The Church Vs. The State Civil Disobedience

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The numbers of our recent outbreak have slowed. Recoveries are currently outpacing new infections.

That said, in the span of a week we reported more new cases in the St. John's area than the whole Province did in 2020.

We also recorded two deaths in the past month compared to 2020s total of 4.

So I would say that constitutes our second wave.

How did it happen? Apparently, a variant got out into the community, so somebody wasn't self-isolating properly, or a family member of a properly self-isolating individual messed up. And that actually happened in three distinct cases all around the same time. The variant was carried into the community by a teen. Rumours are swirling of a party held by other teens attended by one or more infected individuals who likely were not aware that they were positive.

We set a new record for new cases per day at 100 at the zenith of the new case curve. We also have as many if not more in ICU now than we did all of last year.

For the second time since the pandemic began our volunteers at our meal delivery program have been forced to close the kitchen for two weeks and that is on top of modifications that closed our dining area so that we could continue to provide our neighbours with meals twice a week. Other meals have closed completely so our numbers served have increased.

In 2020 we lost 32 weeks' worth of face-to-face worship services due to weather and or public health restrictions. We have now lost 4 due to new pandemic restrictions and are likely to see another two weeks of severe restrictions in the St. John's area.

Has it been pleasant? Nope, not at all. Do we think that it is warranted? Yes. We trust the health experts and if they err we trust it is on the side of caution which is compassionate action. Are our members suffering from not being able to meet face-to-face? Some are and they have said so. When we were given permission to open we found that many members chose not to gather with us because they find themselves in a precarious demographic and choose to stay apart for safety's sake.

About a month ago we were regularly recording 0 new cases a day, we handled the Christmas season without any spike in cases. Then in 5 days, we started putting large numbers of infections up.

We are mindful of a sister Church in Alberta that followed public health guidelines so that they could hold a party for one of their senior saints. Within a week, more than half of those in attendance had confirmed cases of Covid-19, and the saint who they gathered to honour succumbed to the illness. That is a colleague horribly scarred by trying to do what was right and a community shattered.

So, when we at George Street gathered to discuss the hows and whens of Covid-19 Pandemic Worship neither of us could list which member we would be okay with spreading the infection to. That leads us to use alternate means for worship.

And it does suck.

It does not suck as much as a funeral that could be prevented.

Pastor Coates and his community of faith have chosen to take certain action. That is their choice.

I find the language of persecution outrageous. Here in Canada Christian Churches have enjoyed privileged treatment for so long they have forgotten what genuine persecution looks like.
 
revjohn said:
I find the language of persecution outrageous. Here in Canada Christian Churches have enjoyed privileged treatment for so long they have forgotten what genuine persecution looks like.
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Good post in general, but this line in particular says a lot. Well said.
 
Humanity is so hostile to everything ... thus much of everything has departed ... denied any respect! How gods go in violent surroundings ...
 
revjohn said:
Here in Canada Christian Churches have enjoyed privileged treatment for so long they have forgotten what genuine persecution looks like.
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The Institutional Christian Church in Canada has been in bed with the Canadian State from the beginning. This has negated its mandate to pursue justice, practice mercy, and walk humbly. If the Institutional Christian Church begins the practice of faithful public witness it will discover resistance from the Canadian State. As that faithful public witness grows, persecution will follow. History makes this clear.

I say such things as one who is called to resist Church and State. For this I have experienced a fair measure of persecution.
 
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What cruel treatment over a long time did he undergo?
He is sitting in a jail cell for a reason.
 
Cruel and unusual treatment is a human flaw that passes as normal ... supports irrationalism! Anonymous passions are like that when lacking clues ...
 
Kimmio Laughterlove said:
Then they are not doing society any favours, or good deeds, they're just being pigheaded.
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The Church is not mandated to favour any social order. It is mandated to keep the powers in line with the way of God. When it undertakes collaboration with the State that mandate is deeply compromised.
 
Waterfall said:
Choosing to risk others lives instead of taking the high road to keep his congregation safe.
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From some perspectives, safety is not the primary factor. Anabaptists have an extended history of resistance to the State. For that resistance they suffered martyrdom in many lands. It may be that these deep roots are coming into play. Perhaps some among the Anabaptists are now being motivated to resist the state. We shall see where the matter takes us.
 
GeoFee said:
The Church is not mandated to favour any social order. It is mandated to keep the powers in line with the way of God. When it undertakes collaboration with the State that mandate is deeply compromised.
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Jesus is people. People always form a social order, for better or worse. The “state” ( in this case people employed in infectious disease control - put it into perspective) is trying to stop the spread of a pandemic so vulnerable people don’t die. Maybe that corner of the church ought to be doing the same. Because there are people whose immune systems are compromised, the churches insisting on staying open are compromising them. Why? Because, it’s “tradition” to gather on Sunday and ain’t no lawman gonna tell them they can’t have their tradition? Why don’t they pray privately like Jesus taught us...until this worldwide pandemic is over. Or, they can gather on zoom. Why do they have to be prideful and boastful? The church is already deeply compromised. What were these same types of churches preaching about pre-pandemic? Helping the poor, the widows, the prisoners, welcoming immigrants - challenging the state to do better for everybody? No. They were doing the opposite - look south - they were emulating their southern counterparts in the Trump era. Trump who lied about the pandemic and its danger while he made sure he was well looked after. And it’s the “poor and the widows” who just so happen to be at higher risk in this pandemic, too.
 
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revjohn said:
Here in Canada Christian Churches have enjoyed privileged treatment for so long
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In Canada many charities and other non-profits, including churches and religious groups, are tax-exempt if they are deemed to create public benefit.

The exemption is premised on the idea that they provide a public good ... essential service

Churches differ from non-profit charities in some important ways.

The main difference between these groups and religious places of worship are the rules the non-profits must follow, which include the building being “unrestricted at least 70 per cent of operating time” and adherence to rules against discrimination (race, culture, religious belief etc.).

So in essence the Church priviledged treatment allows them to discriminate.

I think the reason the churches are not opening for the most part is not because they are afraid of the virus but because they are afraid of losing their tax exempt status.
 
I am against prison sentences as punishment generally. I don’t think punishments need to be harsh in order for a person to be rehabilitated. It doesn’t do justice to damage another human being for revenge....which is what I think prisons do. But this preacher wants to be in jail for attention, rather than to be reasonable.
 
Ritafee said:
Jesus was a street minister. He walked and talked with the people where ever they were ... and that required hands on action in public.
Daniel was not thrown to the lions for keeping his prayer private.
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He taught people not to pray on the corners just to be seen doing so. I’m not fooled that these churches breaking the covid rules are pious all of a sudden. They’re boasting. And it’s not in the Lord. They lack self control and they’re boasting in themselves.
 
Kimmio Laughterlove said:
I’m not fooled that these churches breaking the covid rules are pious all of a sudden.
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They were 'pious' all along ... they did not close their church unless it was the 'right' (as in not wrong) protocol to follow as a common sense measure ... and when it was open it was not just for 1 hour on a Sunday afternoon for a sermon that was discriminatory against any person that was not a 'member' in good standing ... it was open to all who wanted to avail themselves of the many services that were provided on a daily basis. You really should get the whole story before you make your judgements.
 
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