FEBRUARY 13, 2021
There may be no group of people in the world more susceptible to the dangers of COVID than Brazil’s remote indigenous villages. Because of their isolation, their bodies have far fewer natural defenses against diseases and exposure to COVID could be a disaster for them.
The good news is that Brazil has sent medical teams to vaccinate some of those communities. In some cases, that required going in with weapons (like bows and arrows) because those tribes aren’t eager to meet with strangers. But at least the people are getting their shots.
The bad news is that many villages are refusing to get vaccinated because they’ve been brainwashed by Christian missionaries.
The Guardian explains:
“It’s not happening in all villages, just in those that have missionaries or evangelical chapels where pastors are convincing the people not to receive the vaccine, that they will turn into an alligator and other crazy ideas,” [Claudemir da Silva, an Apurinã leader] said by phone.
…
“Religious fundamentalists and evangelical missionaries are preaching against the vaccine,” said Dinamam Tuxá, a leader of APIB, Brazil’s largest indigenous organisation.
Brazil’s conspiracy-fueling president Jair Bolsonaro hasn’t helped with his own vaccine skepticism, but it should trouble Christians everywhere that the anti-science mindset of certain kinds of evangelicals are creating a humanitarian crisis that will inevitably result in avoidable death.
It’s the natural consequence of a religion that teaches people to reject science that contradicts an ancient holy book and eventually leads people to doubt scientists altogether.
(Image via Shutterstock. Thanks to Brian for the link)
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