Religious leaders condemn anti-vax message of Covid-19 rallies

Religious leaders are fighting back against the misconception that people of faith are anti-vaccination and are encouraging their flock to get the jab.

Founder of the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia Keysar Trad said he was in favour of any type of medication that would prevent the spread of a virus. Picture: John Feder

“The blood of Jesus is my vaccine,” read one protester’s sign at Sydney’s violent anti-lockdown rally on the weekend.

Others quoted the Book of Revelation. Or simply: “Jesus saves.”

But religious leaders are fighting back against the misconception that people of faith are anti-vaccination and are encouraging their flock to get the jab.

“There are a number of problems with that first statement, the most obvious is that Jesus does not promise his followers protections from any kind of sickness,” Kanishka Raffel, Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, said.

“In God’s kindness he has provided doctors and medical science that we can develop treatments. Those treatments can be embraced by Christian people as God’s good provision for his people.”

The illegal rally was condemned by state leaders as an “utterly disgusting” demonstration against public-health orders that could endanger the lives of many.

“We would urge anyone at that protest for the sake of themselves, their family and the community at large to come forward for testing,” NSW Health’s Jeremy McAnulty said in the aftermath. “No matter what you think, Covid is a serious disease,” he said.

That sentiment was shared by Rabbi Jeremy Jones, the director of international and community affairs at the Australia-Israel Jewish Affairs council.

“I have not seen any serious Jewish religious figure who has not told people they must do everything in their power to restrict the spread of a virus that is killing people,” he said.

“Every single person there knew they were breaking the law. To be involved in something which was campaigning against public-health measures, campaigning against saving your own life, it was very concerning.”

Founder of the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia Keysar Trad said he was in favour of any type of medication that would prevent the spread of a virus.

“From an Islamic perspective once the science is proven it becomes a religious obligation of believers to take these measures for ourselves, because it’s not just your personal safety it’s the safety of those around you,” he said.

“The Koran says: ‘Whoever causes the death of a person it’s as if this person has caused the death of all of humanity.’”

Maronite Catholic Bishop of Australia, Antoine-Charbel Tarabay said the rallies were “unacceptable.”