think totally agree with what the previous posters said. Strongly enough that I don't at all feel like I am being deceitful when I answer the nurse--"yes, we don't vaccinate due to our religious beliefs".

[kriket]

I voted no IMO 'religious reasons' isn't a reason.

If personal beliefs are part of your reason, that's cool, but I have real problems with people who make decisions based on other people's decisions.

[CanidFL]

I Voted yes although it’s not my only reason. The more natural I swing, the more I firmly believe that God would not want us messing with our bodies (hormonal BC, vaccines, drugs, etc). I do not belong to any organized religion ATM.

[bluedaisy]

I voted yes - I'm a Christian and I believe God created us with an intricate immune system that we will never fully understand. i think the way we were created to fight off disease is sufficient. i think we are created as holistic beings and all our systems are intertwined - you can't target one part of the body and think the whole will not be affected. this is also why i eat natural foods (what God intended for us to eat and not manmade creations) and avoid medicine as much as possible.

ETA -this is not the only reason I don't vax but it does affect my decision

[Full Heart]

I would vote other. There is a whole host of reasons I don't vaccinate from efficiency to safety and everything in between. However there are some ingredients in vaccines that I am religiously opposed to. But if they were removed I still would not vaccinate.

[Raene]

I don't consider myself highly religious...I don't go to church and I'm open to all sorts of "paths to God" but when I think about my beliefs, I do believe that we were created perfectly and we should live naturally. That includes not vaccinating. I really do think when it's our time, it's our time, and I don't believe in interference with medications, drugs, life support, etc.

[Proverbs31]

Yes. I'm a born-again Christian.

[applejuice]

Specifically, Christian Science are opposed to vaccinations.

Other religions draw on various traditions to oppose vaccinations.

[lotusdebi]

Yes. I'm a pantheist.

[JamieCatheryn]

Yes we're Christian and we trust God to make our immune systems work without unnatural interference. Healthy eating habits, breastfeeding, herbal supplements and topical treatments, this sort of thing keeps us healthy as we are supposed to be.

I think our main reason to avoid vaccines is still that they have risks that seem to match or outweigh the dangers of skipping them, and we'd rather do nothing and take a risk than do something to cause a problem.

Our Church has no stance on the issue, though the pastor's family, our good friends, also choose not to vax.

[loveyourohana]

I am no going to tell you what religion I am... why? Because I don't believe that it matters!!! Religious beliefs are soooo personal, and honestly... one can have a religous objection, even if the religion they are following has no stance on the issue. Religion is just that... personal beliefs... it isn't about going into a building and just following rules... Its about personal revelation, its about having a personal relationship with God. Its about something much higher than science can explain.

All this wipe out everything with vaccination, introducing chemicals, and all the crap into a already perfect immune system... It goes against everything I believe spiritually! I think JamieCatherine summed it up nicely... Do you trust in GOd? we trust God to make our immune systems work without unnatural interference.

[mysticmomma]

I voted yes, but I don't know I'd call it religion. It was more a spiritual thing for our family. We are "christian mystics" or christians with a healthy side dose of paganism. We just believe that we are divinely created and don't need pre-emptive health treatments. We also believe that messing with our dna by injecting chicken and monkey dna (not to mention the other heinous ingredients) is a slap in the face of the Spirit.

[ShadowMoon]

I voted no because I do not practice any particular religion. Vaccination is a health and safety concern for me.

[rmzbm]

Maybe. I do believe our bodies are perfect as is. No alterations needed.