I work for a place that requires vaccines for continued employment, unless you have a religious or medical exemption. There are a few in my agency who are quitting rather than getting fired. My Boss told me they should apply for a religious exemption before quitting. Even though I'm already vaccinated, I looked into it, just to see how hard it was to claim 'religious exemption'. The only requirement is that you have 'sincerely held beliefs'.

https://www.kxly.com/who-qualifies-for-a-religious-exemption-from-the-covid-19-vaccine/

OLYMPIA, Wash – One day after Washington Governor Jay Inslee expanded requirements for state employees who need to get the COVID-19 vaccine, the state says it’s still working through the process for employees who cite a religious exemption.

State employees, teachers, school staff and volunteers, long-term care workers and others need to show proof of full vaccination by October 18th or risk losing employment. The state does allow religious and medical exemptions, but those exemptions have not yet been clearly defined

When 4 News Now asked the governor’s office about it Thursday, a spokesman for Governor Inslee said “Accommodations for persons who have sincerely held religious beliefs will be considered, but the process is still under development.”

Press Secretary Mike Faulk pointed us to this document, that outlines the laws applicable in previous vaccination requirements. It says, in part, that employees aren’t required to get vaccinated if they are entitled under the Americans With Disabilities Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Washington Law Against Discrimination “or any other applicable law to a disability-related reasonable accommodation or a sincerely held religious belief accommodation.”

It goes on to say “Agencies must document that the request for an accommodation has been made and the document must include a statement regarding the way in which the requirements
of this order conflict with the religious observance, practice, or belief of the individual.”....

...Leaders of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints publicly support the vaccine as well....

....Those requesting religious exemptions, though, don’t need to cite that they’re part of an organized religion that objects. An article posted by the Harvard Law School says “two major problems with granting religious exemptions to vaccine mandates are that they are very hard to police, and they are very routinely gamed.”

The article says that states cannot refuse an exemption to those “whose interpretation differs from their religion’s doctrine regarding vaccination.”

The author says that “dedicated anti-vaccine activists are exploiting these ambiguities to help people get religious exemptions.”

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
So apparently all any Covidiot employee needs to do is send in a statement that says, "The requirements of the Governor's Proclamation 20-05, Amendment 21-14 conflict with my religious observance, practice, and beliefs." and they won't get fired.

But a sincerely held philosophical belief does not make you exempt. What's the difference? Philosophical beliefs are not protected by law, but religious beliefs are, in a country with separation between church and state, the state clearly favors religion over philosophy.

I believe in a fantasy world of angels, spirits, demons and gods....therefore I am exempt from....vaccines, masks, school curriculum, work schedules, serving people I choose not to serve at my business, etc.

How nice.

Now all they need is a personal tax exemption because the religion they believe in is tax exempt.

    If a government is in tune with ghawd, ghawd will support and sustain that government.  And being supported and sustained by ghawd would remove the need for public taxation.  Miracles are real, and subject to legislation...

    Taxation would only be necessary as a polite means for deterring less-than-ghawdlike behavior, such as abuse of alcohol, drugs, and/or lawn maintenance equipment.

    If you don't believe in ghawd, then I think you should have to wear a Big Purple A, for Atheist, and be spit on by people with the pure love of Christ in their souls.  Besides being a wake-up call for you, it would allow the Christ-like to be easily identifiable.

> . . .and be spit on by people with the pure
> love of Christ in their souls. . .

Brilliant.

>> Taxation would only be necessary as a polite means for deterring less-than-ghawdlike behavior, such as abuse of alcohol, drugs, and/or lawn maintenance equipment.<<

I have it on good authority, well as good as anyone else's, that god is sitting on his glorious throne, smoking a golden spliff every half hour, sucking down 40s of Steele (Sword) Reserve Malt Liquor, while he commands the cherubim that guard his throne to pull the tines off a garden rake slowly, one........by.......one.

And Friday is only half over!

Oh, and nice touch with the indented sentences. Very highbrow.

I propose that God (or I as his humble but authoritative mouthpiece) impose a tax on people who do not start paragraphs with indentations and a highly punitive duty on those whose return keys are permanently broken.

Thus the world would become a better place and God (or I as his humble but authoritative mouthpiece) gain his rightful living stipend.

>> I propose that God (or I as his humble but authoritative mouthpiece) impose a tax on people who do not start paragraphs with indentations<<

Or cut off a finger/ toe. At least you have presumably 10 chances to get it right.

>
> Oh, and nice touch with the
> indentured sentences.  Very
> highbrow.
>

  Plus two spaces between each sentence!  I'm practically a diddliety!

elderolddog Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm practically a diddliety!

Or at least the deity of quiddities.

Count on me being a total liquiddite!

A liquid Luddite with a host of bizarre quiddities dressed in a bolo tie and a ponytail.

Yep, that sounds about right.

Nailed it. It says something about our society, and it isn't good, that if one subscribes to outrageously stupid BS, they can put others at risk and/or engage in stunning bigotry and it is supposed to be 100% socially acceptable.

"Sincerely Held Beliefs" Religious exemption. What a joke.

Anyone who thinks there is separation of church and state in this country as the constitution mandates is blind, deaf, and most certainly stupid, as in religiously stupid.

So on top of no taxes for their religions, the religious get this special right as well, and yet are still screaming for their religious rights as they claim to be the underdog? Disgusting.

I am so sick of this phony God Crap.

Done & Done Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "Sincerely Held Beliefs" Religious exemption.
> What a joke.

I've always found that used and abused phrase a little suspect. The nutters that are part of the Klan or FLDS I'm sure are quite sincere in their wackdom. It doesn't make it any less destructive.

Done & Done Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "Sincerely Held Beliefs" Religious exemption.
> What a joke.
>
> Anyone who thinks there is separation of church
> and state in this country as the constitution
> mandates is blind, deaf, and most certainly
> stupid, as in religiously stupid.
>
> So on top of no taxes for their religions, the
> religious get this special right as well, and yet
> are still screaming for their religious rights as
> they claim to be the underdog? Disgusting.
>
> I am so sick of this phony God Crap.

The further I get away from religious belief, the more I agree with you. Whenever I hear the phrase "sincerely held religious belief", I now think "deeply delusional and superstitious". It makes it very hard to accept that the delusional and superstitious get special treatment.

I remember several years ago California had a similar exemption for measles vaccination. Measles, as you probably know, is ferociously contagious.

There were several measles outbreaks in CA, two of them in Disneyland, if I recall correctly. Net result, the "I don't believe in measles vaccinations" exemption was deleted, and the only type of exemption allowed was medical, and even that was circumscribed - there had to be an actual reason, not just a note from the doctor, so the doc would be in hot water if there were no tests or evidence documenting the reason for the exemption.

Basically, the chance of a major measles outbreak got all the touchy-feely exemptions tossed unceremoniously out the window.

>
> and even that was circumscribed
>

  Don't get me started on circumscribing!!!

Are you planning a trip around the world again? Magellan already did it you know?

Brother Of Jerry Wrote:
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> Measles, as you probably know, is ferociously
> contagious.

How contagious is it?

CDC article (April 2021):

https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/parents-top4.html

Excerpts re how contagious measles is and how dangerous:

“Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 people around him or her will also become infected if they are not protected. Your child can get measles just by being in a room where a person with measles has been, even up to two hours after that person has left. An infected person can spread measles to others even before knowing he/she has the disease—from four days before developing the measles rash through four days afterward.

“Measles was declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000 thanks to a highly effective vaccination program. Eliminated means that the disease is no longer constantly present in this country. However, measles is still common in many parts of the world.

“Even if your family does not travel internationally, you could come into contact with measles anywhere in your community. Every year, measles is brought into the United States by unvaccinated travelers (mostly Americans and sometimes foreign visitors) who get measles while they are in other countries. Anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk.

“Some people think of measles as just a little rash and fever that clears up in a few days, but measles can cause serious health complications, especially in children younger than 5 years of age. There is no way to tell in advance the severity of the symptoms your child will experience.

“About 1 in 5 people in the U.S. who get measles will be hospitalized.

“1 out of every 1,000 people with measles will develop brain swelling, which could lead to brain damage.

“1 to 3 out of 1,000 people with measles will die, even with the best care.”



> Basically, the chance of a major measles outbreak
> got all the touchy-feely exemptions tossed
> unceremoniously out the window.

From your lips to their ears re COVID-19.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus (causes COVID-19) is also spread by an infected person coughing or sneezing and others inhaling the infected droplets that are thereby expelled into the air.

Similarly too an infected person can be contagious for days before they realize they are ill, thereby transmitting the virus to others unawares.

Up here in Canada, every day more and more vaccine and mask mandates are being issued, a notable one being on the election trail (yes, we are in the middle of a federal election - questionable timing!) where candidates and campaign workers must be vaccinated (except in one of the major parties where they don't mandate the candidates be vaxxed, weirdly, although the workers must be). Too, all federal workers must be vaxxed by a certain date (Sept I think).

The principles of germ theory (Louis Pasteur) and antiseptic/preventive medicine (Joseph Lister) have been around since the 1800's.

Suddenly we have to go back to basics?

Found out that a couple long time friends got into it because one refuses to get vaccinated (his wife worked in the health food industry and pushes alternative medicine therapies) and the other called him a fucking idiot. I imagine there are more scenarios like this.

I went back to the office Monday 9 Aug, as requested by management, after working at home for 17 months. I worked 7 days and came into an email saying that due to rising infection rates, if you were working remote, go back immediately, so after work this past Wed. I packed up my computer and stuff and went home again.

While I was in that morning, I mentioned the email to a coworker. He sort of pulled at his mask and said "do you really believe all this" meaning Covid-19 , masks, etc.

I said "yes, I do, I trust the science. Its a virus, it doesn't care about belief, and if you get it you can die. I'm vaccinated but I can still get it. I may not get very sick and I probably won't die, but I can spread it to others. Yes, I believe it."

He just sort of looked at me a little sheepishly and we went off to work.

to me, this is nothing less than Pandering to religious folks & religious wanna-bees who wish to evade being vaxxed;

this is a National Emergency and, at least as I believe, there shouldn't be any religious exemption.

ca-ca of the Highest Order.

Or is it 40 days and 40 nights? I never got the memo.

From a web search, the most well known denomination that prohibits vaccines is the Church of Christ, Scientist (estimated membership in the U.S. is under 50,000.) Members of the Dutch Reformed Church (estimated membership of no more than 196,000 split between the U.S. and Canada) often decline immunizations, but there is no formal prohibition against vaccines. Also, there is a prohibition from various faith healing churches, including Faith Tabernacle, Church of the First Born, Faith Assembly, etc.)

So figure maybe 250,000 people in the U.S. whose church governing body either prohibits or strongly discourages vaccination out of a population in excess of 332 million.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/20/2021 07:33PM by summer.

summer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> From a web search, the most well known
> denomination that prohibits vaccines is the Church
> of Christ, Scientist (estimated membership in the
> U.S. is under 50,000.)

https://www.marybakereddylibrary.org/research/what-did-eddy-say-about-vaccination/

But I wonder if their numbers are now down to 50,000 (+/-). If not already, then fairly soon. They have a low marriage rate (not to mention religiously mixed marriages), a low fertility rate, and a very low retention rate. Some ten years ago, before an organization of ex-Christian folded its tent,* the decline in churches and practitioners was 3%-5% a year.

Of my parents' off spring, two are Christian Scientists (one may be nominal--familiar to you folks?), four are Christian, and one is atheist. Of great grandchildren, two are being brought up Christian; one, Christian Scientist.

Growing up CS in the 1950s, I took the [plio and smallpox vaccines, required for school enrollment, but skipped the others, except for when I enrolled in secular summer camps. Then I had a few more, not sure just which.

I regard Christian Science as a soft cult. Faith Tabernacle, Church of the First Born, Faith Assembly are much more doctrinally authoritarian cults.

*We found that Christian Science was becoming so irrelevant, there were few inquiries to our website! So the owner decided to archive it.

Caffiend, as you know, the Church of Christ Scientist does not publish membership numbers. But apparently the numbers have taken a sharp downward turn in recent years for the reasons you mention.

So maybe, "highly discouraged" is a better way to put it.

Ironic when you think about how many of them got Covid AT CHURCH.

Good point. At church camp too.

“Philosophical beliefs are not protected by law, but religious beliefs are”

Yes. You’re only crazy if you don’t have an imaginary friend.