Here We Go: Ventura County, Calif., Sues Church to Halt Services

[PeteS in CA]

Here We Go: Ventura County, Calif., Sues Church to Halt Services

https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/jeff-reynolds/2020/08/07/here-we-go-ventura-county-calif-sues-church-to-halt-services-n765843

Ventura County, Calif., has voted to order a church to stop conducting services and sermons due to the CCP coronavirus pandemic. The pastor, Rob McCoy, has continued to hold services, exerting his First Amendment right to practice his religion. McCoy, pastor of Godspeak Calvary Chapel, says he’s willing to go to jail over the principle. and that the orders for churches in California to shut down while other activities are allowed to continue are arbitrary and discriminatory. A Ventura County Superior Court judge issued a temporary restraining order on Friday halting all services until a hearing on August 31.

Lawyers for Godspeak announced,

The church intends to present expert witnesses for the purpose of establishing that the State of California and the County of Ventura lack a compelling interest for the prohibition of indoor worship services and that the decision to prevent indoor worship services, while allowing other indoor activities, is arbitrary and without a rational basis. Godspeak Calvary Chapel will file a cross complaint against both the County of Ventura, State of California and the officials enforcing the orders.

The only references to the current shutdown I saw on the church's website were a link to resources for parents whose kids are at home and an invitation to those wishing to be socially distanced to listen to the church's radio station in their cars in the parking lot (probably a low-power FM station). Unless communications to members have been more specific, I suspect the church has decided to let members decide the degree of risk they want to assume.

On the legal side, the arbitrary standard allowing some indoor stuff while forbidding other stuff is a legally valid issue, I think. And if Ventura County thought they were just taking on a small-medium-sized "Fundamentalist" church, they may learn something about the Calvary Chapel association/system.

[PeteS in CA]

Pastor defies health officials: Restriction on worship 'has nothing to do with the virus'

https://justthenews.com/nation/religion/pastor-rob-mccoy-battles-county-health-officials-right-worship

"Who would ever have thought you're standing on the front lines because you're going to church on a Sunday?" asks Pastor Rob McCoy of Godspeak Calvary Chapel.

McCoy and members of his church in Newbury Park Calif., located an hour or so north of Los Angeles, are currently locked in a battle with county officials. They're fighting a temporary restraining order forbidding them to hold indoor worship services. McCoy held services this past weekend, in violation of the order.
...
On Tuesday, Ventura County government officials went to court against the church, hoping a Superior Court judge would order the local sheriff to close Godspeak Calvary Chapel. The judge said that was not necessary. Rather, the judge ordered a further hearing on the matter next week. Under statewide and local public health orders, indoor gatherings of non-essential activities are banned, including church worship services.

Back in March when the whole shut-down stuff started in CA, the reason given was to avoid hospitals being overwhelmed. Well they weren't and aren't. So why the continuance of the shutdown?

[240B]

If you want a party or to go to Church, simply make a few BLM signs.
If you are "protesting" then everything goes. No mask. No Law.
Seriously with no joke, just 'protest' your way to Church.
They can't touch you...