Death By Immunization

By Mark Rowan

Posted March 3, 2005

January 11, 2005. This afternoon, my wife took our one month old daughter to the pediatrician for a check up, and returned with disturbing news. Don't worry our daughter is in perfect health by the grace of God. The same can't be said for our health system. It seems as though we've forgotten who created these bodies we live in.

After a successful check up, our former pediatrician wrapped things up by telling my wife he would see her shortly for our daughter's immunization. At this point, Jenny informed him that we had decided against giving Elena Kay immunizations, and would file a religious exemption. (By the way, I recommend that everyone file to be exempt from religion.)

This decision was not flippant and I'm sure there are many who would consider us "crazy" for not injecting our baby daughter with foreign substances that may or may not help or hinder her. Jenny had spent much time researching the necessity and vitality of immunizing Elena Kay. We both felt that it was best to not shoot our daughter up with drugs and blood from dead animals.

This did not sit well with the highly trained professional. The doctor proceeded to tell my wife what a horrible decision this was and warned of possible serious illness or even death by choosing not to immunize. He also informed my wife that all the information that is negative in nature about immunization is unfounded. Lastly, he said he would not be able to be Elena Kay's doctor for malpractice reasons. I'm glad I wasn't present for this appointment; for I fear I might have responded in an un-Christian manner. His bedside manner, as it's called, was inappropriate to say the least.

I'm angry, and not so much at our ignorant "expert" that lives and works in the natural world 100 percent of the time. I'm angry that we have come to the point in America that we've pushed the Great Physician so far out of our world view that even as Christians we can't trust Him to be who He says He is: "I am the Lord who heals you." - Exodus 15:26. I am angry that we are not taking the God of all creation at His word. I am angry that we idly stand by and take the word of experts over the word of the Lord.

"Fanatic!" I hear the screams of disbelief and horror now. Yes, doctors and immunization can be tools of God to heal. There is no denying that. This not a call to abandon the health system; this is a call to stop abandoning God, and start giving Him the opportunity to be who He is and do what He does.

How many times do we run to the medicine cabinet or the doctor's office before we even give a second thought to earnestly seeking God to intervene on our behalf? We have to give God an opportunity to work. Just as salvation is a free gift, so is our health. We must accept it to enjoy it. If our friend nicely wraps a gift for us, and we never bother to open it up, what good is that gift ever going to be to us?

God will not force His goodness on us. He's instructed us to ask in order to receive. He has become our last resort on our deathbed. "Oh, God, save me!" His desire is to be our family physician that meets our every need.

We have let our culture dictate our expectations of God. "Society and experts say that everyone immunizes their babies. Hey, these people do this for a living." What does God say? Is my God not able to provide health for me and my family? "Well, the world is cursed by man's sin, and we have to live with the consequences." By the blood of Jesus every curse has been broken and we can live in freedom. Why don't we try that out?

This problem is not just isolated to our health problems. Slowly, American Christianity has been injected with the world's views. We are not seeing our situations and circumstances through the eyes of God, but rather through our natural eyes. We often exhaust every man-made solution for our issues of life before consulting God. When things really get out of hand, God's promises suddenly take on new importance in our lives. God is merciful and many times does not hold our faithlessness against us. In the end, we are the ones missing out. God desires the very best for us. We need to be able to accept it.

We cannot let our Christianity be immunized by the world. Our call is to bring the kingdom of God to the Earth. In order to do that, we must not let our actions be dictated by the culture we reside in. We instead must be the salt that brings flavor and the light that dispels darkness.

Our God is able to do what He says. Let’s give Him the chance to do it.