DAVID CLOUD’S “WAY OF LIFE”
CORONAVIRUS UPDATES REGARDING PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS
SEE: https://www.wayoflife.org/reports/coronavirus_good_and_odd
_news.php
Republished below unedited for informational, educational and research
purposes:
Michigan residents are planning to descend on the state capital on Wednesday to protest Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s tyrannical new coronavirus guidelines. The guidelines even forbid homeschooling. “The so-called ‘drive-by’ demonstration … aims to bring traffic to a gridlock in Lansing and protest the ‘Stay Home, Stay Safe’ executive order by Whitmer, a Democrat, mandating what businesses could stay home, what some businesses could sell and ordering people in her state against any gatherings–no matter the size or family ties. ‘Quarantine is when you restrict movement of sick people. Tyranny is when you restrict the movement of healthy people,’ Meshawn Maddock, an organizer of the protest with the Michigan Conservative Coalition, told Fox News. ‘Every person has learned a harsh lesson about social distancing. We don’t need a nanny state to tell people how to be careful.’ The protest – called ‘Operation Gridlock’–would be just one of a number of demonstrations of civil disobedience around the country by Americans upset with their state’s stay-at-home orders amid the pandemic. While the contagion has infected over 568,000 Americans and killed over 23,000, according to the latest estimates, protestors from North Carolina to Wyoming said they’ve been just as concerned with the economic and financial impact the coronavirus has inflicted on the country–echoing President Trump’s complaint that ‘the cure be worse than the problem.’ Alex Berenson, a former New York Times reporter who has been sounding the alarm about what he believes are flawed models dictating the aggressive strategy, drew attention to the protests in North Carolina, as well as a social media uproar in Michigan” (“Coronavirus stay-at-home orders stir protests,” Fox News, Apr. 13, 2020).
Wisconsin Governor reverses ban on outdoor church services. “Following an outcry from furious communities of faith, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers issued a press release Thursday clarifying his administration’s earlier ‘clarifications’ banning outdoor church services. Evers’ press release, according to the governor’s office, was sent to ‘reiterate’ that ‘churches and religious entities are considered essential’ and that they can conduct outdoor services in ‘parking lots with congregants staying in cars, avoiding person-to-person contact.’ … under Evers’ emergency orders ‘if the religious service is held in an unconfined outdoor space, there is no limit to the number of individuals that may attend at any one time’” (“Wisconsin Governor Reverses,” The Federalist, Apr. 11, 2020).
District Judge Justin Walker in Louisville, Kentucky, issued a sharply-worded restraining order blocking enforcement of Mayor Greg Fischer’s ban on drive-in church services. On Fire Christian Church had sued Mayor Greg Fischer. In a sternly worded 20-page ruling, the judge said the city is prohibited from “enforcing; attempting to enforce; threatening to enforce; or otherwise requiring compliance with any prohibition on drive-in church services at On Fire.” The judge continued, “That sentence is one that this Court never expected to see outside the pages of a dystopian novel, or perhaps the pages of ‘The Onion.’ … The Mayor’s decision is stunning. And it is ‘beyond all reason,’ unconstitutional” (“Judge: Kentucky church can conduct Easter Drive-in service,” ABC News, Apr. 12, 2020). Kentucky GOP Senator Rand Paul tweeted, “Thank God for a judge who understands the First Amendment prevents the government from prohibiting the free government exercise of religion.”
“Thou wilt keep
him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3).
A spokesman for the Justice Department said action may be taken this week against local governments that have cracked down on religious services. “While social distancing policies are appropriate during this emergency, they must be applied evenhandedly [and] not single out religious [organizations],” DOJ Director of Communications Kerri Kupec tweeted on April 12.
Mississippi pastor tells the mayor, “Get Some More Tickets Ready.” “A shocking daylight raid of a church service attended by many elderly congregants was turned on its head by a defiant pastor who refuses to be bullied by the government. … Despite participating in a drive-in service where worshipers were isolated in their own cars and listened to the sermon on the radio, congregants were found to be in violation of a City of Greenville order. Cops raiding the Temple Baptist Church on Wednesday didn’t just inform churchgoers of the order, but reportedly also issued a whopping $500 fine to every person who refused to leave — many of them elderly. … ‘One of the police officers said the mayor [Errick Simmons] wanted to make an example of our church,’ Pastor Arthur Scott told Todd Starnes. ‘I told them to get some more tickets ready because we will be preaching Sunday morning and Sunday night.’ … ‘I told him I’m going to fight them on this.’ … It’s unclear why the government of Greenville thinks congregants in separate cars would risk transmitting the coronavirus to each other. … With Easter quickly approaching, Scott’s shocking encounter with law enforcement is becoming the new normal in some places in America” (“Cops Raid Church Service, Ticket Elderly Worshipers,” The Western Journal, Apr. 9, 2020).
A day after Temple Baptist Church was harassed, Greenville, Mississippi, sent multiple police cars to surround King James Bible Baptist Church and to threaten Pastor Charles Hamilton who was preaching in the church parking lot to church members sitting in their automobiles. They were there to enforce the city council’s ban against church hosting drive-in services. The pastor preached on Acts 13 to the two dozen or more police in attendance. “A lot of people have quoted Romans chapter 13, that we should submit to authority, but the Bible says in verse number 3, ‘for rulers are not a terror unto good works but to evil.’ So the Bible says that rulers should not be against good works. It is a good work to have church service. It’s a good work to tell people about Jesus,’ Hamilton preached. The few cars in the audience honked in agreement.” The pastor and people were warned that if they meet on Sunday they will get $500 citations. First Liberty has sent a demand letter to Mayor Simmons, urging him to retract the order. The governor, Tate Reeves, had promised he would not shut down churches, saying, “Mississippi is not China, and it never will be.”
Virginia pastor cited by police for having 16 people in services widely separated in a 300-seat auditorium. “Police served a summons to the pastor of Lighthouse Fellowship for holding a church service for 16 people spaced far apart in a sanctuary that seats 293. The charge is violating Virginia Governor Northam’s COVID Order 55 with a penalty up to a year in jail and/or a $2,500 fine. Liberty Counsel is representing Pastor Kevin Wilson and Lighthouse Fellowship Church. … Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel Mat Staver said, ‘Lighthouse Fellowship Church protected the health and safety of the 16 people by requiring them to be spread far apart in the 293-seat sanctuary. The church does not have internet. Some people do not have cars and they depend on the ministry of the church for their physical and spiritual needs. But because the church had six more people than the 10 allowed by Gov. Ralph Northam, the pastor is being criminally charged. There is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ template that works for every church. We need to balance the First Amendment with protecting the health and welfare of people. Using an arbitrary number of 10 people for every church is not the answer’” (“Police Serve Summons,” Liberty Counsel, Apr. 9, 2020).
The Kansas state legislature overturned the governor’s order forbidding churches to meet, based on good common sense, but the state supreme court sided with the governor. “The Kansas state legislature voted to overturn governor Laura Kelly’s stay-at-home order for churches during the coronavirus outbreak. … The Kansas legislature argued that a one-size-fits-all move to forbid all churches from meeting is not the answer” (Reformation Charlotte, May 10, 2020). The governor sued the legislature and was supported on April 11 by the Kansas state Supreme Court, though the state Attorney General has advised law enforcement agencies not to arrest or charge violators (“Kelly’s order limiting Kansas church services stands,” The Wichita Eagle, Apr. 11, 2020).
U.S. Attorney General William Barr says the Justice Department is watching local and state governments to protect religious rights. “Attorney General William Barr says, ‘We’ve seen situations even up to now where some jurisdictions impose special burdens on religion that they don’t also apply to other kinds of gatherings and events and we jawboned the local governments saying they really couldn’t do that,’ he said in an interview Wednesday with Fox News host Laura Ingraham. Barr explained that restrictions on the First Amendment right to worship can be imposed if there is a ‘compelling” government interest, such as the public’s health. However, there are many ways to interpret what is compelling, and any restrictions must be imposed equally on other types of gatherings and cause the least burden on First Amendment rights.’ … He said the Department of Justice will watch ‘what the federal government is imposing … but also what the states do.’ Barr said religious liberty is the ‘first liberty, the foundation of our republic. And a free society depends on a vibrant religious life among the people. Anytime that’s encroached upon by the government I’m very concerned.’ He said the U.S. government should, as soon as possible, lift restrictions on church assemblies and explore other options for protecting the public. ‘When this period of time at the end of April expires, I think we have to allow people to adapt more than we have, and not just tell people to go home and hide under the bed,’ he said’” (“Barr,” WorldNetDaily, Apr. 9, 2020).
A pastor in California held Easter communion. “The Thousand Oaks Acorn reports that Councilman Rob McCoy, pastor of Godspeak Calvary Chapel of Newbury Park, officially resigned from his position on Saturday evening, hours before he held Palm Sunday communion with members … With bans on gatherings of 10 people or more in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the church abided by social distancing rules and only allowed 10 people at a time to enter the church building to receive communion. McCoy said in a video announcement to his congregation. ‘[We are] paralyzed and considered non-essential though we would have liquor stores considered essential, cannabis distribution considered essential. Across the country, abortions are considered essential. Is the Church going to sit back and say, Well, we will be relegated to non-essential? … To not allow us to have communion is not proper, To consider it non-essential is not acceptable’” (“Calif. pastor resigns,” The Christian Post, Apr. 8 2020).
South Dakota governor refuses to shut down her state for coronavirus, slams “herd mentality.” “Republican Gov. Kristi Noem is refusing to shut down South Dakota. At a press conference Wednesday, Kristi eschewed a one-size-fits-all approach to the pandemic. During this present viral threat, she’s interested in a specific kind of protection–that of individual rights: ‘Our Constitution ensures the citizen’s right is protected. I agree with the role of our government as set forth in our state and in our national constitution. I took an oath to uphold these constitutions. My role with respect to public safety is something I take very seriously. The people themselves are primarily responsible for their safety. They are the ones that are entrusted with expansive freedoms–they’re free to exercise their rights to work, to worship, and to play–or to even stay at home, or to conduct social distancing. The calls to apply a one-size-fits all approach to this problem in South Dakota is herd mentality, not leadership. … South Dakota is not New York City,’ the governor said. ‘On the foundation of my principles, commonsense conservative values, and the principles that we hold dear in America, the facts, the science, and the data will guide our decision-making here in South Dakota’” (“South Dakota Governor,” Red State, Apr. 6, 2020).
Kenneth Copeland trotted out his Word-Faith authority once again in an attempt to stop the coronavirus pandemic. On March 30, he “executed judgment on Covid-19” and said, “I call you done. I call you gone. … It is finished. It is over. And the United States of America is healed and well again, sayeth the mighty Spirit of peace who is also the Prince of War” (“Judgment Is Executed on Covid-19,” Mar. 30, 2020, YouTube). That didn’t seem to work, so on April 2, he declared his authority over the weather to declare a heatwave across the country and the world. “Today, we speak to this atmosphere, from the State of Washington to the State of Maine, from Southern California to Brownsville, Texas … and wherever else in the world it’s needed. Wind, almighty strong south wind, heat, burn this thing in the name of Jesus. Satan, you bow your knees, you fall on your face, COVID-19 … I blow the wind of God on you. You are destroyed forever and you will never be back” (“Virtual Victory Campaign,” Kenneth Copeland Ministries, April 2, 2020).
Police shut down Friendship Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland, for holding a service, even though they followed the governor’s guidelines. “Last Sunday Pastor Alvin Gwynn Sr. of Friendship Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland, was holding an in-person church service when he was visited by the police who were seeking to gain entry into his Church building for supposedly violating coronavirus stay-home laws. … Once on the scene, Lt. Suzanne Fries ordered her officers to ‘shut down the gathering,’ according to the incident report, after Gwynn ‘advised [officers] that he will not be cancelling any of his worship services in the future.’ Pastor Gwynn says he is undeterred by these unconstitutional actions, particularly because his service complied with the law by having fewer than 10 people, and again insisted that he did nothing wrong. … Despite these gatherings NOT being in defiance of the law but rather fully in compliance, Governor Hogan still specifically singled out Gwynn on Facebook when he posted a Washington Post article decrying his behavior as an example of what not to do. … The church met again on April 5, while a dozen officers and two members of the fire department looked on” (Pulpit & Pen, April 5, 2020).
The Christian Law Association is warning churches against applying for government loans under the CARES Act. In an alert posted on April 3, the Christian Law Association gave six warnings, three of which are as follows: “We strongly recommend each ministry to proceed with EXTREME CAUTION before accepting government funding. Your ministry’s religious liberty may depend on this caution. … Our CLA attorneys, and other experts, anticipate that the rules and regulations could remove long-recognized exemptions available to churches in their hiring practices and in the provision of their services to those who attend. … Lawsuits that we have prevailed in for fifty years have often been won because the ministry never received government funds as a matter of faith and principle. The receipt of these funds by a ministry is clearly the receipt of government funds, and they can be used against the interests of the ministry in future litigation.” Email: info@christianlaw.org
Pentecostal pastor Rodney Howard-Browne of Tampa, Florida, who was arrested on March 30 and issued second degree misdemeanor citations for conducting church services, has announced they will cease holding services. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared on April 1 that church is an essential activity, but Howard-Browne said he is shutting the services to protect the congregation “from a tyrannical government” and from “crazy infected people” who might try to expose the church to the virus (“Rodney Howard-Browne shutters megachurch,” The Christian Post, Apr. 2, 2020).
Pastor Mark Spell of Life Tabernacle Church in Central, Louisiana, has been issued six counts of misdemeanor charges for violating the governor’s order against large assemblies. He has continued to conduct services attended by hundreds. Spell has vowed to continue holding services, even if he’s eventually arrested. “When you close every door in this city, we’ll close this door and we’ll go underground, but we are going to assemble and congregate as God fearing Christians,” he said. “If they are to arrest me and take me out of this congregation, my assistant pastor will step in immediately, when he is arrested, the third man will step in” (“Pastor of La. church charged,” KLTV, Mar. 31, 2020).
