“Can a Pastor who is thinking Biblically about the threats on employments, freedoms, rights, travel, and family, be heartened by the fact that so many people have given up, and given in to Government overreach?”
If the church were to take a bold stand on this matter of vaccine certificates, it would undoubtedly involve some degree of confrontation with the world. In Daniel’s case, non-compliance was a death sentence, but not even the prospect of being mauled by lions reduced him to rationalising why it might be more spiritual to pray in his prayer closet, and that, with the windows closed.
“We did not expect to get this much traction with our letter, but we praise God that he has used three ‘poorly trained and uneducated ministers’ (to quote our critics) to draw attention to a very serious issue, and we believe, a very serious threat to the unity of the Church.”
“Up till this point, there has been ‘crickets’ from the church but following the publication of the ED suddenly key evangelical conservatives were mobilised – no, not in support, but to undercut this initiative of other Christians.”
“This shows how important it is that we continue to advocate on this. Australia must avoid becoming a two-tier society,” Pastor Littlefield said.
“After reading the Ezekiel Declaration I felt compelled to write and pledge our support to you, your faith community, and for your stance.”
“We cannot sit idly while patients are forced to go home and sicken in place. These policies may actually constitute crimes against humanity.”
“The Ezekiel Declaration is the Church wielding the Gospel, reminding the State wielding the Sword, that it must radically reverse any and all policies that serve to enslave and harm, rather than liberate and heal.”
The letter, dubbed The Ezekiel Declaration, was authored by three Queensland-based pastors who vowed to passionately resist any vaxx certificate system enforced on the church.
“Church leaders were not forced to become what they were not, but they were rather tested by the Lord and their basic default was exposed for all to see.”
“You would think a society in the slough of despond, in and out of lockdown for almost two years, would be a grand opportunity for Christian ministry. Instead, the church meekly accepted their designation as non-essential.”
“Our government, and the scientists they choose to listen to, have successfully whipped up such an atmosphere of fear that people are now genuinely frighted to do things which pose only a minimal risk to them.”
A biblical/gospel issue regarding the government’s reaction to Covid-19.
“Both my wife and I are in education and will lose our jobs. I can’t even bring this up at church because the expectation is that we follow the government orders. There is no empathy or understanding as to why we wouldn’t ‘just get the jab’.”
“The massive wave of protests in Australia follows months of protests in France, and the rising wave of visible dissent in Austria, and Italy, as governments continue to pursue a hard-line authoritarian course further into the abyss of therapeutic totalitarianism.”
“It appears that in many cases, there has not been ‘valid consent’ because of undue pressure, coercion, manipulation and withholding of risks. This is wicked and shameful, particularly considering that we are supposed to be a democratic and free society.”
We must strongly oppose the campaign being waged by some evangelical intellectuals to de-legitimise the concerns and emotions that lie behind Covid vaccine hesitancy and thereby void the church’s responsibility to speak up about significant human rights violations.
“Freely given consent to any medical treatment, particularly in the context of a clinical trial, is not optional. Coercion is completely incompatible with consent, and denying a person the ability to work and participate in society if the person does not have a COVID vaccine will unquestionably breach this fundamental and internationally recognised human right. Can COVID vaccinations be mandated by employers on health and safety grounds? The short answer to this question, in almost every case, is no.”
“The Conforming has lost the confidence of a significant bloc of ordinary, lay-Christians. When lockdowns and other severe rules were imposed in 2020, and most churches dutifully followed the edicts of governments and closed their doors, those of a Non-conforming mindset—often suffering severely under economic, emotional, and spiritual hardship—found themselves ‘like sheep without a shepherd’.”
