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I realize this is off subject, but we are all Christians here.

I am passionately upset about these pastors and church members who are putting themselves and others at risk of catching this virus plus harming society's view of churches everywhere by having public worship services.

Churches were closed in 1918 during a major health crisis.
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Yoda,

I feel the same. I live in a ‘hot spot’ and police are warning pastors not to have church services. They are putting people themselves and others at risks.

I suppose some people feel they don’t have to listen to the law. It’s ridiculous because nobody is exempt from the law.

People can watch online services. Before structures were built there were home services. So we can pray at home, ‘alone’ but together in spirit.
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Yoda: There was one pastor who said that he would rather get arrested than to abide by the law put in place. Well, he WAS arrested! He was very wrong to open his church! I agree with you.
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Need: That's correct. The social distancing applies of course to churches. At least one pastor broke the law. Maybe more - haven't watched the news on TV today yet.
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There are at least 2 noncompliant pastors so far:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/pastor-of-tampa-church-that-held-2-large-sunday-services-arrested-jailed/ar-BB11VzzL?ocid=msedgdhp

 https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/louisiana-church-defies-covid-19-order-holds-sunday-services/ar-BB11SYNG?ocid=msedgdhp

The LA "church" has 37 buses which circulate in 5 parishes to pick up and return parishioners.   

Personally, I think the LA guy isn't a truly religious person, but one of those guys who needs a large following for his large ego.    I'm surprised he's not a televangelist - he could get a lot more attention on tv.

The Catholic parish my cousins attend have already sometime ago made alternate arrangements so that people don't have to go out but can still worship.

I'm not a religious person, but I think those who make arrangements for congregations to continue worship are more legitimate and more truly religious than those who challenge governmental orders during a crisis.
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Llama,

A Pentecostal church about an hour away from New Orleans, in a Baton Rouge suburb has continually disobeyed our governor’s orders not to have services. The story is all over our local news. Our governor is fed up with his behavior.

He was warned and didn’t listen. He got arrested. He’s fanatical. This pastor thinks he’s above the law. He thinks the law is taking away his right to pray. Ridiculous! No one is taking away his right. He needs to do his services online like other churches are doing. He can still pray all he wants to, just not with a large group of people like he’s been doing. He even picks up people with buses.

My church has been doing services online. The archbishop has ruled in our state that none of our Catholic Churches will have services at our churches. We are obeying the laws. We have the choice to watch the Mass on television or stream online.

Many different denominations or non denominational churches are doing online services. No one has to risks spreading this virus to go to church. Pray at home!
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NHWM,

I learned today that there is an old Jewish tradition which says in case of the need of saving a life, religious rituals may be broken. Sounds like that is not what the Jewish people did in the story about the good Samaritan.

Anyhow, as far as I know, the Pentecostal Denominations, United Methodist and others in my state have been advised to stay home and have stayed home. It seems that it is the extreme independents who are out breaking the law.

I think that pastors could figure out a way of leading their parishioners in celebrating Holy Communion. If every church member either got some grape juice or wine plus some bread, they could follow their pastor through the Communion service online and then each person can partake in the safety of their own home. For those who can't get out for groceries, someone could get that for them if they wanted it.

This is likely too radical an idea. Anyhow, Jesus is present with us by the Holy Spirit in the sanctuary and at home when we gather in his name. Something to think about, but no one will listen to me.

Stay safe!
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Hey YODA,
Of course we are listening to you. Here is an online comment to describe what you just said:

How does pikuach nefesh influence Jews today?

Pikuach Nefesh is one of the most important obligations of the Jewish mitzvot . Pikuach Nefesh means that saving a human life should take priority over everything, even if this means breaking some of the laws set out in the Torah . ... For example, on a Saturday, Jews are expected to rest and not carry out any work at all.

Didn't Jesus break all the Jewish laws and save all of us by His work on the cross, and by His resurrection? Ummmm.
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GardenArtist: Thank you for that. I knew there were more pastors who decided to break the law.
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Yoda: Thanks for your valuable input. I appreciate it.
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NHWM: Wow. That pastor in the Baton Rouge suburb was very wrong. What didn't he understand? Your Governor HAD to arrest him because if he hadn't, other pastors might have thought that they could do the same thing. My church, too, live streams Sunday services.
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Llama,

I don’t know. I think other pastors view this guy as nuts! His attitude is sort of arrogant. It’s also rather silly because his whole argument is, he doesn’t want others to tell him that he can’t pray.

No one is telling him that he can’t pray. We don’t want him spreading the virus any further in our state. We are already a hot spot. He is upsetting people in our state. My daughter lives in Baton Rouge. That’s where her university is, LSU.

He needs to stop taking this as a personal attack and comply with our statewide regulations.

We can all pray at home. Sure, it’s nice to gather in church but we are the church. The people are the church. The structure is a building.

Of course, a church is a house of worship and I respect that but if it endangers others to worship in one building together, then we should watch our services on television or online. It’s not complicated. He is taking a simple issue totally out of context. It’s crazy!
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NHWM: Right. I understand that. I guess that pastor doesn't know the law still allows praying, just not in a public place like a church. Wow - hope that your daughter stays safe in Baton Rouge. I know that your state is a hot spot. Hope you all stay safe. This is like a bad dream.💞💞
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Yoda,

This pastor is stubborn. I think he would be like this no matter what faith he was. Other Pentecostal churches are listening to the stay at home orders.

He sees it as he is defending his right to gather and pray. Fine, in ordinary times. These are not ordinary times. Things are nowhere near normal at this time.
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Thanks, Llama.

We need to work together. It’s so important to work together rather than fight with each other. Makes me sad.

He is fighting with the governor and our police department. The police have a tough enough job right now. They don’t need his foolishness to contend with, nor does our governor.
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NHWM: You're very welcome. I agree. We all do our part to get through this. Makes me quite sad, too.
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My daughter was up early playing with her little dog so she decided to take her exam online at 5:00 in the morning to get it over with earlier in the day. The university has a window of time to take their exams. She doesn’t like waiting until the last minute to do things.

She told me that she was glad that she took it at an off time. Later on, so many students were doing exams online that the system crashed! They couldn’t finish their tests.

All of those students had to schedule their exams over again, being their 3rd attempt at taking their exam!

They had already been postponed once, from ordinary tests in the classroom to online studies, now systems crashing and rescheduling again! Geeeez!

Since she took her exam at an off hour the system wasn’t overloaded and she was able to finish it. She got an A!

In spite of all this mayhem, my daughter is focusing on finishing up her last semester of school in order to graduate!

Please pray for all the students at my daughter’s school, LSU and all other schools. Thank you 💗.
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Send,

Think again about the parable of the Good Samaritan. The two Jewish people who walked past the injured man did not practice that Jewish principle that I mentioned and you went into more detail about. That cultural context makes the story even more powerful!
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NHWM: Yay for your daughter's genius idea to take her exam early online! And congrats to her getting an A! I will pray for everyone at LSU. I also like to be early with things - better than late.💞
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Thanks Llama,

She’s one of these kids that stresses out about her grades. I think she would have too much anxiety if she waited until the last minute so she feels better taking her exams at an off time. She isn’t done. She has three more exams to take.

It’s kind of funny that the students crashed the system with everyone waiting until the last minute and crashing the system. Must be a pain for the professors teaching this way too. They don’t have any other choice. They’ll adapt.

I am glad that she bought her new phone and Mac because kids really need to have functional technology today. My kid is awful with phones.

I don’t know what she does but she has gone through so many phones! My phones last a long time. I have the Otter case on mine, not some ‘cutesy’ case.

So I told her that if she needed anymore new phones she had to buy it herself with the money from her job. How does she keep breaking her phone?
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NHWM: You're very welcome. She sounds like she's really smart - probably like her mom. I do know about breaking phones. My daughter's broke when Mercury was in Retrograde! Yes, that's right - it's a real phenomena when the planet rotates counterclockwise. All kind of strange things can and do happen! It is an optical illusion.
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Llama,

Yep, weird stuff does happen. Crazy.
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NHWM: Agreed.
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The good Samaritan
Was the traveller/injured man a Samaritan, or Jewish?
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John 12-15 NKJV Hosanna!

12 The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:
“Hosanna!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
The King of Israel!”
14 Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:
15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion;
Behold, your King is coming,
Sitting on a donkey’s colt.”

Believers, Have a blessed and peaceful Palm Sunday!
He came in peace, riding on a donkey's colt.

God is love
God is peace
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Smeshque,
Where are you? Are you well? Did you stay home from work yet?
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Send- Thank you for asking. I am here, I and my family are well thank the Lord. I am still working, I am "essential". We have closed the doors to the public and are doing a lot of online and phone dealings instead.
I have just been really tired trying to balance my days. I just don't want to come here and be a downer. I miss you all and I will be here more this weekend, as I have a 3 day weekend, Thank the Lord. I am just not able to stay up as late as i use to, due to my schedule change.
How are you and Dh?

How is everyone?


"I Will Not Fear"

The Lord is on my side,
I will not fear;
Above the surging tide,
His voice I hear;
He shelters me from every foe,
He guards my steps where'er I go,
And so I trust Him, for I know--
That He is near.

His arm of love enfolds me
When I call;
In kindness He upholds me,
Lest I fall.

His mercy shines upon my way,
His grace renews my strength each day,
And so my heart shall ever say:
"He is my all."

~By Albert Simpson Reitz

“...If God be for us, who can be against us?”
Romans 8:31
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It is so understandable that you would be so busy with your schedule change Smeshque! You are missed, just wanted you to know that.

My hubs is able to be home from work, and has decided to cooperate with the stay at home orders since his church went online Sundays. It is strange to me that others are sad and missing church staying home; but I was blessed to be able to watch his church service alongside of him from home. Together. It has been a long time.

God is good, all the time!
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Smeshque: Glad to see you back posting! Believe me, I do know what it's like to balance work and home. At the end of a long career outside the home, I was working a 70 hour week. Have a Happy Easter!😀
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Send: I am glad that your husband is able to be home. We are all closed down here. State Governor's orders. Daughter and son in law haven't worked in 4 weeks and she is a county employee. Food p/u contactless still allowed.
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