Bahai view on covid

[Unveiled Artist]

I read in another thread bahai principles are based on a profound sense of unity of humanity. They also believe in peace.

As a bahai, what is your take on antivaxxers insofar the argument is they are not thinking of humanity but themselves?

Does Bahaism have a moral (rather than political) stance on this?

 

[TransmutingSoul]

I read in another thread bahai principles are based on a profound sense of unity of humanity. They also believe in peace.

As a bahai, what is your take on antivaxxers insofar the argument is they are not thinking if humanity but themselves?

Does Bahaism have a moral (rather than political) stance on this?

We do not have a political stance, but yes it is a moral stance based on what the Baha'i Writings have offered.

The Universal House of Justice has written on this subject many times now, so lots of guidance given.

It is a free choice but we are guided by the writings that in times of crisis, in this case a medical crisis, we must take the advice of medical experts and scientists.

One devepoed the vaccination and made it as safe as possible and the other advise strongly of its use, who should immediately use it and those that should get advice because of other conditions.

If we really want to help humanity we will consider all the options and make a choice.

My wife and I have had the Phizer vaccination.

Regards Tony

 

[Trailblazer]

I read in another thread bahai principles are based on a profound sense of unity of humanity. They also believe in peace.

As a bahai, what is your take on antivaxxers insofar the argument is they are not thinking of humanity but themselves?

Does Bahaism have a moral (rather than political) stance on this?

No, Baha'is do not have a moral or political stance on vaccinations.

Baha'is have different views and it is up to each individual to exercise their own judgment unless vaccination is mandated by the government. However, Baha'is can seek a medical exemption, which could be approved by the governmental agency, in which case they are complying with the government requirement.

Speaking for the Universal House of Justice (UHJ) which is the highest governing body of the Baha’i Faith, below is an excerpt from a letter written by the NSA

While the Supreme Body ultimately leaves the question of vaccination to the friends’ best judgment, this only applies wherever the decision is not affected by state and local laws and ordinances, and school, workplace, and other institutional mandates and protocols:

A fundamental Bahá’í principle is loyalty and obedience to government. . . . If a Bahá’í is faced with a governmental mandate of vaccination, the Bahá’í writings would not provide him or her justification for refusing to comply with such a legal requirement.

Kenneth E. Bowers
Secretary

National Spiritual Assembly
of the Bahá’ís of the United States

 

[Truthseeker]

No, Baha'is do not have a moral or political stance on vaccinations.

Baha'is have different views and it is up to each individual to exercise their own judgment unless vaccination is mandated by the government. However, Baha'is can seek a medical exemption, which could be approved by the governmental agency, in which case they are complying with the government requirement.

Speaking for the Universal House of Justice (UHJ) which is the highest governing body of the Baha’i Faith, below is an excerpt from a letter written by the NSA

While the Supreme Body ultimately leaves the question of vaccination to the friends’ best judgment, this only applies wherever the decision is not affected by state and local laws and ordinances, and school, workplace, and other institutional mandates and protocols:

A fundamental Bahá’í principle is loyalty and obedience to government. . . . If a Bahá’í is faced with a governmental mandate of vaccination, the Bahá’í writings would not provide him or her justification for refusing to comply with such a legal requirement.

Kenneth E. Bowers
Secretary

National Spiritual Assembly
of the Bahá’ís of the United States

There's that letter by Kenneth Bowers again. I've seen this before in this forum before.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

This is a Letter from the Universal House of Justice on this issue.

Dear Bahá’í Friend,
The Universal House of Justice has received your email letter of 20 November 2020 seeking guidance on the advisability of taking the coronavirus (COVID-.9) vaccine that is anticipated to be widely available soon. We have been asked to convey the following.

"Nothing has been found in the Bahá’í Writings on the subject of vaccination.
Nevertheless, in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Bahá’u’lláh stated: “Resort ye, in times of sickness, to competent physicians; We have not set aside the use of material means, rather have We confirmed it through this Pen, which God hath made to be the Dawning-place of His shining
and glorious Cause.” Moreover, in reply to scientific issues raised on a number of occasions, Shoghi Effendi consistently advised Bahá’ís that such matters would need to be investigated by scientists. In recent decades, advances in medical science have led to the production of
effective vaccines, the use of which has freed humanity from many debilitating and deadly infectious diseases. Reports indicate that the coronavirus vaccines currently being developed offer great promise for protecting individuals from, and helping to reduce transmission of, the
virus. As to the advisability and efficacy of the various options that may become available, the friends should follow the counsel of medical and other scientific experts.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,
Department of the Secretariat

We are advised to follow the experts, it will be them that advise us of our best choice, given our circumstances.

Regards Tony

 

[Trailblazer]

There's that letter by Kenneth Bowers again. I've seen this before in this forum before.

Here is another part of the letter I did not post. This is what those who are humble say. The Guardian was so humble.

April 27, 2021

To the American Bahá’í community

On many controversies of the day―including some revolving around our physical health and the fields of medicine and nutrition―the writings of our Faith make broad statements establishing a framework for further thought and action, but do not provide specific recommendations, trusting their resolution to the gradual development of the applicable sciences and the emerging of a solid body of evidence and "the prevailing or majority expert opinion." During his ministry as Guardian, Shoghi Effendi received a steady stream of queries about such matters, including vaccination. Consider this reply to one such inquirer, in 1944:

Regarding your question about vaccination: these are technical matters which have not been specifically mentioned in the teachings, and consequently the Guardian cannot make any statement about them.

Kenneth E. Bowers
Secretary

National Spiritual Assembly
of the Bahá’ís of the United States

 

[TransmutingSoul]

The full quotes is.

“Regarding your question about vaccination:

“These are technical matters which have not been specifically mentioned in the Teachings, and consequently, the Guardian cannot make any statement about them. No doubt medical science will progress tremendously as time goes by and the treatment of disease becomes more perfect.”

Regards Tony

 

[Truthseeker]

Here is another part of the letter I did not post. This is what those who are humble say. The Guardian was so humble.

April 27, 2021

To the American Bahá’í community

On many controversies of the day―including some revolving around our physical health and the fields of medicine and nutrition―the writings of our Faith make broad statements establishing a framework for further thought and action, but do not provide specific recommendations, trusting their resolution to the gradual development of the applicable sciences and the emerging of a solid body of evidence and "the prevailing or majority expert opinion." During his ministry as Guardian, Shoghi Effendi received a steady stream of queries about such matters, including vaccination. Consider this reply to one such inquirer, in 1944:

Regarding your question about vaccination: these are technical matters which have not been specifically mentioned in the teachings, and consequently the Guardian cannot make any statement about them.

Kenneth E. Bowers
Secretary

National Spiritual Assembly
of the Bahá’ís of the United States

Yes, but we can have our own individual opinions on vaccinations, as we are both doing. He could only have the function on ruling on matters covered by the Writings. He always said he was not infallible on science, so he shouldn't comment on science. That was his way of leaving it up to science to determine this question. If we as individuals have confidence in the overwheming consensus of scientists, or we are experts on the science itself, we can certainly come to our own conclusions.