Dear Commons Community,

CNN’s Brianna Keilar yesterday explained increased hesitancy about the COVID-19 vaccine among white evangelicals with footage of prominent pastors downplaying the pandemic.

White evangelicals “are most skeptical about taking the vaccine,” noted Keilar, with almost half saying they definitely or likely won’t receive the jab.

Keilar recalled many high-profile pastors — including Guillermo Maldonado, Jesse Duplantis, Paul Daugherty and Kenneth Copeland — dismissing or spreading misinformation about the contagion during the early weeks of the global public health crisis.

“Experts say what some evangelical pastors preached from the pulpit for months and months likely had a profound effect on shaping their opinions,” the “New Day” anchor explained.

“The loss this country has experienced over the past year has been overwhelming and many Americans have turned to family and to friends and to faith for comfort and answer,” Keilar concluded. “Unfortunately for many evangelical congregations, they are getting the wrong message and in some cases lies from pastors they have entrusted with their faith and with their lives.”

There will be a special in the hereafter for these demagogues who prey on the religious beliefs of others.

Tony

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