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With many regions now moving toward using or already having in place medical passes ('vaccine passes') that only allow people to engage in certain basic aspects of civic life if they have had certain medical procedures ('Covid vaccines'), there are 3 basic responses available to the individual.

  1. Get the injections the government is coercing them to get.

  2. Stop engaging in basic aspects of civic life (restaurants, recreational facilities, concerts, and so on).

  3. Get fake id.

Given that these measures are discriminatory and may be immoral, what is the Biblical basis for option 3., using a fake 'vaccine pass'?

For example, Pastor Doug Wilson is promoting this here.

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  • What do you mean by "may be immoral"? Are you looking for answers from Christians who see the Covid vaccines as the mark of the beast? (Edit: I didn't down-vote by the way.)
    – user50422
    Commented Sep 2, 2021 at 21:39
  • @SpiritRealmInvestigator Wasn't thinking of that! But certainly it could be seen that way. I was in particular thinking of it being immoral to coerce a medical treatment on people in this way. Commented Sep 2, 2021 at 21:40
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    Found this from his website for those who doesn't want to watch the video. Commented Sep 2, 2021 at 22:27
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    See the Meta Site regarding a question about the legitimacy of this question. I think this subject is better dealt with, on a scientific basis, in SE-Skeptics.
    – Nigel J
    Commented Sep 3, 2021 at 1:18
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    The linked video gives Doug Wilson's supposed "Biblical basis" for using fake vaccine documents. That's his opinion. Everything else is just somebody else's opinion. Commented Oct 12, 2021 at 21:33

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What is the Biblical basis for using fake “vaccine passes“?

There is no biblical bases for doing so!

Biblical Basis questions should be able to establish that there actually is a group which teaches the thing in question. Pastor Doug Wilson is promoting it, then where is his biblical bases for it!

Deception as such is not morally permitted. Using a fake drivers license as equally immoral.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour

"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour" (Exodus 20:16) is the ninth commandment (the designation varies between religions2) of the Ten Commandments, which are widely understood as moral imperatives by Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant scholars.

Today, most cultures retain a distinction between lying in general (which is discouraged under most, but not all, circumstances) versus perjury (which is always unlawful under criminal law and liable to punishment). Similarly, historically in Jewish tradition, a distinction was made between lying in general and bearing false witness (perjury) specifically. On the one hand, bearing false witness (perjury) was always prohibited according to the decalogue's commandment against bearing false witness, yet on the other, lying in general was acknowledged to be, in certain circumstances "permissible or even commendable" when it was a white lie, and it was done while not under oath, and it was not "harmful to someone else".

The book of Exodus describes the Ten Commandments as being spoken by God, inscribed on two stone tablets by the finger of God, broken by Moses, and rewritten on replacement stones by the Lord.

There are six things that the LORD strongly dislikes, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers. — Proverbs 6:16–19

The command against false testimony is seen as a natural consequence of the command to “love your neighbour as yourself”. This moral prescription flows from the command for holy people to bear witness to their deity. Offenses against the truth express by word or deed a refusal to commit oneself to moral uprightness: they are fundamental infidelities to God and, in this sense, they undermine the foundations of covenant with God.

To keep “a clear conscience toward God and toward men”(Acts 24:16), Christians must follow Christ's example “to bear witness to the truth.”(John 18:37) The Christian is not to “be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord.”(2 Timothy 1:8) In situations that require witness to the faith, the Christian must profess it without equivocation. Christian witness to the Gospel and the obligations that flow from it are an act of justice that establishes the truth or makes it known. Catholic teaching regards martyrdom as the supreme witness given to the truth of the faith: it means bearing witness even unto death. Christ's disciples have "put on the new man, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."(Ephesians 4:24) By "putting away falsehood," they are to "put away all malice and all guile and insincerity and envy and all slander." (Ephesians 4:25, 1 Peter 2:1) Public statements contrary to the truth take on a particular gravity. In court it becomes false witness. (Proverbs 19:9) False statements under oath are perjury. Acts such as these contribute to condemnation of the innocent, exoneration of the guilty, or the increased punishment of the accused. (Proverbs 18:5) These are great sins, because they gravely compromise the exercise of justice and the fairness of judicial decisions.

The Catholic Church teaches that "A lie consists in speaking a falsehood with the intention of deceiving." According to the Bible, the Lord denounces lying as the work of the devil: "You are of your father the devil, . . . there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44) Lying is the most direct offense against the truth. To lie is to speak or act against the truth in order to lead someone into error.

To use the example of Abraham and Pharaoh is not a true biblical example at all. After all Sarah was indeed Abraham’s half sister, thus his words were used for deception, yet he did not speak a complete untruth. He omitted some of the facts to the Pharaoh.

Abram in Egypt

10 Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. 11 As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. 12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”

14 When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. 15 And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. 16 He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.

17 But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. 18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” 20 Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.

Once again I stand by my thoughts on this matter. There is no biblical support for deceiving others with fake vaccine passports.

Deliberately lying or deceiving others is never a holy action sanctioned by God. The means never justifies the end.

Nevertheless, the guilt of lying could be mitigated according to the situation. Lying to Gestapo in order to save Jews would mitigate the the amount of guilt incurred by deliberately lying.

From a biblical standpoint, of course, what is missing from this discussion is the character of God, God’s law, and the providence of God. Because we know that God is good, holy, just, merciful and righteous, those who bear His name are to reflect His character (1 Peter 1:15-16). Murder, lying, theft, and all manner of sinful behaviors are the expression of man’s sin nature, not the nature of God. For the Christian whose nature has been transformed by Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), there is no justifying immoral behavior, no matter the motivation for it or the outcome of it. From this holy and perfect God, we get a law that reflects His attributes (Psalm 19:7; Romans 7:12). The Ten Commandments make it clear that murder, adultery, stealing, lying and greed are unacceptable in God’s eyes and He makes no "escape clause" for motivation or rationalization. So, clearly, from God’s perspective there are no ends that justify the means of breaking His law, which by using a fake vaccine passport does.

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  • On this view, since the means never justifies the end, would it be wrong to lie about Jews hiding in one's house if the Gestapo are at the door, and you believe not lying would lead to the Jews' deaths? Commented Oct 12, 2021 at 19:07
  • @OneGodtheFather Big differences between hiding Jews in wartime and using fake vaccine passports to go to movies and restaurants. If the Gestapo asked someone if they are hiding Jews and they respond that you have not seen any Jews in weeks (a true and physical truth) then one has simply deflected the question being asked. It has happened. There are always more than one way to respond to inquiries, without divulging the truth! Besides the Nazis do not have the right to know such things as they were in power by unlawful means. Thou shall not kill! But self-defence is morally justified.
    – Ken Graham
    Commented Oct 12, 2021 at 19:09
  • "then one has simply deflected the question being asked" How is this not (perhaps more artful) deception? But if this is the standard, you aren't saying anything when presenting a pass! But I agree that no one has a right to the relevant medical information. If only the passes were just about movies and restaurants ... Commented Oct 12, 2021 at 21:18
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    @OneGodtheFather The pass is the equivalent of a driver license. You can't show someone else's or a fake one and claim you aren't lying. You are, and no mental gymnastics would avoid that. About the natural immunity thing - If you have it, then it should be no problem at all to have the vaccine (since you won't have a reaction, and thus have no reason to not take it.). It makes less sense for someone that is already immune to covid to fake their vaccinations. A fake pass is bad, period.
    – T. Sar
    Commented Nov 12, 2021 at 16:19
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    @onegodthefather there is a huge difference between asking for God's forgiveness because you lied to save fellow Jews and in asking for God's forgiveness because you lied to go watch the next marvel movie or go to a party. One is trying to help people, the other is purely selfish.
    – T. Sar
    Commented Nov 13, 2021 at 5:13
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The biblical basic for having and using a 'fake ID'/Injection card is;

Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake. Gen 12:13

Abraham sought to misplace the truth so he could avoid strife for himself. That worked out well in the end.

And it came to pass, He is passing through the grain fields on the Sabbaths, and His disciples began to make their way, plucking the heads of grain. 24And the Pharisees were saying to Him, “Behold, why do they that which is unlawful on the Sabbaths? Mark 2:23

  • Jesus focussed on the good rather than the apparent bad. He emphasised the right instead of the wrong.

Did you never read what David did when he had need, and he and those with him hungered— 26how he entered into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the loaves of the presentation, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests—and he even gave to those being with him?” v25

On this basis it is fine to have a fake 'injection passport' as the good outweighs the wrong. Both Abraham and Jesus (Abraham's descendant) understood the matter of doing what was perceived as wrong for a greater good.

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    Abraham departed from God's call to the promised land out of fear of the famine and then, out of fear of the Egyptians, concocted a lie and involved his wife. Pharoah crushed on her, God's judgement fell on him because of Abraham's deceit. He also acquired an Egyptian servant for his wife by whom he sired Ishmael and through whom the world has experienced much trouble. That God was able to bless Abraham in his disobedience does not commend the disobedience. Commented Sep 2, 2021 at 23:28
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    Sarah was Abraham's half-sister. David did no wrong. Jesus is Lord of the sabbath. This answer promotes deceit. And this answer advises people to endanger infecting other people by that deceit.
    – Nigel J
    Commented Sep 2, 2021 at 23:31
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    There's no doubt that God's people have deceived others at times, see the book Just Deceivers: An Exploration of the Motif of Deception in the Books of Samuel for an interesting exploration of this. But I think it must still be a very exceptional circumstance. Do any of these proponents of fake vaccine records use a framework like Matthew Newkirk's? Or do they just use bare utilitarianism? How can you know that the good outweighs the wrong in this case? We need more explanation of that.
    – curiousdannii
    Commented Sep 2, 2021 at 23:37
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    as the good outweighs the wrong does it really? do two wrongs make a right (being 'forced to get vaccine pass' and 'getting fake id')?
    – depperm
    Commented Sep 3, 2021 at 10:16
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    Ummm, it does not work out well when Abraham lies. In fact, God gets very angry against this action. This is an out of context verse usage and I have cast a downvote.
    – Luke Hill
    Commented Oct 11, 2021 at 20:06

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