Fundamentalism endangers children: therapy or dogma?

Fundamentalism endangers children: therapy or dogma?

A scandalous case from Mönchengladbach is currently causing a huge stir in Germany. A father refused to enroll his son in school to prevent him from being vaccinated. Loud WDR This incident shows the father's extremely fanatical attitude towards modern medicine. He not only refused to send his child to school, but also refused all medical examinations for his children. These extreme views are deeply rooted in his faith and the beliefs of a fundamentalist community that is opposed to existing society.

The father apparently believes that his faith protects him and his family from illness and other evils. His imagination describes the court as a mixture of religious content, environmental fears and conspiracy theories. Especially during the corona pandemic, the family did not adhere to the prescribed measures - meetings, singing and praying are essential for fundamentalists and often exceed state regulations.

The path to virtue

For many members of this community, like the father, the liberal development of society is synonymous with a decline in values. Crises are interpreted as signs of an approaching apocalypse. They see themselves on a path of virtue that will lead them to paradise and rigorously reject any outside influence. This is also evident in the protests against compulsory vaccination in other parts of the world, such as in New York, where thousands took to the streets under the motto “Stand with Kyrie”. These demonstrations are organized by people who use the right to religious freedom as their main argument, which is in stark contrast to the scientific facts regarding vaccinations.

In the United States, pressure has increased on religious institutions to support their members who oppose vaccinations. Deutschlandfunk culture reports on how Reverend Kevin McCall of the Anointed by God Church helps his followers with religious exemptions to exempt themselves from the vaccination requirement. Similarly, Co-Pastor William Devlin of Infinity Bible Church also offers credentials to those who are not religious but still express the same concerns.

The debate about freedom and health

The arguments of anti-vaxxers are supported by distorted scientific facts that claim that mRNA vaccines were developed using cells from aborted fetuses. This puts the social debate about the tension between individual freedom of belief and state protection of health to the test. While the Pope is clearly in favor of vaccination and sees it as an act of charity, the reaction from various religious groups remains mixed. The legal aspects of this issue are currently being discussed further, and possible decisions by the highest court could have far-reaching effects on the social and health policy landscape.

Given the scope of such cases and the challenges they pose, it is more than obvious that there is an urgent need for discussion. The balance between individual beliefs and the protection of the public remains a very delicate matter that must be handled with care and sensitivity.