“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not
hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.” ~ Dietrich
Bonhoeffer
Sorry, I read it; I have to share it. Warning! This article by Matt Walsh is extremely
offensive, but it is also 100 % correct. Not gonna look Jesus in the face someday and say I did nothing. I am going to help flip some tables.
You know who in reality is responsible for the Supreme Court
decision to rule the way they did regarding same sex marriage? That has an easy
answer. It is the Christian who has
chosen to remain silent for a few generations now in regard to what is taking
place in America and our world. How dare I say that? The Bible tells me so.
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble
themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then
will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
2 Chronicles 7: 14
Don’t see no healing going on. Don’t see no humility; I only
see pride in all of our perceived holy works and all of the “good” that we do. I don’t
see any repentance; I don’t see any turning from our wicked way. I only see
more and more Christians, joining the world, to embrace it. Laughing at it; turning a blind
eye to it; “contextualizing” things saying that is the only way we can get to a
sinner’s heart. Wrong! That simply is not Scriptural.
Do I sound bitter and angry? Well maybe just a little. Go
ahead and throw that stone. I’m used to it.
I have been involved with politics for a long time now.
Sometimes I almost feel like I can’t help it. It is a part of who I am. I was
raised that way. And somewhere early on, my folks were able to convey to me,
the importance and the reasons to be involved in what is going on in our
nation.
I’ve seen the dirty looks, snickers, and the rolled eyes,
when I want to talk about anything “political”. I have been castigated for
being one who doesn’t know when to keep silent. Criticized for not understanding
that “we shouldn’t talk about things like that.” I have even been silenced by one who overheard my private conversation with one who thinks like I do, and believes we should “talk about things like that.”
The truth is what people who try to silence me and others like
me, don’t understand is that none of our concerns and dialogue is actually about politics. It is singularly about our faith!! This is all about God and doing
what we are instructed to do – spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “Politics” is
merely one of the tools that enables
us to get it done.
“Politics” for me is about preserving our rights to freedom
of religion. Politics is about keeping our rights to share, to meet and even to
pray. Politics is about ensuring we can continue to take the Gospel overseas to
the mission fields, as well as maintaining all those other things in which we so
greatly pride ourselves for doing.
The truth is, “politics” is nothing more than either preserving our faith, or destroying it.Those that are purposely seeking to destroy our
faith get that. Those who are
apolitical or anti-political – and those who love to criticize those who are
using politics to preserve our faith – apparently don’t get it.
We have now entered an age where it is perfectly alright if
you are a man, to say you are a woman; it is just fine if you are white to
claim you are black. People claim Islam is a religion of peace and people buy
it. I was on a Christian site the other day that did nothing more than white-wash the truth about the Islamic "religion", exactly as the left does. (More of that in a moment.) And just today we can say marriage is not
only between man and woman, but also between two people of the same sex. The thing is, is
that all of this is contrary to what God says. It is God who determines your
sex; It is God who determines your race. It is God who sets the bounds and laws
by which we are to live. Man doesn’t get to change that. We are however,
responsible to preserve what God has
done.
How does Islam find its place with these other examples?
Islam means “submission”, not “peace” as so often declared by many. “Well, that
isn’t so bad”, some Christians say referring to the word "submission". We innocently misunderstand
and assert Islam only means “submission to God”. That’s a good thing, right? We
forget that the god of Islam is not the same God we worship and honor as Christians. Islam’s
god is a god that calls for the removal of our heads. "Therefore, when you
meet the Unbelievers in fight, smite at their necks…” - Sura 47:4. If we say it
is ok to submit to that god, we are
hypocrites. Submission to a false god is not the same thing as submitting to
the True God. We are lying to ourselves about Islam when we white-wash it, exactly as we lie when we
say Bruce Jenner is a girl.
We, as Christians sometimes wring our hands and say, “We
need to pray.” Well that’s a good place to start, but the truth is God calls us to action as
well. Read Exodus 14:15. When Moses was “crying out to God” over the situation
the Israelites were in, what did God say? He said, “Why are you crying out to
me? Raise your staff and part that water!” (That’s a small paraphrase, please
read the text for yourself.) Clearly there is a time for prayer; (Moses had done that.) but then there
is a time for action. The truth is, prayer always leads to action - or at least
it should. Politics is merely a tool which enables us to act. And it if we are
not participating in the freedoms and responsibilities that we have been
blessed with in this Christian nation, then we are negligent. We are missing-in-action. Instead, if we do
what God expects us to do and if we are obedient to His Word, God will
intervene in miraculous ways for us.
Why do you think Jesus told Peter where the gold peace was
to pay the temple tax? (Matthew 17:27) Jesus could have produced it at that
very moment. It is my belief that Jesus sent Peter fishing, instead. Jesus wanted
to show us that God will provide, but we need to act.
The truth is, we (Christians) are the ones responsible for
the Supreme Court decision. How can we expect the world to stand for holiness,
when we won’t? Yes, it is true; the Supreme Court acted unconstitutionally in
their decision. But who, in reality, is responsible for that? We are; because we
have allowed our nation to get to the place in which we now find ourselves. This is exactly why our
Founders said "we are a government of the people, by the people and for the people." This is why they declared our rights were inalienable, given to us by God. If that
is the case, then no human can take them away. We are a soft and lazy generation if we
refuse to protect those rights. When we change that which is simply a tool - “politics” - and turn it into a dirty word as an excuse for inaction, then we shouldn't expect God to "uphold us with His righteous right hand". Isaiah 41:10
Go ahead cast that stone. At least that shows action. But in
doing so, you are joining the side that uses politics to destroy our
faith rather than preserve it. I will
continue to be “political” to ensure that we are able to do what God has intended
for each of us. We each have a gift given by God that needs to be protected. It is the job of each and everyone of us to preserve that for each other. We don't get to stand idly by and say, "Oh well, God will take care of it. Oh well, God knew this would happen." God calls us to action!
Each of us are indeed “political” whether we know it or not. It
is simply a matter of sides.
“The Supreme Court has spoken with a very divided voice on something only the Supreme Being can do - redefine marriage. I will not acquiesce to an imperial court any more than our Founders acquiesced to an imperial British monarch. We must resist and reject judicial tyranny, not retreat.
This ruling is not about marriage equality, it's about marriage redefinition. This irrational, unconstitutional rejection of the expressed will of the people in over 30 states will prove to be one of the court's most disastrous decisions, and they have had many. The only outcome worse than this flawed, failed decision would be for the President and Congress, two co-equal branches of government, to surrender in the face of this out-of-control act of unconstitutional, judicial tyranny.
The Supreme Court can no more repeal the laws of nature and nature's God on marriage than it can the laws of gravity. Under our Constitution, the court cannot write a law, even though some cowardly politicians will wave the white flag and accept it without realizing that they are failing their sworn duty to reject abuses from the court. If accepted by Congress and this President, this decision will be a serious blow to religious liberty, which is the heart of the First Amendment.” Former Governor of Arkansas - Mike Huckabee
The truth is, the only way "Congress and this President" will act appropriately is if we hold their feet to the fire by our voices. It is time we grab our tools and get to work. Or we can join the other side and do nothing.
I wasn’t going to weigh in on this subject – The Duggar’s
and their oldest son’s "fall from grace". But the subject just won’t go away.
It’s all over Facebook, it’s in the mainstream news, the blogs are endless…it
is simply everywhere.
I have never watched the Duggar’s show. I have never got
caught up in what they do. I purposefully never “liked” them on Facebook. I did
not want to show support for, or against them, one way or the other. In my
opinion, they were an “accident waiting to happen”. I mean, come on! There is
no way that you can claim you are Christian, have 19 kids while televising it
all on reality TV; and then expect that people will just leave you alone.
For starters, I don’t like reality TV. Truthfully, I wish
someone would tell me how reality TV is different than voyeurism. I have said
that since the first reality show ever came out, to the chagrin of some! That
sounds harsh I guess, and that is a big enough can of worms for another post.
The simple truth is, in that scenario - 19 kids on television - something was
bound to go awry. And that is exactly why I wanted to stay away from what the
Duggar’s do.
Some have said the Duggar’s set themselves up for
scrutiny when they accepted the role for reality TV. I agree with that. I feel
like asking the parents, “Just WHAT did you expect?”
Yes, I have an opinion about what happened. And yes, I
have an opinion about the way the Duggar’s are being treated. So like everyone
else that has commented, let me start with: YES, IT WAS WRONG!That’s the no-brainer. Now let me get to the
icky-sticky, controversial stuff that prompted me to finally write.
One, it really, really irks me that this has turned
political and people are using it for their own gain, or agenda. Governor Mike
Huckabee was the first one I observed to come out with a statement in regard to
the Duggar's. No big deal for me that he did. He is their friend. That’s what
friends do.
But then there are those like Michael Reagan that have
been relentless in their coverage of the Duggar’s sins. Mr. Reagan has been
posting something derogatory about the Duggar’s almost every hour on
Facebook!For days!!! It started with a
merciless attack on Mike Huckabee, because of the former governor’s support of
the Duggar’s. I would have to assume Mr. Reagan doesn’t like Mr. Huckabee. But
it got “over the top” quickly with Mr. Reagan. It seemed more like he had a
vicious vendetta against Mike Huckabee! Finally it got so bad, I was starting
to wonder about Mr. Reagan’s mental health. Turns out Michael Reagan was raped
as a child by a molester who also took photos of him. Yeah…bitterness remains.
Two: We are Christians, they are Christians. There is a
lot of finger-pointing and stone throwing from not only the secular world, but
from some Christians. And this is where I really get fried. Christians brag (yes, I
said brag) constantly, about how Jesus can change lives. We love to shout it
from the roof tops; and well we should! But it seems like we, in fact, only
believe that profound truth at the surface. I mean really, if we TRULY believed
Jesus changes lives, wouldn’t we be a little less quick to throw stones at Josh
Duggar, today? There are those that believe he SHOULD lose his job…I’m not
going there…he lost it. They believe he should still be punished 13 years after
the fact. When the truth is, the statutes of limitations in most states doesn't
allow for that. And in Arkansas, where this took place, the statutes of
limitations has indeed ran out! But what really gets me, is that Josh was 14
years old! Maybe he wasn’t even saved yet! But we don't seem to want to accept
that we could now have before us a man changed by the Blood of Jesus. He has
demonstrated that he is a changed man. There have been no more incidents. He is
a family man, (with a beautiful wife and three children) who worked at a
Christian organization for the benefit of our society. He has proven everything
there is to prove for someone who has been changed by the Blood of Jesus. But
we won’t accept it. We are hypocrites. We don’t really believe God can change a
child molester.
Further, we don’t even know exactly what was done. We
have only heard he “touched” five girls. Some would call that “gossip”. I
don’t know. It is only gossip when it goes outside the realm of truth, in my opinion. Further gossip depends on the intent of the heart. While what he did is very wrong, we really don’t know to what extent.
How much is the media blowing this up because it is a Christian family? This is
anyone’s with a liberal agenda dream story!! They finally have a "gotcha!!”; gossip or not.
Now, I am definitely not saying that there should be no
consequences. There already have been consequences. And I am not saying that I
don’t believe in justice. Of course I do!! Ironically, when a loved one of mine
was killed in a car wreck due to dangerous and CARELESS driving by two
individuals, people were quick to tell me I needed to forgive. I quickly tried
to explain to these people each and every time, “Forgiveness does not negate
justice and the desire to seek that end!” We forgive because we are commanded
to in Scripture, but we must seek justice! “Justice” is what makes our society
work and it is “justice” that keeps us safe. I wanted quick and appropriate
justice for the two men that killed my loved one! Some people didn’t like that.
Sometimes it is so easy to tell someone about the perceived log in their eye.
But this situation with Josh Duggar is clearly different.
It was 13 years ago that the Duggar incident took place. The statues of
limitations has run out. Josh, himself, was a child. Clearly, there is an age
of accountability in Biblical precepts. Maybe Josh had reached that age when
these crimes occurred; but regardless, a 14 year old does not think like an
adult. And even if an “age of accountability” had been reached, that does not
repudiate the fact, that clearly Josh has shown he is a changed man...changed by the
Blood of Jesus.
One of the bloggers that I read, listed ten facts of
which he said we all should agree. He accurately pointed out the difference
between justice and forgiveness, as well as the difference between crime and
sin. But this blogger, in his well-thought out analysis, neglected to mention
the fact that you cannot try and convict someone for a crime that was well over
a decade ago, and long past all statutes of limitations. Neither did he mention that Jesus changes who people are when we accept Him into our lives. These two stark facts left
his article incomplete and partially incorrect in its message. But certainly
there are consequences for every action and there have been huge consequences
for this family.
Steps were taken at the time, to rectify the situation.
The family did what they needed to do. Any steps taken for justice
should have been done at that time. It is wrong to seek it now.
As of now, Josh has followed through with all the correct
procedures; he made a public statement of apology; he stepped down from his
position in the Christian ministry; he admitted he was wrong. He claimed the
Blood of Jesus, long before his sin - his crime - was recently exposed! The
truth is, this is in the news, because it was a Christian family to whom it
happened. It is in the news because it is a family that has stood for moral
issues. It is in the news because it benefits a liberal agenda. Believe me, if Josh
didn’t work for the Family Research Council or any other political equivalent,
this story would have gone nowhere, or at least remained in Arkansas. One of
the other bloggers I read correctly pointed out the distinct difference in the reporting and the societal acceptance in this
situation as opposed to a circumstance that recently occurred with a liberal
actress. Anything goes, unless you are a Christian.
That is as it should be, I guess. We should live to a
higher standard. But the sad thing to me is, once again, some in the Christian
community are right there with the world to fling their arrows at the one who
is wounded.
Now as soon as I write about a position that seems to be
in support of Josh Duggar, the other shoe will drop and something more will
come out. This is exactly why I hesitated to write. But this post isn’t really
about Josh Duggar. It is about the hypocrisy in the Christian community in
regard to whether we really believe Jesus is in the business of changing lives.
Christian, we are once again buying and promoting the
liberal, left agenda, when we attack the Duggar's because 1. We won’t offer the grace we ourselves have
received.And 2. We seem to love to
shoot our wounded and then we dine on the juiciest portion. Or maybe it's that
we simply need to work on believing what we say we believe. The truth will
eventually be exposed in any case. Justice is always served. In this case, it has been served on a
liberal platter. Did we say Grace?
"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the
Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though
they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” ~ Isaiah 1:18
So about The Edgy
Truth website…yeah, it’s come up a few times via sharing on Facebook and
email. This website is one that many people love to share and cite “information”.
But wait a minute. Let’s take a look at this site. Can we
believe them? Are they trustworthy? For starters, nothing is ever resourced or
foot noted. Well now, that’s a red flag, wouldn’t you say? There is no author,
EVER, noted in any of their articles. It is almost impossible to find out just
who is behind The Edgy Truth. The
best I could do is find out who the Domain name the Edgy Truth is registered to. http://www.behinddomain.com/www/edgytruth.com
The server that is used is Go Daddy and the name is
registered to a man by the name of Jamie Albano. A Google search of Jamie
reveals he is a family man whose business is creating and maintaining websites.
It looks like he has a very successful business. Now, just because he is listed
as the registrant, does not mean he is behind the politics and writings of the Edgy Truth. He may be listed as the
registrant only because he designed the site. Perhaps someone wanted to remain
anonymous and asked Jamie to keep the registration in his name. Having created
a few websites myself, I know that would certainly be easier and quite likely. Jamie
Albano certainly doesn’t take credit for any of the information contained on
the site. No one does.
Mr. Albano’s business website apparently is
internetchum.com, but there is no mention of the Edgy Truth there and certainly no mention of Albano’s politics. It
is my opinion, he is simply the hired and paid builder/maintainer of the Edgy Truth website.
Shouldn’t the anonymity of the Edgy Truth make us wonder?? It
certainly makes me wonder. And further, there is a lengthy disclaimer on the
Edgy Truth’s site. Let me quote a part of that disclaimer which should concern
us all – or at least give us another “red flag”:
“…we make no
representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the
completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect
to the website and related social media pages, or the information, products,
services, or related graphics contained on the website and related social media
pages for any purpose.”
Someone is certainly protecting themselves from any
repercussions of false, or inaccurate stories. Yes, disclaimers are sometimes
warranted, but this one seems to go over the top in its warnings for a site
that claims to be a “Truth Information Resource” site.
And while the disclaimer mentions its staff, founders and
contributors, one would be hard-pressed to find out exactly who these
staffers/contributors are. I tried. I could find no names on the site at all. And
upon trying a google search, I found little information about the site’s
beginnings. Please let me know if you do. I could certainly delve into a
conspiracy theory all my own on these important missing facts.
I for one, do not like blindly accepting information from
a site that has become this popular without knowing who is behind it. Why would
I believe them? At the very least, they could foot note their facts which would
lead me somewhere to prove what they say. But that just isn’t the case. There
are a few links to other sites within certain articles on Edgy Truth. But guess
what? The links that I followed all led to radical anti-government, conspiracy
filled websites that also do not and cannot back up their facts.
Why would we believe the Edgy Truth? For some, it is because it fits what they already
believe, or want to believe. For others, it is about promoting an agenda they seek to
fulfill. Many are being led astray because they are not thinking things through
or verifying what they read. They follow blindly accepting whomever it is
behind the articles they are taking to heart. And that is dangerous.
I hate to think where all of this could take us. Seems to
me it leads us down a dangerous path that gets us nowhere near to truth; but
rather, over the edge of disclaimers and swallowed up in misrepresentations and
maybe even outright lies.
Now I certainly haven't read every article on the Edgy Truth site. I have come across many I have questioned. We need to be cautious wherever we are reading! There are some sites out there that claim to be a "satirical site" thereby getting away with writing out and out lies that readers believe as truth. The authors of such sites know few people will read their "satirical" claim and instead will simply believe what has been written in their article which is supposedly filled with satire. But people believe it as truth!! The sad thing is they get away with swaying public opinion with their deception.
Other sites will publish an article they know is not true just to get traffic to their site. They simply have to print a retraction later which in turn gets more traffic to their site! Why are we so careless in what we believe?!
With an internet full of "information", trickery, and fool-hardiness on just about any topic one could imagine, we all need to be careful and check facts before we blindly follow.
I am not going to be popular with this post. That’s ok - I
think - I’m already not popular.
I watched a video the other day that I could NOT get out of my thoughts.
Being still on my mind this morning, I decided to write about it.
As I watched the video the first time, my spirit was
grieved. That is the only way I know how to put it. I sensed an incompleteness;
a senselessness; almost an irrationality as I watched. And yet, it is a moving video
with an important, compelling message. I can understand the heart from which it
was created. It is beautiful. It is Biblical…well almost.
Dare I say anything negative about it? Dare I criticize something with such righteous
intentions? I don’t know. Maybe I shouldn’t. But silence in the face of error? That isn't right, either.
The video will stir the hardest of hearts. I couldn’t help
believing that every Christian should get behind this beautiful attempt to witness to
those of the Muslim faith. Instead I cringed and I almost feel like I need to
apologize for that. But still…
For starters, this video is full of contextualization. The most apparent case
being the fact that they equate Jesus with Isa al Masih. Now to those without
understanding, Isa is supposedly the equivalent of Jesus to members of Islam. But
to the Muslim, that is far from the truth. The Muslims have great disdain for
Jesus. They make no correlation between Jesus and Isa, whom they revere.
The Muslim’s Isa is not believed to be the Son of God according to those of that faith. He is
simply a messenger for Muhammad, who is also inferior to Muhammad. I cringed as
I saw the comparison in the video. It sickened me, much as Rick Warren’s prayer
in the name of Jesus, and Isa, at the inauguration of President Obama sickened
me. Contextualization is not the answer. (I have written about this before.) I don’t think Jesus would be happy
with the comparison. Trying to make the two “faiths” somehow equal is simply
not rational.
Secondly, those of the Muslim faith are not our brothers. And
there is no place in Scripture that tells us this is the case. I couldn't help but think what the Jews, as well as Christians in Muslim nations, who suffer daily at the hands of evil jihadists would think if they see this wicked people referred to as 'brothers". It simply is not Biblical. They are our enemies. Love your enemy, yes; but we are not to embrace them, or adapt for them.
Finally, the captions are boldly in English, with the message
written in the Arab language shown in much smaller script below. I had to ask
myself; “Who is this message really created to reach?” Muslims? Or Americans? I
think the answer is obvious. It was created to change the hearts and minds of
Americans in an attempt to change the way our nation deals with those of
this religion - actually political ideology. Just love them in. No need for war.
“The People of the Cross come to die at your gates”; “If you
won’t hear our message with words, then we will show you with our lives, laid
down.”
Really? Is this message any different than that of the Muslim jihadist?
The jihadist who displays an irrational desire to die in a "holy war" that will lead them to the Promised
Land and 72 virgins. God doesn’t call us to die! He calls us to live and he
calls us to life!
It all sounds so holy and so very righteous though, doesn't it? To be willing to die for our faith? And we should!! When necessary! But dying at the feet
of our enemy isn’t what we are called to do, or to actively seek as this video implies. Yes, we should be willing to be
martyrs if we are called to that place, but we certainly are not to actively
seek it! That is what the jihadists do!
Am I wrong to think it is going to take more than bringing the
Gospel to wipe out ISIS? Yes, it is the Christians’ responsibility to bring the
Gospel to these people. But it is the responsibility of our Christian nation’s government
to bring justice upon them! There is a time for war!
So my spirit was grieved. Big deal some might say. However, it caused
me to investigate further. I researched the creator of the video, Michael
Chang who only says he is non-denominational in his theology. But I found an interview on One Peter Five , (a Catholic website whose goal is to restore and rebuild Catholic culture and tradition), where the video was first posted which led to the viral attention. Once again, I was not surprised to see Chang is of the younger generation that
cannot be interviewed without getting in an attack on the American Dream? For
crying out loud!! Why is that??? Oh, and he doesn’t like the term “conversion”.
Now there is an evil term if I ever saw one. God help us! It always seems to be the same with the new Christianity that is permeating our society, today. And for whatever reason, I seem to be able to pick up on it in an instant and I can't keep quiet, thereby always getting myself in trouble...with some...
I can't help but believe those who do this are all a part of a movement (most of them unwittingly) that seeks to
diminish the United States. This movement is going to lead to a movement that
will not support Israel. It is a movement that will end up (and already has in
some instances) supporting the Palestinians, (Hamas, Palestinian Authority,
Iran, etc.) instead of Israel. (In fact, the pope just made a statement that the Vatican will officially recognize Palestinian Statehood. This is exactly why we found the video on a Catholic website, in my opinion.) It is a movement that will never support a strong,
national defense for America. They are much too holy for that. It is a movement
that will lead us to Zechariah 14:2. Every nation will turn against Israel. And that is why I cringe.
But still, I was glad I had researched the creator of this video! Below is the crucial missing piece that I so longed to hear. Michael
Chang does finally reveal in this interview an extremely important truth. It is the
answer I am always looking for, and I was glad to see he at least included it somewhere. We are not all called to the same thing!! Chang was asked in this interview if the video might fall short in its message. The
truth of the matter is the message in his video does fall far short and that fact is critical. Why? Because the
majority of people are only going to see the video and not what Chang states
further. There is an extremely important misconception that is already propagated within the viral video. He has the opportunity to correct the problem in this interview and he does a fairly good job at making the distinction. But how many will see the latter statement? How many will miss this essential truth? I have included the excerpt from the interview
here, because I believe it is so important.
1P5:What do you say to
those who believe that this message falls short? To those who want to take arms
and protect the innocent Christians being persecuted by ISIS? Martyrdom offers
a powerful witness, but it is also a great evil on the side of those doing the
killing. Is it truly right to do nothing? Should Christians not stand up and
defend themselves?
MC: This message does fall short. To try to send a
comprehensive, all encompassing message to ISIS all under four minutes is
impossible. God has so much more to say to them. And he will find a way. Should
we fight back and defend ourselves? If you’re called to be a witness for Christ
and to be a missionary to these people then lay your weapons down and love them
to the death. But if you’re called, lets say to the US Army and you’re sent to
fight ISIS, then submit to the authority of your country and fight. Be faithful
to what you’re called to. Ecclesiastes 3:8 says there is a time for
everything…a time of love, and a time to hate, a time for war, and a time for
peace. God values life. Governments were created to preserve life. Sometimes in
order to preserve life, governments have to go in and wage war.
Thank God Chang said this somewhere, but I’m afraid it is dangerously too little, too late. The video is going to be the main message that permeates our society; especially our youth....and probably while ISIS simply laughs.
But still, we must witness! We must! But I pray, only in truth.
For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. ~Romans 13:1-4
CNN – liberal media that they are – recently printed an
article which many anti-vaccine advocates are using to show that once again vaccines
cause deaths and illness in children.
Unfortunately, a multitude of distortions from that
article flooded into the anti-vaccine community. People love to find “news”
that supports their already deeply held beliefs.
For starters, the babies, as reported at one source, were only
28 and 30 days old. Not the time to be giving a vaccine, in any case! But who
cares about common sense, right?
Secondly, the article clearly stated that:
"Authorities haven't
said what they think caused the illnesses. They've pinpointed the batches
the vaccines came from and have suspended administration of other vaccines from
those batches pending the conclusion of their investigation, the institute
said. They're also investigating the
needles used in the vaccinations and the possibility that a virus or bacteria
could have caused the illnesses, Mexico's El Universal newspaper reported."*
The parents were reportedly so angry, they refused an autopsy after the babies' deaths. Refusal of autopsy? There is another clue. It is
understandable parents are heartbroken, but to get to truth this would be a
necessary procedure.
And finally, it was in one of the poorest, dirtiest areas of
Mexico!! Hardly the place for successful medicine when conditions are less than
sanitary:
“In the poor, rural
area, access to medical care is difficult to come by. There are no hospitals or
clinics, only a small cinder block health center with a tin roof where
residents go when a doctor passes through the community. A small selection of
paracetamol and other pills sits on
dusty shelves inside.”*
"The Rev. Marcelo Perez, a Roman Catholic priest, told The
Associated Press that families of the babies said they became sick within
hours. The adverse reactions started Friday and the babies were being treated
in a hospital in Simojovel, Chiapas, where 93 percent of the people live in
poverty, 69 percent in extreme poverty, according to government statistics.
"The hospital
'doesn't have adequate personnel or equipment," Perez said. "The
real problem is the terrible conditions we have ... so that when a baby comes
in with convulsions, he leaves dead.'"
I posted a message similar to what I am saying here to
Sherri Tenpenny’s Facebook page. She was one that quickly reported and commented on this story. My message was polite and respectful, simply pointing
out there is sure to be another side to this story. I was certain additional
information would come out regarding the cause of these deaths and illnesses. Why, I wonder, has there been no follow up reporting regarding this situation on her page? I think I know. It doesn't help her in her agenda.
And again, why is it only the liberal sources that are
reporting these inaccurate facts? And why are conservative Christians reading
them?? One of the articles being promoted is from Al Jazeera!
Really?? We are going to trust Al Jazeera???
Please, people, read carefully; think clearly; question
those that use fear-mongering and inaccurate facts to promote their agenda.
The links below state the most recent news on the two babies that died in
Mexico, which was initially thought to be caused by vaccines.
"Mexican health authorities on Tuesday said a bacteria was responsible for the deaths last weekend of two babies and for sickening 29 others—not a vaccine as initially feared."*
"Mexico's public health system says a localized bacterial contamination
appears to have been responsible for infant vaccine causing the deaths of two
babies and the sickening of 31."*
“The institute said
the vaccines themselves were safe, and it is investigating how the
contamination occurred.”*
Inaccuracies are being reported as facts and widely believed and propagated throughout certain communities. Please do your research. Do not blindly believe every story, just because it seems to support what you already believe. I wrote an informative article about vaccines recently on this blog. I hope you will take a moment to read it and prayerfully consider what is being said on both sides.
I came across an article today on Facebook that was posted by "The Federalist Papers".
It discusses much of what I have been blogging about in regard to what is happening within the Christian church. The article at "The Federalist Papers", however, is focused more on President Obama and his "faith" while my articles are focused more on the "infiltration" of the church. In any case, we both say the same thing about Liberation Theology and the "social justice" movement within the church. I was encouraged to find this. I thought I was out there all alone. Apparently this author has been to my blog. ;-) Kidding!!
But please take a moment to read his important information. I have posted the entire article as well as the link. I hate the ads on their site and would prefer no one has to go there to read the article, at least at my recommendation. In fact, I know I will want to read it again, but I don't want to have to look at the ads! The article is thought provoking and well written.
I have also posted some information at the bottom about the author of the article.
President Obama has not been shy about criticizing Christians
who hold a slightly different view of the faith than he does.He has used the IRS and other government
agencies to harass conservative Christian groups that oppose his social
agenda.But now, a shocking new report
sheds light on the source of President Obama’s faith.And, it is not one he will want to admit or
discuss at length.
Teaparty.org reports:
In a startling new interview, a 3-star general and former head
of Communist Romania’s secret police who defected to the United States in 1978,
claims that the Theology of Liberation was the creation of the KGB, who
exported it to Latin America as a way of introducing Marxism into the
continent.
Ion Mihai Pacepa has been
called “the Cold War’s most important defector,” and after his defection, the
Romanian government under Nicolae Ceausescu placed two death sentences and a $2
million bounty on his head. During the more than ten years that Pacepa worked
with the CIA, he made what the agency described as “an important and unique
contribution to the United States.”
He is reported in fact to have given the CIA “the best
intelligence ever obtained on communist intelligence networks and internal
security services.
So, exactly what is “Liberation Theology”?Teaparty.org gives a brief description:
“Liberation theology has been generally understood to be a
marriage of Marxism and Christianity. What has not been understood is that it
was not the product of Christians
who pursued Communism, but of Communists who pursued
Christians,” Pacepa said in a recent article.
The description is essentially correct.Liberation Theology has dominated most “main
line ”Protestant churches for the past 50 years.It is basically a corruption of Christianity in an effort to merge it
with Communism.It has many variations;
including Black Liberation Theology, Feminist Liberation Theology, and Gay
Liberation Theology.
It was Black Liberation Theology that dominated the preaching of
Obama’s former pastor – The Rev. Jeremiah Wright.And, it is this form of Liberation Theology
that has helped shape Barack Obama’s belief system in how he sees the
world.We have reported here about the
contribution Liberation Theology has made to the development of Obama’s
character.
This new report is shocking that, in reality, Liberation
Theology didn’t evolve on its own, but was instead created by Soviet Communists
in order to destabilize the west.
Teaparty.org goes on:
Pacepa claims that the Theology of Liberation was not merely
infiltrated by the KGB, it was actually the brainchild of Soviet intelligence
services.
“The movement was born in the KGB, and it had a KGB-invented name:
Liberation Theology,” Pacepa said.
According to the General, during those years, the KGB had a
penchant for “liberation” movements, and a Theology of Liberation fit right in.
The National Liberation Army of Columbia (FARC), created by the
KGB with help from Fidel Castro; the “National Liberation Army of Bolivia,
created by the KGB with help from “Che” Guevara; and the Palestine Liberation
Organization (PLO), created by the KGB with help from Yasser Arafat are just a
few additional “liberation” movements born at the Lubyanka — the headquarters
of the KGB.
Pacepa said that Liberation Theology was born of a 1960s
top-secret “Party-State Dezinformatsiya Program” approved by Aleksandr
Shelepin, the chairman of the KGB, and by Politburo member Aleksey Kirichenko,
who coordinated the Communist Party’s international policies.
This is almost unbelievable.The main thrust of liberal Protestant Christianity over the past
half-century is nothing more than a Communist propaganda campaign which was
swallowed “hook, line, and sinker” by western churches.
No wonder all of these churches are rapidly losing members.No wonder they have all adopted a radical
liberal agenda without so much as a smidgen of evaluation or critique.
This goes well beyond just the “social justice” movement Obama
is always preaching (which is certainly part of Liberation Theology).It gets into feminist policy.It explains the surge in radical homosexual
advocacy; including the push for “same-sex” marriage.It defines the phony “white privilege”
philosophy now being spewed on most college campuses.
And, all of it is a lie created by Soviet Communists to help
destroy America from within!
More details about the history of implementing this societal
poison can be read at teaparty.org and Breitbart.
In addition to shaping Barack Obama, it may also be argued that
this same Liberation Theology has also shaped the thinking of Hillary Clinton
to some extent.She has suggested the
influence her Methodist pastors have had on her beliefs as well is couched in
this type of Liberation Theology
This new report explains quite a bit about what has gone wrong
in this country.If this infestation of
America’s churches and institutions of higher learning has indeed been a plan
of the atheists in the old Soviet Union, it shows us clearly how insidious
Communism is in destroying cultures.
It also is a wake-up, clarion call for America to return to its
roots of historic Christianity – the faith that built this nation in the first
place.
About The Author (from the same article and source)
Russ Hepler - Russ Hepler is a pastor, teacher, political activist, author and conference speaker with over 30 years’ experience. He holds a B.A. from Messiah College and an M.A.R. from Evangelical School of Theology. He has been an issues’ advocate, a campaign volunteer for local, state, and federal candidates, Regional Field Director for PA Christian Coalition and president of a county chapter of Pennsylvanians for Human Life. His first book – Yes! We Can Turn This Nation Around! A Practical Guide for Christian Political Involvement – was published in 2012. He and his wife, Sherry, have founded Transformation 1202 Ministries to educate, encourage, and challenge people of faith to get involved in the political and cultural issues of our day.
And Mr. Hepler's website is: Transformation 1202 Ministries - "Seeking to renew minds and hearts until this nation is transformed!"
http://www.turnthisnationaround.org/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I am so happy to have found the above article. After reading this, one should see several connections ending in new revelations and understanding of what exactly is taking place in America's churches.
Things have sure changed with the creation of the internet. Most
of that change is good. It's great to be able to communicate so quickly in this
way; to get news the moment it happens; to research and learn about any topic
one wants. These are all positives.
Of course as with everything, there is also a down side. Aside
from the most damaging and obvious negative (the easy availability of
pornography) false facts and news stories are also easily spread. That can be
very dangerous, as well.
Personal blogs are numerous - seems everyone has one - but not
all are careful with the truth.
Political blogs run rampant with every subject one could
imagine. That doesn't mean they have their facts straight. Medical issues are
discussed and discussed again - many with little regard to science or competent
resources.
Many of these websites claim they have the correct answer often
without any proof, or citing any resources of any kind.
Along with all of the above, conspiracy theories abound! Especially
in the political realm. This is extremely unfortunate, in my opinion. Seems
like everyone loves a good conspiracy. But in reality, anything outside of
truth is harmful in one way or another.
These sites have little respect for the truth. They just want to
promote something as outlandish as they can make it, in order to get those
valuable "clicks" to their website. The problem is, people believe all of it as if
it were fact. This is extremely damaging to our society.
There also seems to be a segment of the conservative side of
politics that is getting as careless with the truth, as the liberal side has
been. They have been labeled "the far right". I think that's probably
not an appropriate label. Many of them are libertarian, ill-informed
conservatives, or people that have been frightened by intentional
fear-mongering. They are all unified for one reason: they don't trust the government.
And that is the root of this political faction that is spreading anti-government
rhetoric.
Now, certainly we shouldn't blindly trust our government.
(Especially with an administration such as the one we have now.) Our Founders warned us of that, they
also provided us with protection from our government in such cases. But, we
must also use a little common sense and avoid reacting from fear.
When I was a kid, growing up in the '60's, some common mantras
that we heard from the counter-culture that was attempting to change our
society were: "Don't trust your government". Don't trust anyone over
thirty." "Cops are pigs". Things were changing and there was a
leftist ideology infiltrating our nation and infecting our youth.
My dad wisely taught me this was a very dangerous time. This was
going to affect us forever, if we allowed it to continue. If we don't trust our
government, we won't use it properly. We will run from it. We won't do
anything, because we have been convinced (brainwashed, really) that it won't do
any good anyway. It all leads us to inaction. Inaction leads to being controlled
by whomever is smart enough to be active.
We must never forget that we the people are the government. It
can work without us, but it won't work to our advantage if we are uninvolved
and silent. This anti-government rhetoric is every bit as dangerous to our
nation as the liberal, left socialist agenda.
Conspiracy theories are not based on truth, they are based on
suspicion. That is not Biblical and anything that is contrary to the Bible is
dangerous. Why are we as Christians ok with that in this realm, when we wouldn't
be in any other?
We must be wary, and cautious. We must be vigilant in assuring
what might be feared cannot happen. But we must never let it polarize us with
distrust and fear.We cannot think the
worst about the best government system in the world and expect good results.
Distrust an administration and actively and aggressively seek to change it. We
are afforded that opportunity by our Constitution. We must honor that to keep
it. But we must quit attacking our government and nation. We must be certain we
only promote truth. If we do not, we only join those who seek to destroy us.
The worst about the best, is still the best. Let's keep it that
way.
Americans MUST understand this. Please watch this video as Senator Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) addresses the Senate explaining what this administration is doing in regard to Israel.
Senator Graham could not be more accurate in what he says.
This is "history in the making" and "Biblical prophecy" combined. I know it is not pleasant and we are all busy...but it is time we get involved. Please view the video at the "Post" above, watch the short video below and then sign this petition from the American Center of Law and Justice at:
You will find the petition is at the right side of the page.
"Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem." ~ Zechariah 12:2
The vaccine debate has reached
a crescendo in some circles that certainly leaves us to ask why. At least
it should. What is up and why now? Yes, there is a new outbreak in the United
States of a disease that had been pretty much eradicated in recent years. It is
easy to understand that with the illegal immigration problem - especially in
that part of the United States where the outbreak occurred (California), -
bringing in problem diseases was expected and warned. But I’m afraid that isn’t
likely all there is to it. And really, neither should an increasing number of parents who
are refusing to vaccinate be blamed for the entire problem.
Addressing this problem
has not been easy. There are those who have little to no interest on this
issue, to those that almost treat it as a religion. But regardless of
where one stands, we are all affected to some degree by this debate. It
is one we need to consider. My article is lengthy, but it is footnoted
with verifiable resources and backed up with video and proven
statistics.
To simplify things, I have
broken up my article into "pages" that cover only one
topic. Hopefully that will encourage those that may not be inclined to read a
lengthy article to read those topics in which they have the
most interest. If one has the time, the article is posted in its entirety
after these links.
For those that only want to read by topic, click on the pages below:
Vaccines have been around a
long time, eradicating diseases such as Small Pox,
and diminishing diseases such as Chicken Pox, Measles, and Pertussis.
For the most part vaccines have been accepted and appreciated by most of
America, and proven statistics are in favor of vaccines.
It is true there have been those who have been against vaccines, from the time the very first
vaccine was discovered. Certainly, it is human nature to wonder about and
question anything new in the medical world. We don't want to blindly trust
anyone or anything!
But today, there is an
anti-vaccine movement on the rise that is coming from questionable
sources. I would like to take a look at some things that many may have not yet
considered. There is a deeper, underlying agenda in all of this, count on it!
And it isn’t simply about taking away parental rights - though that is certainly frightening enough! It IS about dividing our
citizenry and bringing people to the point they will no longer trust their government. Well-played, anti-government elitists! Yes, there has to be a balance there when it comes to trusting the government. We certainly do NOT want to blindly trust anyone, especially the government. But we certainly do not want citizens to distrust it to the point they turn away from it or reject it.
It is extremely disconcerting to me that so much of the anti-vaccine rhetoric comes from the liberal left. In fact, most of those promoting the anti-vaccine movement are from the liberal left ideology or political view. That is simply an undisputed fact. That this movement comes from liberal bias and viewpoints is very easy to prove.
We need only look at the sources that are
printing anti-vaccine information with little to no scientific basis.
Some of those are: NPR; PBS; Huffington Post; New York Post; each of which
promote a liberal media bias. It’s who they are. That also is without dispute.
They each proudly claim they are of a liberal ideology. Robert F.
Kennedy, Jr. (son of the late Senator Bobby Kennedy) has probably been one
of the most vocal in the anti-vaccine movement.[1] His was a popular name that
people could easily believe without requiring facts.
It
is a well-known fact that this movement found an increase in numbers, after
Jenny McCarthy (former Playboy bunny and MTV host) had a child that was
autistic. She led the group Generation
Rescue after becoming convinced that the autism found in
her child was due to vaccines. She had no science behind her claims. She
had no personal credibility, but yet people believed her story.[2]
There is an excellent article
on the National Review
website. National Review
is a long established conservative magazine started by William F. Buckley, Jr.
in 1955. It describes itself as "America's
most widely read and influential magazine and web site for conservative news,
commentary, and opinion." The internet version is called National Review Online and
they recently posted an article regarding the subject of the anti-vaccine
movement being promoted by the left. While I may not agree with the article in
its entirety, - I take exception to the statement that the natural health
people are beginning to advocate for vaccines - it is a very important article
for people to read.
“The countercultural Left is and has
always been the core of the anti-vaccination movement. From NPR to PBS to the
broadcast networks, the message of all-natural food and holistic homeopathic medicine
has been broadcast for decades, while traditional scientific medicine has been
brought under suspicion as something being put over on us by the government and
corporations.”[3]
This fact is easy to
corroborate. Just check to see who is posting the anti-vaccine information. As
soon as this debate heated up, I started checking sources and I was not
surprised to see from where much of the information is coming. There is an
agenda behind this debate! And again, it isn’t simply about vaccines and parental
rights.
The amount of sources that are
from a liberal perspective is astounding. Why conservatives choose to believe
information from liberals on this issue, is really no surprise. They simply
have not researched the background of those promoting this belief.
I am not alone in my beliefs.
Rush Limbaugh also came out just recently saying this movement has a political
motivation and goal.
The below video is very
informative. We all should take a moment to view it.
Rush is absolutely correct
about this!!! Google any of the anti-vaccine gurus...many of them are 9/11
Truthers - Mike Adams for instance. (Anti-government rhetoric being the common denominator.)They all claim vaccine promotion is about
money for the pharmaceuticals, but ALL the anti-vaccine spokesmen sell vitamins
and books on their pages. Maybe that's the real money issue.
And further, for me, it is extremely easy to believe this is about dividing conservatives in the 2016 election...much of the
anti-vaccine info comes from the same sources that advocated for Ron Paul who divided
conservatives in both the 2008 and 2012 election with anti-government tenets.
Case in point again, would be
Mike Adams. The author and founder of Natural
News.com. As mentioned earlier, Mike Adams is a 9/11 conspiracy
theorist who it seems would rather believe our government is a greater enemy
than radical Islam who is in fact the ones that are responsible for that 2001
attack on our homeland. Therein is another one of the dangers of an anti-government movement taken too far.
The anti-vaccine movement is
coming from a "fear the government" mentality. It is coming from those that choose to believe the government is our enemy (not radical
Islam); 9/11 truthers; conspiracy theories; Republicans are evil; libertarian view - which
divides conservatives. It worked in 2008 and 2012 and it is a continuing problem today.[4]
I was very thankful to hear
Rush say what he did in the above video.
Homeschoolers - Are You
Being Used?
Homeschoolers, especially, have
been the ones to take this stand on vaccine refusal. There is no disputing that
fact. How they came to the decision not to vaccinate leaves us only to guess.
It is my opinion, they have been strongly influenced by the same movement that
influenced them in the 2008 and 2012 Presidential elections to support the
candidate Ron Paul. Homeschoolers were unequivocally the ones that were behind
the growth of that campaign. The truth is Paul’s campaign purposely targeted 10
states known to have a high homeschool population. Why? That’s simple, it’s
because homeschoolers vote! That fact is well known in all of our state
governments. Ron Paul was very much an anti-government, "the government is out to get us" politician. Homeschoolers, in my opinion, were targeted because of their highly strong ability and belief in doing things on their own, and their disdain for what the government has done to our public school system. They are absolutely correct in their belief when it comes to this, but it makes for an easy target for anyone promoting anti-government beliefs.
And the truth is, homeschoolers
are primarily Christian. And one thing I know, as a Christian, we are an
extremely loyal people. We love to support and promote other Christians in
their endeavors. We want to see other Christians succeed. But along with that,
it is also true, as Christians we are not very careful in checking our sources.
The only thing one really needs to do, is tell us he is a Christian, quote a
few Bible verses and we are on his side. That can be a very good thing! Unless!
Unless, the person is a fraud and using Christianity to bring about support for
his cause. This is not going to be a popular thing to say, but I’m sorry it is
true. We have seen it over and over and over again in politics. For example:
Bill Clinton and Hilary bringing out their Bibles for a photo shoot on the
beach. Barack Obama ensuring us he is a Christian. Jimmy Carter always touting his "born again" Christian status, because he taught Sunday School.
And if one carefully checks, we
will see a good majority of the multi-level marketing organizations claim their
founders are Christian. It builds a level of trust to make this claim! Everyone
knows Christians can be trusted. Therefore, this allows their items to be sold more easily. And again Christians love to support other Christians.
That’s a good thing! But on the other hand, “they” don’t call us sheep for
nothin’! We had better be careful who we as “sheep” follow.
It is curious to me, now again
once the Presidential elections are drawing near, and the candidates are lining
up, we have this distraction with the vaccine issue.
I believe this is because if one
does careful research on where these anti-vaccine sources come, many are the same sources
that pushed the Ron Paul libertarian campaign; including the 9/11 conspiracy
theories. They are anti-government; hate/fear the government sources.
This issue will once again
divide conservatives, just as the Paul campaign did.
Because we live in a state with a high number of families that educate their children at home, we
will have a higher rate of outbreaks for all diseases, (as will other states
with a large number of citizens who homeschool) due to a higher rate
of people who refuse to vaccinate.
But there are further problems
with the anti-vaccine movement. The sources many anti-vaxxers are reading and
quoting (besides liberal sites) are from independent bloggers, personal opinion
pieces, or those who claim to have knowledge without having credentials. Many
are selling books and vitamins on their websites, while claiming vaccines are
all about “Big Pharma” making more money. It seems to me these very same anti-vaxxers
have an agenda to make money with their books, magazines, and vitamins. It is
frustrating and sad to me that people will believe these bloggers, who won’t
even footnote any of their so-called “facts.” And really, the truth is there is
much more money made by the medical community (including pharmaceuticals) from treating a disease as opposed to money
made from cures or prevention. Curiously, the ones accusing "Big Pharma" of only being about making money, all themselves promote natural remedies that make - guess what? Money. That simply doesn't add up.
Why Are You Worried?
One of the questions that bothers
me the most from those who choose not to vaccinate is also the one most oft
repeated: "If your kid is vaccinated why are you worried?"
That’s a simple answer, it
isn’t about us.
I find myself wondering, why
people can’t see this is NOT about us i.e. you and I who choose to vaccinate.
Rather, it is about those who are vulnerable!! Wow! Most people don't think
only of themselves. Can't anyone stop to consider the babies who are yet too
young to vaccinate? The ones who have a dangerous disease and can't be vaccinated? The toddlers who haven't yet reached a safe age to
vaccinate, the elderly and the sick that may have weakened systems that could
catch a disease even though having been vaccinated in their youth? And what
about the young women who may get measles while pregnant exposing their unborn
to the dangers of this disease - mental retardation, deafness. What about the
repercussions that have long been known for young men who come down with mumps
in their teen years? Why do we hear nothing about these problems with these
diseases? Because the diseases are being white washed by anti-vaxxers who
only point out the milder symptoms such as: a rash, a fever, a cough,
runny nose, and maybe some eye irritation. Hog wash!!! The truth is:
“Symptoms of mumps include fever,
headaches, muscle aches tiredness, loss of appetite, and swollen or tender
salivary glands under the ears on one or both sides of the head. A common
complication in men is testicular inflammation, which can cause infertility.
Other rare but serious complications include meningitis, encephalitis, inflammation
of the ovaries, and deafness. Symptoms appear within 25 days of infection, but
the virus can be spread before the ill person has any symptoms.”[5]
And these would be the symptoms
of measles:
“Symptoms of measles include rash, a
cough, runny nose, eye irritation and fever. Symptoms will appear one to three
weeks after exposure to this highly contagious virus. Measles can lead to
serious complications including pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, and death.
Measles spreads easily through any coughing and sneezing, and according to the
Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) there have been 102 measles
cases in the month of January alone. A majority of these cases are linked to an
ongoing outbreak in southern California and most of the people who were
infected with measles were not vaccinated.”[6]
What about thinking about the
people who have no choice yet in vaccinations?[7]
That's who our concerns are about!! Does that answer the question, "If
your kid is vaccinated why then, are you worried?" We are concerned
for those who have not yet had a chance at health!!!
Diseases Evolve
It is true that diseases
evolve. This is why vaccines do need to change from time to time. Everyone is
aware that a different strain of flu comes around periodically. This is the
disease that most often changes.
But the flu vaccine is mostly
only recommended for the infirm and the elderly. Lives have been saved for
those groups of people. Of course, not everyone should be required to receive
the flu vaccine. Those more often exposed such as those in the health care
industry, would be wise to receive it.
A little common sense would go
a long way. It doesn't have to be all or nothing on either side of the vaccine
issue. I thank God our medical professionals are required to be vaccinated,
that our firefighters and EMT's must be. For their sake, as well as anyone
else’s!! People would be wise to find a little common sense and
a little common ground. We should all pay attention to who is going to win by
this recent division and distraction regarding vaccines. We should also pay attention to our
sources and see from where and what ideology they are coming.
VAERS
Anti-vaccine proponents love to
quote from VAERS – Results
Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.
“VAERS is a national vaccine
safety surveillance program co-sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). VAERS is a
post-marketing safety surveillance program, collecting information about
adverse events (possible side effects) that occur after the administration of
vaccines licensed for use in the United States.”[8]
Now VAERS is a government
site created to allow citizens to bring their stories to light and give
them an opportunity to tell the public what happened to them. People from the
anti-vaccine movement love to use this site, because it is one that
speculates about that which they believe, but it will look like it is coming from
a credible government source. It is a way to throw the government back in the face
of those in favor of vaccines. Or perhaps down deep, anti-vaxxers know or at least
recognize there must be resources with some degree of credible or national
recognition in order to persuade anyone to their beliefs.
The
problem is, anyone
can post to this site. Nothing is validated, nothing is proved with science. It
is personal testimonies of citizens' private beliefs. Anyone with any agenda
can go on this site and lie or distort facts, even making false claims.
Further, most that quote
statistics from this site ignore the following information posted on the home
page.
“VAERS receives around 30,000 reports
annually, with 13% classified as serious (e.g., associated with disability,
hospitalization, life-threatening illness or death) (CDC VAERS Master Search
Tool, April 2, 2008). Since 1990, VAERS has received over 200,000 reports, most
of which describe mild side effects such as fever. Very rarely, people
experience serious adverse events following immunization. By monitoring such
events, VAERS helps to identify any important new safety concerns and thereby
assists in ensuring that the benefits of vaccines continue to be far greater
than the risks.
Many different types of adverse events
occur after vaccination. About 85-90% of the reports describe mild adverse
events such as fever, local reactions, and episodes of crying or mild
irritability. The remaining reports reflect serious adverse events involving
life-threatening conditions, hospitalization, permanent disability, or death,
which may or may not have been caused by a vaccine.”[9]
Besides stating the extremely high percentage of mild reactions, also noted on the site is the fact there is no judgment in regard to the claims posted.
“VAERS
accepts all reports without judging whether the event was caused by the vaccine.”
And an additional quote from
the website states:
“Note:
Submission of a VAERS report does not constitute admission that healthcare personnel
or the vaccine caused or contributed to the event.”[10]
In other words, one may just assume the reaction is caused by the vaccine without proof, but they are still able to report. There are limitations to VAERS’ statistics that must be considered before a blanket conclusion of any type can be reached.
Distorting Statistics
It has recently been reported
that there have been 102 deaths due to the measles vaccines as opposed to zero
deaths by the disease. Once again these are false statistics. Measles had been
almost totally eradicated! Of course, there would be more repercussion with the
vaccine, when the vaccine has increased and totally wiped out the disease.[11]
We must consider all statistics before we can take a fact at face value. Here
in America, the disease has been almost entirely eradicated. That is why there
have been no deaths. And too, the vaccine has increased in numbers because of
an increased population and an informed
citizenry. One cannot use a statistic like 102 – 0 and claim it proves
something, when there has not been any measles cases reported due to the
success of the vaccine!!
Consider the deaths caused by
measles worldwide, as opposed to here in the United States where the
statistics above are from. The truth is, over 100,000 people a year die from
measles around the world. The
global statistic is down by 75% from an estimated 544,200 in 2000 to 145,700 in
2013 due to the availability of the measles vaccine in countries that had not
before had the vaccine.[12]
Check the statistics in a
nation that does not have the luxury of this vaccine and see what the results
are. For example: There have been more than 57,000 reported cases of measles in
the Philippines in the last year with 21,403 confirmed. On a side note,
statistics CAN vary, but you get the idea…That’s a high number either way.
Please reread my comments in this article about misconstrued numbers at VAERS.
It’s the same thing – there are confirmed numbers and there are randomly
reported numbers. Back to the initial point; 21,403 is a huge, confirmed number
as opposed to the number of confirmed measles
cases in the U.S. where the vaccine has been successful!
“According to the World Health
Organization Web Site, 57,564 suspected cases of measles, including 21,403
confirmed cases and 110 measles deaths, were reported in the Philippines from
January 1 through December 20, 2014. Additionally, during 2014, 25 US travelers
who returned from the Philippines have become sick with measles.”[13]
Common sense would dictate we
consider the ratio of greater good as opposed to the ill-effects of vaccines.
Of course there are some problems! Every medicine, every medical procedure is
not without risks. That is the nature of medicine. But you don’t throw
the baby out with the bath water. We shouldn’t refuse medicine, just because
there are some risks. Maybe we know of someone who knew someone who had problems due to a vaccine. But the truth is the ratio of good to bad far outweighs those incidents. And rarely do we have all the facts when we hear such stories. We must look for the greater good. We go with the higher ratio
of less risk. It really is that simple. And we use a little common sense. A
child raised with Christian principles is obviously not going to need a
Gardasil vaccine. It's simple; we just refuse the vaccine.
The fact is, complete data is
being ignored by many in the anti-vaccine movement. Have they taken into
consideration age, illness, when the child received a vaccine? Was a medication
given afterwards that could have brought on the poor reaction? And yes there
are some vaccines that have not been properly administered, or possibly combined with
other medications that may have caused side effects. But again, we MUST consider
the benefit to risk ratio! And when we look at that ratio, there should be no
question.
FOX news host, Chris Wallace,
made a foolish point on his show Fox News Sunday. He stated that people are
concerned about the “science” of vaccines because so many deny the science of
evolution and global warming. Good grief!!! Global warming and evolution is NOT
science!! They
are theories! Actually they aren’t even theories; they are hypotheses.
Certainly these claims are not science, any more than the anti-vaccines claims
are science. It is time Americans start thinking for themselves and quit
believing the barrage of influence being forced upon society by false news and
media sources. "Science" of global warming and evolution is NOT science!!! Just
as the anti-vaccine movement is not based on science!
Governmental Intrusion
If we are not careful we will lose our
right to choose as parents. If this movement continues without regard to
gathering correct information, they will lose all credibility, and any valid
points they do
have. If people refuse to educate themselves with proven science and instead
opt for emotional opinions and left wing bloggers, the government will end up
forcing themselves upon us. It is only if we stay truly informed, committed to
common sense will we be effective in keeping our freedom in this area. Go ahead
and take a stand against an unnecessary vaccine, such as Gardasil, but
don’t include in that refusal a vaccination that has proven to be effective
with little side effects, such as small pox, measles, mumps and now even
chicken pox. The true facts here ARE in favor of the vaccine!
Educate yourselves and quit believing lies. The benefit to risk ratio is
overwhelmingly in favor of the vaccine!
Some people would have us
believe that the number of vaccines will soon number up to 200. Dr. Sherri
Tenpenny is one. In a recent article she states:
“Children today receive as many as 49
doses of 14 vaccines before they reach age six, which is roughly 12 times
higher than the number of vaccines administered to children back in 1940.
With more than 220 new vaccines in the
developmental pipeline for children and adults...and no end in sight…the
question you must ask yourself is ARE YOU CERTAIN you will be 100% comfortable
when 200 more vaccines are added to the mandated list in the future?”[14]
I am afraid that simply is not
true. You can find today’s vaccine schedule for children at the link below. You
can see it is far from 200 or even 49 doses as claimed by Dr. Tenpenny.[15]
Again, this is an inaccurate
statistic inappropriately cited.
Further, the number (200) comes from a lab that is researching multiple vaccines, just as thousands of medicines are researched every year. It does not mean that they will be forced upon us by the government, as Dr. Tenpenny and others seem to have erroneously implied. In Dr. Tenpenny's statement, after correctly stating the vaccines are only in the "developmental pipeline" which is without a doubt true, she then jabs us with a dose of fear saying - "added to the mandated list..." to imply they will be. That's fear-mongering.
Vaccines and Autism
In 1998, an article was
published by Andrew Wakefield claiming the MMR vaccine was causing autism in
children. Sometime later, this claim was investigated and proven false. Wakefield
was forced to retract his paper and even lost his medical license due to this
dishonest and contrived information. Unfortunately, his followers stuck by him,
even gaining more ground in adding new converts to the anti-vaccine
movement.
Ask anyone who is opposed to
vaccines and they will tell you that Andrew Wakefield was unfairly maligned and
that he has now been proven accurate. This simply isn't so and there is
absolutely no science to back his claims.
Once again it is the left that
is the one that seems to be at the forefront of pushing the fallacy about
autism. The autism theory and the link to vaccines has been debunked many
years ago. Furthermore, (from the horse’s mouth we might say) Rob Ring, Chief
Science Officer for Autism
Speaks – an important authority on autism states:
“Over the last two decades, extensive
research has asked whether there is any link between childhood vaccinations and
autism. The results of this research are clear: Vaccines do not cause
autism. We urge that all children be fully vaccinated.”[16]
An important fact to note is
that many symptoms of autism do not present until about the same age the child
is receiving some of the scheduled vaccines. This fact perhaps leads those
untrained in the medical field to believe the autism later seen in their child
is caused by vaccines.
Developmental-behavioral
pediatrician, and senior vice president for medical research at Autism Speaks,
Dr. Paul Wang, states:
“In most medical conditions, the
underlying processes are triggered before their signs and symptoms become
obvious. Consider arthritis. The joints are breaking down and inflammation is
setting in years before the aches and pains appear. In dyslexia (reading
disability), the symptoms aren’t obvious until a child starts learning how to
read. But the symptoms are rooted in brain differences that are present much
earlier in development.
A similar chain of events occurs in
autism. We know that toxic exposures during pregnancy and complications
associated with delivery can disrupt brain processes before birth and shortly
afterwards. Mutations in the genes associated with autism can affect how the
brain develops and functions, starting well before birth.”[17]
Though the autism connection
has been debunked over a decade ago, there are those in the anti-vaccine
movement that continue to promote this falsehood. They claim thimerosal
is the ingredient causing autism, but thimerosal was removed from vaccines at
least 10 years ago. And yet, the cases of autism have continued to rise. Again,
Robert Kennedy, Jr. is one that continues with this claim. I recommend an article at Forbes magazine that addresses this issue and Mr.
Kennedy’s claims. Kennedy's initial statements were published by such liberal
magazines as Rolling Stone
and Salon.com,
both of which eventually pulled his articles due to the fallacies and lack of
proof. Kennedy blamed "Big Pharma" and even stated the "government
knew" about the dangers. It was simply more of the same from conspiracy theorists
that love to blame the government.
"As a lawyer, Kennedy
should be able to understand this. The science, which Kennedy apparently does
not understand, leads to the same conclusion: in study after study, scientists
have found no link between thimerosal and autism, or any other kind of
neurological disorder. And as RFK Jr knows, thimerosal was removed from
childhood vaccines in the U.S. over a decade ago, and the rate of autism
diagnosis continued to rise. This fact alone contradicts his major claim."[18]
I have often found myself wondering why there have been no studies to determine if the rising autism rate over the last few decades could be due to the wide spread acceptance and use of street drugs.How can we not suspect this possibility with the high percentage of people that have used drugs in their lifetime? We believe our health is suffering because of the chemicals added to our food supply. Why would the rampant use of drugs in our society not be considered? The answer is simple, really. It points to accountability and responsibility which could lead to blame of individuals. And that isn't politically correct or prudent. That is not to say every case of autism would be due to this factor; but it is something that might very well increase the autism rates. Why not study it?
Dissemination
Dr. Ben Carson, world renowned
neurosurgeon and popular conservative Presidential candidate makes many valid
points in the video below regarding vaccines.
The problem is as Dr. Ben
Carson eloquently emphasized on Chris Wallace’s show is that the pro-vaccine
message has not appropriately been disseminated well enough so that our
citizens are getting the complete and factual truth. If they were getting this message,
the false rhetoric would not be so easily believed. The truth simply hasn’t
been shared well enough. What is being
effectively shared are messages from the anti-vaccine group within certain
groups and communities, by a relentless, all-encompassing liberal media and/or those that want to push anti-government rhetoric.
We need to do a better job of
informing the general public. The general public needs to have a desire for
truth. The truth is there is a lot of ignorance on this subject. That is
“ignorance” in the pure sense of the word which is defined as: “Without knowledge;
unaware and uninformed.”[19]
It doesn’t mean anyone is stupid. They have simply been inadequately informed,
or they have been exposed to false information. I am afraid there is
a lot of ignorance in certain groups, because the message has not been clearly
and systematically brought to light.
A Little Common Sense
A little common sense would
also go a long way. Again, Gardasil and possibly even the Hepatitis B vaccine
are lifestyle choices. Gardasil is clearly used to protect a life-style choice
that most 12 year olds and even teens are not involved with and therefore it is
a vaccine most should refuse.
My family correctly chose the
Hepatitis B vaccine for ourselves because my husband is a truck driver and we
traveled with him frequently. At the time, there were multiple scares
with hepatitis B due to uncleanliness. With my family eating out so often in
restaurants where a careless exposed employee did not wash his hands after
using the restroom, it was a necessary choice for my family. I am also thankful
I vaccinated my son, as his chosen profession ended up being something that
this vaccine was required for anyway. It simplified our life and the risks
warranted having the vaccine. We thought for ourselves about what was correct
for our family and used common sense. And the profession my son chose as
firefighter/EMT, is one from which many families benefit.
A little common sense is
warranted in every decision, but not many seem to be thinking for themselves
these days, jumping instead on bandwagons that may or may not apply to them. It
doesn't have to be all or nothing in either viewpoint. We all need to weigh the
consequences. There are vaccines in regard to a life-style choice that most
should refuse. A little common sense is warranted in every decision.
Do Vaccines Contain Fetal Tissue?
No! Vaccines
do NOT Contain new or current fetal tissue. This, of all the incorrect facts
claimed by those in the anti-vaccine community, is the one that bothers me
most. This is purposefully playing on the hearts of those that are rightfully
against abortion, making them feel that if they get a vaccine they are helping
the abortion industry.
Problem is,
it just isn't so. To start, it is against Federal law to do this. And the law
is very specific.
What did
happen was in 1966 and in 1962, two babies were aborted. Vaccines were grown
with human cells from those two abortions. Since human cells will propagate,
these are the same cells that our vaccines are made from today, almost 50 years
later. While certainly I do not want to minimize the importance of two precious
lives, these two abortions are the sole supplier for vaccines since that time
and there is no need for more, as these cells continue to reproduce.
Dr. Jay Wile,
author of Apologia Science Curriculum*, has an excellent article explaining this.
He gives a clear explanation, saying how unfortunate it is that these two
abortions took place; but using the cells from these babies is really not any
different than receiving a heart from a man or woman that was murdered. We
don't condone the murder, but there is at least something good that will come
out of it by saving someone's life with a donated heart.
That aborted
babies are continuing to be used to make vaccines is a lie from the
anti-vaccine movement that should not allowed to continue. Please read Dr.
Wile's full article here. It is extremely important that we promote truth, not
lies that benefit a particular agenda.
(*Dr. Wile sold Apologia in 2010. He is no
longer affiliated, nor does he support Apologia. You can read his explanation
of the changes in Apologia Curriculum since that time here.
)
There is an excellent article from Right to Life - Michigan that offers a balanced view with viable solutions for things we can do. It explains well that the vaccines we use are all from the two strains, Dr. Wile mentions. There is a new strain taken in 1985 to attempt to aid in finding an AIDS vaccine, as well as an Ebola vaccine. But this is not yet being used by the public, so Dr. Wile is correct in stating there were just two aborted babies used for the vaccines we use. As horrible as that is.
We would be wise to educate ourselves in the truth, because we only do harm and take away from any good we might be able to accomplish if we join those who are promoting lies. But yes, speak out as this article explains.
Personal View
It is not my intent to change
anyone with deeply held beliefs to view things the way I do. It is my hope that
those on the fence about vaccines, will read this and look at this issue with
an open mind and a desire to find the truth. Science must be appropriated. We
must use facts and statistics and we must use them correctly. We cannot
continue to allow this important issue to be decided with emotion or personal
experiences that are being used to form a belief by deciphering and coming to incorrect
conclusions of the facts.
This discussion, really at heart,
isn’t even about the pros and cons of vaccines. It isn’t only about taking
away the rights of parents and forcing them into doing something they don’t
want to do. In my view, this is a contrived and blown up issue to divide conservatives in
the 2016 Presidential elections. Prove that isn’t so. Every candidate has
already made it a topic and we are already seeing “conservatives” (i.e. mostly those who are actually "libertarians") saying they won’t vote Republican, or even vote at all in the 2016
election due to this issue! Exactly like many Ron Paul advocates did in 2008 and 2012! But most likely it is simply about trying to turn citizens against their government, which it obviously does. Or maybe the people that already have an anti-government world view are simply further being used.
On a personal level, I really
don’t care if you vaccinate your child or not. I am not one that believes
vaccinations should be mandated. But on issues such as this one, I believe it should be left to the states to
create law and up to the citizens to decide and vote on that law.
What I do care about is facts
being distorted with inaccurate information and not backed up with science.
What I do care about is opinions on one side trying to force it down others’
throats while claiming it is the other side that is being forceful. What I am
sick of hearing is faulty statistics that point to the danger of vaccines when
clearly the opposite is true. Look at this for a moment: How many
people do you know? And out of those people, how many have been vaccinated?
And how many of those vaccinated have autism or have died from a vaccine? And
if there is 1 in 1000 for example, can it be proved it was caused by a vaccine?
NO it cannot! Be honest! And that silly example is a miniscule example of the
effects vaccines have on the general public. We all need to take a deep breath
and use a little common sense!
And while we are being
honest, how about this? This isn’t about your
religious beliefs, your faith, or your God, as some claim. Nor is it about
mine! This is only about information that each of us have chosen to
believe, and act upon.
Perhaps our faith, is a convenient excuse that we believe lends more
credence to our argument. Be honest, remember? There are no Scripture verses
that should convict any of us one way or another on the topic of vaccines. But
yes, this decision should be left to the parent first and foremost. I am only
saying parents should educate themselves with an open mind while considering
the source. I find most are simply looking for sources to backup and prove what
they already believe. They are failing. They are proving nothing at all,
just as evolutionists prove nothing; those who believe in global warming prove
nothing. There is no credible science on any of it. I am concerned about
babies, the elderly and the infirm that are affected by this recent spread of
inaccurate information, causing people to not vaccinate and creating little
pockets that are less safe than others. We hear from some that if we are worried we should just
"move out of that pocket where we might be vulnerable" and other cynical answers from some anti-vaxxers. But again, this is not about those that choose to vaccinate! It is about babies, the elderly and
the infirm!! Maybe we all need to stop for a moment to realize that people that vaccinate really are thinking about others.
We definitely need to verify our sources. With the internet, it is so easy to say anything and convince people it is accurate. People get paid for "clicks" on their site. They don't care if it is true or not. They simply get more "clicks" and more dollars when they print a retraction. Much of the information being disseminated on this issue, has simply been exaggerated or misrepresented. We must verify our facts before we jump on any "bandwagons".
But the other important issue I am concerned
about is the divide that this debate is going to cause among conservatives in
the upcoming election. Because I guarantee you, there will be a dangerous
outcome, unless people wake up, research all sides and then think for themselves. If we value our freedom, we had better get behind the science on this issue. There is a hornet's nest stirred up that is continuing to build. And it is without a doubt, someone is intentionally stirring those hornets.
This is an easy to read
chart of the current vaccine schedule:
Some of the sites that
promote an anti-vaccine belief, along with my comments about that site:
·
Natural
News – 9/11 Truther, Mike Adams[20]
·
Reason
– Though it began in 1968 with a more conservative view using authors during
the 1970s, such as Milton Friedman, Friedrich Hayek, Thomas Szasz and Thomas
Sowell, it has evolved into a publication that is more libertarian in view
using extremists such as Gary North as magazine contributors. As well, they
have been accused of revisionist history and an agenda aligned with holocaust
deniers.[21]
·
Perth
Now – “a unit of The Sunday Times, owned by News Corp Australia, is a tabloid Sunday
newspaper printed in Perth and distributed throughout Western Australia.” http://www.perthnow.com.au/[22]
·
Huffington
Post – “The Huffington Post was launched on May 10, 2005, as a liberal/left
commentary outlet and alternative to news aggregators such as the Drudge Report”
“The Huffington Post has been criticized by several science bloggers, as well
as online news sources, for including articles by supporters of alternative
medicine and anti-vaccine activists and for allegedly censoring rebuttals
written by science bloggers before publishing them.”
http://m.huffpost.com/ca/entry/5881914[23]
·
vactruth.com
- VacTruth.com was founded in 2009 by Jeffry John Aufderheide. His site
says he was a rescue swimmer in the US Navy. His service is commendable, but
his site was born out of a belief that his son stopped normal development after
21 vaccines. While his intent is admirable, his site is not up to date regarding
ingredients in vaccines i.e. Thimerosal, a preservative that has been removed
from all vaccines for children under the age of 6 except the flu vaccine.[24]
·
offtheradar.co.nz
– a personal blog from a woman in New Zealand. She uses Natural News as a main
source. Enough said.
·
Dr.
Sherri Tenpenny - is an American osteopath and anti-vaccination activist
from Ohio. She has claimed that vaccines cause autism, asthma, ADHD and
autoimmune disorders.[25]She uses her credentials as
doctor to promote her beliefs that are not, nor can they be, based on actual
science. Tenpenny’s appearance on the Alex Jones (9/11Truther and conspiracy
theorist) show only lends credence to the fact that these sources all have the
same root in common, in my opinion.
·
Hear
this well – Hear This Well, is a social media campaign on YouTube, Twitter,
and Facebook, that was started by Polly Tommey. It was created so that parents
who believe their child suffers from vaccine induced autism or other vaccine
injury might have an outlet to share their stories. Polly Tommey claims, “The
thing that makes this different is, there’s no medical paper, there’s no
research that can stop what’s happening now because it’s real. It’s there.
People are just coming out with heartfelt messages, saying please don’t put
yourselves in the position we are in.”[26]
Therein lies the problem with Hear this Well…there are no medical papers or
research to back up the claims, though this again is a site created with good
intentions.
·
Dr.
Suzanne Humphries – One that anti-vaxxers love to quote. Dr. Humphries is a medical
doctor with specialties in internal medicine and nephrology who uses her title
to promote beliefs that are not based on science or truth. She
writes articles without documentation; promotes fear tactics without source.
Please read the article footnoted, for example. There is not one statement
backed or proven with science, including any proof of what she mentions as the
horrible ingredients in the vaccine. She proves nothing and must take us all as
fools that should merely take her at her word. What? Because her name begins
with “Dr.”? I don’t think so.[27]
·
Before
Its News – Focuses on conspiracy theories and was started as a left wing
website thatuseswriters such as
Jake Kettle. Unfortunately, it has gained readers of a conservative
nature believing the conspiracies without checking the left wing sources.
“Kettle's written works include political articles on both his website and news
website Before It's News. He self
identifies as a social democrat, advocating for a combination of direct
democracy and socialism, which Kettle mentions regularly in his podcasts and
interviews.[3] He also claims to be open minded, and has professed an
admiration for both the ancient Greek and Roman philosophers, as well as more
modern philosophers such as Karl Marx and Niccolò Machiavelli among others.”[28]
·
Healthimpactnews.com
– “Brian Shilhavy is the Managing Editor and Founder of Health Impact News. He has a BA in Bible
and Greek from Moody Bible Institute,
and an MA in Applied Linguistics from Northeastern Illinois University. Brian
Shilhavy is the only writer who writes in all 6 content areas. He and his wife
Marianita were the first ones to import Virgin Coconut Oil from the Philippines
to the United States in 2001, and start the modern day Coconut Oil Revolution.
He is the founder of Tropical Traditions.” Not that one shouldn’t have a
business if promoting an anti-vaccine message, but we do need to consider he
profits from the message. I clicked on “Resources” to see who they use to
support their statements and instead found a page full of products they sell.[29]
I have been involved with politics for a long time now.
Sometimes I almost feel like I can’t help it. It is a part of who I am. I was
raised that way. And somewhere early on, my folks were able to convey to me,
the importance and the reasons to be involved in what is going on in our
nation. 
Vaccines have been around a
long time, eradicating diseases such as Small Pox,
and diminishing diseases such as Chicken Pox, Measles, and Pertussis.
For the most part vaccines have been accepted and appreciated by most of
America, and proven statistics are in favor of vaccines.