Florida, Louisiana churches draw hundreds to Sunday services despite coronavirus restrictions

[left-of-center2012]

About 500 people attended Sunday services in the Life Tabernacle church near Baton Rouge a day after New Orleans police officers dispersed a “funeral repast” of approximately 100 people, The Associated Press reported. Worshippers and assistant ministers told reporters present at the service to leave, the AP noted.

Meanwhile, a livestream from The River at Tampa Bay Church indicated the Florida church’s Sunday service was also teeming with worshippers. The church said in a statement on its web site that it felt it was important to remain open for people in need of comfort, saying it is sanitizing and cleaning all surfaces.

“In a time of national crisis, we expect certain institutions to be open and certain people to be on duty. ...The Church is another one of those essential services. It is a place where people turn for help and for comfort in a climate of fear and uncertainty,” the church said in the statement.

Earlier in March, a Louisiana church held a service attended by about 300 people despite a ban on gatherings of over 50 people by Gov. John Bel Edwards (D). The Rev. Tony Spell of Life Tabernacle Church in East Baton Rouge Parish said at the time that the virus was “not a concern.”

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/490118-florida-louisiana-churches-draw-hundreds-to-sunday-services

[Ohiogal]

1. I suppose they were singing too....

[onecaliberal]

2. The stupid is strong in them.

[winetourdriver01]

3. The stupid, it burns

Can we lock the doors behind them?

[getagrip_already]

4. if people want to attend these events...

They should be forced to sign a waiver saying they will receive no health care if infected, and will be responsible for health care expenses of anyone they infect.

They should also be subjected to a mandatory quarantine after the event of 21 days.

[Major Nikon]

5. There's a simpler solution

You start locking up church officials. The whole point of incarceration is to segregate dangerous individuals from society.

After they are locked up, and members of the congregation inevitably become infected and die, you charge them with manslaughter and put them away for a long time.

[SoCalNative]

13. And start padlocking the doors

of all of the churches.

[Major Nikon]

16. That's exactly what would happen if this were anything other than a church

But somehow religion gets a pass.

[DFW]

19. I quite agree

This is reckless endangerment on the part of everyone present, and negligent homicide if anyone dies from the virus. Whatever the penalty is for murder should be applied in full to every so-called "pastor" who presides over the acquisition of a fatal COVID-19 infection at their "church." "No proof?" If a few dozen people who had no symptoms prior to the "service" suddenly acquire symptoms at approximately the same interval of time after attending, let them produce evidence that it was all a coincidence.

[lark]

6. No wonder the infections are climbing so high in both states.

Silver lining, the people going are mainly trumpers. Stay far, far, away from them, they are dangerous to our health and stupidly on purpose.

[redstatebluegirl]

7. Maybe it will thin the herd.

Jesus must be so embarrassed by his flock of mindless followers.

[Aquaria]

11. Why would he be?

This is a guy who preached divisiveness and us v them tribal loyalty. He even says outright that people should love him even above their own families.

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Matthew 10:34-37

So why pretend that a deity who demands that people love him over all else wouldn’t want “mindless followers?” It’s exactly what he wanted, or he wouldn’t have demanded it.

Sheesh. Am I the only one who’s read the cult manual for what their deity actually had to say, rather than taking the word of his cult promoters for it?

[Turin_C3PO]

15. You have a point

but most of the stories in the Gospels portray Jesus as a kind, caring man who favored the sick and weak as opposed to the powerful. I have no problem with Christ, it’s many of his followers I can’t stand.

[Snarkoleptic]

8. The more I witness, the more certain I am that these people of the book will be the death of us all.

n/t

[SWBTATTReg]

9. The Rapture is strong in these people. However, if they were to come to my workplace or ...

home, I would call the cops for endangering the health of me and my loved ones.

I wouldn't hesitate. These people need to be arrested and charged w/ endangering the public health.

It's not time to screw around. God gave you a brain for a reason. Use the damn thing.

[In_The_Wind]

10. Very foolish behavior.

[Aquaria]

12. If only they could be sheltered into place

Right there in their cult center.

If they insist on going there en masse, then make them stay there under quarantine until they can be cleared of being infected.

[tanyev]

14. God's taking too long to Rapture them, so they're just gonna have to do it themselves.

[jmg257]

17. This selfish irresponsible behavior is why we will be on the higher side of models...

I hare these people.

[Major Nikon]

18. Police arrest Florida pastor for holding church services despite stay-at-home order

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/30/us/florida-pastor-arrested-river-church/index.html