Why am I bringing this up? Because a pair of larger-scale "megachurches" have come under fire for violating state and federal government sanctioned guidelines on gatherings of 50 people or more and the very logical need for social distancing in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
One pastor in Florida was arrested Sunday as police were alerted to his holding his usual Sunday service.
In Louisiana, Rev. Tony Spell is claiming that God is telling him to continue to preach live and in person, despite the fact that a fair number of churches, including at least two here in upstate NY, are live-streaming services. Spell doesn't want to live-stream.
Spell is shown with some associates on Sunday after service. Photo courtesy of Yahoo!.
However, better known pastors with megachurches, such as Joel Osteen, have gotten with the program. Osteen recently began taping his weekly show with a reduced audience, mostly family members and staff.
Then comes word this afternoon that Vice President Mike Pence is recommending that services be limited to 10 people. The obvious next step is closing the churches, but I don't think Pence and/or President Trump want to go there.
Stay tuned, folks. This is going to be weird.
This is skirting the Constitution!
ReplyDeleteI do NOT like it when the government is telling us how to operate!!
Arresting this man is endangering religious freedom and sovereignty.
No one ever tried to shut down churches or businesses during any previous flu season. Have you seen how EMPTY many hospitals are? Social media is full of them! Ambulances are packed at the ready but no one operating them. Even commentator Todd Starnes went to his neighborhood hospital in downtown Brooklyn and saw no lines for corona testing or loads of sick people dying in the streets. The media is LYING ABOUT THE SEVERITY OF THE "EPIDEMIC"!!
Feel free to see it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPg_nw8Z-Io
They're saying it isn't about shutting down religion. It's about the health and safety of the parishoners, which they think Rev. Spell is putting at risk.
ReplyDeleteAs for President Trump and his daily briefings. Why does it take two hours or better to make a couple of salient points that can be communicated in five minutes?
As I said, during no previous flu season (or any other outbreak like measles) have churches or other businesses been compelled to shut down. There's something else afoot here.
ReplyDeleteAs for the long briefings, I agree. I work in media and usually these briefings could just be issued ina press release, but people love looking like big shots in front of a camera. Especially those who stand behind the speakers, all erect and stoic.
Trump fits the description of looking like a big shot in front of the camera. Lives for that, you know.
ReplyDeleteWe don't need a briefing every day, but that's what we're getting because it's of clear importance to the public, even if some of them don't pay attention.