First, came this letter.
Pretty simple, straightforward, right?
The key word is "urge."
Some people insist the "urge" is a suggestion, not a commandment. Some have gone as far as to say this isn't from God, but echoes of politicians and medical personnel. So they don't have to obey.
Nevermind that Russell M. Nelson, our current prophet and renowned heart surgeon, got the vaccine as early as they could, along with other church leaders.
Or that time and again, the church has urged members to take care of themselves physically and to get vaccinated, not just for covid but for other serious ailments.
People have latched on to the idea of free agency -- which is fine, it's been mentioned by the church public affairs office -- but in context with not being free of consequences of their choices.
And nevermind the scriptural precedents, either, viz:
So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and awash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?
Let's look at the word urge again:
This is more than a suggestion, folks.
