In case you missed it, a little more than a month ago The Gospel Coalition editor Joe Carter published a short article titled, “The FAQs: What Christians Should Know About Vaccines.” And in line with what Focus on the Family has said, as well as Creation.com, it was terrible.

On a positive note, over at New City Times, a 6-part series of articles responding to Joe Carter was published that completely blows most pro-vaccination arguments out of the water. As Dr Conners read them, he said, “How any rational human being with a functioning frontal cortex can read this and still defend vaccinations confirms how great a deceptive power the enemy bestows.” I highly recommend you read them all, and save them for reference. Dr Conners has been speaking against vaccines his entire career, and the fight is not getting any easier. Please share these with your friends and family that are willing to listen.

Below is a brief snippet of article #1, the introduction.

A recent article at the Gospel Coalition manifests one contributor’s decision to wade into the debate regarding vaccines. Contributing Editor, Joe Carter, planted his flag firmly on one side of the debate.

If I had to summarize the gist of Carter’s position in three statements, they would be:

  • The debate is settled: modern vaccination programs are safe, ethically sourced, and the results are amazing, let’s celebrate!
  • Skepticism of the vaccine program is unwarranted, and results in practices which are unloving to neighbor, harmful to their children and society.
  • If Christian parents ultimately decide against vaccinating, they should reasonably be prepared to accept banishment from public institutions, and they are also to be held morally responsible if their child (or someone else’s child) dies because they chose not to vaccinate.

An Uncritical, One-Sided Perspective

I’m not sure to what degree, if any, Carter is willing to be persuaded from his position. I used to passionately write the same things he wrote, before really opening myself up to hear both sides of the debate. Regardless, my goal in writing is not mainly an attempt to persuade Joe Carter; it’s to offer an alternative viewpoint which I firmly believe deserves consideration for many reasons.

Reluctantly I have to say that Carter’s arguments represent an uncritical, one-sided perspective which essentially repeats half-truths and other industry talking points while demonstrating he doesn’t really know what the opposing perspective’s best arguments are. It almost reads like he asked google for anti-vaccine skeptic talking points that he repackaged into his article. To that end, much of what Joe confidently posits as obvious is actually on much shakier ground than he realizes. I fully understand that there is a need to be skeptical about what we read, as long as that goes both directions.

With that said, this article will respond to Joe Carter in two ways. First, in this article I will respond directly to some of the more questionable points that Carter makes in his original post on The Gospel Coalition website. Second, I will lay out five reasons why parents have a legitimate reason to be skeptical of the vaccine program as currently administered in the United States. These five reasons will be addressed in articles I have written as linked to at the conclusion of this article.

Continue reading the series and be edified:

Introduction: The Gospel Coalition & Vaccines: A Response to Joe Carter

Part 1: Vaccines & Aborted Babies: Should Christians be Concerned?

Part 2: Are Vaccines What Saved Us from Epidemics of Infectious Disease?

Part 3: Is the US Vaccination Program Safe?

Part 4: What About Herd Immunity?

Part 5: Are Vaccine Skeptics Conspiracy Theorists?