Yes, evangelicals, you absolutely have the right to live your lives according to your professed

[Atticus]

"belief"--- right up to the point where that lifestyle negatively impacts me and others who exercise OUR right not to believe as you do.

You wanna refuse a freely available covid vaccination? Great---just don't leave your home unless it is to "worship" with fellow maskless anti-vaxers.

Don't pollute stores, restaurants, bars or theaters with your possibly virus-laden breath and don't visit anyone in a hospital or sheltered care facility.

If it was up to me, you'd be required to provide proof that your kids were vaccinated in order to enroll them in school.

Since health insurers charge higher premiums for smokers, I see no reason why they shouldn't treat you the same way.

But, by all means, if suddenly converting to Christian Science makes you feel a little holier, makes your halo glow a little brighter, go for it.

Just stay away from me and mine or you will "witness" what REAL "religious persecution" is like!

[Mary in S. Carolina]

1. Brilliant!!

Have insurance companies charge more for anti-vaxers and throw in gun owners (this is also a public health issue).

[Sinistrous]

2. Thank you. I needed that.

[Moostache]

3. Amen!

Anyone's personal freedom extends to the breadth and width of their own private domain...once they venture forth to the public square however, the United States of America (* and NONE of the several states - 0 for 50) has no official, sanctioned and enforced religion.

For fuck's sake, there are (depending on your sources) 20,000 to 41,000 recognized denominations or variations of Christianity in the world. There is a very good chance that anyone's specific flavor of Cosmic Jewish Zombie worship is going to run afoul of many other equally devoted followers in a separate branch.

Christianity in a nutshell:

[MyOwnPeace]

7. Or, to 'understand' the differences from 'history'.......

[EarnestPutz]

8. Religious joke of the year in 2005 -

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/sep/26/religion.world

[malaise]

4. K & R

love this OP

[Lettuce Be]

5. You already do have to provide proof of vaccination for public schools

My son was pretty upset when he had to get vaccinated before going to high school because I hadn't fully vaccinated him as a child (he had a bad reaction to the mumps vaccine so I stopped at that point). He was ridiculously healthy as a child, in fact had no childhood illnesses, so the lack of vaccines didn't harm him, but I've changed my views since.

This was in the early 2000's -- so it's not a new thing. I was going to bring this up since schools require proof of vaccination, what's the big deal about proving you've had the Covid vaccine? People can be so stupid.

Didn't mean to hijack your post, but wanted to point this out.

[Atticus]

12. Thank you for your post. I nearly mentioned the current mumps, measles, chickenpox and

whooping cough vaccinations required by most school systems, but decided someone would mention that in their response---and you did. Thanks again.

[abqtommy]

6. I think it's way past time that we passed local, state and national laws that prevent

any religiously or politically influenced fascists from enjoying the rights granted to us in
our U.S. Constitution. Except for the right to be charged, tried and imprisoned.

[dchill]

9. Exactly. Yep.

[erronis]

10. I'm thinking some employment discrimination against risky behaviors - anti-vaxxers might be good.

If insurance companies can discriminate against drivers who speed too much, smokers, even people who can't manage money; then why can't we all discriminate against those that actively endanger us with their negligence?

[James48]

11. The only problem-

Last edited Mon Apr 5, 2021, 06:46 PM - Edit history (2)

With requiring anyone to be vaccinated, is that the vaccines available are NOT FDA approved.

Under most state’s vaccine laws, you can’t require somebody to be vaccinated with an unapproved vaccine.

Once the FDA finally approved them, this may be (and I’m sure in some places will be) a requirement, but not for unapproved vaccines that we have now.

[Raine]

21. Totally on point. nt

[MerryHolidays]

24. Thank you for pointing this out

I wondered why they weren't making it mandatory to take a covid vaccine. This makes sense, as all the vaccines are under an emergency use authorization rather than a full-blown FDA approval.

Now this makes sense to me.

[Rabrrrrrr]

13. The assholes also love the free market so much, let the health insurance deny them any coverage

for anything until they get vaccinated.

Funny how the free marketers constantly get their underwear all knotted up when it leads to things like MLB moving the all-star game or companies refusing to advertise with Limbaugh or pulling their businesses out of states that try to persecute gays and so on.....

I say that to mollify the snowflakes who don't want mandatory vaccinations, we just pass a law that says health insurance companies can refuse coverage to anyone who isn't vaccinated.

And since the anti-vaxxers are all the same assholes who keep saying that Covid deaths are actually from underlying conditions, not Covid, let the insurance companies throw it back at them and say "How do we know your high blood pressure isn't from Covid? Fuck you. No coverage. How do we know your stage four stomach cancer isn't from Covid? Fuck you. No coverage."

I'd even be happy if we started making people (after another 6 months or so) show their vaccination cards to get police protection or fire department help or renew their driver's license or get any other government services*. "Hey, you thought it was great when you told people they had to have ID to vote - what's the big deal with showing your vaccination card, crybaby?!"

* I'll happily concede to allowing them to take full advantage and use of our federal, state, and local jails/prisons, though.

[marieo1]

14. Right On

Absoiutely........a good one!!

[usaf-vet]

15. I'm 74. When I was a high schooler and testing the boundaries I said to my dad "I HAVE RIGHTS"

To which he replied absolutely and you should always stick up for those rights.

BUT... remember this your rights end when it infringes on other people's rights. He demonstrated it by taking aim at my nose and brought the closed fist to within an inch of my nose.

Then he looked me square in my eyes and said this is where my rights (dad) end and your rights begin and outweigh mine (meaning me).

I have never forgotten that lesson and taught my kids the same lesson.

[hunter]

28. I punched my dad in the nose first. He punched me back.

Blood everywhere, all over the kitchen floor.

That was some time after I'd quit high school and had been "asked" to take a time out from college, the implied threat being permanent expulsion.

My siblings and parents sometimes laugh about it when we are all together for holidays. It was forty some years ago, everyone is past it, and my siblings and I have all suffered similar conflicts with our own headstrong offspring who by some miracle are now functional adults. My mom laughs. What goes around comes around. (Girls can be worse than boys, btw...)

In my family we are not Pacifists because we are a peaceful people, it's only because the alternatives are worse. We learn the hard way how to be rational beings.

[Hugh Bloody Bastards]

16. Rather odd, really. . .

since most "evangelical Christians" behave counter to their professed beliefs. (We've some over here, and they are every bit as hypocritical as yours!)

[dawg]

17. I guess I'm technically an evangelical.

Southern Baptist counts, right?

Anyway, the religious teachings that I have absorbed over the years make me want to do everything I can do to protect the vulnerable. I'm not able to think of any scriptural reason for why some of these people are acting the way they do.

I think that, for a certain type of person, religion is just one more way to try and feel superior to others.

[PirateRo]

18. Bravo!

[ybbor]

19. I believe an "AMEN" is in order!

Preach!

[keithbvadu2]

20. Freedom of religion... For some more than others. https://i.imgur.com/kTtxppU.jpg

Freedom of religion... For some more than others.

[ThatJustHappened]

22. Great Old Saying ...

... that just about covers it:

"Your right to swing your fist ends where the other person's nose begins."



The saddest part about the God Delusion is that it is inflicted upon little children. Which is why so few people can ever outgrow it. Even among grown ups who are, relatively speaking, rational thinkers.

The second saddest part about the God Delusion is that the small parts of it which are good -- WWJD -- are sufficiently covered by simple humanism. The Golden Rule. Duh. With no imaginary Sky Daddy necessary.

It's just that since people are *weaned* on the delusion, few can ever outgrow it. Humans are a very primitive species. And everyone wants to have the afterlife they were suckered into believing as toddlers. Stupid humans -- magic is for kids.

[ffr]

23. Best paragrph is #5

Since health insurers charge higher premiums for smokers, I see no reason why they shouldn't treat you the same way.

Let's start the petition to make it so.

[BobTheSubgenius]

25. When I read this: Yes, evangelicals, you absolutely have the right to live your lives..."

my brain filled in: "...but you don't have the right to live mine."

[NQAS]

26. How difficult is this to understand

No shirt, no shoes, no mask, no service. If you live in a mask-free state, do what you please re the mask. But do realize that by not wearing a mask you are potentially killing your friends and neighbors, and those of us who wear masks know for sure that you're a republican asshole, just as if you were wearing a maga hat or a pistol on your hip.

No vax, no travel.

No vax, no school.

no vax, no job?

[The Wizard]

27. The freedom that allows

them to engage in and practice their faith ends at the tip of my nose.