DOJ warns California church closures may violate
religious freedoms in letter to Newsom
KTLA – The head of the federal Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division told Gov. Gavin Newsom Tuesday that his plan to reopen California discriminates against churches.
In a letter to the governor, Eric S. Dreiband said that despite a coronavirus pandemic “that is unprecedented in our lifetimes,” Newsom should allow some in-person worship under the current second phase of his four-part reopening plan.
Restaurants and other secular businesses are being allowed to reopen under social distancing guidelines but not churches, which are limited to online and similar services.
That places an “unfair burden” on them that violates civil rights protections through “unequal treatment of faith communities,” the letter said.
“Simply put, there is no pandemic exception to the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights,” said the letter.
A message seeking comment from the governor’s office wasn’t immediately returned.
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My church is planning our opening in two weeks. They are working on the logistics of complying with socialist distancing. I sent a link to my pastor about the two doctors who talk about all these measures to “save” our lives are actually making us more susceptible to the virus.
I’m praying that they will not require masks. I will not attend until I can go without a “face diaper” (h/t forcibly rearranged).
I just got an email from my pastor. No facemasks required! YAY!
Those who don’t want to be around other’s without masks have a special room they can go to. As we should have been doing all along – let the people choose.
This may be the one issue that propels this country into a shooting war. Nothing else is apparently worth it.
Like liberals and atheists, Hitler hated Christianity too, among all his other hatreds, despite what some stupid historians say. Anything he said in favor of it was a smokescreen to get German Christians to support him.
He said as much in his recorded “table talks”, and stated he would destroy Christianity after the war.
Dictators are paranoid creatures because they are mostly unaccomplished despots that can’t stand competition! To them God is competition!
@C – ‘good news’ for ya and your congregation, but is there a ‘Whuflu occupancy count’ associated with your freedom of religious assembly??
Here in NY (in certain regions, not us yet though) we have been ‘allowed to open’, but groups are ‘limited to ten’. That’s A LOT of masses in one day…or first come first ‘served’ but in an Apostolic way?
Ghost
ghost of brig gen j glover
MAY 20, 2020 AT 6:13 PM
“…but groups are ‘limited to ten’. ”
…Jesus had 12, and that was BEFORE you counted the congregation, and you know what they (meaning the Bible) say..
“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”
Acts 5:29
Still waiting for “The head of the federal Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division” to write a similar letter concerning all of the illegal edicts on guns in California that violate the 2nd Amendment.
Not holding my breath.
Our church will implement socialist distancing and face masks when they reopen in June. We will not attend nor will we watch livestream until there are NO restrictions. We may have to do church the same as homeschool. Church in this country seems to be nothing but another State run social club.
Scriptures the Church should be standing on by faith despite leftist mandates;
Proverbs 29:
25 The fear of man is a snare,
but whoever trusts in the LORD is set securely on high.
26 Many seek the ruler’s favor,
but a man receives justice from the LORD.
Psalm 27:
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Hebrews 13:
6 Hence we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?”
Satan counts on fear to stop the assembly and corporate worship on Earth. Yet, Paul set the example of how God wants (us) Christians to respond to persecution – Acts 16:16-40.
What Satan meant for evil, God will use for good- Genesis 50:20.
BTW, if jailed most of these unlawful assembly Commievirus cases against pastors and parishioners are overturned in the United States. Small price to pay for trusting God.
Ghost, no number limit that I know of. Just got back from prayer meeting (1st major gathering!) and there were over 20 people. Only two people wore face masks, and when they saw the rest of us without, they said, “Yippie” as they took theirs off!
@C- RIGHT(S) on! GREAT real story…like ‘out of a movie’!?!?!!?