140 countries are following Lumiere Charity blogs at present
Blessings on you all
Friday, December 31, 2021
140 COUNTRIES ARE FOLLOWING LUMIERE CHARITY BLOGS
Sunday, December 26, 2021
A LIT CANDLE HAS BEEN BURNING IN REMEMBRANCE OF ARCHBISHOP EMERITUS DESMOND TUTU R.I.P.
A LIT CANDLE HAS BEEN BURNING
IN REMEMBRANCE OF
ARCHBISHOP EMERITUS DESMOND TUTU R.I.P.
OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE
WITH THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS
OF ARCHBISHOP TUTU.
MAY STRENGTH AND BLESSINGS
BE THEIRS AT THIS TIME
OF GRIEF AND MOURNING.
Saturday, December 25, 2021
HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A BLESSED NEW YEAR TO ALL LUMIERE CHARITY READERS
Happy Christmas and a Blessed New Year
to all Lumiere Charity readers.
May blessings be with you and your loved ones
at this time of peace, joy and goodwill.
We pray for an end to the pandemic.
We thank Almighty God for the
emergence of natural immunity.
A candle has been lit by Lumiere in
remembrance of all who are suffering
or have lost ther lives since the
beginning of the pandemic.
Our thoughts are with their families,
colleagues and friends.
Monday, November 29, 2021
CONCERNS RAISED THAT ABORTED BABIES USED FOR VACCINE DEVELOPMENT WERE ALIVE WHEN THEIR ORGANS WERE CUT FROM THEM; ALLEGED NEWS
CONCERNS HAVE BEEN RAISED THAT ABORTED BABIES USED FOR VACCINE DEVELOPMENT WERE ALIVE WHEN THEIR ORGANS WERE CUT FROM THEM; ALLEGED NEWS. [1] Biologist Pamela Acker discussed her research into the HEK-293 fetal cell line, and spoke about the number that's at the end of that cell line name; Alleged News. [1]
"HEK" stands for "Human Embryonic Kidney", and "293" reveals the number of experiments that a specific researcher did to develop that cell line; Alleged News. [1]
Biologist Acker revealed that "for two hundred and ninety-three experiments, you would certainly need far more than one abortion. We're talking probably hundreds of abortions," Alleged News. [1]
Biologist Acker explained that these cell lines cannot be created using spontaneous abortions (miscarriages), because these cells have to be gathered within five minutes of the pregnancy loss; Alleged News. [1]
A miscarriage simply would not provide cells that were alive enough for researchers to be able to use the cells; Alleged News. [1]
Caesarean section
In order to obtain the cells, in most cases the procedure is not a simple abortion; Alleged News. [1]
Acker says, "They will actually deliver these babies via caesarean section. The babies are still alive when the researcher starts extracting the tissue; to the point where their heart is still beating, and they're generally not given any anesthetic, because that would disrupt the cells that the researchers are trying to extract. So, they're removing this tissue, all the while the baby is alive and in extreme amounts of pain," Alleged News. [1]
Fetal organ harvesting in 1952
Organ harvesting from a fetus in 1952 was described as follows; Human embryos of two and one-half to five months gestation were obtained from the gynaecological department of a (named) General Hospital. They were placed in a sterile container and promptly transported to the virus laboratory of the adjacent Hospital for Sick Children. No macerated specimens were used and in many of the embryos the heart was still beating at the time of receipt in the virus laboratory, Alleged News. [2] and [3]
This means that human babies - (whose growth in the mother's womb ranged from 2 and a half months to five months when they were removed from the womb by caesarean section) - were placed in sterile containers.
Many of the babies were still alive, their hearts still beating when they were admitted into the laboratory of the nearby Hospital for Sick Children. No unborn babies with mutilated tissue were taken to the laboratory. Thus, this was the method of organ harvesting described in 1952.
Organ harvesting in 2015
In 2015, an excerpt from a publication in a medical journal regarding the development of a new fetal cell line (Walvax-2) reads as follows:
"Source tissue material. The fetal material was provided by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Yunnan Hospital, with legal and ethical agreements from the donator. Before the study, we made strict and comprehensive inclusion criteria in order to guarantee a high-quality cell strain: 1) gestational age 2 to 4 months; 2) induction of labor with the water bag method; 3) the parent's career should not involve contact with chemicals and radiation; 4) both parents are in good health without neoplastic and genetic diseases, and with no history of human tissue or organ transplantation in the families traced for 3 generations; and 5) no infectious diseases.
"The tissues from the freshly aborted fetuses were immediately sent to the laboratory for the preparation of the cells," Alleged News. [4]
This means that a number of infants who had reached the age of two to four months within their mother's wombs were screened, and selected for pristine medical history. The date of the abortion was chosen, labour was induced, (that is, early birth was caused), organs were extracted (cut away or removed) while the child was alive (denoted by the word "fresh"), then transported to the laboratory for experimentation.
The cause of death is the removal of organs by vivisection, Alleged News. [4] Thus the eventual cause of the baby's death probably is the dissection (removal of the organs of the baby).
We are told that nine babies underwent this procedure: "Source tissue material. We obtained 9 fetuses through rigorous screening based on carefully specified inclusion criteria ..." [4] Walvax-2 was obtained from the lungs of an aborted three-month-old baby girl; Alleged News. [4]
Covid-19 vaccines and aborted fetus cell-lines
The following information with regard to Covid-19 vaccines and aborted fetus cell-lines reveals the following, Alleged News;
Moderna vaccine: Moderna used the fetal cell line HEK293 in the research and development of the vaccine, Alleged News. [5] The HEK293 fetal cell line originated from an aborted child in the 1970's, Alleged News. [5] HEK means Human Embryonic Kidney, and the number 293 denotes the number of aborted fetal experiments prior to establishing the cell line; Alleged News. [6]
Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine: Pfizer/BioNTech used the HEK293 fetal cell line in research and development of the vaccine, Alleged News. [5] Further, they used the HEK293 fetal cell line for testing the vaccine, Alleged News. [5]
ASTRAZENECA GROWS VACCINE IN ABORTED BABY CELLS
AstraZeneca vaccine: AstraZeneca used the HEK293 fetal cell line in research and development of the vaccine, Alleged News. [5] Further, they use the HEK293 fetal cell line during the manufacture process; Alleged News. [5]
AstraZeneca needs to propagate (or grow) the virus in the HEK293 cells in ongoing manufacture of the vaccine, Alleged News. [5] To propagate the virus in the HEK293 fetal cells means to grow it in them; Alleged News. [5]
Thus, AstraZeneca grows the virus in the aborted baby's cells known as HEK293 fetal cell line, in order to manufacture the vaccine; - as the viral vaccine is propagated (grown) in the aborted fetal cell line; Alleged News. [5] This is an ongoing process during ongoing vaccine manufacture; Alleged News. [5]
JOHNSON & JOHNSON GROWS VIRUS IN ABORTED BABY CELLS
Johnson & Johnson vaccine: Johnson & Johnson used PER.C6 fetal cell line in research and development of the vaccine, Alleged News. [5] Further, they use the PER.C6 fetal cell line during the manufacture process; Alleged News. [5]
To propagate the virus in the PER.C6 cells means to grow it in them; Alleged News. [5] Thus, Johnson & Johnson grow the virus in the aborted baby cells known as the PER.C6 fetal cell line, in order to manufacture the vaccine; - as the virus is propagated (grown) in the aborted fetal cell line; Alleged News. [5] This is an ongoing process during ongoing vaccine manufacture, Alleged News. [5]
The PER.C6 fetal cell line originated from an 18-week old aborted child, Alleged News. [5]
NOVAVAX VACCINE USES INSECTS AND MOTHS DURING DEVELOPMENT
Novavax: Novavax vaccine has reportedly not made it to market yet; Alleged News. [5] Novavax used its SF9 insect cell line process throughout the vaccine development; Alleged News. [5] Novavax Covid-19 vaccine reportedly include the use of moths; Alleged News. [6] The Novavax method uses moth cells to make spike proteins, Alleged News. [6]
Researchers select the desired genes that create certain certain SARS-CoV-2 antigens (spike protein); Alleged News. [6] Researchers then put the gene into an insect virus, known as baculovirus; Alleged News. [6] The baculovirus infects moth cells and replicates inside them, Alleged News. [6]
These moth cells create spike proteins, which are then extracted and purified, Alleged News. [6] This means that insect material and moth material are used to develop the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine, Alleged News. [6] Thus, a vaccine developed using insects and moths is planned for injection into a human being; Alleged News. [6]
Novavax used the HEK-293T aborted fetal cells during testing; Alleged News. [5] The company has decided to delay application for authorization until the end of the year; Alleged News. [5]
Covid-19 survivors have lasting natural immunity
After people recover from infection with a virus, the body's immune system retains a memory of it. Immune cells and proteins that circulate in the body can recognize and kill the pathogen if it is encountered again, thus protecting against disease and reducing illness severity. [7]
In other words, the body has a natural defence system in place. Researchers have found durable (long-lasting) immune responses in the majority of Covid-19 survivors studied, Alleged News. [7]
Antibodies against the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, which the virus uses to get inside cells, were found in 98% of participants one month after they showed onset of Covid-19 symptoms; Alleged News. [7] Antibodies are proteins that circulate in the blood, recognizing foreing substances such as viruses and neutralizing them. [7]
Levels of antibodies remained fairly stable over time, declining only modestly at 6 to 8 months after infection; Alleged News. [7]
Dr Daniela Welskopf stated that "several months ago, our studies showed that natural infection induced a strong response, and this study now shows that the responses last," Alleged News. [7] This means that survivors of Coronavirus infection have natural immunity against further attacks by the virus.
Facing a vaccine mandate
if you are facing a vaccine mandate and need help, contact FOR SA at https://forsa.org.za/case-for-religious-exemptions-to-taking-the-vaccine/ [8] or Children of God for Life at https://cogforlife.org/ The latter group helped hundreds of people in 2021 with conscience exemptions; Alleged News. [9] Every day COGFORLIFE successfully help individuals take a stand to exercise their freedom of conscience.
ABORTION IS MURDER
END THE USE OF ABORTED CHILDREN IN SCIENCE
THE ANSWER TO ABORTION-CONTAMINANT VACCINES IS ABSOLUTELY NOT
[1] The unborn babies used for vaccine development were alive at tissue extraction; Alleged News
[2] Canadian Journal of Medical Science. Thicke, et al. 1952. Cultivation of poliomyelitis virus in tissue culture: I. Growth of the Lansing strain in human embryonic tissues, Alleged News. Page 232
https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/cjms52-031
[3] Is it true that COVID-19 vaccines are created using organs of aborted infants? Alleged News
[4] Human vaccines and immunotherapeutics. Bo Ma, et al. Characteristics and viral propagation properties of a new human diploid cell line, walvax-2, and its suitability as a candidate cell substrate for vaccine production; Alleged News. 2015
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4526020/
[5] Guidance on getting the Covid 19 vaccine, Alleged News. Children of God for Life
https://cogforlife.org/guidance/
[6] Nebraska Medicine; Moths and tree bark; How the Novavax virus works, Alleged News
https://www.nebraskamed.com/COVID/moths-and-tree-bark-how-the-novavax-vaccine-works
[7] National Institutes of Health: Lasting Immunity found after recovery from Covid-19; Alleged News
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/lasting-immunity-found-after-recovery-covid-19
[8] The case for religious exemptions to taking the vaccine, Alleged News
https://forsa.org.za/case-for-religious-exemptions-to-taking-the-vaccine/
[9] Children of God for Life: End the Use of Aborted Children in Science
And Jesus Wept
With thanks to lifesitenews.com, cdnsciencepub.com, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, cogforlife.org, nebraskamed.com, nih.gov and forsa.org.za
Sunday, October 17, 2021
PFIZER VACCINE PROTECTION AGAINST COVID DIMINISHES RAPIDLY WITHIN MONTHS ACCORDING TO NEW STUDIES; ALLEGED NEWS
A VACCINE IS A BIOLOGICAL PREPARATION THAT PROVIDES ACTIVE IMMUNITY AGAINST A PARTICULAR INFECTIOUS DISEASE. Vacccination is considered successful if vaccine effectiveness and duration of protection is as close to 100% as possible. Yet recent studies provide evidence that Pfizer vaccine protection diminishes rapidly within months; Alleged News. [1]
Pfizer protection decreases to approximately 20%
Two new studies have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine; Alleged News. [1] In their study of Pfizer's vaccine, researchers in Qatar found that "protection against infection builds rapidly after the first dose, peaks in the first month after the second dose, and then gradually wanes in subsequent months,' Laith Abu-Raddad, of Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, and colleagues wrote. 'The waning appears to accelerate after the fourth month, to reach a low level of approximately 20% in subsequent months,' they added," Alleged News. [1]
Vaccinated population could lose protection
The study regarding the waning of Pfizer vaccine protection against Covid-19 - "Waning of BNT162b2 Vaccine Protection against SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Qatar" by Chemaitelly et al. - concludes with the following, "These findings suggest that a large proportion of the vaccinated population could lose its protection against infection in the coming months, perhaps increasing the potential for new epidemic waves," Alleged News. [2]
Infections increase in Israel despite vaccinations
In another study, "Waning Immune Humoral Response to BNT162b2 Covid-19 Vaccine over 6 months," by Levin et.al, the Israeli researchers concluded that "six months after receipt of the second dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine, humoral response was substantially decreased, espeically among men, among persons 65 years of age or older, and among persons with immunosuppression," Alleged News. [3]
The study states that "Despite high vaccine coverage and effectiveness, the incidence of symptomatic infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been increasing in Israel," Alleged News. [3]
Pfizer vaccine rapidly loses protection against COVID-19
The BNT162b2 vaccine is the Pfizer vaccine, Alleged News. [4] Thus, Israeli researchers' study shows that there was a significant decrease in protection within 6 months after the BNT162b2 vaccine, Alleged News. The researchers "found that a significant and rapid decrease in humoral response to the BNT162b2 vaccine was observed within months after vaccination," Alleged News. [3]
Pfizer requests to vaccinate children
Pfizer-BioNTech reportedly announced that full application has been submitted for authorization to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Covid vaccine for children aged five to eleven years; Alleged News. [5]
Pfizer-BioNTech have requested to have their coronavirus vaccine licensed for children ages 5 to 11 across the European Union; Alleged News. [6]
Pfizer tested vaccine on 6-month old babies
Pfizer and BioNTech said they submitted data to the European Medicines Agency, including late-stage results from a study testing their COVID-19 vaccine in more than 2,200 children ages 6 months to 11 years; Alleged News. [6]
Questions being asked
Questions are being asked by many. Why would further rollout of a vaccine which is apparently failing to achieve maximum protection be considered for babies and children, the most vulnerable of our society?
This question is asked in the light of the fact that research has found that children and youth may be at low risk of severe acute COVID-19, according to a study conducted during the first half of the pandemic and published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal), Alleged News. [7]
Fetal cell line used in Pfizer vaccine
Pfizer employee Ms Melissa Strickler, a Quality Auditor for Pfizer at McPherson, Kansas plant location, revealed Pfizer emails which indicated that the Covid-19 vaccine has been tested using cell-lines "taken from human fetal tissue", Alleged News. [8] Fetal tissue used for testing is usually obtained from abortion, Alleged news. [8] Now it has emerged that Ms Strickler has been let go from the company; Alleged News. [8]
COVID-19 SURVIVORS HAVE LASTING NATURAL IMMUNITY
After people recover from an infection from a virus, the body's immune system retains a memory of it. Immune cells and proteins that circulate in the body can recognize and kill the pathogen if it is encountered again, thus protecting against disease and reducing illness severity. [9]
This long-term immune protection involves several components. Antibodies - proteins that circulate in the blood - recognize foreign substances such as viruses and neutralize them. Different types of T cells help to recognize and kill pathogens. B cells make new antibodies when the body needs them. [9]
In other words, the body has a natural defence system in place. When a new virus or pathogen is encountered in the body, illness is experienced while the immune system figures out how to kill the new virus. Once the immune system has the new protection in place, subsequent encounters with the virus will most likely result in the virus being immediately overwhelmed and killed by the immune system. The body has thus developed natural immunity towards this particular virus.
All of these immune-system components have been found in people who recover from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19; Alleged News. [9] Research was carried out by researchers from the La Jolla Institute for Immunology, who carried out analysis of immune cells and antibodies from almost 200 people who had been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) and recovered; Alleged News. [9] The researchers found durable (long-lasting) immune responses in the majority of people (Covid-19 survivors) studied; Alleged News. [9]
Antibodies against the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, which the virus uses to get inside cells, were found in 98% of participants one month after they showed onset of Covid-19 symptoms; Alleged News.[9] Levels of antibodies remained fairly stable over time, declining only modestly at 6 to 8 months after infection; Alleged News. [9]
Virus-specific B cells - (that is, special white blood cells that can recognize Covid-19 virus as part of the immune system response to target and destroy the virus antigens) - increased over time, the study found; Alleged News. [9] Although the number of these cells appeared to reach a plateau after a few months, levels did not decline over the period studied; Alleged News. [9]
Levels of T cells to fight the Coronavirus also remained high after infection; Alleged News. [9] Six months after symptom onset, 92% of participants had CD4+ T cells that recognized the (Corona)virus; Alleged News. [9] These cells help co-ordinate the immune response to kill the coronavirus. About half the participants had CD8+ T cells, which kill cells that are infected by the coronavirus; Alleged News. [9]
"Several months ago, our studies showed that natural infection induced a strong response, and this study now shows that the responses last," Dr Daniela Weiskopf stated; Alleged News. [9] This means that survivors of Coronavirus infection have natural immunity against further attacks by the virus.
FACING A VACCINE MANDATE?
If you are facing a vaccine mandate and need help, contact https://cogforlife.org/ This group helped hundreds of people in 2021 with conscience exemptions; Alleged News. [10] Every day they successfully help individuals take a stand to exercise their freedom of conscience!
WANT TO HELP OUT-OF-WORK MS STRICKLER?
Ms Strickler requires support during this time. Want to help? Donate to the crowdfunding campaign at
https://www.givesendgo.com/PfizerWhistleblower
Prayer has been offered that Almighty God will bring about righteous methods of healing from the pandemic.
ABORTION IS MURDER
END THE USE OF ABORTED CHILDREN
IN SCIENCE!
THE ANSWER TO ABORTION-CONTAMINANT
VACCINES IS ABSOLUTELY NOT!
WE DON'T NEED TO USE VACCINES WITH ABORTED CELLS - MANY SURVIVORS OF COVID HAVE NATURAL IMMUNITY. FURTHER, THERE ARE MORAL ALTERNATIVE VACCINES.
VIEW THE LIST AT
https://cogforlife.org/wp-content/uploads/CovidCompareMoralImmoral.pdf
THIS IS ABORTION
[1] Studies show COVID-19 immunity from Pfizer vaccine wanes after 2 months; Alleged News.
[2] The New England Journal of Medicine. Chemaitelly et.al, "Waning of BNT162b2 Vaccine Protection against SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Qatar, "Alleged News, October 6, 2021
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2114114?query=featured_home
[3] The New England Journal of Medicine. Levin et. al, "Waning Immune Humoral Response to BNT162b2 Covid-19 Vaccine over 6 months, "Alleged News, October 6, 2021
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2114583?query=featured_home
[4] National protocol for COVID-19 mRNA vaccine BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech); Alleged News
[5] Pfizer asks US to allow Covid vaccines for children aged five to 11; Alleged News
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/oct/07/pfizer-covid-vaccines-children-ages-five-11
[6] Pfizer-BioNTech seeks EU Agency's Approval to Vaccinate 5-to-11 Year Old Kids; Alleged News
[7] Children and youth at low risk of severe acute COVID-19 during first part of pandemic; Canadian study; Alleged News
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-09-children-youth-severe-acute-covid-.html
[8] Project Veritas expose: Pfizer whistleblower is sacked, Alleged News
https://gript.ie/project-veritas-expose-pfizer-whistleblower-is-sacked/
[9] National Institutes of Health; Lasting immunity found after recovery from Covid-19; Alleged News
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/lasting-immunity-found-after-recovery-covid-19
[10] Children of God for Life: End the Use of Aborted Children in Science
With thanks to upi.com, nejm.org, gov.uk, theguardian.com, outlookindia.com, medicalexpress.com, gript.ie, nih.gov and cogforlife.org
Wednesday, October 13, 2021
RUSSIA TO INCREASE PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL & MEDICAL HELP TO PREGNANT WOMEN AS COUNTRY SEEKS TO REDUCE ABORTIONS BY 50%; ALLEGED NEWS
THE RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES ARE DEVELOPING PLANS TO BOOST THE QUANTITY OF SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE TO PREGNANT WOMEN IN AN ATTEMPT TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ABORTIONS, A CABINET OFFICE DECREE HAS REVEALED; ALLEGED NEWS. [1]
The recently published decree text names several possible ways to prevent pregnancy terminations, including medical and legal assistance to women in difficult life situations; Alleged News. [1]
The government intends to increase the percentage of women receiving pre-abortion counselling to 80% by 2025 with the goal of decreasing abortions by half; Alleged News. [1]
The document also seeks to implement other measures to promote healthy lifestyles, increase the birth rate, and boost life expectancy; Alleged News. [1]
Dramatic drop in number of abortions
Earlier this year, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova revealed that the number of abortions has dropped almost 40% since 2016, which she believes is mainly due to the work of counselors providing medical and social support for pregnant women; Alleged News. [1]
Last year, politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky proposed that the state pay women extra money to encourage women to decline having abortions, as a means to boost the country's population and prevent worsening of the demographic crisis; Alleged News. [1]
Plans to protect unborn children and traditional family values
Earlier this year Russia proposed plans to protect unborn children and traditional family values; Alleged News. [2]
A conference entitled "Legal and legislative aspects of supporting families and family values in the Russian Federation" - which is part of a United Russia project called "Strong Family" was held in early March 2021; Alleged News. [2]
A series of legislation to protect unborn children and traditional family values was proposed, in part to fight Russia's demographic crisis; Alleged News. [2]
Banning abortions
The proposals included banning private clinics from carrying out abortions, along with the removal of abortions from coverage from Russia's compulsory health insurance system; Alleged News. [2]
Further included would be laws intended to change Russia's culture into a culture of life, including the banning of the "propaganda of abortion"; Alleged News. [2] Propaganda that would be banned include a ban on information promoting abortion, calls for abortions and advocates for the safety of abortions; Alleged News. [2]
Deputy Vladimir Krupennikov
Deputy Vladimir Krupennikov proposed to strengthen punishment for abortion promotion; Alleged News. [2]
Deputy Inga Yumasheva
Deputy Inga Yumasheva, a member of the State Duma Committee on Family, Women and Children, proposed banning abortions in private clinics, along with abortions for minors without parental consent; Alleged News. [2]
President Putin
In October 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued an order to improve Russia's abortion prevention efforts in an effort to reduce the number of terminated pregnancies and offset Russia's population decline; Alleged News. [2]
[1] Russia to increase psychological, social & medical help available to pregnant women as country seeks to reduce abortions by 50%; Alleged News
https://www.rt.com/russia/535411-increase-help-pregnant-women/
[2] Russia has proposed plans to protect unborn children and traditional family values; Alleged News. [2]
http://lumierecharity.blogspot.com/2021/04/russia-has-proposed-plans-to-protect.html
With thanks to www.rt.com
Friday, October 1, 2021
The Individual is not to be Forced to Act in a Manner Contrary to Personal Conscience - Dignitatis Humanae
 |
Psalm 18I love you, O Lord, my Strength. The Lord is my Rock and my Fortress and my Deliverer, my God, my Rock in whom I take refuge, . |
The individual is not to be forced to act in a manner contrary to personal conscience;
Many are facing difficulties regarding the perceived overlap between religious freedom and personal civic duty.
Religious Freedom Definition; Freedom of Religion is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or in private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching practice, worship and observance.
Personal Civic Duty Definition; The responsibilities of a citizen.
What happens when, in the course of personal civic life, an issue arises that the citizen perceives as one which has connotations for personal religious belief?
A personal dilemma ensues, in which the person needs must make a decision as to what action to take.
This action is filtered through the person's conscience.
The Definition of Conscience is an inner feeling or voice viewed as acting as guide to the rightness or wrongness of one's behaviour.
DECLARATION ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
DIGNITATIS HUMANAE
ON THE RIGHT OF THE PERSON AND OF COMMUNITIES
TO SOCIAL AND CIVIL FREEDOM IN MATTERS RELIGIOUS
PROMULGATED BY HIS HOLINESS
POPE PAUL VI
ON DECEMBER 7, 1965
Excerpts from the Prophetic Dignitatis Humanae;
1. A sense of the dignity of the human person has been impressing itself more and more deeply on the consciousness of contemporary man,(1) and the demand is increasingly made that men should act on their own judgment, enjoying and making use of a responsible freedom, not driven by coercion but motivated by a sense of duty . . .
Religious freedom, in turn, which men demand as necessary to fulfill their duty to worship God, has to do with immunity from coercion in civil society . . .
2. This Vatican Council declares that the human person has a right to religious freedom. This freedom means that all men are to be immune from coercion on the part of individuals or of social groups and of any human power, in such wise that no one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his own beliefs, whether privately or publicly, whether alone or in association with others, within due limits.
The council further declares that the right to religious freedom has its foundation in the very dignity of the human person as this dignity is known through the revealed word of God and by reason itself.(2) This right of the human person to religious freedom is to be recognized in the constitutional law whereby society is governed and thus it is to become a civil right.
It is in accordance with their dignity as persons-that is, beings endowed with reason and free will and therefore privileged to bear personal responsibility-that all men should be at once impelled by nature and also bound by a moral obligation to seek the truth, especially religious truth. They are also bound to adhere to the truth, once it is known, and to order their whole lives in accord with the demands of truth. However, men cannot discharge these obligations in a manner in keeping with their own nature unless they enjoy immunity from external coercion as well as psychological freedom . . .
3. Further light is shed on the subject if one considers that the highest norm of human life is the divine law-eternal, objective and universal-whereby God orders, directs and governs the entire universe and all the ways of the human community by a plan conceived in wisdom and love. Man has been made by God to participate in this law, with the result that, under the gentle disposition of divine Providence, he can come to perceive ever more fully the truth that is unchanging. Wherefore every man has the duty, and therefore the right, to seek the truth in matters religious in order that he may with prudence form for himself right and true judgments of conscience, under use of all suitable means . . .
On his part, man perceives and acknowledges the imperatives of the divine law through the mediation of conscience. In all his activity a man is bound to follow his conscience in order that he may come to God, the end and purpose of life. It follows that he is not to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his conscience. Nor, on the other hand, is he to be restrained from acting in accordance with his conscience, especially in matters religious. The reason is that the exercise of religion, of its very nature, consists before all else in those internal, voluntary and free acts whereby man sets the course of his life directly toward God. No merely human power can either command or prohibit acts of this kind.(3)
11. . . .He acknowledged the power of government and its rights, when He commanded that tribute be given to Caesar: but He gave clear warning that the higher rights of God are to be kept inviolate: "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's" (Matt. 22:21).
12. . . .Thus the leaven of the Gospel has long been about its quiet work in the minds of men, and to it is due in great measure the fact that in the course of time men have come more widely to recognize their dignity as persons, and the conviction has grown stronger that the person in society is to be kept free from all manner of coercion in matters religious.
Exegesis;
Pope Paul VI directly addressed the right of the individual and communities to Social and Civil Freedom in matters Religious.
The Prophetic Pope affirms the following;
Contemporary people have a sense of their own dignity.
The demand was increasingly made that the individual should act on own judgement with responsible freedom.
The individual should be free from coercion when acting on own judgement, and should be motivated by a sense of duty (sense of responsibility).
The individual is not to be forced to act in a manner contrary to personal conscience.
The individual has the right to religious freedom.
Immunity from external coercion and psychological freedom is needed when searching for truth, especially religious truth.
The highest norm of human life is the divine law whereby God orders and governs the universe.
When making decisions in daily life, each person needs to weigh up personal decisions to be made in the light of his or her own personal informed conscience.
Sometimes a situation may arise which reflects a change in societal norms, and this may challenge the individual with situations arising therefrom.
It is important to remember Jesus the Master's Teaching; "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's."
To God we owe our allegiance and obedience to His Word according to our own conscience.
If our conscience strongly advises us not to participate in an action or situation which would go against our deepest and most cherished religious beliefs, then we must need follow our conscience in all things that do not lead to sin.
We individually, and we alone, will stand before Almighty God at the Judgement Seat
No one can make that decision for us. We individually, and we alone, will stand before Almighty God at the Judgement Seat after we make our journey from this life to the next.
We need thus to protect our eternal destiny and make informed and wise decisions in this world which we can calmly accept as the best decisions to have made, when we speak to God in the next world.
As Pope Paul VI has guided us in Dignitatis Humanae, we cannot abrogate the right to another to make our personal decisions for us.
We - individuals made in the Image and Likeness of Almighty God - must make decisions that will bear up to the standards God set for us when He made us like Him.
Sometimes we are faced with a situation- in which our spiritual and practical duty is clear to us in line with our conscience - when we feel the difficulties of possible coercion from external factors to change our mind.
God, the end and purpose of life
Our duty is clear.
In all activity an individual needs to follow personal conscience in order to come to God, the end and purpose of life.
It follows that the individual may not be forced to act in a manner contrary to personal conscience, especially in matters religious.
The reason is that the exercise of religion consists in internal, voluntary and free acts whereby the individual sets the course of personal life directly toward God.
Dignitatis Humanae affirms that no merely human power can either command or prohibit acts of this kind.
We thus need to follow our informed and balanced conscience in matters religious, when our decisions do not lead to sin.
NOTES
1. Cf. John XXIII, encycl. "Pacem in Terris", April 11, 1963: AAS 55 (1963) p. 279; ibid., p. 265; Pius XII, radio message, Dec. 24, 1944: AAS 37 (1945), p. 14.
3. Cf. John XXIII, encycl. "Pacem in Terris", April 11, 1963: AAS 55 (1963), p. 270; Paul VI, radio message, Dec. 22, 1964: AAS 57 (1965), pp. 181-182.
Declaration on Religious Freedom 'Dignitatis Humanae'
http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651207_dignitatis-humanae_en.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)