Religious objections to vaccines have a long history, but are being overused and abused

I understand and accept that some people have legitimate religious objections to the #COVID19 vaccine. It has been a longstanding principle of American civil law, most recently implemented with the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, that when a person has sincere religious objections to participating in an activity, or sincere religious beliefs that require participating in an activity, government must tread VERY lightly.

That is why, for example, the United States, all the way back to its founding and even before its founding, has recognized the rights of conscientious objection by groups such as the Quakers to taking religious oaths or serving in the military. Recognizing religious objections is a principle that predates the United States as an organized nation.

Sincerity of belief, not agreement with the belief, is key. I can think of many religious beliefs with which I strongly disagree but regarding which I believe just as strongly that the government must not interfere.

The problem we have with COVID19 is that some people who are claiming religious objections don’t understand what it means to have a religious objection, or don’t understand the history of religious objections in America to vaccination and its predecessor, variolation.