Posted on 03/30/2020 2:17:26 PM PDT by Brown Deer
TAMPA, Fla. — The pastor of a Tampa megachurch who held two services on Sunday for scores of worshippers was arrested Monday for violating a county order requiring residents to stay at home to limit the spread of coronavirus.
Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne, co-founder of the River at Tampa Bay Church, turned himself in to the Hernando County jail and was booked on Hillsborough charges of unlawful assembly and violating quarantine orders during a public health emergency, jail records show.
He was booked into the jail at 2:20 p.m., records show. He was freed about 40 minutes later after posting $500 bail.
“Not only the right of free speech but the right to peaceful assembly and to practice what we believe,” he said. “Suddenly we are demonized because we believe God heals, that the Lord sets people free, and they make us out to be some sort of kooks.”
In a statement released on March 18, church leaders signaled they considered church an essential service like police and fire departments and hospitals.
“We feel that it is very important, at this time, that we keep our doors open for anyone who needs prayer or ministry and to make ourselves available to minister hope and healing and comfort to them,” the statement said. “We believe God’s Word to us, which says to trust Him and to not be fearful but to have faith in Him.”
“Not one word in the Constitution about plagues or pandemics to exempt the government from any of our Bill of Rights,” the post says. “Why do our current courts allow it? Because the public is asleep at the wheel. Think the pandemic threatens to kills us all? A review of the data shows the pandemic is more panic than plague.”
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
Wrong battle, wrong time, wrong place.
There is faith, and there is putting people at risk.
Seldom is there a right place, right time.
Do that to a Mosque
If he wants to make this a test case for the USSC, fine and dandy, but by the time they hear it (IF they decide to) this will all be over and done with...
“Suddenly we are demonized because we believe God heals,”
No. You were arrested and charged because you and your idiot followers are deadly threats to public health.
L
Yeah, really.
This not the same United States of America that I grew up in. I never thought I'd live to see the day when it's illegal to go to church.
“.... they make us out to be some sort of kooks.”
Took the words right out of my mouth.
You either believe in the Constitution or you do not!
Pick one!
Agreed. Nevertheless,
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
If someone had the virus, and left the church to go to the store, they are putting any number of people at risk. Fine, have church, but no one gets to leave because they are putting the public at risk.
And sadly, many here who CLAIM to be Conservative support violating the Constitution and violating the right to religion!
Romans 13:1-2 says:
“Obey the government, for God is the One who has put it there. There is no government anywhere that God has not placed in power. So those who refuse to obey the law of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow.”
Nuff said....
Right battle, there is no other battle close to the importance of immortal souls, and as we draw closer to the second American civil war it is critically important who is dedicated to preserving all of our freedoms and who is the enemy.
It’s not illegal to go to church.
It’s illegal to bring people together to proliferate the
spread of a deadly virus.
It’s not illegal to go to church.
It’s illegal to bring people together to proliferate the
spread of a deadly virus.
Cheered on by most here on FR. It’s government boots on throats or bust for this quickly becoming shitty site.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.