Opening Statement
I’ve been wanting to do this townhall event for a while. My hesitance came with waiting to put my advice and resources into practice before I put on an event that I have promoted more than anything else I’ve done with Evangelical Dark Web to this point. I have some experience facing this issue. And I have the experiences of others who are also facing this issue as well. I’m sure there are other Christian organizations helping believers with religious exemptions, but I do not know of anyone else putting together resources to help people facing a myriad of situations. But before we get to all that, I want to read a little Scripture so as to articulate the premise of where this event is coming from.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 states, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”
The meaning of this passage in its context is that our bodies belong to God. They do not belong to governments, nor do they belong to employers. Private businesses pay for the labor of their employees. They do not own their bodies. Therefore, employers have no right to mandate vaccines for their employees. And with COVID there are no bona fide exceptions as it is neither safe nor effective, as proven by Delta variant.
With that said, if you have not gotten vaccinated already, it is because you did not want to. It is because you have a moral or medical objection. Therefore the purpose of this townhall is to encourage you not to sell out. Live by your convictions. Don’t be a sellout. If I get vaccinated to keep my nice job, I will be a sellout, someone who has gone hard against Branch Covidianism to get vaccinated to preserve a paycheck, such as myself, is selling out. Tonight, I want to say that’s not happening. And I want to encourage and equip you to say the same. We live our lives for the glory of God and we put our trust in His providence.
Questions to ask your employer
What is your process for religious exemptions? What exactly gives you the authority or expertise to judge a religious exemption according to one’s faith tradition?
(Purpose: they aren’t going to use the Pope or Ed Stetzer as an authority on whether or not your religious exemption is valid.)
What liability does the company assume for adverse reactions?
Are there any exemptions medically whether for superior natural immunity or high risk profile with the vaccine?
Religious Exemptions
JD Hall has written one of the most theologically airtight exemptions out there.
https://evangelicaldarkweb.org/hub/
Mandates in the Workplace
Healthcare Workers
In New York, it seems as though the government is losing in court. But this is not the same everywhere else in the country. It seems some systems are fine with religious exemptions
Maine
The lawsuit of Maine healthcare workers fighting the mandate. They argue against the efficacy and safety of the vaccine.
Military
With limited expertise on this subject the best I can do is provide resources to someone who is taking up this fight.
https://yountslaw.com/ military defense attorney
https://standwithwarriors.org/ nonprofit organization he’s associated with. Looks faith based.
Federal Contractors
Biden’s mandate applied to them, even more than it does federal employees like the postal workers. Through the renewing and awarding of contracts, extra clauses that impose mandates are intended to be implemented to make the contractors impose this on their employees. The smaller companies seem reluctant to mandate their employees get vaccinated as they await official rules to be implemented. (I’m speaking generally so as to not compromise the employment of my sources.) The publicly traded companies seem more on board, names you would recognize.
To touch on Northrop Grumman, it seems that their employees are organizing a rally against mask mandates in the workplace in Maryland, Florida, and California on Monday October 18th. More information at https://mandateswontfly.com/ . It seems an apparatus for federal contractors to fight back against mandates is forming.
Everyone Else
In the private sector, there will be a lot of variances. Companies closer to the government teat are more likely to impose mandates like airlines.
Fighting back
General principles: organizing increases your collective bargaining power. Southwest Airlines is a model to follow. Striking, slowdowns, sickouts, are all on the table. Most companies are ill prepared to face significant pushback and they are counting on compliance.
If you live in a state opposing vaccine mandates in the workplace, filing an EEOC complaint with your state’s respective agency may be worth trying, in order to jumpstart a race to get established precedent.
Be fired rather than quit
Finding a new job
There’s no reason to turn down a better opportunity. There are numerous job boards out their for jobs that do not mandate the vaccine. Gab has a no vax job board.
The flaw that I am seeing is that many of the jobs are IT or sales/marketing.
Entrepreneurship
This is always an option, and I certainly want Christians to do this more. As someone who wants to start two companies in two years, I understand this option poses the highest risk/reward. It is greatly customizable to your resources and capabilities. I recommend a no-debt approach whereby you prove your business concept before incrementally increasing your investment. Maintain minimal fixed expenses and operate with as lean a balance sheet as possible. A profit enough to sustain a family should not automatically be assumed.
Running for office
During lockdowns, we saw some like Shelley Luther attempt this in Texas to a failed primary campaign. Local offices do pay and it’s not impossible to surmise that your story of standing up for your bodily autonomy will resonate with a lot of voters, especially if they feel and you will need to be skilled in campaigning to do this, that their incumbents have failed them. Understand your local community. If there are too many Branch Covidians, I recommend against this option.
Losing Income
I would not argue that collecting unemployment benefits is sinful under these circumstances. Obviously it is a Christian duty to seek work and not stay on the check. Side hustles are worth pursuing as a way to mitigate cash flow loss.
Healthcare
Health insurance, I believe, is temporarily portable. If you make under 400% FPL, you qualify for APTC to pay healthcare premiums. Losing coverage counts as a life event for a special enrollment period.
Schools
Under no circumstances comply with public school mandates. Schools in my area treat it as a disciplinary issue, which means the more parents refuse to comply the sooner it ends.
Don’t apply to colleges that require one. It’s that simple. College is becoming increasingly less important anyway as most jobs prefer experience.
