Can I claim Religious exemption from MMR Immunization without church letterhead from a college?
Reasoning is It goes against my personal beliefs but I don't belong to a church where it goes against tenets (there are people who believe like me but its not the stance of the church)
The college said I need church letter head signed by clergy member, but they wont do it if its not a church stance.can they even request that? It feels like they are questioning my beliefs!
Answers:
Many times, you can get them to accept a letter from a medical doctor saying that vaccination is against your earnestly held religous beliefs.
You should be informed about the mercury question, through:
For many years injectable vaccines often contained a mercuric preservative known as Thimerosal. Mercury-based preservatives were removed from the MMR and other vaccines in 1999. No MMR vaccine currently produced in the United States is allowed to contain any mercury or mercury product.
Furthermore, the vaccine itself (now mercury-free) is truly a natural product, containing virus antigens from the viruses that cause measles, mumps, and rubella. It simulates your body's natural exposure to these viruses, thereby allowing your immune system to build up a defense.
In case the preceeding information did not change your mind, however, you might be interested in knowing that churches and clergy are never "registered" or "licensed" or regulated in any way by the state (separation of church and state etc.). The only requirement for you to be a clergy member is that you have been ordained by an incorporated religious society, and the only requirement for a church to be a church is that somebody says it exists.
So, if you want to show your school up, have a friend start a "church" and then have them get ordained (for free) from one of the on-line "ministries" like the Universal Life Church (which has been ordaining ministers via mail-order since 1959, and one of the central tenets of this "church" is that each member is free to practice the religion in the way they see fit). Then, have your newly "ordained" friend write you a nice letter..
Legally, the school will be bound to accept it.
They can't discriminate against you based on religious beliefs. So if it was your church's religious beliefs not to get immunized then they would have to respect that or face a possible discrimination lawsuit. Otherwise they can ask you to do whatever they want in order to go to "their" school. And why are you against immunizations? That makes you a health hazard and you could put other students at risk. The school asks for these things as a matter of health and safety for your fellow students. I went to a college (a Catholic college by the way) that required tb testing. If we had the antibody they would quarantine us and have us go through rigorous treatments before allowing us to live with fellow students. It makes sense to me. If your so against it, go to a school that doesn't care.
I thought MMR's were supposed to be done before starting kindergarden. That's odd that you're college age and never got them thus far. How did you get out of the first 12 years of immunization requirements?
Everything you eat or do puts your body in contact with chemicals.
The statutory language for Florida vaccine policy clearly states that religious exemption must be granted without question if vaccination conflicts with a person's religious convictions. A religious objection may be expressly implied by religious denomination or it may be based on an individual's own moral/spiritual conscience to live God's Word.
Agents acting on behalf of the state in vaccination matters are prohibited from requesting ANY administrative proof that explains the recipient's religious belief or that proves membership in an "acceptable" or specific religion. The state may NOT discriminate between religious denominations and may NOT make judgments regarding religious convictions.
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