Tulsa Pastor selling religious exemptions for vaccine.

TLK Valentine

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2021/09/15/pastor-donate-vaccine-religious-exemption/

A pastor is encouraging people to donate to his Tulsa church so they can become an online member and get his signature on a religious exemption from coronavirus vaccine mandates. The pastor, Jackson Lahmeyer, is a 29-year-old small-business owner running in the Republican primary challenge to Sen. James Lankford in 2022.

Lahmeyer, who leads Sheridan Church with his wife, Kendra, said Tuesday that in the past two days, about 30,000 people have downloaded the religious exemption form he created.

Well there's something you don't see every day... straight-up simony.

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Belk

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Sounds like indulgences.

Yeah they rely on the overflowing immunity of the vaccine righteous. Bout time someone revived the old practices, I should imagine miracle cures are harder to push when people are actually getting sick and dying on mass.
 
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Halbhh

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Sounds like indulgences.
Yeah. Good parallel. Though indulgences were at least connected to an understanding of time spent in purgatory, so had a religious basis, where in contrast the disobeying any particular rule from governing authorities about vaccine or mask mandates is just directly disobeying a clear instruction in the New Testament about submitting generally to governing authorities (in all matters that don't break God's law). So, here, what is being sold is a way to disobey something in the New Testament, so that's an interesting wrinkle.
 
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Hans Blaster

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I don't have a link, but it is my understanding that the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is making vaccine-related religious exemptions available to anyone who wants to claim they are Pastafarian (this could work for any of you not part of a religion).

Of course, their exemptions are free and state that their religion prohibits them from being around unvaccinated people. How like the Church of FSM to make a serious point by being utterly silly.

As for me, I will continue to have protection from my ususal course of anti-social distancing combined with the vaccine.
 
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TLK Valentine

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Sounds like indulgences.

An Indulgence implies at least some level of genuine belief... for example, you can be forgiven for sins you haven't committed yet (for a price), but you still think you need forgiveness.

This guy's racket doesn't require any kind of belief -- all you have to do is write him a check.
 
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Brihaha

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Maybe he was a disciple of Jim Baker.
Baker started selling some silver cream he claimed would cure covid after he got released from prison. My bible says we cannot worship two Gods. These people help give Christianity a bad reputation.
 
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TLK Valentine

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Of course, their exemptions are free and state that their religion prohibits them from being around unvaccinated people. How like the Church of FSM to make a serious point by being utterly silly.

Well, the FSM is never going to turn a profit like that... at least this "small business owner" is generating revenue selling his product.
 
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Well, the FSM is never going to turn a profit like that... at least this "small business owner" is generating revenue selling his product.

I think they make up the difference in colander sales.
 
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This is wrong; granted this is coming from someone who no long supports religious exemptions for the fact that they are too easy to abuse.
 
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TLK Valentine

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Why would someone want people to pay them money to increase the chances that the payers might die of Covid?

Because if you cash their check quick enough, you might get lucky and they'll die before they can order a stop payment?
 
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Davorah

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I don't know of any Christian church that requires a person to donate to it to become a member or even would suggest such a thing. I suspect most would expect, or at least hope for, some sort of tithe but I personally don't know of any that would expect or suggest an admission fee.
 
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Great capitalist example. Poor Christian example.

ETA: makes me wonder if he took a 30 minute online ordaining "course" just for this purpose (did not read the article--paywall and all), but this would fit perfectly with the actions.
 
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Hmm every link I clicked on says a pastor will "sign". He’s not really selling a religious exemption,” said Haynes, who compared Lahmeyer’s exemption offer to televangelists who sell things like prayer cloths. “He’s selling a bogus idea that you need one.”

So duh the left would go nuts over this.. find a way around a mandate that the Gov really does not have a right to do..yet they can and thats what will go all the way to the Sup Court. If people really do have to donate to get it.. I am sorry but thats just wrong.
 
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TLK Valentine

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Hmm every link I clicked on says a pastor will "sign". He’s not really selling a religious exemption,” said Haynes, who compared Lahmeyer’s exemption offer to televangelists who sell things like prayer cloths. “He’s selling a bogus idea that you need one.”

So duh the left would go nuts over this.. find a way around a mandate that the Gov really does not have a right to do..yet they can and thats what will go all the way to the Sup Court. If people really do have to donate to get it.. I am sorry but thats just wrong.

Which means not only is it simony... it's also a scam.

Say it ain't so, Shoeless Joe!
 
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zippy2006

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"Claiming religious freedom insincerely cheapens and trivializes a vital Biblical doctrine and constitutional right and involves believers in casually bearing false witness. We are concerned that abusing religious freedom this way could backfire, undermine support for it, and possibly motivate policymakers to redefine and constrict religious freedom in the future. We firmly believe no one should claim a religious exemption from mask mandates that they do not actually believe in."

-Should Christians Claim Religious Exemption from Mask Mandates?


(This quote applies to vaccine mandates as well as mask mandates)
 
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