Sunday, September 19, 2021

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

 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 discussionAttempts 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” 


44 comments:

  1. https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/09/15/something-else-missing/

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  2. Thanks for that link, Aurelius. If that's all true, it changes everything.

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  3. "This issue might be dead in the water before you ever find yourself having to choose between your job and a suicidal injection." This may very well be true, and I certainly don't want to sound like I'm disputing the assertion. But those relieved by being spared this particular hard choice can rest assured that as the prophesied events of the last days play out, they'll get another opportunity to make many similarly difficult decisions.

    I would, however, gently push against the assertion that Mr. Biden's handlers didn't expect this kind of pushback. I think they probably did expect exactly this kind of pushback, and are probably hoping that lovers of freedom will be sufficiently angered by the restrictions of the proposed New Normal that they'll be more vulnerable to further entrapment from the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. We can expect a reprise of the "right-wing terrorists planning to kidnap the honorable Governor Whitmer of Michigan" that turned out to be a bunch of idiots foaming at the mouth after every calculated hint from a gang of FBI agents and broadcasting their plans on social media, or the "terrible insurrectionist coup attempt" of January 6th, that was so insurrectionist and treasonous that apparently none of those arrested for their role in the event have been charged with insurrection or treason. One of the best responses to COOTIES-19 hysteria has been to remain stubbornly calm, and that response will be a pretty good idea as the world becomes more restless.

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    1. There is a lot of actual video evidence of what happened on Jan. 6. “Enslaved to their own hatred” is by far the most accurate description of those people I watched on the video that I could imagine. People attempting to justify the actions of those individuals feels like a secret combination to me.

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    2. Gavin,

      I have no clue what your comment means or if it directed at me. In case it is, just letting you know I have no idea what you are talking about.

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  4. Good stuff Rock. My employer indicated they intended to be 'fully compliant' the first chance they got. I'm preparing myself to do exactly as you indicated: refuse to quit, document everything, make them fire me. I don't think it will come to that though. I've given them a good many years of my career and I'm very good at what they do. Ultimately though, I recognize that they will always do what is best for them, notwithstanding my contributions to their organization. If I do get fired then I can simply look forward to a new experience somewhere else.

    Also, your link is broken in the paragraph:

    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."

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  5. Thanks for the heads up, Rhone. The link is now fixed.
    That source, Natural News, has some of the best stuff but I'm never able to share anything on that site because Facebook simply bans them from being seen.

    Agree with your strategy. Right now there are jobs galore with companies that are snubbing their noses at the current tyranny. If I was younger and didn't have a disabled wife to care for, it might be quite an adventure to start a new career doing something completely different from my previous life.

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  6. Joshua Tolley,
    I agree that the best response is to remain calm. And especially to have no fear. I have found that fear blocks the spirit of God from working within me, so although I have the usual concerns about what the future holds, I'm absolutely fearless because I have faith in God.

    We are indeed still in for some real rough times. None of us will have a fun time riding the inevitable recession/hyperinflation whipsaw that is surely coming. That cannot be avoided. But as for the nonsense the ruling class keeps throwing at us, if we can keep a sense of humor and a bit of patience, their schemes always seem to be exposed. The incidents you name of the fake Governor Whitmer kidnapping and January 6th turning out to be hatched and directed by undercover FBI operatives are prime examples.

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  7. Indeed these were the brainchilds of secret combinations, OpenMind. It used to take years for the truth to come out about false flag events staged by government operatives but we seem to live in a time when we get to the truth much sooner now.

    Regarding the Michigan Governor's fake kidnapping, I note that Viva Frei addresses the latest revelations on his podcast here:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGrUtAKH3Ck&t=46s

    That's one of the videos I've set aside to watch later, but I think I'll try and get to it today while I'm thinking about it.

    I'll also respond to your latest comment on last month's blog eventually; I just want to get more sleep because I was up all night writing this one.

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  8. I wish life was simpler and easier to understand. I am appalled that the LDS Church is marching along with the world when the world is so obviously controlled by Satan.

    I pray that God will guide us to whatever the truth may be.

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  9. Ah yes, January 6, the Day of a Dozen Contradictions. On one hand, there are videos, photographs, and eyewitness testimonies of protestors attacking capital guards, smashing windows, and climbing over walls. On the other hand, there are videos, photographs, and eyewitness testimonies of protestors calmly walking through the capitol building, led through halls by capitol police, and even having barricades removed by police before being waved through. I've seen both of these.

    There are claims that this was spontaneous, sparked by then-President Trump's speech, which led to a second impeachment trial. There are claims that this was pre-meditated by some, refuting the first. Claims that multiple capitol police have committed suicide after the trauma of the attacks. Claims that one speaker was placed on a no-fly list even though he never went to the capitol itself. On the night of the 6th, Trump said good-naturedly that it was time for the protestors to go home, then the next day used strong language to denounce the barbarism that occurred that day.

    There are more, but that's enough for me to ask "Who of all these parties are right? Or are they all wrong together? And if any one of them be right, which is it? And how shall I know it?"

    I don't think the violent ones in that protest were all plants; I also don't think none of them were. Whether the plants were from government agencies, Antifa, rabid Trump supporters, or a combination of the three, I don't know. But that's also just my thoughts, I don't know the hearts or minds of those who attacked. God does, so I'll leave that to Him.

    All I know is the Book of Mormon warned secret combinations would infest our society, just as it infested two prior civilizations. Even in the midst of such combinations, the people were still shocked to find the chief judge's brother was the one who killed him, as Nephi prophesied (Hel. 9: 26-36 LDS). The people couldn't believe the rumored Gadiantons were right in their backyard, in their own lives.Some dismissed him as a conspiratorial loon (Hel. 8: 1-5) until he was proven right.

    Sometimes "conspiracy theories" are true, and to dismiss them is to dismiss the truth. Sometimes such theories are false, and to accept them is to deny the truth. Dismissing anything with the label "conspiracy theory," however, gives power to the label, and to those who seek to hide their work under such a label. We all need to seek discernment from God to find such things out.

    (As a side note, I live with my wife's grandparents and their Down Syndrome daughter. The daughter plays various songs on repeat, and doesn't usually deviate. But on January 6th, only during the protest, she played MoTab's "Battle Hymn of the Republic" on repeat for a couple of hours. She hasn't played that song since. Strange occurrence, at least to me.)

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  10. I have no idea what Gavin was talking about either, OpenMind. He's a friend of mine and he normally makes a lot of sense. Don't know what he was referencing here, though. I know what pearl-clutching means, but I don't see any context here.

    I'll have to ask him. Better yet, Gavin, tell all of us what that cryptic message meant.

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  11. I took Open Mind's comment to mean that the January 6th thing was some sort of big deal. It wasn't really.
    totally blown out of proportion by the media. And anyone who still thinks it's a big deal after the actual evidence has come out seems to be clutching their pearls to me.

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    1. Oh sorry I hadn’t read below. It was fbi plants…how ignorant of me

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    2. I see I’ve hit a true chord enough to have my comments censored…nice…that’s actually often that a gage I use to know if something I said is actually close to the truth or not. If I offend enough, without intent to do so, to be selectively censored. Truth offends.

      Latest update on this blog post says to “know your enemy”. Is that what Christ taught? What was it He said to do in relation to your enemy? What it “know” them? I seem to recall it was something else…

      Delete
  12. Excellent well written article Rock. I find myself agreeing with every point you make - which is a new experience for me!
    Here in England the push-back is much greater than the media would have us believe. However, we have a Prime Minister who basically does the opposite of whatever he says he will or won't do, so the vaccine passport reprieve is probably only a temporary set back to their tyranical plans.
    Keep up the good work Rock.

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  13. Ah, Gavin! Now I get it.

    I must have read OpenMind's comment too quickly because I THOUGHT he was affirming skepticism about January 6th. As we know now, that event was swarming with FBI assets working undercover in order to stir up dissension. How do we know? Because all of the people in the footage available who are doing the real damage have been protected from prosecution while the people who wanderered around like peaceful tourists are still sitting in jail waiting to be charged.

    If the ruling class really wanted to investigate this thing, they would release the 14,000 hours of surveillance video. But for some reason they don't want us seeing what is on those tapes and absolutely refuse to release the real evidence.

    So yeah, in re-reading that comment I can see he is admitting he has no idea WHAT went on, while those who have been paying attention can easily see the entire event was a dishonest false flag. No difference between that and the pearl-clutching over the imagined Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot that is turning out to have been conceived, hatched, and implemented by the FBI. All produced in order to paint conservatives as wild-eyed rebels bent on "destroying democracy." You really have to laugh.

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  14. Robin Hood, I think this may be the second time you and I have found an area of agreement. Either I'm slipping or you are.

    Disappointing to hear your prime minister may waffle on this, but if he does I think the populace in the UK will REALLY stand up and roar.

    I also like the pushback I'm seeing among the people in France and Australia. Your country, as well as theirs, does not have the benefit of a Bill of Rights to stand in the bulwark. You can't fall back on a religious exemption as we have the right to do. It's a shame so many Americans, who have such legal protections, are so willing to roll over and submit.

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  15. What is the source of the quote, “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"? And you say that this went to all local leaders. I thought it was just to those in California.

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  16. Julene,
    The letter was sent to bishops and Stake presidents in California because that is where the requests for clarification came from (California has already "mandated" vaccines, although such mandates do not have the power of law). But the letter says clearly "NO Church official" can sign any such document, that rule holds worldwide.

    Here is Peggy Fletcher reporting for the Salt Lake Tribune:

    https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2021/09/10/lds-church-wont-help/

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  17. For those of you who have read the blog, there are a couple of important updates as of today. You'll find them at the very bottom of the page just before the comment section begins.

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  18. Of course, the Utah-based faith does have an “important doctrine about agency,” it says, “but that alone does not provide a religious basis for disobeying the law or demanding special exemptions from it.” from the Salt Lake Tribune article.

    I hate to break it to the 1st Pres., but the "vaccine mandate" is policy , not law. There is a huge difference between the two. A law has been thru the legislative process; and a policy could be from the executive branch, or judicial, but law and policy are not equal. We believe in upholding and honoring the law. Policy -- not so much as it doesn't apply to us, "the people", it applies only to those who hold office, those who are employees of the govt whether state, local or federal.

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  19. @ Linda Gale -

    The First Presidency, of late, seems to have a lot of difficulties with law, policy, or even understanding how a constitutional republic works.

    Dallin Oaks gave a talk last April conference where is said this:

    "A second inspired principle is the division of delegated power between the nation and its subsidiary states."

    https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/04/51oaks?lang=eng

    The 'states' are not subsidiaries of 'the nation'. A good argument could be made that there is no 'nation' in the United States. Instead, we have a federation of independent and sovereign states who have granted certain powers, like coining money, to a central government.

    The mere fact that Oaks, a lawyer by training, could get this wrong was more than a little distressing.

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    1. Listening to everything Dallin oaks has ever said and doing the exact opposite of all of it would be a pretty solid life path to walk. Dude is high level evil.

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    2. I would not necessarily disagree with you.

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  20. You've built a good case of reasoning as far as I can see. I also have been telling people to just hold on. Play your cards close to your chest. Get something in writing that an employer will accept liability for taking the V and the health consequences. This is my intuitive knowing, I havent built a case as eloquent as you have. But I have seen individuals, police departments and even some employers state they will not require the V for their employees or enforce a mandate. So these are good signs!

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  21. Who has censored you, OpenMind? I certainly haven't censored you on this forum.

    "Know your enemey," in this context, merely means to be aware of who is trying to harm you so that you can evade whatever evil they intend to inflict upon you and your family. A person who is 'wise as a servant" (proper translation) is in a better position to avoid evil than one who remains unprepared to face the dangers in life.

    We should continue to love our enemeis, bless them that curse us, do good to them that hate us, and pray for them which despitefully use us and persecute us. Happily, here in America we are not in subjugation to the government as were the people of Judea in Christ's day, so we have no obligation, either legal or religious, to SUBMIT to evil.

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  22. Michael, nearly everytime Dallin Oaks speaks these days, he seems to be twisting either the law or the scriptures.

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  23. Rebecca,
    Right you are. Those who are standing their ground are not being persecuted. Sadly, we hear of individuals who have been tricked into believing the only choice they have is to submit or resign, as with this police officer I recently posted on my Facebook page:

    https://www.facebook.com/rockwaterman/posts/10159776513307146

    As I commented, his reaction was admirable in one context, but in the other the only thing he managed to do was convinced others they have no choice but to submit.

    First Responders are WINNING. In this case, his resignation means he lost before he was even given an ultumatum.

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  24. Yea, the volunteer fire dept. where I still volunteer as a support person is "being required" to enforce the mandate, but is urging everyone NOT to quit, rather to request a temporary Leave Of Absense, request a medical or religious exemption, or to stay on and just (temporarily) not respond or participate.

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  25. Michael,

    Thank you for your comment on how the lawyer keeps getting it wrong.

    I also appreciate your statement about the states not being subsidiaries of 'the nation'. It is always surprising to find that some people do not realize that fact, but I guess Abraham Lincoln did his best to erase that inconvenient fact from people's memories.

    I think that perhaps we need a smaller government and a smaller number of people to govern. One size does not fit all, as some people crave liberty and some seem to be happy allowing the govt "guide" even their very personal decisions.

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  26. Is the LDS Church unwittingly allowing itself to be subject to the Great Reset?

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  27. Bart Burk -

    I wonder about this, but I'm hard-pressed to believe that they are doing much of anything "unwittingly".

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  28. "Listening to everything Dallin oaks has ever said and doing the exact opposite of all of it would be a pretty solid life path to walk. Dude is high level evil. "

    More than you know. A close friend of mine had personal interactions with Elder Oaks and was in his home and saw him up-close and personal, away from his public persona. He is not the person he presents.

    I once met Elder Bednar and looked him straight in the eye, kind of a soul-baring moment. He's no good either. The rats have taken over the ship, a fulfillment of Joseph Smith's last dream.

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  29. gruden,
    Bednar REEKS of demonic possession. It's so obvious I don't know how the average Brethrenite can't sense it.

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  30. https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/09/27/it-was-a-con-white-house-has-no-idea-when-or-even-if-osha-will-ever-provide-rules-to-support-legally-enforceable-worker-vaccine-mandate/

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  31. (Note to Rock: I have long resisted commenting because of Google and it's reach. I don't know how to 'pick a name or nickname' - I see no option for doing it, but if allowed, I'd like to be known here as Uncle Albert. If the system default is to the Google account name (Greg Post, or whatever), I guess I'll have to live with that...)


    I wonder - Why apply for (the privilege of) a "religious exemption" at all ? Why subject ourselves to the whims of employers or others to accept or deny our Rights ?! Why not appeal directly to our God-given Rights, and write employer-response documents in that vein ? We have Rights to not be coerced or intimidated, manipulated or bribed, and to not allow or be forced to accept injections or other procedures done upon our bodies. Our Rights include bodily ownership and autonomy. "...among these rights are Life, Liberty, and..."

    The pro-abortion theme "My Body, My Choice" has this truth deeply embedded in it. (Where they go over the cliff is in their sacramental worship of their "right" to murder their unborn babies, and compel those of us who object to pay for this infanticide via government tax-and-spend practices.)

    Making the issue about Rights, not applications, exemptions, privileges, approvals, permissions, and certifications by "ecclesiastical authorities" presumed to be over our Rights should be a much more powerful approach, rooted further in Constitutional protections, not reduced to allowances, indulgences, revocable waivers...

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  32. OK, now I see how it works - maybe you would edit out that first paragraph, and this one while you're at it...

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  33. Hi, Uncle Albert,

    This format will allow me to delted comments but I can't edit anything out of them.

    I see where you're coming from, but you'll recall that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted as a guarantee of constitutional rights, and since a lot of people (employers included) sometimes have to have it spelled out to them that they are not allowed to trample on a person's rights, that basic information is provided by statute. Yes, fundamental rights exist whether enacted into law or not, but it helps to have it spelled out for those who don't understand rights are inviolable and inalienable. That's where Title VII comes in, which specifies statutrily to all concerned that when a person claims his rights, those rights MUST be respected.

    Perhaps what is misleading is when some people refer to the process as an "application" e.g. as in "applying for an exemption. One does not "apply" for rights, one "Claims" rights. When you claim an exemption, you are not asking, you are telling. You are not making application, you are stating a claim for what is yours. You are putting the other person on notice that they are not allowed to infringe on your rights, and if they try to proceed, they do so at their peril.

    A claim of exemption serves as a constructive notice.

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  34. Very few people tend to understand just what "The burden of proof," means as well.

    If some idiot were to take me to court over the claim that "I killed his grandma with COVID," there are quite a few points that he would have to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt.

    - That COVID exists utilizing a pure, isolated sample.
    - That COVID is the result of a viral infection.
    - That I was infected with COVID at the time.
    - That the test used to diagnose COVID was accurate and precise.
    - That COVID is capable of transmitting between people.
    - That I was the one who transmitted COVID to grandma.
    - That I willingly transmitted COVID to grandma with the intent to kill.
    - That the test used to diagnose grandma was accurate and precise.
    - That grandma was infected by me and not anyone else with COVID at the time.
    - That grandma died as a result of COVID rather than dying while having tested positive.

    Given that the "experts" cannot even prove the first two, I can turn right around and slap the accuser with a defamation lawsuit for falsely accusing me of murder without any actual evidence.

    Sadly, society has sunken so far low over this whole fiasco because of its conditioning to blindly believe whatever someone in "authority" has to say rather than people understand and exercising their God-given rights.

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  35. Here is a foretaste of where taking up God's name in this dispute with one's employer over vaccination mandates will go: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5141457/

    "The number of vaccination refusals based on religious exemption is increasing. The question is whether religious freedom is a threat to public health, in this case to the vaccination system."

    Taking up God's name as a pretext to excuse oneself from vaccination mandates in order to maintain employment is itself being used as a pretext to eliminate religious freedom in order to preserve vaccination mandates. Opposition breeds opposition and enmity.

    "It is only individual parents or religious leaders and their questionable interpretation of religious practices that are opposed to vaccination, no religion as such. In order to protect vaccination from the questionable religious interpretation we should bring closer to the public the basic theological perspective. The society of the 21st century, just as many societies and cultures in the history of human civilization, use religion as an excuse for wars, discrimination, and now for vaccination refusal."

    They are saying: everyone who thinks their religion excuses them from vaccination mandates are wrong, should be opposed and undermined, and are on par with warmongers and sexists and racists.

    Remember: Christ said to care not for our lives nor our bodies, which entails not resorting to healthcare (hence prayer, mild food, and herbs: we let the will of God be done and suffer it, confessing his hand in all things). He said anyone who desires to preserve or extend or their lives in this world shall perish in the next world. And he said not to resist the evil people, but when they compel us, to fully yield and fully submit to their unjust demands, even going the extra mile.

    In this case, if presented with a choice between vaccination, taking up God's name to oppose vaccination in the hopes of maintaining our position in Babylon, and termination, the choice is clear.

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