Who Do They Think They Are? Knox County, Tenn., Bans Communion, Hymnals—and Even Bibles—at Church

PJ Media ^ | 04/30/2020 | Paula Bolyard

[SeekAndFind]

One of the things we’re beginning to see as states move toward “reopening” is elected officials and health directors mandating even more stringent precautions than had existed in prior orders. In Ohio, for example, Gov. Mike DeWine announced last week a plan to reopen the state, even while ordering restaurants, stores, and their customers to wear masks — something that wasn’t required under his previous shutdown order.

It’s even worse in Knox County, Tenn., where the health department just announced that while churches may reopen on May 1, the Lord’s Supper is forbidden.

The order was announced by Knox County Health Department Regional Hospital Coordinator Charity Menefee, who announced that Communion is not part of “core worship.”

“The Community Strategy for Phased Reopening is complementary to Governor Lee’s ‘Tennessee Pledge: Reopening Tennessee Responsibly’ framework and the White House’s ‘Opening Up America Again’ guidance,” the edict explains. “Local government has been empowered to create strategies relevant to the unique needs of the community.”

“If there are differences between the plans, the community should follow this local plan,” the document explains. The order lists the rules for reopening a wide variety of businesses including restaurants, spas, tattoo parlors, and museums. It also allows churches to hold services, provided they follow the county’s stringent guidelines that include social distancing, sanitizing surfaces between services, treating every partitioner “as if they are potentially dangerous,” and a requirement that everyone in attendance at Knox County churches wear a mask—unlike stores and restaurants, where employes and patrons are only required to wear a mask when social distancing cannot be maintained.

[SeekAndFind]

In addition, “The physical taking of communion/sacrament should not be performed due to the serial breaking of physical distancing across a congregation.” Churches are urged to “consider guiding parishioners in how to connect with the spiritual aspects of these practices during this phase.” Never mind that for Christians, Communion is a requirement, not an optional activity that can be transmitted over the internet.

Not only that, but church attendees are also banned from physically embracing or shaking hands with one another. And singing, while not banned, “is discouraged as it is thought to be an activity that expels significantly more virus than talking.”

Also banned by the Knox County order: “communal items (for example, tithe plates, hymnals, bibles, etc.).” Churches are told they should use a donation box in lieu of an offering plate. “Only core worship services are permitted in Phase One,” the order reads.

“Activities such as groups and classes, youth services, social events, potlucks, communal snacks or food, and nursery, are not permitted in Phase One.”

[PGalt]

TOTALITARIAN PSYCHOPATHS (and proud of it)

[Skywise]

Tyrannical, totalitarian government overreach and unconstitutional.

This tyranny must end immediately.

[Roman_War_Criminal]

They want to ban God.

This will be interesting. Looks like our ‘leaders’ want to start the Christian persecution now.

Charles Lawson is a preacher in Knox County. He will not comply with this nonsense.

What about Islamic prohibitions in Knox County? Are there any?

[Blood of Tyrants]

Tyranny for your own good.

[ClearCase_guy]

I would say that right now, no one wants to be the first to “start something”.

But if true rebellion breaks out anywhere, I think it will spread like wildfire. A lot of us are seething but maintaining control. For now.

[Scrambler Bob]

As bad as this is, in our face about core worship, etc., and as straight from satan’s mouth as it sounds, it can and will get much worse.

Physical persecution, ..., mark of the beast.

And these are not my thoughts, God Said So.

[JayAr36]

Who Do They Think They Are?

They do think they are anything but tried and true Fascists. They are going to great lengths to prove it.

[madison10]

We, our church, had stopped doing most of those things the Sunday before the total shutdown. We did still sing, no hymnbooks anyway, but the rest of those restrictions listed are common sense.

There were not many people there anyway, no social distancing issues. No one WANTED to shake hands, hug, or pass an offering plate.

[libertymaker]

Regional Hospital Coordinator Charity Menefee, who announced that Communion is not part of “core worship.”

This has to be satire. I can’t see any church going along with this. Let’s hope there is massive disobedience.

Communion IS the core of Christianity.

[gogeo]

Mommy Dearest.

[Red6]

Home of the free and the brave.

Don’t worry, abortion clinics get to stay open, because that’s essential care.

Homo hookup sites like Grindr and Outpersonals are running at full speed too, since that’s protected by privacy rights...

The gubbermint is just trying to protect you. Do not argue against science and follow the rules. You want to be a responsible and ethical person, don’t you? It is you patriotic duty to follow rules.

You know what is really funny? I said this many times before here... Not even at their peak in the 1960s did the atheist commies in the former East block dare shut down all the churches by decree.

[stinkerpot65]

Democrats are evil scum.

[knarf]

States have no right nor business in God's work

[Bayard]

So it sounds like an easy first amsendment shut down. Thoae statements about core worship clearly violate establishment of religion. The state simply cannot recommend a worship prectice or say what is or is not a tenant of worship.

Aslo it is manifestly false since Jesus said, “do this in memory of me.” (Luke 22:19) Hence one of the things God Himself expressly stated that His followers were to do.

[Rebelbase]

"What about Islamic prohibitions in Knox County? Are there any?"

Curious about that also. There needs to be a 6' distance between worshippers noses and the ass ahead of them. (fecal shedding)

[libstripper]

TOTALITARIAN PSYCHOPATHS (and proud of it)

God damned ABSOLUTELY!!! I belong to two boating clubs in Knox County. Those pure evil. asinine regulations have effectively banned all of our communal boating and social activities. If those ignorant, totalitarian, nanny state creeps were responsible for traffic regulation everybody would be required to drive at no more than 30 mph.

[dufekin]

Constitution has been amended. The amendment text is still secret and unpublished, but numerous governors and bureaucrats agree on the main points. Bill of rights is repealed. America is now a Maoist state. We now have a compulsory, established religion: worship of the Almighty Government, but never of Trump. Atheism is of course permissible with due deference for the majesty of bureaucrats. Islam may be a permissible alternative, but certainly not Christianity or Judaism. Obscure, nameless deep-state bureaucrats can issue sudden decrees to forbid entire sectors of the private economy with less than a day of advanced warning. A third of the economy, including almost no government bureaucrats, thus vanished already.

If we manage to reelect Trump in 2020 and get sufficient majorities in both houses of Congress, we yet may amend the Constitution to repeal the secret amendment and to ban further secret amendments. But quite possibly, the provisions of the new secret Amendment to the Constitution require that the Democrats win elections almost automatically hereafter forevermore.

Soon and very soon after the triumph of the Democrats, even these forums will vanish forever for fomenting dissent.

Whither on this planet may I go, even ignoring prohibitions on such travel and on the presence of Americans in such place, and yet still exercise my ancient liberties like the free exercise of religion? With the fall of the Land of the Free, former home of the once-brave, I cannot find anywhere that freedom still reigns.

[GailA]

NO.

[Cboldt]

https://covid.knoxcountytn.gov/pdfs/A-Community-Strategy-for-Phased-Reopening.pdf

sure enough ... see p.23