Central Methodist Mission

Articles on the latest Yellow Banner:
News24 article
Daily Maverick
(first published on Groundup)

On Thursday 28^th October at 2pm, we will raise this Yellow Banner on the steeple of the Central Methodist Mission – Greenmarket Square.

Every single major religion encourages people to get vaccinated. Vaccination is safe and effective. It has been proven over and over that vaccination reduces infection, hospitalisation, and death. Vaccines are therefore to be celebrated as a gift from God that saves lives. Indeed, vaccination is one the greatest public health achievements in history.

Yet sadly there are some individuals who assert that vaccination is at odds with their religious faith. They promote the false binary of: Faith in God OR faith in vaccines. They use their religious authority to mislead people to place their faith in “God’s providence” rather than medical best practice. Some Christian pastors have promoted Holy Communion as “COVID medicine”. Others have stated that “Jesus is my vaccine” securing immunity from COVID. Others have said because of the “blood of the Jesus” COVID will “Passover” without touching me or my family.

This religious pressure can tip a person over from vaccine hesitancy to anti-vaccination.

These false binaries may end up having deadly consequences because COVID cares less for one’s religion. COVID does not discriminate according to one’s belief.

Since it is difficult to combat this belief without being perceived as attacking someone’s religion, it is important that religious institutions themselves do so.

It is “Prayer and Vaccines”. Not, “Prayer or Vaccines”. Refusing to take life-saving vaccines is a sign of foolishness, not a sign of faithfulness.

_______

Should you choose to cover this event please be mindful of COVID regulations.

If you would like further information on the Yellow Banners of Central Methodist Mission you can find it here: https://cmm.org.za/yellow-banner-theology/