Indiana For Medical Freedom would like to thank Kara Kenney of RTV 6 for reporting a balanced news story. Here is the link to her story that includes an interview with IFMF co-founder, Melissa Sfura.
Despite the shocking headline, Indiana schools have a religious exemption rate of ONLY 1.5% of all school children.
Apparently, the physician interviewed, Dr. John C. Christenson a professor of clinical pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine Ryan White Center for Pediatric Infectious Disease and Global Health, thinks that Indiana should abolish religious freedoms that only a very small minority, 1.5%, of Hoosier families express.
“There are many people who declare a religious exemption, and nobody questions it, and that’s where some of the problems lie,” said Dr. Christenson. “I’m a believer that having mandates and taking away exemptions may be a good thing. It’s too easy.”
Well Dr. Christenson, you might want to read the Indiana State Constitution which contains the following statement:
Section 2. All people shall be secured in the natural right to worship ALMIGHTY GOD, according to the dictates of their own consciences. (History: As Amended November 6, 1984).
Section 3. No law shall, in any case whatever, control the free exercise and enjoyment of religious opinions, or interfere with the rights of conscience.
Then after you read our state Constitution, Dr. Christenson, you need to read the Constitution of the United States of America. You see, Doctor, we enjoy the right to freedom of religion in this country. A freedom that many of us aren’t keen to give up, and a freedom we aren’t too happy to see you want to take away.
Many people have religious beliefs that do not allow injecting aborted baby cells into their bodies, but that is not the only religious reason to claim an exemption. Kevin Barry of First Freedoms has a website listing various reasons.
The religion of Purism has several scriptures listed regarding religious beliefs and vaccination.
The bottom line is, we have a God given right to religious freedom no matter what a person’s beliefs are. It is very unfortunate that Dr. Christenson does not share a belief in religious freedom.