We are nearing the end of 2020. A year full of adversity. One of the really big issue this year has been the new coronavirus (CoV-SARS-2) which cause Covid-19.
As we near the end of the year, there is the news that many vaccines are soon to be available. Many companies have been working on these vaccines. And the front runner is the Pfizer vaccine produced by BioNTech. Some other front runners are: Moderna, University of Oxford with Astrazeneca, and Johnson & Johnson.
Should we take the vaccine? And if so, which one?
I personally think we should choose the vaccine on an ethical basis. One of the big issues with vaccines is how they are made and tested. For this there are ‘cell lines’ used. These are basically cells that are used to reproduce more cells (usually stem cells). There is no cloning involved, stem cells naturally have the ability to produce any cell in the body. Where do the companies get these cells? They can get them from human adult hematopoietic (somatic) stem cells, or from fetal stem cells. This is where the problems come. Adult cells are donated. Fetal cells are ‘harvested’ from abortions. This means we need to do a check to the source of the vaccine. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are ethically sound, no fetal tissue was used. Astrazeneca uses embryonic stem cell lines. For a full list of which vaccines are ethical, look at this document from the Lozier Institute. https://s27589.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/An-Ethics-Assessment-of-COVID-19-Vaccine-Programs_On-Point-46.pdf.
Having said this, what if you get the vaccine (or another vaccine) with questionable ethics. Does that make you evil, or wrong? I don’t think so. If someone is murdered, but their kidney is saved and used in a kidney transplant, is the receiver of the transplant guilty of the murder. No. In the same way, if you get a vaccine produced with fetal cells, you are not responsible for the abortion. I do however believe companies should not use fetal tissue for vaccines.
There is another consideration we need look at. The method of development. Many are surprised with the speed at which (BioNTech) has produced the vaccine for Pfizer. This is because they have used a relatively new technique, it is a RNA-based vaccine. This is apparently also the case with Moderna. The question is how effective this new method is (it is definitely much quicker) and are the any side effects, short and long term? At first glance it looks safe. The only side effects that are currently mentioned sound like corona symptoms. And the results that are published look promising.
But I like to work on what we in the IT-field call version n-1 (n minus 1). If n is the latest version of a product, I use the version before. For example, when I needed to replace my phone, the Samsung Galaxy S20 had just come out, so I got the S10. At work we always made sure we had our servers updated to the previous month. And with this mentality I do not want to be the first person in line for the vaccine. If others want to get it as soon as possible, it is up to them. But if I get it, I will first wait to see what happens to others.
Then there is the consideration with health. I am a leukemia patient. My dad has heart disease. Both my parents are diabetic. We are all in the high-risk group. That is why we are eligible for the flu shot in the Netherlands. For our safety we will probably get called up to receive the corona vaccine. Usually I would say that the weak should get all the protection they can.
Then there is the question a lot of Christians have with regards to the mark of the beast. I would like to point out 2 reasons why this vaccine is not the mark of the beast. (1) before the mark comes, the beast must be revealed. Revelations 13 has a beast coming from out of the sea in verse 1-2 (in Bible lingo, a ruler or kingdom rises up from out of the people). Then a second beast rises up from the Earth in verse 11 (its description is clearly the false prophet). After that in verse 16-18 the mark comes. Since the 2 beasts are not yet revealed, the vaccine is not the mark. (2) Revelations 20 connects the mark to the worship of the first beast. This is a conscious choice. You cannot take the mark by accident. Since the beast is not revealed to be worshipped, the vaccine cannot be connected to the worship of the beast. And cannot be the mark.
There is also a concern amongst some about Bill Gates, and all the conspiracies around him, and his connection to Pfizer. The Gates Foundation has given money to Pfizer, in 2016, “to support development of a Group B streptococcus (GBS) vaccine for developing country access”.
Lastly, research this for yourself. Please investigate all I say. All I have written here is my own research. But you need to look into this yourself and make your own decision.
I have looked into the vaccine for myself, and it looks legit. There are no ethical issues. It is based on a new technique, which seems to yield good result. It does not go against any Biblical teachings. It doesn’t fit the description of the mark of the beast. And, as far as I can tell, Bill Gates has nothing to do with the vaccines. And there are more options available to choose from.
So, will I take the vaccine? To be honest, I am not sure.
Here are a few resources I used in my research, this is not the whole list, as I used a lot more, but these are important:
If you are interested in Pfizer’s ethical standards: https://www.pfizer.com/science/clinical-trials/integrity-transparency/stem-cellresearch
The registration of the Gates Foundation grant to Pfizer: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/How-We-Work/Quick-Links/Grants-Database/Grants/2016/09/OPP1133548