I’m thrilled to have received my second Moderna dose two days ago. I went through one day of moderately uncomfortable side effects. A slight fever and some malaise told me my body’s immune system had mounted a response to the vaccine like it was supposed to.

In a world without the vaccine and without preventative measures like social distancing and masking, millions more people would die.

Given the nature of the pandemic, people taking precautions and getting vaccinated help not just themselves but their neighbors. When we reduce the possibility of transmission, we save others from infection and death.

That some Christian leaders are encouraging Christians to take actions that will inevitably cause their neighbors to suffer and die isn’t just head scratching — it’s a fundamental violation of the teachings of Jesus.