More COVID-19 deaths linked to super-spreader event at Charlotte church — The Charlotte Observer
“
Two more people have died of coronavirus-related complications tied to October convocation events at a Charlotte church, bringing the death toll to at least
eight. “
“There are now
187 confirmed cases, with only six new infections reported since Friday.”
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“Harris imposed the strict measure on Oct. 24 to slow the spread of COVID-19, warning that church leaders had failed to cooperate and comply with contact tracing efforts. The health department has attempted to reach 269 close contacts.
An attorney representing the United House of Prayer blasted Mecklenburg’s “overbroad” decision to clamp down on religious gatherings. And a church leader, Apostle Ronnie White, said the closures were distressing, particularly in “difficult times” amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“Daily services are fundamental to our beliefs, and this result preserves our right to worship God together as a community in the manner that is sacred and meaningful to us,” White said in a statement released by church attorneys last Friday.”
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And what about preserving the life and health of your congregation? That’s not a fundamental belief?
Interesting question. My mom's family was and still is fundamentalist Christian, but they still manage to have different answers to this. My mom would have thought risking anyone else's health, especially with foreknowledge of how to prevent it, was against her beliefs. She also thought she was supposed to pay attention to her own health (vaccines, preventive care, etc) because that's what God wanted (it should be His decision to take her to heaven - not her doing something to hasten events). Perhaps there were lessons she was supposed to learn, she said.
But her little sister took a different view. Both Mom and her sister had health problems ( my mom's were worse, IMO but - nevertheless - her sister didn't live as long as my mom ). Her sister felt that "going to the Lord and being in Heaven" was a goal - she wanted liberation with this life. I think most people would say she was depressed a lot. So my mom would not take pain killers of any kind (except Tylenol) despite really painful illnesses. She didn't want to die early due to erasing the pain that God had intended for her. She lived to 86.
Her sister was all on board for pain killers. Every kind. She said she was still in pain (probably a sign of addiction or dependence). My mom said she thought her sister would die early due to her use of pain killers - and mom was right (sister lived to 79).
A big difference? Not really. They each chose their own path through pain and illness, each thinking it was what God wanted. I'll never forget the sister's funeral (my mom was appalled by it) wherein the congregation rejoiced that she had left the world early to be with God. It was very well attended - sister went to a huge evangelical church, my mom sought out smaller, less vocal congregations.
At any rate, my aunt and her husband would definitely have not worn masks, and he would have gone anywhere that he could go without one, talking about God and singing and praying and laying on hands where needed.
My mom (and her mom) would have worn masks, they already washed their hands a lot, took all kinds of hygiene preparations on every vacation and picnic, did everything their doctors told them to do, chose stern and scientific doctors with fine reputations (not the quacks who prescribed all those painkillers to my aunt...)
I can still remember long car trips with my mom's mom (and her Lysol, and disinfected wash rags - before there were wipes - and different kinds for my hands than for her hands, etc). All of these people were very religious, church-founders, evangelicals, etc.
