Curious how today's JWs view the anti-vaxxer movement

by undercover 7 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  undercover

  I wonder how the average JW in our modern world views the new anti-vaxxer movement. Do they sympathize, agree - or - see them as kooky, out of touch, nutso - or - somewhere in between.

  Remember, back in the olden, golden days...or should I say, The Golden Age, the WTS took a hard line stance against vaccinations. See JWFacts info regarding the the anti-vaccination stand taken by the WTS:

  http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/medical.php#vaccinations

  Of course, by the 50s the WTS had started back pedaling from that hard line stand, but as a child in the 60s, I remember that some JWs were still against vaccinations. When we were vaccinated in school for something or other, I vaguely remember there being some disagreement in our household over whether I should be vaccinated.  It's all very murky now, but I think my father vetoed my mother's position of denying us the vaccinations.

  I'm sure that most JWs today have no clue about that tidbit of WT history. I'd be curious as to how they would react, if presented such information. Would they see a correlation between nut jobs like Pat Robertson, and ignorant Tea Party Republicans? Probably not for most of them, but it might be that gentle nudge for some of them that might have some doubts...
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  sir82

  Many JWs are big into "alternative medicine". I think it is a cultural inheritance, a vestige from old-timers who actually do remember the anti-medicine, anti-vaccine stance of the 20's, 30's, and 40's.
  

  So I think many JWs probably sympathize with the anti-vaxxers.
  
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  Village Idiot

  I don't think the Watchtower will ever take any firm position like they did yesteryear. If they even bother to mention the subject they will simply take an "it's up to your conscience" position.
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  Captain Schmideo2

  I have personal experience with a couple who used to go to my hall. They have a son who has autism, and they are convinced that vaccines is what caused it. (Not the fact that she was in her late 40's when he was conceived, or any other myriad factors).
  
  They had become very vocal against vaccines, convincing other parents in the hall not to get their children vaccinated. It got pretty heated. I had made comments to some of her posts on Facebook, and that got her husband involved in it. It was getting kind of ugly. I have no personal knowledge as to how this played out with their elders, or if they ever admonished them about their public stance on this.
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  Simon

  I think the kind of person that the non-mainstream / quirky JW religion appeals to is also likely to fall for the anti-government paranoia and hype about vaccines.

  I remember our KH had plenty of people who were willing to believe in faked moon-landings and all kinds of craziness. Remember - people are generally not JWs because of their ability to logical reason and discern truth from evidence.

  The non-vaccination crowd are likely a similar set to the home-school crowd. They think they no best about everything. They think this because they know very little.
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  DJS

  Curiously in the US, the anti-vaccination movement has been spearheaded by the educated and the elite, which is exactly opposite from those opposed to vaccines in 3rd world countries, who typically are the least educated and the superstitious.

  A discredited 1998 study by a British doctor along with a decade long campaign of hysteria waged by Playmate Jenny McCarthy have fueled the anti-vaxxers. Jenny should stick to showing her boobs instead of being one.
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  Simon

  I don't think the anti-vaccination crowd have any educated or elites in their midst. They seem to be a similar mindset to the tea party: "you can't tell us what to do" (even when it's something in their own best interest). It's like some people are determined to do the exact opposite just 'because'.

  Watching a video on CNN from a town with a large proportion of non-vaccinated the woman was clearly clueless to the facts but thought she was educated and making an informed choice and she knew best.

  The reality is that it's lots of people being very selfish. Best case for anyone (emphasis on the 'one') is that your kids don't get vaccinated to avoid the slight chance (1 in millions) of some reaction but everybody else does so you gain the benefit of the population-protection.

  Of course it breaks down if more than a few people start doing this as the population protection starts to fail below a certain threshold as we're not seeing and then it puts the truly vulnerable of society at great risk who for genuine medical reasons can't have vaccines (e.g. leukaemia patients).

  So selfish.

  The discussion questioned whether it needed to be made mandatory and whether it was in other countries. Many other countries managed to have close to 100% vaccination rates without needing to make it mandatory due to education.

  The Jenny McCarthy's of this world are directly responsible for the deaths or disablement of children who become ill because of people following their unfounded advice for which they have zero qualifications to give. I agree, she should stick to doing what she does best.
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  Vidiot

  Simon - "...she should stick to doing what she does best.."

  What the hell does Jenny McCarthy do, anyway?