Local News
LDS Church tells California leaders to not approve religious exemption to COVID-19 vaccine mandates
Salt Lake City, Utah— According to a report Friday from The Salt Lake Tribune, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will not be granted a religious exemption to COVID-19 vaccine mandates in California.
California now requires vaccines for health care workers, teachers, and others.
According to the Tribune reports, some Californian members of the faith (which is headquartered in Salt Lake City) have asked their local leaders to support their applications to receive religious waivers from their employers.
Church’s Area Presidency to local leaders in California sent a letter to the Tribune, which tells them to not sign such faith-based exemption applications.
“No church official can sign any kind of documentation supporting the notion that church doctrine/teaching is opposed to vaccination or that the church is opposed to vaccination mandates,” the letter reads, in part. “As to the former, the opposite is true [the church not only supports but also encourages vaccination]; as to the latter, the Brethren [top officials] have not taken a position.”
A month ago, the church’s top leaders urged members to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
And while fundamental teaching of the faith is “agency,” or the freedom to choose, the letter states that this “does not provide a religious basis for disobeying the law or demanding special exemptions from it.”
The letter even says if leaders sign such exemptions, it could be considered perjury.
-
Local News2 weeks ago
The Jewish community in the area responds to a potential Iranian invasion on Israel
-
Local News2 weeks ago
Gorilla in Hogle Zoo expecting a new little bundle of joy
-
Local News2 weeks ago
After 119 years, a Salt Lake company is moving to Murray, and the structure will be demolished
-
Local News2 weeks ago
Significant weather changes will bring Utah rain, snow, and cooler temperatures
-
Local News6 days ago
A large number of people start running in the Salt Lake City Marathon
-
Local News1 week ago
As we come to the end of another fantastic snowy year in Utah, here is the most recent flood forecast for the spring melt
-
Local News1 week ago
Using a deck of cards, a Utah man hopes to overcome his fear of flying
-
Local News5 days ago
Procedure for securely bringing prisoners from Utah to court
Leave a Reply