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Judge protects Colorado churches from governor’s COVID capacity, face mask directives
LifeSiteNews ^ | Oct 22, 2020 | LifeSiteNews staff

Posted on 10/22/2020 7:59:46 PM PDT by george76

The decision came following a lawsuit against federal and state officials for an array of religious freedom violations..

Two Colorado churches and their pastors are currently protected from the state’s enforcement of capacity limits and face masks during worship services thanks to an order handed down by a federal judge on October 15, 2020. This decision came following a lawsuit against federal and state officials for an array of religious freedom violations. Thomas More Society Special Counsel Rebecca Messall and co-counsel Brad Bergford, who are representing the congregations and their pastors, were pleased with the order.

Messall reports a favorable ruling from Judge Domenico for partially granting the relief sought by these houses of worship and their leaders, “The lawsuit calls both the federal government and Colorado leaders into account for their violations of the right to free exercise of religion, among other abuses of power, primarily resulting from Governor Jared Polis’ COVID-19 related Executive Orders.”

Denver Bible Church and its pastor, Robert Enyart, and Community Baptist Church and its pastor, Joey Rhoads, asked the court to enjoin enforcement of orders related to Colorado’s gubernatorially mandated capacity limits on worship services and face mask requirements.

Currently, Colorado imposes capacity limits on houses of worship that are more severe than those that apply to other so-called critical businesses whose settings pose a similar risk of COVID-19 transmission. The state also allows a variety of exceptions to its facial-covering requirement where it recognizes that removing a mask is necessary to carry out a particular activity.

The order, issued by the Honorable Daniel D. Domenico, states, “...the Constitution does not allow the State to tell a congregation how large it can be when comparable secular gatherings are not so limited, or to tell a congregation that its reason for wishing to remove facial coverings is less important than a restaurant’s or spa’s.”

Domenico also noted, “The First Amendment does not allow government officials, whether in the executive or judicial branch, to treat religious worship as any less critical or essential than other human endeavors. Nor does it allow the government to determine what is a necessary part of a house of worship’s religious exercise.”

The judge’s order prohibits Colorado officials from enforcing the state’s Executive Orders and Public Health Orders against the churches and pastors, in particular matters of occupancy limitations and face mask requirements during worship services.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Colorado
KEYWORDS: capacitylimits; chinavirus; church; churches; colorado; coronavirus; covid; covid19; danielddomenico; danieldomenico; dcolorado; demolochparty; domenico; facemasks; federalistsociety; firstamendment; judiciary; lockdown; masks; orders; politicaljudiciary; religiousjudiciary; trumpjudge

1 posted on 10/22/2020 7:59:46 PM PDT by george76
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To: wattojawa; Honorary Serb

Ping!

The REAL question is whether Metropolitan Isaiah will concur.


2 posted on 10/22/2020 8:01:47 PM PDT by lightman (I am a binary Trinitarian. Deal with it!)
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To: MileHi; dynachrome; Balata; backspace; bboop; Benito Cereno; bravo whiskey; Bruiser 10; ...

Colorado Ping ( Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the list.)

and .. Colorado Voting at Polling Location Just North of Denver..

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3896002/posts?page=7#7

TV guard’s lawyer: Evidence of self-defense in shooting..

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3896371/posts?page=11#11


3 posted on 10/22/2020 8:04:40 PM PDT by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: lightman

Colorado is one among only 20 states that still impose COVID-related restrictions.

https://thenewamerican.com/two-colorado-churches-win-court-reprieve-from-governors-covid-mandates/


4 posted on 10/22/2020 8:06:22 PM PDT by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: george76
Trump appointee.

YES!!

FReegards!

1st-Annual-Freeper-Convention-1million-vet-march

5 posted on 10/22/2020 8:08:24 PM PDT by Agamemnon (Darwinism is the glue that holds liberalism together)
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To: george76
I always assumed public safety mandates would remain within the parameters of basic civil rights and due process of law. But it seems our Human Rights have been suspended in favor of Science Fiction based racketeering by governors with self appointed absolute power

Boy was I naiive

6 posted on 10/22/2020 8:23:43 PM PDT by KTM rider (, Virus protection isn't just for your computer anymore, we gotta pay up and pay dearly)
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To: george76

Unfortunately in many states church hierarchs impose restrictions which EXCEED the Governors’ mandates.


7 posted on 10/22/2020 8:24:16 PM PDT by lightman (I am a binary Trinitarian. Deal with it!)
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To: george76

Trump judge Daniel D. Domenico of the District of Colorado brings a Federalist Society smackdown to DeMoloch Party gubernator Jared Polis.


8 posted on 10/22/2020 8:29:42 PM PDT by kiryandil (Chris Wallace: Because someone has to drive the Clown Car)
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To: george76

I assume Gov. polesmoker will fight this order.


9 posted on 10/22/2020 8:32:23 PM PDT by dynachrome (The panic will end, the tyranny will not)
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To: george76

BUMP


10 posted on 10/22/2020 8:33:43 PM PDT by Balding_Eagle ( The Great Wall of Trump ---- 100% sealing of the border. Coming soon.)
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To: george76

Bkmk


11 posted on 10/22/2020 11:25:47 PM PDT by kelly4c
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To: lightman

New Hampshire is among those states. Our church is virtually off limits, thanks to the Bishop of Manchester.


12 posted on 10/23/2020 1:23:34 AM PDT by Laslo Fripp (The Sybil of Free Republic)
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To: george76

Good


13 posted on 10/23/2020 8:21:28 AM PDT by MileHi (Liberalism is an ideology of parasites, hypocrites, grievance mongers, victims, and control freaks.)
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