‘Don’t preach falsehood as fact’ – US-based physician-pastor

A Christian cleric and medical doctor Dr. Philip Bonaparte has suggested it is unchristian for people of faith to ignore science and fact put their personal interest above others, amid the spread of misinformation about COVID-19 and its available vaccines.

Dr. Bonaparte, an internal medicine specialist and senior pastor at the New Hope Church of God in Trenton, New Jersey, made the call in a brief appearance on Vaccination and Faith – Myths vs Facts, the second part of a series of online discussions sponsored in part by the US development agency USAID and UNICEF, the UN children’s organisation.

The physician, who is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the Trenton area, told participants that the messaging surrounding the current vaccines and health precautions have been moulded and twisted by many people professing to be acting on their faith.

Not only did Dr. Bonaparte reject such claims but said the Bible itself made clear that to ignore facts and knowledge also goes against Christian teaching.

He said: “In Hosea 4:6, God said, ‘My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge, because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priests for me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.’

“What has been skilfully and well presented, are that vaccines are safe, and vaccines protect life. People will pull numbers and things out of the air and they are all for the most part hearsay. [Vaccines] save lives and protect lives; that is the key for us believers.”

Dr. Bonaparte also added that those seeking to justify their beliefs in opposing vaccines and other coronavirus protection protocols by saying that they themselves can handle contracting the virus, go against one of the most important teachings in the Christian faith which calls on the faithful to care for their neighbours as they would themselves.

He said: “Will we as Christians stand with those that protect lives, or will we go with those who play what we call Russian roulette that if it happens it happens, it’s all in God’s hands? I believe God wants us to do more than that.

“You know what Paul said in the book of Philippians 2:4, that each of you look not to his own interest, but also to the interest of others. We should be engaged and looking toward the interest of others, not just yourself, of course, it protects you, but even more importantly you are protecting others around you.

“Why would you put God to the test when God has provided you with information, or in this case vaccines that can protect you? Why are you putting God to the test and tempt him by saying you will just wait it out and let God do it.”

He stressed that people had to accept their responsibility to act based on facts and not just on personal beliefs in the same way they treat other aspects of their health and life.

“One ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure,” said Dr Bonaparte. “I believe that God has given us common sense, and that is why he said that my people perish from the lack of knowledge.

“The worst thing is to see believers who ought to be hearing from God, who ought to be praying and seeking the face of God, not paying attention. The Bible says they rather believe a lie than the truth that is the world that is not us.

“We have a moral responsibility – every believer – that even if you have your own individual opinion, don’t preach it as though its facts. Don’t preach falsehoods as though its truth.” (SB)