How can the Church support vaccines knowing some are made from fetal matter?
Question
Gramps,
Considering the fact that certain vaccines require aborted fetal matter to be made, how does the Church support vaccines while condemning abortion?
Richard
Answer
Hello Richard,
The question submitted offers an intriguing comparison in relation to vaccines (a known product that sustains life), a fetus (a human baby), and abortions (a procedure that more often ends the life of healthy offspring). The first thoughts I have, as I entertain this question, are that this question can be answered by similar comparisons. The Church invites its members to avoid drinking alcohol. Alcohol is often used in over the counter medicinal drugs. The Church supports medicinal drugs that heal the body, while condemning the consumption of alcohol. I believe an honest and sincere heart would be able to distinguish between the support of medicinal drugs that heal the body in comparison to the consumption of alcohol, however, let us review the stated facts provided in this question.
The following vaccines known to have been grown from fetal embryo fibroblast cells are: varicella (or chickenpox), rubella, hepatitis A, shingles, and a specific rabies. As these vaccines stand now, they are made from the fetal embryo of two elective abortions in the 1960s, one of the elective abortions was from Sweden and the other from England. These two terminations that provided the necessary embryonic cells have continued to grow, have been used to make the necessary vaccines today, and no other sources are needed to make these vaccines as of today, at least according to this article: Vaccine Ingredients – Fetal Tissues I assume a question we can ask ourselves, as our understanding matures in matters of biology, are there yet ethical means by which these diseases will be combated without using any aborted fetus? According to some online research there appears to be some consensus that certain vaccines which are currently using fetal embryo fibroblast cells might have an alternative source to produce vaccinations that are able to cure some of these diseases.
True, the Church condemns elective abortions, and rightfully so, save in the case of rape or should the mother’s life be at risk (and these exceptions should not be done without much thought, prayer, and fasting). Here are actual statements regarding the Church’s position regarding abortions:
“In today’s society, abortion has become a common practice, defended by deceptive arguments. Latter-day prophets have denounced abortion, referring to the Lord’s declaration, “Thou shalt not … kill, nor do anything like unto it” (D&C 59:6).”
In the words of Elder Russell M. Nelson, in relation to a war on the unborn, “However [Word War I and World War II], are dwarfed by the [death] toll of another war that claims more casualties annually than did World War I and World War II combined. Worldwide reports indicate that more than 40 million abortions are performed per year.
“This war called abortion is a war on the defenseless and the voiceless. It is a war on the unborn. This war is being waged globally. Ironically, civilized societies that have generally placed safeguards on human life have now passed laws that sanction this practice”
Now, if fetal tissue is necessary for certain life saving vaccines there are other options available other than elective abortions providing the fetal tissue for these vaccines. Over the course of my marriage, my wife unfortunately had to endure four miscarriages. One of her miscarriages resulted in the known dilation and curettage operation (D&C). This was not an elective abortion, and yet this fetal tissue resulting from natural causes would be sufficient to grow vaccines from fetal embryo fibroblast cells. Natural abortions, nothing self induced, occur often enough that as long as fetal matter is required for vaccines we would have sufficient tissue without the need of any elective abortion that terminates the life of healthy human offspring, which causes me to think that the question more so approaches deceptive arguments against the Church — in attempts to say “Gotcha!” If some vaccines require fetal cells, wouldn’t natural miscarriages work just as well? Yes, they would, thus elective abortions are not necessary for vaccines. This is choice, not necessity.
Although, not directly involved in the question, I feel it important to note that there are groups who do not choose to immunize their children for exactly this reason. They have discovered that these vaccines use the fetus from abortions. Are they wrong? Would you force them to immunize their children?
If the article previously mentioned is correct, only two abortions have been used from the 1960s for the vaccines we used today, and the question leaves it open as if declaring elective abortions today are being used. This doesn’t appear to be the case.
Richard, the Church will continue to condemn elective abortions resulting from selfish desires in dealing with unwanted pregnancies, as the Church and many others recognize that “human life is a sacred gift from God.” This will not change, and thank goodness!
Gramps
I don’t get my children vaccinated for this reason and many other reasons. They contain other horrendous ingredients. Animal DNA, mercury, aluminum, formaldehyde etc. Mercury is the 2nd most toxic substance on earth under plutonium, together with aluminum it becomes a toxic cocktail and yes it contains cells from aborted fetal cells and no, not just from 2 abortions. Planned parenthood has made alot of money selling aborted baby parts for this purpose. There is so much evil going on within the pharmaceutical companies selling thier patented toxic drugs and vaccinations and the government will soon push forward thier agenda of eventually forcing them on us by enforcing laws against having a choice. Why does the church not warn us about these evil horrendous acts being committed by people who are choosing to follow Satan? I don’t get it. Until when will they have the power to continue to get away with this? Vaccinations are completely toxic!!!!! They have no benefit, but yet church members everywhere believe they do. Wake up guys! Please research what is being injected directly into the bloodstream of your healthy children!!!!
I hope you don’t eat tuna or most other fish – they have mercury too! …Although mercury hasn’t been in vaccines since about 2001, and even then the type of mercury differs from the type that’s actually toxic.
President Packer – now deceased, bless him – had polio, was too old and too far progressed for the vaccine when it was developed. He advocated vaccines because they save lives… I wish you could talk to my 89-year-old great-grandmother who witnessed the epidemic of polio first-hand and the RELIEF that people were given when the vaccine saved lives. People got on their knees and begged for it.
Doctors get no profit that’s measurable from vaccines; it would benefit them more to not give vaccines and allow us to go to hospitals and die of preventable diseases… So vaccines definitely don’t meet the “goal” of making money.
I am an immunocompromised adult (we suspect lupus but have nothing definitive as of yet). I DEPEND on the people around me getting vaccinated because if I even get a (normally minor) common cold, I get SEVERELY sick. People around me vaccinating protects my health; read up on herd immunity.
You do not have the right to endanger my life or health, nor do you have the right to endanger the lives of children and adults with immunocompromises (such as cancer, HIV, AIDS, lupus). These are people who don’t get to make the decision; by not vaccinating you are effectively denying them agency, which is a type of Satan’s plan for us – no choice, no rights.
Have you forgotten how many people died, or whose lives were forever altered because of childhood diseases like polio, whooping cough, etc? Vaccines have eradicated many diseases, and saved many lives. Vaccines have been made the enemy, when they are not. A young man in my daughter’s school who’s parents chose not to vaccinate their children, contracted whooping cough, and in turn passed it to others, including my daughter. My daughter had been vaccinated, but for some reason contracted it anyway. She brought it home, and I contracted it. It was miserable!! I just about coughed my lungs up every day for three months!! I’m so glad there were no very young children in my home, and that my wife and I decided to vaccinate our children. If very young children are exposed to diseases like whooping cough, they can very likely die. Even if they don’t, the misery diseases like that bring can be unbearable for all involved. I have studied the allegations that vaccines do more harm than good. I personally believe, and my belief is well supported by FACTS, that you do much more harm than good if you choose NOT to vaccinate. As stated before, vaccines have basically eradicated diseases that used to routinely kill people. Think of other people, and the possibility that they may suffer from your choice not to vaccinate, as my family did, before you make your choice. With Love, CaptainAK.
I absolutely believe vaccines should be mandatory because those who don’t vaccinate are choosing to take the agency and risk the lives of THOUSANDS of people with immunity compromises such as cancer, lupus, HIV, AIDS, and atrophic disorders.
Denying people’s right to life and taking their agency to live as normally as possible (and being responsible for peoples deaths) is following Satan much more than vaccination (which saves lives by the thousands and millions) ever would be.
That being said, fetal matter doesn’t always come from abortions. It can come from fetal stem cells, D&C procedures (which are NOT abortions; the child is already dead when these happen), and other situations and circumstances.
Boyd K. Packer had a strong testimony of vaccinations and how modern medicine is a gift from God given through scientific revelation. To disrespect him by insinuating that vaccination is a conspiracy, or toxic, or whatever, is wrong.
I think it’s fair to say it’s never wrong to question something just because someone shared their testimony – even if it’s a General authority. Aren’t we invited to ask God? I believe if we listen to the Spirit we can be led to make the right choices for OUR families. For some that will mean vaccinating. For others it might mean moving to a new city or switching schools. Isn’t the interesting thing about the plan that the path is the same with billions of variables? We all have reasons for vaccinating or not vaccinating. Everyone needs to breathe for a second. My kids are vaccinated but I don’t feel that anyone should be forced to do one thing or another. If we’re all going to toss out the phrase “that’s Satan’s plan” how about the hypocrisy of your own statements to lecture and guilt someone else into doing what you want? Agency is a beautiful thing that causes a lot of contention because we seem to be inclined toward Satan’s plan more and more in our world lately. Very sad. I’m not trying to be morally subjective: I was genuinely shocked by the information that vaccines are in part possible due to abortions. I didn’t know. It’s something I’m going to be thinking and praying on and I’m happy to retain the agency to choose.
Amen to that. Well said.
So much for “freedom” and “liberty” that I hear so much about from Latter-day Saints. “Mandatory” anything takes away liberty.
So, refute it, then, Derek.