I can’t help a lot here. I know the old testament pretty well, but I read Relevations once or twice, and concluded it was someone’s drug-induced fantasy, which is hardly a helpful starting point.
If you really want to help her, you will have to read Revelations and familiarize yourself with it, and especially with the parts about the mark of the beast. And then look to see how the vaccine doesn’t match it (which should be pretty obvious, especially if they are literalists. I mean, the Bible doesn’t talk about vaccines at all.)
And you are much more likely to succeed if she’s influenced by strangers on the internet than by her pastor. She probably trusts her pastor more than she trusts you.
But off the top of my head, I would discuss how it looks like the vaccine is a defense against the horseman of plague, and I like the bit about not testing God, and also what kanicbird says post 9, about how protecting others from plague is an act of love
Also, just in general, people rarely change their mind on something all at once, and if you press them, they press back. Best to give people a new perspective to think about, and then give them room and time to think about it. And of course, approach her because you care about her and her loved ones, not as a nag.
You can quote all the religious leaders who’ve endorsed Covid vaccination and ask her if they’re sincere interpreters of God’s will, or tools of Satan (be nice about it, or she might raise your rent out of spite).
On the other hand, I hear Pfizer originally wanted to call its vaccine Preparation 666, but only switched to Comirnaty after a negative response from focus groups.
Yeah, dat ole God is a funny fellow, eh?
Still, some clowns would probably refuse the cure because they’d be worried about side effects. Like being alive. I can hear them, “if you’re alive you can get sick. Who’d want that?”
Ask her if she got any vaccinations growing up, measles, polio, etc. Ask her if she’s ever had a flu shot. Why would the Covid vaccine be any different?
Morally, because you can without much cost to yourself. She’s clearly being tricked, and is not a horrible person.
Practically, because every person we convince to get vaccinated saves lives. And, if we convince her, she would be in a better position to convince others.
It’s also a decent exercise in coming up with arguments. Maybe they won’t work on her, but you’ll have something you can use later.
As for my advice? Act like you’re willing to be convinced, and have her try to prove it to you. Take the position of student, not teacher. And have her try to prove it to you. Say stuff like “I’d feel better if you could show me the scripture that says that the vaccine is the Mark of the Beast.” Act confused, like you don’t understand, and make her show it.
Alternatively you can do the opposite, but you have to be more tricky. “I already got the shots, and now I’m worried I’ll go to hell. What should I do?” Make her have to prove to herself that God wouldn’t condemn her if she got the vaccine.
The OP reports she and her husband believe that rock formations such as (formerly) the Old Man of the Mountain aren’t pareidolia but actually petrified examples of ancient giants like the biblical Goliath. Her husband is big into collecting rocks that look like lungs and livers and hearts, and claiming that they actually are petrified organs.
That doesn’t sound like she has been tricked - it sounds like she is stupider than a box of hammers and crazier than a shithouse rat. The points you make about her being a danger to others are valid. Weighing against that, does the gene pool really need people like her? I’m probably being unkind but if there’s one thing this pandemic has shown me it’s that the Stoopid are mostly harmless most of the time; but can be a substantial positive liability in a crisis. I’m getting a bit tired of them.
Yep, and the OP just has to hope the landlady doesn’t immediately suss out that her tenant is being a disingenuous asshole about her core beliefs.
The Socratic method only works if the teacher knows enough about the subject to ask difficult questions that lead to the truth. It can also be an intensely frustrating experience for the student: even when done with the best intentions.
If the OP, who presumably does not have the biblical knowledge necessary to wage that kind of battle, takes this approach, the only thing they’ll be doing is giving the landlady the opportunity to reaffirm her own beliefs by evangelizing them to a nonbeliever. Ask for scripture? She’ll show you ten lines that make perfect sense to her. Ask for clarification? She’ll show you ten more that make perfect sense to her. Continue to express confusion? She’ll save you a seat this coming Sunday and you can talk to the preacher after the service.
Not at all. I know a number of devout Christians who are intelligent and thoughtful, and apply rational scientific method to their health decisions. And i know lots of people of all and no religious persuasions who jump to a conclusion and stick to it, impervious to any reason.
I understand that religion is sometimes used as a bludgeon to prevent adherents from questioning. But… So are other philosophies. And religion doesn’t have to be used that way, and often isn’t.
