Religious Exemption: You Don't Need Your Bishop's Approval

Previously: When Church Leaders Teach Contrary To God  

 I thought I was done with this topic after the last two entries, (see here and here), but we're now hearing from faithful members of the Church who are simply baffled by the attitude of their leaders. These members know the Covid "vaccine" is dangerous and deadly, yet the First Presidency declared them "safe and effective." And now the president of the United States has doubled down with a threat to force vaccine mandates on the bulk of the population.

Many informed members were hoping (rightly) that they could protect themselves from a forced vaccine by claiming a religious exemption, but the Church immediately dashed their hopes by issuing  this statement to bishops and stake presidents:

“No church official can sign any kind of document supporting the notion that church doctrine/teaching is opposed to vaccination or that the church is opposed to vaccination mandates.”

This has left many devout believers in a quandary because they think they will have to have some sort of pass from an ecclesiatical authority in order to avoid the mandate.  I've heard from a friend who thinks her son will have no choice but to take the jab just to keep his job. So I thought I'd better get back on here and talk a little bit about what I know. 

The most important thing I can tell you is that if I were working at a company with 100 or more employees (that's the threshold Biden has announced will be pressured to get the vaccine) the very LAST thing I would be worried about is the possibility I might lose my job over not taking the vax.  As long as I don't quit ahead of time, and as long as I know the right questions to ask, the only entity that will have a problem here would be my employer, not me.  And if my employer knows how to ask the right questions of the government when they come a-knockin' he won't have anything to worry about, either. Because this is all a bluff. The government is bluffing your employer, and your employer in turn will try to bluff you.

Biden Unveils Innovative 'Make Black People Lose Their Jobs' Plan

Passes? Passes? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Passes!
As it happens, In my former life I was a trained legal researcher, so I happen to know something about various aspects of the law, especially where the law touches on civil rights and constitutional law. So I know that a person does not need any kind of pass or "permission slip" from an ecclesiastical authority in order to assert a religious objection to an unjust mandate.  Your religion is your religion, and it stands apart from whatever denomination -or no denomination at all- that you might belong to. But before we go any further, a disclaimer:

Disclaimer. I am not a licensed attorney. I am not an unlicensed attorney, either. I'm not any kind of an attorney. What I am is a complete lunatic, so you should avoid acting on anything I happen to say on this forum.  DO NOT believe anything I am about to tell you. Look it up yourself if you want to determine whether I'm full of hooey or not. If I have any talent at all, it is a talent for finding things out and pointing the reader toward actual attorneys and legal authorities who know and understand the law better than I do. So if you, like me, are interested in prevailing against the forces of tyranny currently gathering against us, you might want to ignore me and instead pay attention to what they have to say. 

The first thing I'm going to recommend is you watch this discussion between David Freiheit and Robert Barnes. "Frei" is a litigator practicing in Canada, so when discussing American law he frequently has  American attorney Robert Barnes on as a guest. Barnes is a high-powered attorney who is preparing lawsuits right now on this very topic. (We can tell Barnes is a high-powered attorney because he often holds a cigar in one hand and a glass of bourbon in the other). Robert Barnes is one of the top civil rights attorneys in the nation.  This legal counsel will cost you 27 minutes of your time; Take a listen:

Okay, Let's Hit The High Points:                                                                  

•  Your religious objections are watever your religious beliefs are. You don't have to get approval from anybody; this is not protection against organized religion. It doesn't matter whether the church you belong to shares your position or if no other person in the congregation feels the same. I was virtually alone in every ward I ever attended whose personal religion requires me to abstain from eating pork, so the fact they served bacon at the annual ward breakfasts was irrelevant to my religion. Others in the congregation are not required to abide by my deeply held beliefs just as I am not required to abide by theirs. Likewise, if injecting substances you deem harmful into your body is against your religious beliefs, that is your religious belief. Period.   
   
• No one is allowed to decide if your beliefs pass their test or meet their requirements. Normally when somebody asserts a religious exemption that's it. End of discussion. Attempts to go beyond that invariably and inevitably will constitute discrimination against the employee based on their religious beliefs. They cannot determine whether your beliefs are sincere. Your beliefs are personal and they are private. You don't even have to voice them or say anything other than "my sincerely held religious beliefs prohibit me from taking this vaccine."
  
  
• Some employers are already jumping the gun (Biden's "mandates" have not even taken effect yet;
  
  more on that below) but there have been federal court decisions already invalidating attempts to deny people their religious exemptions. So by now employers should start to figure out the courts won't be going along with this scam. 
  
  
• You don't want to jump the gun by quitting or by being confrontational. The mandate that Biden is proposing is a violation of your rights and not based on any legitimate law. That's why he can't make you obey him. He hopes to get your employer to be the bad guy. So let your employer make the first move.  If you are approached by your employer about taking the vaccine, first ask for a copy of the comapny's policy on this.  There probably isn't one. There certainly wasn't such a policy at the time you hired on. Barnes surmises that most company's legal departments have advised your bosses not to put anything in writing, so that they can come up with a flexible argument after the fact. 
  
  
• Ask for the full policy. Make sure you get a physical, written copy. Don't leave the premises until you have it. Find out if the policy allows for religious objections. Are there medical objections? Are there conscientious objections? Are there reasonable accomodations being made for employees whose health or principles don't allow them to submit? 
  
  
• Keep in mind this is about asymptomatic risk; none of it is about symptomatic risk. If someone is symptomatic the employer is within his rights to have them stay at home. If someone is exposed  they can also have them stay at home. This mandate is only dealing with people who have asymptomatic Covid for which there is no evidence of significant danger.
  
  
• The good news is that a massive number of suits are already being filed. Hundreds, if not thousands more will likely be filed before this phoney mandate even takes seffect. The big problem the Biden administration is now facing is this: it was not expecting this kind of pushback.  Some branches of the military, which had threatened soldiers with dishonorable discharge if they did not immediately comply, are now backing off and "postponing" those deadlines. 40% of marines are reported as absolutely refusing to take the jab no matter what, and many more civilians like you and I simply will not comply. The ruling class has a problem; it was not expecting such an overwhelming wave of resistance. 

What Do You Mean The Mandate Has Not Yet Taken Effect?    

What you get to realize is that this is all a bluff.  Joe Biden has admitted the government has no authority to force any American to take the vaccine. So Biden (or more accurately, those in control of Biden) have come up with a plan to get the labor department, via OSHA, to convince employers they have to make you do it. 

OSHA, in the event you didn't know, is the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a federal agency charged with overseeing safety in the workplace. As far as I can tell, OSHA is still working on the rules they want employers to abide by for this fake mandate. This will require what is called an Emergency Temporary Standard, and must first be developed and then published in the Federal Register before the rules can even go into effect.  This could take several months. But here's OSHA's problem: they have to adhere to the laws already in place that regulate that agency. They can't just go out and bully your employer for no rhyme or reason.

First, according to OSHA's own regulations, there has to be a finding that "workers are in grave danger due to exposure to toxic substances or agents determined to be toxic or physically harmful" and then they have to determine "that an emergency standard is needed to protect them."

You can see the problem. It's gonna be a real trick for OSHA to determine employees are in "grave danger" at work if they haven't had the vaccine, seeing as how almost everyone who is dying is actually dying after taking the vaccine. For most people, Covid-19 doesn't pose a "grave danger."  The gigantic hurdle OSHA is going to have to overcome, according to the law, is proving that people who don't have Covid (or who are showing no symptoms) pose a "grave danger" to their fellow employees. And there's an even bigger challenge: Given that OSHA only has 800 inspectors employed to check up on the many actual safety violations in workplaces nationwide, how in the world could they possibly conduct surprise inspections in millions more?  The whole idea is untenable on its face. It would require an army of stormtroopers going virtually door-to-door. 

OSHA knows this. Biden knows this. (Okay, maybe not Biden; he's somewhere off in Cloud Koo-Koo-Land.  But pretty much everyone else who holds political power knows it).  They are also well aware that these "Temporary Emergency Standards" will be struck down as unconstitutional within days of going into effect.  But Biden's handlers had him go ahead and announce it anyway.  Why do you think that was? I'll tell you why: The White House hopes the mere announcement will scare people into getting the vaccine long before they realize they didn't have to. 

Unfortunately for Biden and his team, the narrative is already blowing up.

Two weeks ago following a massive pushback, the disappointed mayor of Portland reluctantly admitted that he will not be mandating vaccines for members of that city's police force. Five days ago Los Angeles Police officers filed suit against the mandate while cops across California threatened to resign if the mandates were implemented.

On Thursday, hundreds of  Los Angeles Firefighters announced they were also filing suit. Last week a federal Judge issued an emergency injunction blocking the state of New York from enforcing a new vaccine mandate against healthcare workers. Yesterday thousands gathered at a rally in New York City to oppose vaccine passports. (England has already scrapped it's plans to require passports after a massive revolt of the people.)  Twenty-Seven states are right now gearing up for a legal fight over the federal vaccine mandate. And they will win, because an individual state has more authority than the federal government.  The states gave the federal government its power and they can take it back. 

This issue might be dead in the water before you ever find yourself having to choose between your job and a suicidal injection. The main thing to be concerned about is you might have an employer who thinks the mandate is already in place and believes he has to give you an ultimatum now. That's when you should have your questions ready.  Here is a sample list of questions provided by the legal arm of Ameica's Frontline Doctors.  Since this list was created before Biden made his ridiculous announcement, you may want to adapt this list to include Robert Barnes' questions, especially about getting a copy of your company's policy.

Here is a sample letter.

And Here is another sample letter. 

Here is the link to Covid Legal

And this is essential:

If I Don't Want the Jab, What Are My Options?

Some Points To Remember
I make no promises that the sample letters and counsel above will be effective for you. At best, your employer may think twice about giving you an ultimatum and instead have the company's legal department fight it out with OSHA.  The only reason they're picking on you is because it's easier to get you to leave willingly than it would be for them to challenge the feds.  So let them know, kindly but firmly, that your religious beliefs are not negotiable.  No company wants the hassle of a civil rights challenge, which is why you should be prepared if they try to dodge the questions.  They will probably avoid giving you a direct ultimatum or telling you that you have been fired.  Always record your encounters, and if they try to fire you, make certain it is in writing or that at least you have an audio recording. Even more fun than having an audio recording of your boss telling you that you are fired is having a recording of him refusing to say the words.   

If they try to get you to leave, ask, "am I fired?" If they will not answer that question, do not leave work before your shift is up because in that scenario they may claim that you left voluntarily. If they are forced to have you escorted out by security, record that.  Return to work the next day as usual and continue to do so until you have it in writing that you have been fired.  That's when you have standing to sue under Title VII of the civil rights act. 

But I doubt it will come to that.  Employers are already seeing that this mandate is a win-win for the employee who handles him or herself properly. They probably won't continue to push once they see you have a backbone.

Remember: pay no attention to what I say here.  If it looks like you will be needing legal counsel, get yourself a lawyer. Provide him with the sample letters above so he has a handle on what to do. (Believe it or not, not all lawyers are equipped to handle civil rights cases, so you may need to steer him to some of these resources.)  More than likely the only thing this will set you back is the cost of having your lawyer write a letter to the employee and that will be the end of it. If worse comes to worst, you're out of a job, but so what? There's an online resource of businesses that do not require you to have a vaccine in order to work there. They will hire you.

So What Do We Do About Those Rogue Church Leaders?  
Some people have assumed that because the leaders are now promoting clearly false teachings, the only recourse they have is to leave the church and turn their backs on the religion they love.

Heck no, don't do that! That's not necessary at all. If you believe in Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and the core fundamentals of the Restoration, there's no reason you should stop being a Mormon.  There's just one thing you get to do: recognize the reality that Jesus Christ no longer guides the leaders of this Church. you need no longer look to them for direction because you'll realize they are faking it. You and your religion can get along quite well without them. Everything else should remain pretty much the same. 

                                                                         *****

Next: What In The World Is Going On With The Church Leaders Lately?

Extra Bonus Resources:
If you want solid proof that the First Presidency and Twelve Apostles today are not led by God, you need only look at this shocking report on the multiple millions of dollars from your tithes that have been re-directed as investments toward all four Covid vaccines. Is it any wonder they are lying about the vaccines being "safe and effective" and discouraging members from resisting?

Then there's this:
Over 250 Million Reasons Why The Brethren Lack Discernment

And below is a sampling of my my many previous blog posts that prove how thoroughly we've been bamboozled about their authority:

Did The Lord Choose Not To Anoint "The Lord's Anointed"?

Why Heed Prophetic Counsel?

Who died And Made HIM Prophet?

And remember, there are massive mountains of resources available on my previous two blog posts.
I also tend to post new vaccine information on my Facebook page. That's on Facebook (natch!) under my name,  Alan Rock Waterman.

UPDATE September 19th:
The very first comment under this blogpost this morning, from Aurelius, containts a link that is a bombshell.  Is it possible this entire mandate hoax is already dead in the water? That the Biden administration never had any intention of moving forward with this fraud?  Was the whole thing just a trick to see if they could scare enough people to take the vaccine voluntarily, or was it all just a diversion? Check this out and decide for yourself:
"Something Else Missing"

UPDATE September 21:
Even if the Biden Administration fails to go through with the bluff, there are plenty of other companies and government agencies that are threatening to fire those who don't comply with their own imaginary "rules," so you'll want to keep up with what's going on.  In the next month or two Robert Barnes is either litigating or will be enjoined with ongoing suits in the states of California and Washington, suits against a wide range of companies such as Tyson Foods, suits against the Cities  of Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York, suits against the Department of Justice by Department of Justice employees, Department of Labor by Department of Labor employees, Department of Defense by Department of Defense employees, Department of Energy by Department of Energy employees, and more.

So there are a lot of suits coming up on the dockets against a wide range of entities, which means you'll want to stay on top of the arguments.  Chances are, your own employer will back off once they see they can't fire you for not complying. A lot of employers are uneducated on their legal risks by doing these mandates. Says Frei, "It's funny how the thought of a lawsuit makes people say 'maybe the risk of an unvaccinated dude is not all that much to warrant what we're doing.'"

But some on the other side are trying some sneaky gambits, such as bringing up the bogus argument contained in the 1905 Supreme Court ruling in Jacobsen v. Massechusetts. That objection could blindside you if you fail to understand how completely off-point it is when applied to the current mandates.  So know your enemy, whether you are contemplating acting pro se or with the assistance of a lawyer. 

Here's the latest from Robert Barnes as of yesterday. Frei and Barnes discuss a variety of legal issues beginning at around minute 16:58.  Then they turn to other issues before returning to the topic of mandates at 1:26:18.   I recommend you keep tuning into that Youtube channel for continuing updates.

UPDATE October 3, 2021:

Here's a List of Lawyers By State Who Fight Vaccine Mandates. 

UPDATE, October 9, 2021
The current issue of The New American Magazine (October 4, 2021) is chock full of important information on  vaccine mandates, especially instructions on filing and responding timely.  Procedural law can be very strict, so although claiming an exemption is a relatively simple process, if your claim is initially denied you could lose your opportunity to appeal if you don't cross all your T's and dot all your i's. The other side counts on you flubbing up. I recommend you purchase a physical copy of this issue because it has articles by an experienced trial lawyer not only on claiming an exemption at work, but exemptions for the military as well as medical exemptions.  There's also a piece on the progress being made by state legislatures banning employers from retaliating against employees who don't wish to take the jab.  Phone 920-749-3784 and ask for the October 4 issue or click HERE. Prices are $1.95 for the download pdf, or $3.95 for the physical copy.

Again, don't forget to keep up with the weekly dose of law with Viva & Barnes.  Here is where you'll get the real skinny on the legal actions taking place all over the country. Don't be fooled when you hear on the news about people being fired for refusing to take the jab.  There's always more to the story you are not being told.  This is how to stay informed on the facts:

Weekly Dose of Law With Viva & Barnes Episode 81

UPDATE October 15th, 2021
My brother just sent me a link to "The Healthy American" which includes a very informative 90 minute video  "Everything you Need to Know about your RELIGIOUS RIGHTS protected by TITLE VII of the U.S. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT”