Orthodox Bishops conflicting advice over Covid Vaccine - a Christian Dilemma

[hecma925]

A therapeutic abortion, which is what at least three out of the four cell lines used in vaccine research come from, is in essence a sacrifice of the child in order to save the mother's life.

Would you provide the documentation for that claim?

PER.C6 Cell Lines - Creative Biolabs

Creative Biolabs providesPER.C6 as a host cell line for recombinant protein production.

www.gmp-creativebiolabs.com

The PER.C6 cell line is derived from human embryonic retinal cells, originally from the retinal tissue of an 18 week old fetus aborted in 1985

WI-38 - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

The fetus came from the elective abortion of a Swedish woman in 1962, and was used without her knowledge or permission.

AG05965-D

The MRC-5 cell line was developed in September 1966 from lung tissue taken from a 14 week fetus aborted for psychiatric reason from a 27 year old physically healthy woman.

HEK 293 cells - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

HEK 293 cells were generated in 1973 by transfection of cultures of normal human embryonic kidney cells with sheared adenovirus 5 DNA in Alex van der Eb's laboratory in Leiden, the Netherlands. The cells were obtained from a single, healthy fetus, the precise origin of which is unclear.

 

[Arachne]

Funny, the Coriell Institute states a different provenance for the WI-38 line. https://coriell.org/0/Sections/Search/Sample_Detail.aspx?Ref=AG06814-J&Product=CC

Also, the 'elective abortion' bit is rather misleading. Elective abortion (i.e. on request, without medical considerations) was not legalised in Sweden until 1974, and in the Netherlands until 1984.

 

[Arachne]

Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) is equivalent to an MD and practice medicine with the same liberties.

Not in Europe, it ain't.

 

[hecma925]

Not in Europe, it ain't.

That's fine that DO and MD school are not the same thing in Europe.

 

[Fr. George]

Not in Europe, it ain't.

I miss my DO (childhood through age 30). I love my current physician, but my DO had the benefit of the medical knowledge of an MD with the ability to treat certain physical ailments (including my long-standing back issues) more like a chiropractor.

 

[Fr. George]

I don't disagree that all treatments are both spiritual and medical issues - since we are inherently psychosomatic beings. But the answer to the question should be found quite well in the Wisdom of Sirach:

Wisdom of Sirach 38:1-15 (Orthodox Study Bible)
1 Honor the physician with the honor due him,
And also according to your need of him,
For the Lord created him.†
2 Healing comes from the Most High,
And he will receive a gift from the king.
3 The physician's skill will lift up his head,
And he shall be admired in the presence of the great.
4 The Lord created medicines from the earth,
And a sensible man will not loathe them.†
5 Is not water made sweet by wood
That its strength might be known?†
6 And He gave skill to men
That He might be glorified in His wonders.†
7 By them He heals and takes away pain,
A druggist making a compound of them.
8 God's works are never finished,
And from Him health is upon the face of the earth.
9 My son, do not be negligent when you are sick,
But pray to the Lord and He will heal you.†
10 Depart from transgression and direct your hands aright,
And cleanse your heart from every sin.
11 Offer a sweet-smelling sacrifice
And a memorial of the finest wheat flour;
And pour oil on your offering, as if you are soon to die.
12 And keep in touch with your physician,
For the Lord created him;
And do not let him leave you,
For you need him.
13 There is a time when success is also in their hands,
14 For they will pray to the Lord
To give them success in bringing relief and healing,
For the sake of preserving your life.†
15 He who sins before the One who made him,
May he fall into the hands of a physician.

Also - if indeed the vaccine incorporated aborted fetal cell lines, that wouldn't be right, and we would have an issue - but that's not what happens. If the aborted fetal cells were used in testing the vaccine, then, while not great, it's certainly similar to the use of cadavers in research and training - which is also an ethically challenging topic for us and our understanding of the inherent dignity of the departed.