Summary

The article argues that refusing to wear masks or get vaccinated is akin to involuntary manslaughter, as it contributes to preventable deaths and strains healthcare systems, with a particular emphasis on the ethical responsibility of Christians to protect others' lives.

Abstract

The author of the article equates the refusal to wear masks or get vaccinated during the COVID-19 pandemic to negligent homicide, given the direct impact on the spread of the disease and the subsequent burden on healthcare facilities. The piece highlights the moral obligation of individuals, especially those who identify as Christian, to prioritize the well-being of others by adhering to public health measures. It points out the irony in the actions of politicians who pander to their base at the expense of public health and criticizes the widespread misinformation contributing to vaccine hesitancy and mask refusal. The article underscores the serious consequences of these actions, including the preventable deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans and the ongoing strain on medical resources, as evidenced by the situation in Texas where hospital staffing is critically low due to COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers.

Opinions

The author believes that refusing to wear masks or get vaccinated is not only irresponsible but also morally equivalent to involuntary manslaughter due to the potential to cause death through negligence.
There is a strong condemnation of political figures, like Texas Governor Greg Abbott, for prioritizing political gain over public health by banning vaccine and mask mandates.
The article expresses disappointment in individuals, particularly those claiming to be Christian, who prioritize personal freedoms over the lives of others, which is seen as a direct violation of Christian teachings about loving and valuing others.
The author acknowledges concerns and misinformation surrounding vaccines but insists there is no justifiable reason for

People Are Dying Because You Refuse to Get Vaccinated or Wear a Mask

Stop being so selfish, especially if you claim to be a Christian

Involuntary manslaughter, defined on Cornell Law School’s website as “negligently causing the death of another person,” is a crime. Perpetrators can be held accountable for their reckless actions and sent to prison even though they did not intend to kill people.

So why is it perfectly legal in many states for people to refuse to wear masks or get vaccinated? Their refusal not only makes it harder to slow the spread of a deadly disease that has already claimed the lives of close to 900,000 people in the U.S. alone (Source: CDC website). It also causes deaths in at least one other way: hospitalized COVID patients (most of whom are unvaccinated) take up beds that would have been available for people with other serious health problems who are now unable to get the care they need.

For instance, as of yesterday in Austin, TX there were only 4 ICU beds available and 166 COVID patients occupying ICU beds; an additional 502 COVID patients were hospitalized but not in the ICU. (Source: Texas COVID-19 Hospital Resource Usage)

Another problem that could lead to more unnecessary deaths is the staffing shortage many hospitals are facing because so many doctors and nurses are getting COVID. As the Austin American-Statesman reported earlier this month,

In the weeklong period that straddled the end of last year and the dawn of 2022, about 1,500 employees at one of Texas’ leading treatment hospitals for COVID-19 tested positive for the virus, aggravating a staffing shortage…

“Hospital staffing is our most pressing issue, in terms of both physicians and clinical nursing staff,” Texas Hospital Association spokeswoman Carrie Williams said. “The primary issue is staff out sick.”

So what is Texas doing to address the COVID-19 crisis? In October 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed an executive order prohibiting anyone, including private employers, from mandating vaccines. (Source: Texas Tribune)

Last May he banned local governments from requiring anyone to wear a mask (including kids returning to school who were too young to get vaccinated); multiple cities, counties, and school districts chose to ignore that order or sued the state because of it. Those who simply ignored the ban and did require masks were sued by the state’s Attorney General Ken Paxton (Source: Texas Tribune)

I’m not surprised that politicians like Abbott and Paxton would pander to their conservative base. Republicans in other states have done the same, regardless of the public health consequences.

What has surprised and disgusted me is how many individual citizens, particularly those who claim to be Christians, have decided their personal “freedoms” or “rights” matter more than other people’s lives do.

I can partially understand their hesitancy to get vaccinated since there are concerns about potential side effects and misinformation is so widespread. As reported here, national polling in October 2021 showed that

Belief or uncertainty about COVID-19 misinformation is widespread, with nearly eight in ten adults saying they have heard at least one of eight different pieces of misinformation and either believe them to be true or are not sure whether they are true or false…

Among other common myths, one-third believe or are unsure whether deaths due to the COVID-19 vaccine are being intentionally hidden by the government (35%), and about three in ten each believe or are unsure whether COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to cause infertility (31%) or whether Ivermectin is a safe and effective treatment for COVID-19 (28%). In addition, between a fifth and a quarter of the public believe or are unsure whether the vaccines can give you COVID-19 (25%), contain a microchip (24%), or can change your DNA (21%).

However, there is simply no excuse for any decent human being (other than the very few with legitimate medical reasons for not wearing a mask) who cares about other people to refuse to do something as simple as wearing a mask over their nose and mouth to reduce the risk of transmitting a disease that can be fatal.

Christians who refuse to wear masks are disobeying Jesus’ command to “love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12–13) and other admonitions from the Bible like these:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3–4)

He (Jesus) said to him ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:37–39)

It’s quite simple: if you are willing to let other people die just so you don’t have to wear a mask or get a vaccine, at least own up to your selfishness and don’t pretend to take the teachings of Jesus seriously.

March 2023 update: This article was written earlier in the pandemic when hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID and medical staff shortages were more frequent than they are now. I still believe it is wise and potentially lifesaving towear masks in crowded indoor spaces and get vaccinated.

Current CDC data indicates that the weekly average number of new COVID cases in the United States is 32,374 and an average of 3,202 people with COVID were newly hospitalized every day during the most recent seven day period. The current seven day average number of new deaths due to COVID is 327. While 69.3 percent of the population has now received the initial vaccine(s), only 16.2 percent have gotten the updated booster.