Parents claiming religious exemption to avoid vaccinating children

Read the details here. This story pisses me off on several levels. That means it is time for a rant.
1 - Parents obviously can't be trusted to make sensible, well informed decisions on scientific issues. Otherwise, we wouldn't see the conflict over teaching evolution in schools. Any parent who did more than ten minutes research would see the evidence that autism is not caused by childhood vaccinations.
Denmark banned the use of thimerosal (the mercury based vaccine additive at the center of the controversy) in 1992 but continues to see rising autism rates. In the US, thimerosal was completely removed or reduced to trace levels in vaccines in 2001 yet we have seen no change in autism diagnosis. The increase of autism has been seen in children too young to have been exposed to vaccinations. There have been many studies by the WHO and CDC that show no statistical correlation.
Yearly diagnosis of autism continues to rise but it is clear that there is no link to childhood vaccinations.
2 - Have they forgotten how many children died or were crippled by terrible diseases like polio, measles, mumps, diphtheria, tetanus, meningitis, etc. before the invention of childhood immunizations? Thanks to a growing number of idiots like this, some of these diseases that were considered all but eradicated in the US are on a comeback tour.
3 - Why should there be a religious exemption? This is not a matter of personal preference. It's a matter of public health! An unvaccinated child effects every person they come in contact with. Can I get out of a DUI by claiming my religion demands it? No. Why? Because it endangers the lives of others! I see no difference at all.