We have a phrase here in my country - Nasa Diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa - which roughly means "Mercy is from God, Action is from [the] human". If you don't help yourself, nothing is ever going to happen. Because people easily lose faith (in anything/anyone really), they tend to just leave everything up to Fate and stop trying to help themselves.
As for the vaccination, I'm a little conflicted. I took B.S. Pharmacy in college (though I never got to practice it as I became too sick) so it's hard for me to decisively pick a side. On one hand, all medicine have side effects (I know that not only from the books but because I'm on a lot of medicine for the past decade). It's always a matter of does the risk outweigh the benefits? when it comes to modern medicine. Vaccines have additives that could be harmful to people or the main component itself could be incompatible (contraindicated) with the patient. Case to point, I'm immunocompromised. But I have to be given flu vaccine yearly and pneumo vacc every 3-5 years because I've Myasthenia gravis and a full blown flu could trigger a respiratory collapse (experienced that twice). Other vaccines though, I absolutely cannot be given because instead of helping me develop a degree of immunity, it could actually kill me. I'm not disputing those that say vaccination is bad. I'm saying a lot of factors play a role like additive, main component, underlying condition/undiagnosed conditions, etc.
Also, yes, there are plenty from the medical world that are crap when it comes to caring for their patients. They don't see human, only money or a case. I have had to argue with a lot of nutritionists, nurses, and resident doctors over a lot of things. Had to suffer a lot even from those who would not listen (was offered sedatives after an operation that was a no-no for MG patients like me) and about 3 doctors said it was okay when I kept refusing it. It was near disaster and when the neuro came, she said the other doctors made a wrong call. So it's a matter of being able to find the people who wouldn't see you as a case. And educating yourself. It's a painful process but that's where my faith is. If I actively help myself, I would live longer.
Sorry. I made a super long reply. I swear I cut a lot off >.>
My dear friend, please don't ever feel you need to apologize, especially for taking the time to speak your mind and explain your thinking! I am glad to hear more about you.
I understand that there are some good arguments on both sides of the vaccination question. However, there is one thing on which I am utterly unwilling to compromise:
Whether or not to vaccinate (or undergo any medical procedure, for that matter) is entirely and only a personal decision. The state and society have no right whatsoever to compel or coerce an individual or family to undergo vaccination.
You are welcome to try to persuade me. You can muster all the expert testimony you wish. You can bribe me. You can do anything you like, as long as you do not initiate force to terrorize me or my children to be vaccinated.
And, Heaven help you or anyone if you deceitfully administer a vaccination to my children without my consent when I am not around! :O
My friend, you can also know this: I will never be part of any effort to force you to take a vaccination.
Thank you for your comprehensive comment, and also for sharing your Filipino saying about God and man... :D
Very true. At the end of the day, whatever medical procedure should require the approval of the person or in the case of minors, their parents or their guardians. Unless of course it's a life and death situation which vaccination is not. It actually tries my nerves when some medical practitioners try to get me to do/avail of something which I say I need to think about first. The horrors of ICU stays where I've been given plenty of something I knew was wrong which they eventually corrected after I took hostage my IV lines and feeding tube still makes me angry. Ah! I got off-topic. On the plus side, vaccination is expensive here so no medical practitioner is going to force people knowing they can't probably pay for it. And so the parents who would go for it would have to be those that have truly decided that vaccination is the way for them. (And thanks for not minding my TLDRs)