After i had been at the hospital overnight. (i was so tired that when i bonked my head on that stupid tv, i almost cried) ~ That was the time they decided to grill me on our decision not to immunize my children. i decided to take the clearest route and tell him that for me it was an ethical decision ~ to which he replied that ethics can mean different things ~ (no great surprise to me... i know that for some people it's unethical that they use chicken embryos for vaccines). I told him that no, it was the aborted fetal tissue where i drew the line and that was unacceptable to me.. He then told me how he's seen children as sick as charter, the next week all (he's pantomiming their physical disability) twisted and unresponsive with not much hope of rehabilitation. He also told me that he's not sure about fetal tissue being used, but that i should make sure that my sources are accurate. i told him that i was sure, and that i was not going to make my decision based solely on fear (which is what i felt like he was trying to make me do). Here is a link to one of my sources if anyone is interested. There is more information in the links section of sojourners.
http://www.sojourners.ca/Default.aspx?tabid=350
All that said, it *is* a personal decision. While i believe that we should all be putting pressure on the health system to make more 'ethical' vaccines available in Canada, if some choose to immunize with what *is* availabe, that's a decision made, i'm sure, with fear and trembling & i can respect that even people who are prolife differ on where the responsiblity lies.
Here is the summary of the Vatican statement:
"To summarize, it must be confirmed that there is a grave responsibility to use alternative vaccines and to make a conscientious objection with regard to those which have moral problems. As regards the vaccines without an alternative, the need to contest so that others may be prepared must be reaffirmed, as should be the lawfulness of using the former in the meantime insomuch as is necessary in order to avoid a serious risk not only for one's own children but also, and perhaps more specifically, for the health conditions of the population as a whole -- especially for pregnant women The lawfulness of the use of these vaccines should not be misinterpreted as a declaration of the lawfulness of their production, marketing and use, but is to be understood as being a passive material cooperation and, in its mildest and remotest sense, also active, morally justified as an "extrema ratio" due to the necessity to provide for the good of one's children and of the people who come in contact with the children -- pregnant women. Such cooperation occurs in a context of moral coercion of the conscience of parents, who are forced to choose to act against their conscience or otherwise, to put the health of their children and of the population as a whole at risk. This is an unjust alternative choice, which must be eliminated as soon as possible."