Posted on 02/21/2021 6:37:06 PM PST by marshmallow
The government refuses to release James Coates from jail unless he promises not to hold any religious services until his trial.
EDMONTON, Alberta, February 18, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) — A Canadian pastor jailed for ministering to his flock remains in prison, awaiting trial, after refusing to agree to bail conditions that he agree not to hold more church services that violate government restrictions justified by COVID-19.
This past Sunday, February 14, Pastor James Coates of Grace Life Church (Grace Life) of Spruce Grove, Alberta, held a church service for his congregation, which was in violation of a January 29 order by Alberta Health Services (AHS), which had demanded that the church doors shut.
The AHS order came about as a result of multiple visits by health authorities to the church over the previous weeks and months. The AHS claims that the visits showed that the church had been repeatedly violating the provincial rules forcing people to wear masks and stay away from each other along with strictures regarding building capacity.
Coates and Grace Life Church are being represented by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF).
According to the JCCF, at Grace Life’s February 7 Sunday service, two members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) met with Coates and others, telling him they were there to arrest him and that he must stop violating the government’s orders.
The JCCF said Coates “explained to the officers that he could not do that because to do so would violate his conscience and prevent him from fulfilling his duty as a minister to lead his congregation in worship. The officers then left, without arresting him.”
(Excerpt) Read more at lifesitenews.com ...
Wonder how the muzzies fared.
We’re working on this.
I talked to the premier Friday and told him we in the north are extremely upset. As usual, he tried to blame the health service and the police, but he’s the premier. We are beyond livid and this is fueling western separation very quickly.
Good. Alberta has been screwed over enough.
Keep working on him. I think that in the end he should see the light. (I’ve chatted with him a couple of times over the past 20+ years and have had one former student work for him and have some idea of how Catholics of his ilk think, being more or less of the same tribe).
Western separatism would be a good thing . . . for the west. Take Renfrew County with you.
It’s just Satanic government
We are done with him. He’s a federalist. We are leaving one way or the other.
Methinks AB has more in common with the U.S. States to the south than the Canadian ones on the coast ...
We need so many more like him.
Stand, Pastor!!
And it has been a whole year since I have been to my parish. I refuse to put my name on a list and sign up for the few seats that are available - every other row is forbidden access. How do I know somebody is not going to look me up and lock me up because of my faith and my name was on a list? So I watch it at home.
But, the muzzies are free to enjoy their pre-covid services.
Stay strong. We know what’s coming. The Church will pray for you.
All actually Christian pastors should be courting jail for the same reasons.
I guess one group of rioters is enough; politicians don’t want two groups rioting.
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