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Murdock, Minnesota's City Council voted 3-1 to grant permit allowing Asatru Folk Assembly (AFA) to gather at former Lutheran church AFA practices a pre-Christian, European spirituality that revolves around Norse gods; it only admits white people with northern European descent Southern Poverty Law Center has added AFA to its list of hate groups Critics of AFA have launched an online petition seeking to stop it, which so far has drawn more than 123,000 signatures Murdock officials said rejecting AFA's permit request could have violated its religious rights and led to an expensive legal battle

Multimillionaire televangelist Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Texas netted $4.4 million in bailouts through the federal COVID-19 relief program, records show. The Houston megachurch, the largest in the nation with 52,000 weekly congregants, received the forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loan in late July, the Houston Business Journal reported Sunday.

Washington — The Supreme Court on Tuesday sided with a Colorado church challenging the state's capacity restrictions on houses of worship during the coronavirus pandemic, the latest order from the high court, now with a 6-3 conservative majority, in favor of churches and synagogues seeking to hold worship services during the ongoing crisis. In an order with three dissents, the high court tossed out an August decision from the federal district court in Colorado that kept the attendance limits in place and sent the dispute back to the lower courts for further consideration in light of its November order barring...

During the pandemic, arbitrary regulations and lockdowns that have forced small businesses to close and kids to remain out of school have had serious consequences. Pandemic-induced depression and suicide is a serious problem that seems to have been overlooked by many of the leaders imposing lockdowns.Meanwhile, religious worship was deemed nonessential by some Democrat leaders during the pandemic. And houses of worship were forced to remain closed, allegedly out of health concerns. According to some Democrats, you could social distance in a Walmart, restaurant, or even an airplane, but not a church or a synagogue—so they ordered them closed.But a...

NEW YORK — A Bible-toting gunman who opened fire at an open air a cappella Christmas choral event, held at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Manhattan, was shot dead by police on Sunday after shouting “Kill me!” according to eyewitnesses. Images captured by Reuters show moments from the deadly standoff, including pictures of the gunman, New York Police Department Officers, and frightened onlookers running away and huddling at the scene. “Our Carols for the Community event this afternoon was interrupted by an armed individual, who set off a round of gunfire into the air from our front...

NEW YORK -- A man was shot by police after shots rang out at the end of a Christmas choral concert on the steps of a Manhattan cathedral Sunday afternoon. It’s unclear if the gunman was killed and police said there's no indication anyone but the gunman was shot. The shooting happened just before 4 p.m. at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, mother church of the Episcopal Diocese of New York and seat of its bishop. The 45-minute concert had just concluded and people were starting to walk away when a series of shots was heard, sending...

A California Superior Court judge issued an injunction against Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s planned COVID-19 restrictions on a Catholic priest and his parishes earlier this week, citing the recent Supreme Court decision in favor of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn. Judge Gregory Pulskamp slapped down Newsom’s mandates on Thursday in a case brought against state, local, and municipal officials by the Thomas More Society on behalf of Father Trevor Burfitt and his several churches. The complaint, which can be read here, argued that Newsom and those under his authority were discriminating against religious institutions in the name of...

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced new coronavirus restrictions Thursday and urged people of faith to stay out of their churches during the Christmas season. “This year, we need to think about what is truly the most important thing. Is it the worship or the building?” Northam said at a press conference. “For me, God is wherever you are. You don’t have to sit in the church pew for God to hear your prayers.” He urged faith leaders to “lead the way” and “set an example” for their communities.

This means they can exceed capacity restrictions.. COLORADO SPRINGS — Worship leaders across the state are preparing to be able to do things a bit differently after a new public health order from the governor will allow places of worship to exceed mandated capacity limits. The order redefines worship services as essential, meaning they’re allowed to go over mandated capacity limits if they can’t perform their essential service without doing so. “I grew up in church and sensed that this is what I wanted to do,” said Vista Grande Baptist Church Pastor Chris Moore. “After college I felt that seminary...

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”, and it seems, as we approach the holiday of Hanukkah (beginning tonight) that these words are exceptionally true…especially in California, New York, and other states flexing their authoritarian muscles. ... Under the guise of “protecting against Covid-19,” multiple state governors have put citizens in lockdown. These governors have arbitrarily decided which businesses are essential and which are not, with total disregard for the holistic well-being of the people ... It is sickly ironic that Gov. Newsome here in California considers the production of television and films essential, but church...

President-Elect Joe Biden’s pick for secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, concerns religious conservatives fighting to protect their First Amendment free speech and religious liberty rights. They are wary of Becerra because he defended the anti-free speech California law (AB 775), struck down by the Supreme Court, that forced pro-life care centers to promote state-sponsored abortions. They are also alarmed over comments he made before the state Assembly three years ago when he said religious liberty is only for “individuals” not “institutions.” California Family Council President Jonathan Keller had this to say about the...

The ignorance and the lies concerning the Wuhan virus can't continue much longer, because time is simply revealing the truth about it. December 5, 2020 (American Thinker) — The ignorance and the lies concerning the Wuhan virus can't continue much longer, because time is simply revealing the truth about it. As we continue to suffer under foolish Wuhan virus restrictions, and as many parts of the U.S. — especially those under the rule of Democrats — are again ramping up the shutdowns and the lockdowns, more and more Americans are beginning to see what many of us have long known:...

The Mass will be restricted by a mandatory 10 pm curfew in place over the holiday seasonItalians will not be able to attend midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, with top health officials cracking down on any conditions that could lead to a potential resurgence in coronavirus cases -- a step that Catholic clergy has supported. Italy managed to reduce a fall resurgence of cases but is currently suffering record fatalities from COVID-19, reporting 993 deaths on Thursday alone. Premier Giuseppe Conte announced, then, that the country will enforce strong restrictions over the holiday season, which normally sees extended families gathering...

Americans cherish religious freedom. And the COVID-19 crisis has reminded people of faith, especially how much they value this critical First Amendment right. For me, a Christian, the past eight months of lockdowns have underscored the importance of in-person worship or, rather, the importance of fellowship in nurturing one’s spiritual life. As David Mathis, a pastor and executive editor of Desiring God, says, “Worshipping Jesus together may be the single most important thing we do. It plays an indispensable role in rekindling our spiritual fire and keeping it burning. Corporate worship brings together God’s word, prayer, and fellowship, and so...

Washington — The Supreme Court on Thursday sided with a California church challenging Governor Gavin Newsom's restrictions on indoor worship services amid the spike in coronavirus infections, ordering a federal district court to revisit an earlier ruling against the religious institution. In a brief unsigned order with no noted dissents, the high court tossed out an order from the federal trial court in the Central District of California, which had upheld Newsom's restrictions. The justices sent the dispute back to the lower court for further consideration in light of its decision last week in a similar challenge to New York...

Felony Vandalism charges have been filed against five people, in connection with last month’s destruction of a statue in San Rafael, California.SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — Marin County prosecutors have filed felony vandalism charges against five people after a mob destroyed a statue of St. Junípero Serra at Mission San Rafael Arcángel last month. If convicted, the vandals could be sentenced to up to three years in prison and fined up to $50,000. Separately, the California Highway Patrol made an arrest in connection with the July 4 toppling of the Serra statue at Sacramento’s Capitol Park. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, whose archdiocese...

We should demand that our pastors mark the Nativity with pomp and refuse to support churches whose leaders cower behind the lie that church is nonessential. The Supreme Court’s ruling last Wednesday against discriminatory targeting of religious groups with COVID-19 restrictions marked a significant victory in the ongoing battle to preserve religious liberty. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, hostile stakeholders in public office have assaulted the first freedom through superciliously labeling religious services “nonessential.” Christians in much of the country now find themselves in the demeaning and intolerable position of being allowed to worship only in the manner and...

The United States Supreme Court rebuked Democrat New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for lockdowns imposed on houses of worship, but Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom is ignoring the high court’s lifting of restrictions in New York and is doubling down on his coronavirus lockdowns on religious gatherings. Newsom has informed the court that his actions are justified by the increase in virus cases and the “perils” of indoor gatherings where people sing or chant. “California is experiencing an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases, creating an even greater public health need for restrictions on prolonged communal gatherings in indoor places,” California...

A video has emerged showing Democrat Senate candidate Rev. Raphael Warnock mocking churchgoers for wanting to defend themselves with guns. The video shows Warnock speaking against the Safe Carry Protection Act, which Georgia lawmakers enacted in 2014. The act expanded the number of places law-abiding citizens could carry guns for self-defense in the hopes of reducing the number of gun-free zones, thereby reducing the number of soft targets available to criminals and/or demented attackers. The video, posted by the NRA, shows Warnock saying, “Somebody decided that they had a bright idea to pass a piece of legislation that will allow...

A U.K. tequila bar owner has filed an application to register his business as a church to avoid coronavirus lockdown rules. In a Facebook post on Friday, James Aspell wrote (language warning) he is changing the name of his Nottingham bar, now called “400 Rabbits Tequila and Mezcal Cocktail Bar,” as “The Church of the 400 Rabbits.” “With places of worship allowed to open in all tiers we thought fuck it lets start a religion!” he announced. “Can’t be that hard can it! ‘The Church of the 400 Rabbits’ launching as soon as we get the green light!” “Congregation daily...