Pro-Vax Propaganda at Church

[Turquesa]

So I'm Catholic, and a lot of Catholic churches have a parish nurse on staff who educates parishioners about healthy living and does minor health screenings, such as blood pressure checks. Our parish nurse has been placing announcements in our newsletter and bulletin issues about the importance of getting the influenza and swine flu vaccines. She also adorns a large bulletin board with material from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, whose publications are notoriously and fanatically pro-vax.

I honestly think that the nurse means well, but it doesn't seem appropriate to me to use church as a venue for promoting even the most controversial vaccines. How (if at all) should I respond to this? I'm interested in various responses, but I'd love to hear from Catholics who may be in a similar situation.

TIA.

[frugalmama]

I don't think it's appropriate either - I was dismayed when I saw at our parish festival they will be giving flumist and flu shots.

[caned & able]

Tell your Catholic Nurse friend about the cell lines harvested from aborted fetuses used for manufacture of the MMR vaccine.

[Luv2Bake]

I'm Catholic, but I do not go to church regularly, and religion aside, I wouldn't say I find the nurse's pushing of vaxes "inappropriate". Just the incredibly predictable actions of another brainwashed medical professional who thinks vaxes are wonderful, probably not b/c she has ever really thought about it, but because that's what she was taught and never questioned it. If it were me, I don't know that I would do anything to handle it. I am somewhat passive by nature, and I am so used to seeing pro-vax messages that at this point I roll my eyes to myself and wonder for the zillionth time how the general populace allows itself to be so easily spoon-fed whatever its doctor/government/school secretary/People magazine, etc, tells it.

If there are a ton of elderly people in your parish, they're probably a big reason why the church is pushing this.

[newmum35]

I definitely think you should respond. Doing nothing only propagates this madness for generations to come. I think the more active we all are in our own communities the quicker people will become more educated themselves. Why not send a link to the studies showing flu shots have not lowered elderly mortality or hospitalization rates from influenza? Or what about the ones showing they are only 33% effective, meaning that the shot won't even work in 2/3 of the people who get it!

[luvmytwo]

I second caned and able's response.
I grew up Catholic and go every now and then to church. My kids are selectively vax'd. Being anti-abortion, I feel the church itself turns a blind eye to this issue.

[bbrandonsmom]

I don't think that should be done either. Here is a link to some religious factors in opting out of vaccines.
http://www.know-vaccines.org/exemptionFAQ.html

You might wan to read over them and maybe go straight to your pastor w/ your concerns, and or also the nurse. There are prob people in your parish who don't know some of the info.

[Cristiaz]

I would tell her these two things:

1. Some vaccines contain aborted baby fetal cells (most religous people are anti abortion).

2. God created the immune system perfect, just as it is, if we nurture it with the organic whole foods he also gave us.

(I'm not religious but hey, if the shoe fits?)

[Turquesa]

Unfortunately, the Catholic Church's official position now justifies the use of the vaccines coming from aborted fetus if there aren't more ethical alternatives available. So I can't use that as an argument.

Does anybody have a link on evidence of the flu vaccine being ineffective?

[caned & able]

When the vaccine was first promoted, the poster said "One shot and you are done for life", meaning that only one shot will prevent disease. Three shots are now required in the APA series, not one because the poster was a lie.

Furthermore, many young women of child-bearing age no longer have the immunity to rubella that our mothers had when they became adults.

Why?

Our mothers probably had rubella as adults and carried those titres into adulthood. The immunization from the vaccines do not last and many young adult women of childbearing age are at risk for rubella. Many states used to require women to have titres taken as well as a wasserman at the time of marriage.

Furthermore, the well known side effect of the MMR is arthritis. It is for this reason many ObGyns refuse the vaccine boosters even though it is strongly recommended for them by ACOG since they are in the presence of pregnant women all of the time.

[aniT]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0519172045.htm