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Tampa megachurch pastor arrested after leading packed services despite 'safer-at-home' orders
Elderberry:
FOX 13 News 3/30/2020
Tampa megachurch pastor arrested after leading packed services despite 'safer-at-home' orders
The pastor of a Tampa megachurch is facing charges after refusing to close its doors despite a "safer at home" order in effect in Hillsborough County, meant to stop the spread of COVID-19. The sheriff says up to 500 people were in attendance at Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne's Sunday services.
Sheriff Chad Chronister and State Attorney Andrew Warren on Monday announced that an arrest warrant had been issued for Pastor Howard-Browne. He faces misdemeanor charges of unlawful assembly and violation of public health emergency order.
The River at Tampa Bay Church held two services Sunday, Chronister said, and even offered bus transportation for those services. The chuch's livestream showed a packed crowd cheering and applauding.
"They have access to technology allowing them to livestream their services over the internet and broadcast to their 400 members from the safety of their own homes, but instead they chose to gather at church," Chronister said during a press conference.
More: https://www.fox13news.com/news/tampa-megachurch-pastor-arrested-after-leading-packed-services-despite-safer-at-home-orders
catfish1957:
Hate to see a pastor get arrested for religious assembly, but one would hope some common sense would enter the equation.
PeteS in CA:
--- Quote from: catfish1957 on March 30, 2020, 11:58:23 pm ---Hate to see a pastor get arrested for religious assembly, but one would hope some common sense would enter the equation.
--- End quote ---
Exactly. This is a bundle of things that should not happen. The SiP order should have been voluntary for churches and churches should have the sense sense to suspend services. My county did a SiP order about a week before Newsom made it statewide. All the "mega-churches" I'm aware of in Silicon Valley went to online live-streaming.
Polly Ticks:
Apparently freedom of religion and freedom of assembly are subject to the approval of the government. Who knew.
musiclady:
--- Quote from: catfish1957 on March 30, 2020, 11:58:23 pm ---Hate to see a pastor get arrested for religious assembly, but one would hope some common sense would enter the equation.
--- End quote ---
Every pastor with common sense has gone to online services.
The Church is the Church whether it assembles for worship or worship and prays and sings in safety.
In Ohio, there has been a great effort to preserve freedom of religion while asking for common sense and loving, life-saving behavior toward your congregation.
In South Korea, a whole slew of victims were from one large church. This pastor, were he informed and caring, would never have continued to have services. He is a shepherd who is not taking care of his sheep.
I hope and pray that his massive congregation stays well, but judging from other cases, they will not.
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