Some Christians have a very limited idea of what “good news” includes, and for the National Religious Broadcasters, it doesn’t include good news about Covid vaccines. Their spokesman, Dan Darling, wrote a column in USA Today, “Why, as a Christian and an American, I got the COVID vaccine” (behind a paywall). A few days ago, he went on Morning Joe to explain why he’d written it.
“I believe in this vaccine because I don’t want to see anyone else die of COVID. Our family has lost too many close friends and relatives to COVID, including an uncle, a beloved church member and our piano teacher,” Darling told Scarborough.
This did not sit well with Darling’s employer: NRB spokesman Dan Darling fired after pro-vaccine statements on ‘Morning Joe’:
Daniel Darling, senior vice president of communications for the National Religious Broadcasters, was fired Friday (Aug. 27) after refusing to admit his pro-vaccine statements were mistaken, according to a source authorized to speak for Darling.
His firing comes at a time when Americans face a new surge of COVID-19 infections due to the highly contagious Delta variant even as protesters and politicians resist mask mandates or other preventive measures.
Seems the NRB, which has an opinion on just about everything, doesn’t want to have an opinion about the Covid vaccines.
Earlier this week, leaders at NRB, an international association of Christian communicators with 1,100 member organizations, told Darling his statements violated the organization’s policy of remaining neutral about COVID-19 vaccines. According to the source, Darling was given two options — sign a statement admitting he had been insubordinate or be fired.
Now, really, folks, is this what Jesus would do?