I posted this over at Patheos, pointing out the errors of those pushing an anti-vax position with bad theology:
Basic moral theology indicates that we can, and in most cases should, use the vaccines against COVID. I have repeatedly shown how remote this is. One article showed how almost common every medicine (except Gas-X) has been tested on a fetal cell line, just like the two main COVID vaccines in the USA. Jose Trasancos of COG for Life critiqued this. I will respond below. I will begin and end with a bit of the big picture, showing how this fits into Catholic moral theology. I have a longer more technical critique of him in the middle regarding the causal nature of testing. Before concluding, I will actually offer some ideas for him to improve the work of COG for Life given he recently took over and seems to be starting to move in a more helpful manner. […]
To argue that we should not take COVID vaccines only tested on fetal cell lines, a person needs to make several nested special cases. First, they make a special case of this vaccine versus other vaccines as most don’t seem to object to rubella vaccines as strenuously despite rubella vaccines being more connected to abortion. Second, they make a special case of vaccines versus other medicines. Third, they make a special case of medicines versus other uses of the same cell lines testing other things. Fourth, they make a special case of fetal cell lines versus other connections to abortion like funding China’s forced abortions when we buy Chinese goods. Fifth, they make a special case of abortion with regard to remote cooperation (it’s OK to cooperate in slave labor to get the materials for my electronics but not abortion even if many more times remote).
Read the rest over there.
