ok, about whether or not you should immunize, that is up to you. Me, I stay away from them altogether. There are just too many cases of kids having adverse reactions. I did immunize my middle child. He had a very high fever the night he got his shots. He is deaf. Ok, I don't know if that's related or not, but you can bet I'm not taking any chances. I don't know anyone with polio, but I have heard hundreds of people say that there kids suffered because of recieving immunizations.
But I will tell you how I look at the religious exemption. OK, is it my religion to do what I think is best for my kids, even when the goverment dissaproves? of course. Is it my religion to look out for my kids to the best of my ability? of course. So my letter read something like this: Please be advised that due to religious reasons my children are not immunizied nor will they be. Thank you. you don't have to go into a long story. I think you will find more often that you think, the people reading the letter really don't care as much as you think they do. They know we aren't in jeprordy of an outbreak, and if we are, it's only YOUR child that will be affected. if these shots work so well, then how can your child affect children that are supposed to be protected by these shots? so my experience has been they could care very little if you do or don't. One director at a mothers morning out even said "I don't blame you, I don't immunize my kids either!" so do what you think is right for you, of course, but you don't have to look at as a Methodist thing. What you believe about how you are supposed to raise your kids is actually your religion. At least that's what I believe.