COVID: SCOTUS Rules Against Church

technically, if enough people got together and created a Trump Religion they could bypass stuff.

that's not how a society should function. i'm glad the SC is being logical.

CaughtInThe said:

technically, if enough people got together and created a Trump Religion they could bypass stuff.

that's not how a society should function. i'm glad the SC is being logical.

Click to expand...

How is it "logical" to limit casinos to 50% capacity, while limiting a church, regardless of its size, to fifty people?

JANFU said:

Number of issues come to mind

Freedom of Religion- States right to act in a pandemic

Casinos are regulated by the State and are subject to inspection by State Agencies, no one can dispute that

Many Churches have adapted to C19 and still have the ability to speak to their respective congregations

Now, places of worship, can ya imagine if the State tried to inspect a place of worship to ensure State regs/laws were adhered to

Now that would be a **** storm

Click to expand...

Why would that be a problem? Churches have to abide by the building code, fire code, and health laws? Religious beliefs are not an automatic exemption from secular law. Our religious rights are actually quite limited to the right to worship and the right to believe or not to believe without being arrested or fined by the government. There is no right to worship in a church or to gather and spread a virus in violation of other relevant health laws.

Lisa said:

Why would that be a problem? Churches have to abide by the building code, fire code, and health laws? Religious beliefs are not an automatic exemption from secular law. Our religious rights are actually quite limited to the right to worship and the right to believe or not to believe without being arrested or fined by the government. There is no right to worship in a church or to gather and spread a virus in violation of other relevant health laws.

Click to expand...

My point is the casinos are subject to inspection by a raft of Govt agencies who have the authority to close them down immediately

Churches are not

Imagine a Govt agency inspecting churches/congregations to ensure they are following State emergency orders.

Even ICE/DHS is leery of entering a place of worship to remove illegals from the country

I am not referring to building codes and such, but legally mandated distancing, masks, and such

Look to LA and the pastor who had large services in violation of State laws ref C19

Little to nothing done from what I recall

JANFU said:

My point is the casinos are subject to inspection by a raft of Govt agencies who have the authority to close them down immediately

Churches are not

Imagine a Govt agency inspecting churches/congregations to ensure they are following State emergency orders.

Even ICE/DHS is leery of entering a place of worship to remove illegals from the country

I am not referring to building codes and such, but legally mandated distancing, masks, and such

Look to LA and the pastor who had large services in violation of State laws ref C19

Little to nothing done from what I recall

Click to expand...

Churches are inspected on a regular basis or when there is a problem suspected. The relevant health departments can inspect a church if there is a problem that is suspected. If there is a problem they can mandate it be remedied or the church closed. Our religious rights do no say that we must have a building to worship in. The government cannot be required to provide a person with a bible or any other religious book, even in prison.

ICE-DHS is a different matter because of the sanctuary benefit that churches enjoy.

Lisa said:

Churches are inspected on a regular basis or when there is a problem suspected. The relevant health departments can inspect a church if there is a problem that is suspected. If there is a problem they can mandate it be remedied or the church closed. Our religious rights do no say that we must have a building to worship in. The government cannot be required to provide a person with a bible or any other religious book, even in prison.

ICE-DHS is a different matter because of the sanctuary benefit that churches enjoy.

Click to expand...

That benefit is based on tradition. Warrants can be issued to search and or arrest a person

JANFU said:

That benefit is based on tradition. Warrants can be issued to search and or arrest a person

Click to expand...

That would be debatable if the warrant would be enforced or a judge would allow it.

PC(USA) OGA

Lisa said:

That would be debatable if the warrant would be enforced or a judge would allow it.

PC(USA) OGA

Click to expand...

My opinion- we both know that Police entering a place of worship to arrest someone, can be done

My point is and has been, ref the OP, police would not enter to enforce SD regs and such

Police will not enter and disperse a crowd in a place of Worship while the congregation is present
Police will not enter a place of Worship to monitor-enforce SD laws

That ain't happening. Agree-disagree?

If the Police needed a warrant to search and arrest the decisions would be made at senior levels of Govt as it is a political minefield

So any actions to grant a warrant would need to hit a very high bar.