A CNN report on the rise of vaccine reluctance focused on Tony Spell and the Life Tabernacle Church, which confronts the pastor about his opposition to vaccines and conspiracies he is pushing against the pandemic.
Spell made headlines earlier this year when he livestreamed himself while under house arrest when he refused to close his church during the Covid-19 lockdown.
CNN correspondent Elle Reeve traveled to Baton Rouge and confronted Spell with much of what he has embraced.
“I would rather die free than live on my knees,” said Spell.
“What’s it like to live on your knees to take a vaccine?” Reeve asked.
“Because you bend against your beliefs,” Spell replied.
The conversation continued with Spell powering a conspiracy about the virus:
REEVE: If you broke your arm or something, would you go to the doctor?
SPELL: Sure, I’d go to the doctor to set it up and wear a cast.
REEVE: So on some level you trust some doctors.
SPELL: Yes, we do.
REEVE: So, can you just explain where the line is?
SPELLING: The line is in this vaccine. Number one: the virus has been a scam from the start. It has always been politically motivated for mail-in and ballots and voter ID. That is what has gotten a new administration in the White House today.
In addition, Spell said he was promoting that God would protect his congregation members.
Reeve also noted that several people went to the Life Tabernacle Church after seeing Spell being arrested on the news. One of those congregants said the vaccine is: “Bill Gates and they try to kill us. “
Reeve asked Spell about his diverse congregation and why he wouldn’t encourage people of color to take COVID-19 precautions when they are statistically more at risk. Spell said, “I just don’t encourage it, I discourage it,” and he kept saying he didn’t know any church members who got it.
Reeve accused Spell of taking a political position, but Spell responded by saying, “It’s not political at all. I am not a politician, I am a prophet. “
You can view the above report via CNN.
Do you have a tip we should know about? [email protected]