While I have many posts criticizing fundamentalist Christians for allowing their religious beliefs to intrude upon medical care and science, the problem also extends to other religions. The Independent reports, Muslims urged to refuse ‘un-Islamic’ vaccinationsÂ
A leading Islamic doctor is urging British Muslims not to vaccinate their children against diseases such as measles, mumps, and rubella because they contain substances making them unlawful for Muslims to take.
Dr Abdul Majid Katme, head of the Islamic Medical Association, says almost all vaccines contain un-Islamic “haram” derivatives of animal or human tissue, and that Muslim parents are better off letting childrens’ immune systems develop on their own.
Dr Katme, an NHS psychiatrist, said: “If you breastfeed your child for two years – as the Koran says – and you eat Koranic food like olives and black seed, and you do ablution each time you pray, then you will have a strong defence system.”
The Department of Health and the British Medical Association have criticised Dr Katme, saying his suggestions are likely to increase infection rates of children in Muslim communities. Other Muslim groups have also condemned the suggestion.
This will not only harm the innocent children who are denied the vaccine, but will also increase the risk of diseases spreading. Vaccinations are not 100% effective, but besides protecting the specific individual vaccinated “herd immunity” decreases the risk by decreasing the overall prevalence of the disease, protecting those who fail to respond to the vaccine or those who do slip through the cracks. The more people who refuse the vaccine for religious reasons, the more likely others will also be at risk of contracting the disease.
Who do these muslims think they are,if they don’t want to immunize their children, thats up to them ! However when they move into a country where it’s the norm to do so, they should obide by their host countries laws, or move back to their own countries, where they can do as they please ! They audacity of this religion, is mind boggling, to out it bluntly..
Refusing vaccines is clearly within people’s rights under the law. Sad to see how this isn’t being respected. Since when did we in the west decide to do away with individual liberty, or put our faith in big pharma and their profit motive over mother nature and natural selection? So much for both “enlightened” and “liberal.”
I am not denying the right to refuse vaccines. That doesn’t mean that it is a wise idea.
ALL I COULD FIND& it's a Liberal!-> Muslims Urged to Refuse Vaccinations on Religious Grounds http://j.mp/hB8MYx #tcot #GOP
Hey Dan White….check the statistics…Do you know how many Americans refuse to immunize thier children based on religious and philisophical reasons? This is definately not a problem for just Muslims…too many people of all walks of life are refusing and not thinking about how thier choice impacts the whole society and no just thier kid!