Avoid Vaccines Because Jimmy Savile Was A Paedophile

Repugnant anti-vaccine wingnut John Stone

John Stone (who is, as we're all well aware, a cock) has surpassed himself today. He's claiming that no-one should be vaccinated because Jimmy Savile was a paedophile. Or something. Actually, I haven't a fucking clue what point he's trying to make... Let me go back a little.

A few days ago, some knob by the name of John Gilmore posted a fairly standard load of shite at Age of Arseholery, trying to rev up its New Jersey readership into contacting their senator to stop a bill designed to tighten up "religious" exemptions for vaccines. According to Gilmore (and, for the purposes of taking the piss out of John Stone I have no idea, and indeed care less, whether he's right),

If S1759 is signed into law, it will require parents seeking a religious exemption to:

• Specify their exact religious tenets;
• Explain the nature of the religious tenet or practice that is implicated by the vaccination;
• Explain how administration of vaccines would violate, contradict, or otherwise be inconsistent with that tenet or practice;
• etc etc…

You get the idea.

Now, to rational people, that might seem reasonable. If you're going to claim an exemption or benefit for anything, not just vaccines, on the basis of your religion, you should really be required to explain why your religion entitles you to that benefit - and to show that you really do follow that religion, and aren't just making it up. If I told my boss I needed to leave early on Fridays in Winter to get home before sunset because I'm Jewish, I think he'd want a bit of evidence - and he might start questioning the odd bacon sandwich here and there.

So why should it be any different for vaccines?

But I digress…

A commenter (who seems to have no axe to grind) has asked:

Which actual religions have a prohibition on vaccines?

It's a perfectly reasonable question, if a rather awkward one, as I don't think there is one. I thought the Church of Christ, Scientist (Christian Scientists) did, but it seems not - more on that later.

As is to be expected, when faced with an awkward question that makes it through the micromesh that is Age of Autism's moderation policy, John Stone jumps in and starts flinging irrelevant words around.

Which actual religions prescribe vaccines? Most religions have ethical tenets and people could feel that these are being transgressed. Offering a child up to the scientistic belief systems surrounding vaccination might be one of way of transgressing your beliefs - a totemistic belief in dogma (Prophet Paul Offit).

Now my answer would be "most of them", as most religions are quite keen to, y'know, keep the faithful alive.

Stone then does the "science as religion" gambit, and even throws in a "worshipping false idols".

Still, it's about what you expect from Stone when faced with a question he either doesn't know the answer to, or the answer doesn't fit his beliefs.

Anyway, the rest of the echo chamber chimes in, suggesting that Christian Scientists don't vaccinate, and then just descending into irrelevant toss.

With much prayer and reflection I know God is on the side of saving our children from harm, I don't need a religious group to join in with my beliefs or to have my back.

See - fucking wingnuts, the lot of 'em.

Anyway, the poster of the original question, one John O'Neill pops up again, showing that Christian Scientists do not, as popularly believed, have a prohibition on vaccination, and - and this is the best bit - calling Stone out on his ridiculous comment.

John Stone - There are plenty things that no religions prescribe: Watching television, flying in aeroplanes, playing cricket - that isn't an argument to avoid them.

Stone then loses it completely, and sets off on one, likening the vaccine industry to ex-Radio 1 DJ and alleged paedophile Jimmy Savile:

There might not be specific prohibitions against television in most religions - Amish? - but that doesn't mean watching anything on television is alright. People might very well say certain television programmes were harmful to their children or harmful in general. In the UK we recently learnt that one of our most celebrated TV personalities was using his position to serially sexually abuse children, the disabled, the orphaned, the insane, maybe even the dead in industrial quantities, and even with the help of the Department of Health. Last year when he died he was accorded about the grandest public funeral since the Queen Mother, but with all the shows of big heartedness, the millions raised for charity he was all the time pursuing harm, sponsored and protected by the BBC, and much of the British establishment. It is now being seriously suggested that a paedophile ring was being operated from the cabinet office in No 10 Downing Street at an unspecified period. Personally, I never watched him deliberately, would switch off if I saw him, and actively the whole thing was as it turned out just a big pretext to pursue criminal harm to children and other vulnerable people.

Oh, my aching sides!! That's the stupidest thing he's ever said, and that's a high target.

So there you have it, John Stone says don't vaccinate because Jimmy Savile was a paedophile - and that's religious exemption, kids!

Or something.

I don't know about you, but I'm fucking convinced.