Polio vaccinators killed by angry Muslims

Who the **** is Jenny McCarthy? If the Pope or some other Catholic authority went around saying vaccines cause autism and a bunch of Catholics ended up killing vaccinators, then damn right I'd blame religion. You can argue that it isn't Islam as a whole, but clearly that branch of Islam in Nigeria is large enough to do the damage.

she is one of the more prominent faces of the anti-vaccine movement in america.

and why? if they are not using their belief to justify it, how is it the religions fault? it is perfectly fine to assign blame to the person spouting the nonsense in the first place, but when even the person spouting the nonsense does not think it is to do with their religion how is the religion to blame?

Well if she isn't a Catholic authority, and is just someone who happens to be Catholic, she has no religious platform to speak from. Is she a priest or bishop or something?

The reason religion is to blame is because religion is the reason they're being listened to. Their religion has put them in a position of religious influence, and that influence is what's caused this stuff.

no she is not, but she is using just as much religious justification as the people in the article were: none.

the anti-western culture of these countries means that whoever is in power is going to be against the vaccines, and being in a position of power would be listened to. since their is no religious justification it is just luck of the draw that the people in a position of influence use religion for to do so, the same would have happened if the people in power influenced people through other means

They're in a position of religious power. They know that people will listen to them because of their religion, even if it's something like "Nobody should litter because it's messy". If people wouldn't have listened to the same message coming out of some random nobody's mouth but did when it came from the mouth of a religious authority, it's clear that it's due to the religion.

but it is a case of muslims saying these things because they are in a position to do so, not because they are muslim

surely for some leaders their interpretation of events may have a religious slant?

Example of a Dr against vaccinations wanting to make Muslim parents aware of them being Haraam (in his view)...

http://www.vaccinationcouncil.org/2011/01/20/islam-vaccines-and-health-2/

Now I'm not saying his interpretation is correct, I imagine he's a maverick, but he does justify his views in the context of what Islam/the Qu'ran would say on the matter, even if his interpretation is incorrect.

If Islamic leaders in these nations have a mixture of anti-Western feeling and sources like this, it's no wonder their followers would believe their words and act upon them.

Then you have the likes of the Taliban who'd kill these workers regardless of the context of polio vaccinations because they were women working, rather than being used as breeding machines.

There are 3 countries where polio hasn't been eradicated yet.
Nigeria
Pakistan
Afghanistan

the characteristic of the people stopping the polio vaccinations are
Angry men nursing anti-west conspiracy theories, big beards, AK47 and shouting allah akbar.

Doesn't mean all muslims love polio... But it's stretching it to say that religion has nothing to do with it.

my point is that any authority could and would have said the same thing, since they share the same anti-western ideals. they happen to be in a muslim dominated society so the people spouting this crap were muslim. but it is a case of muslims saying these things because they are in a position to do so, not because they are muslim

Did the Nigerian government say that? Or do they instead allow foreign aid in including polio vaccinations?

You are an idiot for titling the thread as it is.

That being said its sad to know that some people's understanding on certain matters are this low.

the nigerian government needs to keep a good relationship with the international community. I meant groups with more social authority, who would more reflect (as well as influence) the feelings of the public. religious leaders, public figures, the media etc. it is the same over here, those groups are more likely to hold contraversial opinions than the government

Source.

What do you think about this? Doesn't seem to be a very peaceful act.

When clerics do condemn the killings of polio vaccinators it doesn't make news.


Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, head of the moderate Pakistan Ulema Council, said in an interview with VOA's Urdu service that his alliance will pass a resolution praising everyone working in Pakistan to eradicate polio.

”Girls [female health workers] have been attacked. Polio workers have been attacked. We will condemn these crimes during Friday prayers all over the country and pass a resolution praising the girls and those working for [the] eradication of polio".


http://m.voanews.com/1568752.html

Do you have one in relation to the incidents in the OP?