Everything under the sun is complex, so complex as to defy simplification, and the Bible is not an exception - it is likely that Kamala Harris by simplification has failed to understand the Bible.
For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. (Galatians 5:14-15)
Kamala Harris: I do believe that that act of getting vaccinated is the very essence of what the Bible tells us when it says love thy neighbor. Right? Because what we know is, one can ask, “Who is one’s neighbor?” Is it the person who lives to my left, lives to my right? I know them, may borrow a cup of sugar. gatewaypundit
Every fool wants simple answers, but wisdom is found in study. Bible 'love' is not affection, or even kindness but keeping the whole Law (the Torah) of God in spirit and in truth. The article that quotes Kamala Harris points out that Harris was an admitted adulterer for covetous gain. It's complex.
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (Romans 13:8-9)
An examination of the Torah reveals not only a raft of God-given requirements both sins of commission and sins of omission but that in addition judgement, which is discernment, needs to be applied in all actions. Moses appointed judges. The Bible's wisdom literature in addition points out investigation is required in every matter!
The simple believes every word: but the prudent man looks well to his going. A wise man fears, and departs from evil: but the fool rages, and is confident. (Proverbs 14:15-16)
Let us go first to the Torah, which had a solution to this virus that only a few with true understanding have implemented.
All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be. (Leviticus 13:46)
Many implementing this simple solution were derided, and places of separation were considered draconian and a barbaric loss of freedom. Yet everywhere those that have the virus and those that have contacted them isolate, there is a huge reduction in harm, and the virus stops spreading.
That solution of isolation is the love of thy neighbour. Consider how lacking in love our culture became that was that it was considered acceptable to leave the house with a runny nose and cough dosed to the hilt on chemical suppressants, so all could get on with doing what they wanted to do?
The Torah points to washing hands.
And whomsoever he touches that has the issue, and has not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. (Leviticus 15:11)
Generations of wisdom understood the need to wash both hands and surfaces,
For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. (Mark 7:3-4)
It is false to say Christ disposed of this law, as he was addressing the source of sin, which as he pointed out has nothing to do with the wisdom of washing hands before eating, but the thoughts of the heart. Love of neighbour recommends we wash our hands and the surfaces they touch often. Authority might do more to target this aspect.
The phrase 'act of getting vaccinated' is evidence of sloppy simplistic thinking - there are many vaccines and all have different risk profiles and success rates. Even in the context implied of this virus there are three different vaccines with different side effects. And this comes to a key issue at the very heart of true love; Did the companies behind the Covid Vaccines do due diligence to carry out extensive trials to determine the side effects and whether they were safe? When we go to look we find that all of them are still in trial periods, with the FDA in the US authorising their use based on emergency.
But even when speed is of the essence, the FDA still takes the time to be sure patients aren’t subjected to untested therapies that do more harm than good. So the agency uses an alternative evaluation process that’s designed to vet things more quickly than the usual FDA approval regimen. If a drug or vaccine passes muster, it’s granted an emergency use authorization, or EUA. latimes
Until it has been determined that each of the vaccines, each different, do not cause more harm than good, then is it love to say the 'act of being vaccinated' in context of these three vaccines is 'the essence of love thy neighbour?'
Because of the harmful side effects including sudden deaths some nations including Norway have been cautious. nypost
Some European nations were initially cautious as to AstraZenenca businessinsider
Australia has not recommend AstraZeneca for those 16-60 years. The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) The recommendation is revised due to a higher risk and observed severity of thrombosis and thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) related to the use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine observed in Australia in the 50-59 year old age group than reported internationally and initially estimated in Australia. health.gov.au
Australia, not having yet used the Pfizer vaccine, has not faced the issues Israel has of young males who develop heart issues. timesofisrael
It is possible all vaccines will have a high percentage of side effects, as already a doctor in Canada, Dr. Hoffe has been performing D-dimer tests on his mRNA “vaccinated” patients (from either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna), which led him to discover that at least 62 percent of them have these microscopic blood clots. sgtreport, principia-scientific
Dr Charles Hoff is a small town doctor so he may be despised and banned, but this means he loved his patients. He only tested all his patients after one of his patients died suddenly and unexpectedly. This news was creating a storm in mid July, yet nobody in authority asks whether his results would be replicated elsewhere? Is it love of neighbour to hide possible long term deadly harm?
Then we come to another relevant fact in relationship to loving ones neighbour which has increasingly emerged. People can both have the virus and infect others having been fully vaccinated. Harris must know this, as no less than six of a high profile Texan delegation of Democrats to DC have come down with the virus, supposedly having been vaccinated gatewaypundit. In Israel where most have been vaccinated, the effectiveness has statistically dropped to only 64% and it has not eradicated deaths or serious cases though it may have reduced them. How does 'the act of vaccination' have any affect whatsover if there is a high chance, now estimated in Israel to be at 36% that you could have and transmit the virus, and still a chance at 1.6% that the outcome is deadly if you transmit it to a vaccinated person?
Joel C. Rosenberg reporting on July 17, 2021 is a case in point. Everyone he knew was vaccinated, and yet many were infected at a wedding, and because he was vaccinated they didn't believe he could have Covid (which meant he spread it further) and he became very sick, Perhaps the vaccine prevented me from getting far sicker. I hope so. But I’ll leave the science to others. allisrael
In context 'the act of vaccination' may not result in good but be a huge issue if the 36% vaccinated who may be transmitters all borrow sugar from all their neighbours as one vaccinated person can infect 75 others! Outbreaks in Israel have been traced back to vaccinated individuals, including 75 high school students who got infected at a party after it spread from a vaccinated tourist to a vaccinated relative. wsws
Perhaps less would have been infected if the children had been vaccinated, but as it is only 64% effective then the 75 is merely reduced to 27 virus spreaders, all possibly thinking they can't have the virus.
Then we come to an issue of wisdom of the wise in the area, which every expert should know (if I can know it!). Vaccines aren't new now. A vaccine's effectiveness depends on the disease they are combating. There has never been any vaccine against the common cold and the efficacy of flu vaccines is far less than 100%. But further to this there is an issue- if the vaccinated with a specific vaccine becomes sick in such rates and transmit to others, already the virus has beaten that vaccine and will mutate to become even more likely to infect badly reducing the effectiveness of the vaccine to zero and worse makes for deadlier virus.
Did they forget to tell us? Leaky vaccines may trigger an arms race that makes Covid more dangerous Both the virus and our immune system are a lot more complicated than most people realize. And many national commentators, like CEOs of airlines, seem to think vaccines are a binary yes-no treatment.
Wisdom says as Prof. Shy Arkin, a biochemist in the Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Science, told The Jerusalem Post: “We should never be in a situation where in our arsenal we only have one firearm,” he said. “If we only have one and we rely solely on it, and then there comes a time that it fails, we will be in a very precarious situation.” jpost
The issues of the vaccines are not found in obscure places or conspiracy theories, all the matters are available in popular news, and may be readily checked. I was told not to take the only vaccine then available by my Government in every form of news release, because my age group developed too many unacceptable side effects.
Wisdom of practice says that full trials for all the vaccines for long term harm should have been completed before mass use, but this has not yet occurred- instead there is the biggest mass trial in history, with the harmful side effects emerging as it goes. No vaccine company called a halt when a pattern of harm appeared. Why were so many deaths from vaccine acceptable, but previously none from the disease? Wisdom of practice says that a vaccine should not be leaky, yet right from early days with these all the vaccines there was way too many 'break though' infections and even 'break-through' deaths. Yet what research did Harris do or what advice was given to Harris so she should have such a belief that the act of getting vaccinated (with the current vaccines implied) is the essence of love of neighbour?
The wise are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them? Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered? (Jeremiah 8: 9,22)
All who are anti-vax are as foolish as all who are pro-vax, as it's not that simple. Those using cow pox against small pox and Louis Pasteur (1822–1895) found a fact of great benefit, and despite some issues with vaccines those that have been tested and found useful for deadly viruses have delivered some benefit. There is indeed a risk in vaccination, as in the diseases. Some have survived deadly diseases and some have been made very ill and or died by vaccines. Many we know who love God have taken the available current vaccine due to recommendations made to them by doctors and those they consider experts, with varying side effects. The cautious faithful would say there is evidence that warrants current Covid vaccine hesitancy, with strong evidence from multiple empirical studies and doctors who love their patients more than public opinion, that there has been benefit in cheap drug - vitamin regimes, only if used from first symptoms. The faithful wise person of proverbs looks well to their going, so as to not tempt God! One in discussion raised a valid point - our life of faith is always in the hand of our Creator the He who will be Mighty Ones of Israel. We look well to our going but we are not obsessed with care and fear as a burden as if we seek the Kingdom of God first, the best way will be provided (Matt 6:33)! Taste and see!
It is a God-given wisdom to see our way, to make our choices, for our good. Our choices must each be sought individually in continuing prayer, because it is foolish to look at this Covid virus as all there is in terms of the dangers of life and all experts and authority are like us, sinful and failing. Only our Creator can protect and heal us from all mortality, if we seek him and the wisdom of His way and law.
The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. (Job 33:4)
Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved. (Psalm 66:9)
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; (Psalm 103:2-4)
Amen.
