This far-right evangelical pastor actually debunks the so-called 'religious argument' against COVID vaccines
The Rev. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, is a far-right White evangelical and Donald Trump apologist who, in 2012, claimed that then-President Barack Obama was "paving the way for the future reign of the Antichrist." But Jeffress, for all his extremism, isn't promoting the current anti-vaxxer movement that is popular among Christian nationalists — and he has been urging churchgoers to get vaccinated for COVID-19.
Jeffress told the Associated Press, "There is no credible religious argument against the vaccines. Christians who are troubled by the use of a fetal cell line for the testing of the vaccines would also have to abstain from the use of Tylenol, Pepto Bismol, Ibuprofen, and other products that used the same cell line if they are sincere in their objection."
First Baptist\u2019s Robert Jeffress says he and his staff \u201care neither offering nor encouraging\u201d members to pursue religious exemptions from vaccine mandates. \u201cThere is no credible religious argument against the vaccines.\u201dhttps://www.dallasnews.com/news/2021/09/17/first-baptists-robert-jeffress-there-is-no-credible-religious-argument-against-the-vaccines/\u00a0\u2026— Ruth Graham (@Ruth Graham) 1631976896
Dallas Morning News reporter Tom Steele notes that Jeffress' pro-vaccine outlook sets him apart from all the evangelicals who have been speaking out against vaccines.
"Though he has aligned himself with former President Donald Trump — whose supporters are among the least-vaccinated Americans — Jeffress has steadfastly supported the coronavirus vaccines," Steele explains. "First Baptist hosted vaccine clinics in the spring, with Jeffress encouraging his congregants to get inoculated so they could safely worship in person. Jeffress, who is vaccinated, also has compared his positions on vaccination and abortion."
Jeffress recently told Fox News, "We talk about life inside the womb being a gift from God. Well, life outside the womb is a gift from God, too."
Twitter has been full of reactions to Jeffress' endorsement of COVID-19 vaccines. Here are some of them:
My grandmother is a Jehovah's Witness and even SHE got the vaccine. I can't think of a sect more likely to merit religious exemption. Evangelical church leaders should be doing much, much more to encourage their congregations to protect themselves, and one another.— Corey Uhden (@Corey Uhden) 1631989918
Wow! That\u2019s odd! Good for him!— \ud83c\udf0a K. V. Usselman, Esquire \ud83c\udf0a (@\ud83c\udf0a K. V. Usselman, Esquire \ud83c\udf0a) 1631980754
Glad someone on the right is not generating language folk can use to justify staying unvaccinated. While they could have been more positive, not being negative helps. Not sure why it took so long given we are nearly 2 years on with a pandemic.— skyblueheel (@skyblueheel) 1631991380
They\u2019re losing their parishioners. Which means $ their losing.— Bethany -Queen of Everything (@Bethany -Queen of Everything) 1631984530
When your parishioners pay for your private jet, you kind of need them alive.— JJ \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 MendIovitz (@JJ \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 MendIovitz) 1631979934