Whooping Cough Outbreak Strikes Missouri Amish Community

[MaxPC]

Three hundred people have been immunized following an outbreak of whooping cough in an Amish community in Missouri.

The community in question is at Seymour in Webster County. This is the largest Amish settlement in the state, with a population of 1500-plus.

As of yesterday there were 15 confirmed cases with 2 babies hospitalized....

http://amishamerica.com/whooping-cough- ... aincontent

[Josh]

Protip: get vaccinated *before* the big outbreak.

[Judas Maccabeus]

Protip: get vaccinated *before* the big outbreak.

Second that. DTP vaccine has seldom been challenged. It is not 100% effective, but it sure slows the spread.

J.M.

[Soloist]

There isn't even any ethical concerns with the aborted babies with this one either.

[Hats Off]

But there has been a traditional old order reluctance to vaccinate children against those childhood diseases. My parents did not object to vaccination but some of our neighbours from our church did not allow vaccination. I would expect that many of those now being vaccinated would be Schwartzentruber or other ultra conservative Amish. I believe this reluctance was based on the thinking that they would be going against God's natural order.

[appleman2006]

But there has been a traditional old order reluctance to vaccinate children against those childhood diseases. My parents did not object to vaccination but some of our neighbours from our church did not allow vaccination. I would expect that many of those now being vaccinated would be Schwartzentruber or other ultra conservative Amish. I believe this reluctance was based on the thinking that they would be going against God's natural order.

I wonder if any of those people that believe that ever water their gardens? Or perhaps they should not even plant seeds and just let nature/God take his course?

[MaxPC]

Can we just pray for them and not start in on a dissection of their choices? If something like this happened to your family, would you want folks to pray or second guess your family?

These men and women are our brothers and sisters in Christ as well.

[appleman2006]

Can we just pray for them and not start in on a dissection of their choices? If something like this happened to your family, would you want folks to pray or second guess your family?

These men and women are our brothers and sisters in Christ as well.

I accept that but I also have no problem calling out someone particularly from my own broader culture when I feel they are off base. I hope they would do the same for me.

[Josh]

Can we just pray for them and not start in on a dissection of their choices? If something like this happened to your family, would you want folks to pray or second guess your family?

These men and women are our brothers and sisters in Christ as well.

So, Max, are you saying that what a group of people does should never, ever be criticised?

As far as my own family is concerned - yes, if my family, and everyone else in my church, was doing something very foolish to endanger both our own health and the health of others - the loving thing to do would be to admonish and correct us and take efforts to make sure it doesn't happen again.

[MaxPC]

Can we just pray for them and not start in on a dissection of their choices? If something like this happened to your family, would you want folks to pray or second guess your family?

These men and women are our brothers and sisters in Christ as well.

I accept that but I also have no problem calling out someone particularly from my own broader culture when I feel they are off base. I hope they would do the same for me.

Even when suffering is involved? Appleman, my concern here is the incessant criticism of the Amish and even other Anabaptists. The negativity that erupts even over a news story that should send us to prayer is disheartening among a group of Christians. Seekers find it troubling as well as has been previously noted by others on this board.

It doesn't matter to some on this board that these people are suffering. The bashing begins whenever they are mentioned. First, a story is posted about a need or situation. Inevitably the same individuals start bunny trailing the thread by criticizing the people involved. Then the excuses begin that "we should be able to criticize if we want to" with rationalizations ad nauseam. Meanwhile the suffering of the those in the OP is completely lost in the process. This is completely discouraging to seekers and others who are here for encouragment. It's sad.

Calling someone out who is not in our own faith community is something that seems off-base to me. I can understand this process within a fellowship but not when it devolves into a bashing of those who aren't within one's fellowship. At that point it becomes a form of persecution. When a story of suffering is posted, if a Catholic were to engage in the same behavior towards the Mennonites that some Mennonites engage in towards the Amish, I can guarantee that there would be a huge outcry.

Let's pray for these people instead of bashing, criticizing, calling them out or whatever else it may be labeled. They are suffering. When your families suffer I hope to be able to pray for them as well and I promise I won't be the one to engage in the negativity and bashing. It's not suitable nor charitable. We'll just pray for you all.