Issues@Hand

AFA initiatives, Christian activism, news briefs

September 2020 – In response to surging COVID-19 cases, California Department of Health issued more pandemic guidelines as of July 1. One new restriction prohibited places of worship from “singing or chanting activities,” while also limiting the maximum number of churchgoers to 100.

Having adhered to earlier rules of social distancing and wearing masks during worship, several California pastors believe this latest mandate goes too far. They see it as blatant discrimination against Christians and an attack on religious freedom.

In Sacremento, Tony Suarez, chief operating officer for National Hispanic Leadership Conference, said, “I’ll go to jail before I’ll stop singing to my God!” And Pastor Jentezen Franklin, senior pastor of Free Chapel’s satellite campus in Irvine, California, wrote, “The very definition of discrimination is to allow thousands to march and scream without masks while telling churches [of] 100 or less that you cannot sing. Christians must realize the radical Left will restrict [and] control church if we don’t vote our faith this November! Are you registered to vote your faith?”

onenewsnow.com, 7/1/20; lifenews.com, 7/3/20;
christianpost.com, 7/5/20