"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
I'd be willing to bet most of this blog's regulars knew what the rest of that first sentence was no later than the 4th word. I'd also be willing to bet those same folks could recite the rest of it faster than they could read it.
This has been gnawing at me for over a year now. During that time, I've been to exactly two Masses, last Christmas and yesterday, Easter Sunday. Given that our Archbishop gave a dispensation for people over age 65 removing the requirement to go to Sunday Mass, initially, it made sense not to go.
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At the time, nobody, not even that person with fecal matter in his cranium who is the Chief Medical Advisor to the President, knew what the Wuhan released virus effect would be. Of course that didn't stop any of them from pontificating. "Two weeks to flatten the curve." I had my doubts, but we live out in the country, we're pretty well stocked with frozen and canned goods, so I'll go along.
But, and it's a big one, then they started adding on requirements to "flatten the curve". Masks being a particular bugaboo for me, but the one that really sticks in my craw was the limitations on how many people, if any, were allowed to assemble. I could deal with masks albeit mumbling something about Bovine Excrement sotto voce (sometimes not so "sotto"). I also didn't much mind social distancing.
The limitation of number of people attending something, set to 50 initially then reset to 100 (how flippin generous of them), really set my molars to grinding. How is that NOT prohibiting the free exercise thereof and/or violating the right of the people peaceably to assemble?
As an aside, I learned something while researching this, because I've heard people say "Congress isn't doing this, the State/County/City is". I'd always wondered whether that was true. It's not and hasn't been since Cantwell vs Connecticut in 1940, where the Supreme Court (back when they had backbones) ruled that " due to the Fourteenth Amendment, the Free Exercise Clause is enforceable against state and local governments". Something to keep in mind the next time some 'Karen' is shrieking at you.
Stay on Target, juvat.
Target, aye, Sarge!
Most of the time, I'm social distancing normally. I'm not a fan of large crowds, and I REALLY don't like being shoulder to shoulder with strangers in large crowds even before WuFlu hit.
But, the one place this restriction really set me off was in applying it to Religious Services. Now, I'm not sure exactly how many square feet our church has, but it's very large. It'll seat way more than 100 people with 6' spacing. More if families sat together. But, nope, 100 max says the "Masters". 100 people, AKA 25 families of 2 adults and 2 kids.
Couldn't make myself believe it was more important for me to go to Mass than the family I would be displacing. So, with the exception of Christmas, I didn't.
Missed it quite a bit. Spent a lot of time walking around the property talking aloud to the Big Guy, but it wasn't the same. I also demonstrated my displeasure by asking Mrs J to transfer our automatic deposits from our Church to Cross International, a charity we'd already been supporting, just now with some more bucks.
Then on March 2nd, Governor Abbot opened up the state, no more mask mandate, no more size restrictions, no more social distancing mandates from the state gummint. Halleluiah!
Not so fast, juvat.
Seems, the powers that be in the Archdiocese of San Antonio apparently wanted those restrictions to remain in force.
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| Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller Source |
So, the reservation system for attending Mass remained in effect, max attendance was limited to 100 and I remained home. I'm Bummed.
As I wrote last week, DIL arrived back home and Mass came up in conversation as Easter (THE Christian Holyday, not a misspell in my book) was coming. She had received an E-mail from the Parish with available Masses, and a link to register. We opted for the 8AM Mass, but when she clicked the link, all Masses were full. It was less than an hour after registration opened.
I'm still bummed, and the conversation during my solo walk revolved around "Why are they limiting attendance, when there's no mandate to do so?" The only answer I could/can come up with is "Because you don't have power if you don't use it."
Fortunately, last Thursday, word got out that there were to be no limit on people attending, However, masks would be "required" and social distancing would be "maintained". I figured we'd still go to the early Mass and get there about a half hour early, that should suffice.
I was wrong. We got there about 7:35, the Church was full. As I looked around, I noticed that there must be some really large families in the Parish, as there were very few 6' distances between the folks in the pews. Most had masks, but a significant number did not.
We attended in the overflow area in the Parish Hall and watching Mass on a movie screen wasn't quite as moving as actually being in the Church, but it is a step in the right direction.
The powers that be, whether in gummint, big tech, entertainment or religion, are making huge mistakes based on bad assumptions and the backlash is coming. "Just say No" is going to take on a whole new meaning when it does.
Never give Up, Never Surrender!
I think people are getting fed up, and angry. There may be an accounting coming, for the Left.Their evil must end.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Scott. Wholeheartedly.
DeleteHey there proles! Listen to what I say because I know better than you and I'M IN CHARGE!!!..........in my state the gov said he'd "open things up" once 5,000 tests a weeks were reached, that was back LAST April, restrictions weren't loosened until mid-January. Odd how those goalposts kept moving eh?
ReplyDeleteI remember attending Catholic schools in elementary. The Nun's would appoint someone to be the "Line Leader" and everyone in the class would fall in line behind that person and follow him. Many viewed it as "Hey, I'm the first person to get lunch today" others took it as an opportunity to make life miserable for the people behind them. I refer back to that memory frequently when I'm viewing gummint personnel. Seems to be an awful lot of the second type leading the line. What they failed to learn from their term as Line Leader is "What comes around, goes around". There will be a reckoning.
DeleteIs your church Novus Ordo? Or trad? Check Barnhardt.biz to understand the problem.
ReplyDeleteNew Mass. Thanks for the link, looks like a good place to go and learn.
DeleteAnd, still friends are still getting put on ventilators. One of mine just yesterday. Prayers for them and his family. It makes for a sad time.
ReplyDeleteJim,
DeleteSorry to hear about your friend(s). I hope and pray that things will work out for them. I don't dispute that the virus is dangerous. I do believe that there is a great potential for harm with the overreaction to it though.
I'm with you lead. BUT.... we've been fed BS for so long, that it takes effort to think it through, and most won't. Brings to mind a conversation a couple weeks ago with a leftist at work. Hypocrisy is a feature of leftism, I think they call it nuance. His smarmy, "love trumps all" line reminded me of the tender mercies of Che Guevara.
ReplyDeleteMy SIL is an RT at the local horsepistol. He saw a lot of death last year. Wasn't PC to say stay away from 55+ obese folks. But those were the ones doing most of the dying. I was / am "essential". I work on publicly handled equipment all year. Like during flu season, just washed my hands like I do usually, and used sanitizer a few times extra . So far, no pox. I only wear a mask if it's "required"... I realize that anecdotes aren't data... but some have had it and didn't even know, others didn't make it long.
This exercise has been about coercion, and finding limits. I've worked a lot on mine. I have a clearer picture of what I will and won't do now.
Nicely put, STxAR. I think we're on the same sheet of music.
DeleteA timely post Juvat, makes me think it does.
ReplyDeleteIt is about control, not safety. Odd innit, how this WuFlu just happened to coincide with an election year? Odd innit, how the candidate most favorable to the CCP won?
Odd innit?
Not at all.
Nope, not at all! One of these events could be a coincidence, but a continuous string of unusual events happen, I start to suspect outside influence. Makes me nauseous at times and furious frequently.
DeleteMe thinks that there is a high probability that the Democrat Party was in league with the CCP to gin up the mess surrounding this virus. They may have even be at it since late 2016. I don't believe in the coincidences in all that happened and I do believe in the nefarious ends of the Democrat Party.
DeleteI'm thinking it's about 99.99999999999999999...% probable Bill.
DeleteWhile I doubt WuFlu was an intentional release (I don't think it was ready for prime-time); had it been ready we'da been digging graves in the park.
DeleteBUT the release occurred in fall of 2020 so it coulda been well past "happenstance" into "enemy action". The question of "who benefits" asked and answered.
Boat Guy
BG, I first heard of it in late October 2019. Typo? Not that I EVER make a typo!:-)
DeleteInitial restrictions and mandates made sense to me as we knew so little about this virus, but as it became clear who was most vulnerable and hospitals became less burdened people had enough information to make their own decisions as to what protections and cautions to take. I still wear a mask even after vaccination because it is just the socially acceptable thing to do in these parts. Not sure how effective the mask is though. New Jersey infection rates remain high, and I NEVER see anyone indoors without a mask. Of course there are quite a few with exposed noses, but they probably are mouth breathers...not! I just hope this country can hang on until the next big election year when I suspect the pendulum will swing back with a vengeance.
ReplyDeleteI wear a mask in the Doctor's office and the hospital. I carry one in my pocket and will put it on if asked, politely, by someone. I wore it at church yesterday as I didn't want someone to throw a hissy fit there. I don't know if I'll wear it next week though.
DeleteI'm just praying there WILL be an election in the future, not a façade as occurred last November.
"COVID COUP"-google it, juvat..
DeleteVX, I rarely google anything anymore and when I do it's using the Brave Browser with its built in VPN and using TOR. That having been said, I did use DuckDuckGo to search and there were quite a few interesting posts returned. Thanks for the advice.
Delete@juvat/
DeleteI, also use Brave, juvat. Said "google it" in same way people say "xerox it" as short-hand no matter what brand copy machine or "kleenex" as shorthand for any brand of tissues. P.S. you do know don't you that TOR "on paper" is now "sponsored" by the Dept of State, The Ford Foundation, and other players "not named." Heh what org. w. a 3 ltr macronym might that be? :)
I figured that to be the case, VX. Interesting about the latter.
DeleteI'd like to provide a link to an interesting site re Catholicism (and the Church), originally discussing the sexual abuse but delving far deepe by a blogger who was formerly a priest. As a non-Catholic I found his musings, a four-part series, (I think the word I'm looking for is) valuable: for Catholics (and such as I).
ReplyDeletehttps://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2010/04/catholic-clergy-sex-abuse-scandal-part.html
I read those posts when they first came out. Probably time for a refresher. Thanks
DeleteI went to a memorial service recently for a deeply-beloved member of a church (did NOT die of COVID). Living in California, I'll not say who, where or when. Said church is conducting services, but at reduced capacity (it's a large church), strict social distancing, and behind plexiglass screens. And worshippers are admonished not to dawdle afterwards.
ReplyDeleteFor the service in question, the only evidence of social distancing was alternating rows and masks (and I suspect the HVAC was cycling outdoor air constantly). I'm sure we blew past the maximum group size, but how do you tell mourners to turn around at the door? There was all the typical memorial service things--laughter, tears, happy memories, the comfort of community in a time of pain. Standing in the back (it was long and I can't sit too long), I couldn't see the masks, and for a glorious two hours it felt like "normal." The intimacy of simply NOT having plastic barrier in front of a person speaking from the front without a mask was startling. And afterwards, the older vaccinated folks were hugging everyone in sight, especially fellow members they hadn't seen for many, many months. The widow was embraced in long and loving hugs by anyone who could get close. Some even took their masks off completely. The sounds of community conversation were unlike what I've heard anywhere else in a year. It did my heart so good--I'm tearing up as I remember it. I was definitely looking forward to being able to mourn as a group, but didn't realize how much impact it was going to have--walking up to the entrance, I waved distantly to a 60yo friend I've known for years; it's what I've learned to do the few times our paths have been able to cross in the last year. But he simply extended his arms and embraced me. I nearly cried right there.
The pastor's opinion on the restrictions is unknown, and he is elderly himself (the regional leadership is encouraging the churches to find ways to fellowship that stay within the state/county guidelines). He spent the service pacing in the back, but with a face that seemed to share the fellowship. Because--again--what caring pastor is going to tell mourners not to reach for the comfort they need, especially when vaccinations are now available to all the vulnerable?
In other words, even in our easy-going and liberal-leaning area, people have decided they've had enough and are going to act in accordance with their personal values and risk assessment/tolerance. The wave is coming...
Thanks FBL, I'm glad my sample size of one isn't a complete oddity. I think the "Line leaders" (see response above) will resist, but I don't think they'll prevail.
DeleteForgot to point out: Services are restricted to 1 hour from entry to exit of congregants. The service in question lasted two hours. I stayed 15 minutes past that, and left while many were still chatting... and would be decamping to a "social distanced" dinner in the facility. Yeah, people are (in a Christian manner) telling the governor to stuff it.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know, the only limit on time here is the start of the next service. They swapped a few times around to make the interval, from start to start, 2 hours, ostensibly to allow time for sanitizing the church. There was a lot of standing around outside the church after the service talking, and a lot of people I hadn't seen in quite a while. Felt like a step forward towards normalcy. Long overdue, but welcome.
DeleteStrange how this virus is so intelligent it can tell the difference between a pot shop and a mom&pop shop, between a church and a Walmart, between a peaceful bbq in the backyard and a full-blown riot (that is billed as a peaceful protest.)
DeleteYou can have 6, 7, 10 people in the house but add one more and suddenly everyone's dying of the virus.
You can wear 2, 3, 4 masks but if you are in your car with the windows up and no mask you are evil.
You can spend 1 hour and you're safe but 2 hours and Death comes knocking.
And you can attend Chinese Lunar New Year but not any service during Lent, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas...
Weird...
Amazing! Almost like it was engineered.
DeleteFrustratingly, our public "health" authorities have not been doing anything to actually you know promote health.
ReplyDeleteAs if we don't know this virus gets deadly when people are inflamed already to begin with and have diabetic or pre-diabetic blood sugar and insulin responses that can be managed to dramatically improve with lifestyle and diet.
Instead of telling people simple obvious low no harm things to make them more resilient in the face of the virus like, eat for lower inflammation. Skip the fry foods grains and sugar drinks. get your vitamin d testing done it'scheap. Like get your zinc and quercetin, like have your vitamin C and vitamin A on hand. Never mind telling people that melatonin is anti-inflammatory and antiviral, or vitamin C and heavy doses is the same.
Let's just keep putting the hammer down telling people to hide their faces and hide their bodies and live like fragile people.
Our ancestors shake their heads and wonder at their weakling fragile minded descendants
BE603,
DeleteLine leader schmucks gotta lead the line otherwise they just be schmucks.
For what it's worth, your list of supplements pretty much matches my morning fist of pills. So far, so good.
We went underground and Old School New testament model early. For those who who felt safe and comfortable having assessed their personal risks we started gathering in small groups. Well continuing to have services available by zoom. House churches are the history of the church. Back to basics. Really strips away a lot of the noise and get you thinking about what are really the essentials for biblical gathering for worship remembrance fellowship prayer
ReplyDeleteI can see how that would be.
Delete(sorry about the poor editing, doing voice to text headed over the bridge to Coronado for some early morning water time)
ReplyDeleteSigh...
DeleteWish we were there.
Oy vey. These mandates from local, state, national and non-governmental organizations do not, to me, qualify as 'Caesar's voice.' So it is nigh unto criminal that priests, pastors and ministers all follow this bullscatti like, well, it's the word of God.
ReplyDeleteNot saying that the local, state, national or NGO voices of Satan are actively using Covidiocratic proclamations to destroy Mother Church or any other church, nope, because that would just be conspiracy talking and would have people looking at me like I believe in Ancient Aliens did EVERYTHING for us poor dumb overevolved apes. Nope. No conspiracy here, can't tie in the destruction of Worship and Fellowship as one of many attacks to destroy our spirit and cur country, because, well, that's Crazy Talk! (And in some places, like Palm Beach FL or in some locations in CA, NYC, NU, MI...) will have the local Stasi and Reichstruppen showing up on one's doorstep.
Instead, I am emboldened by the actions of the Polish priest in Canada, calling them names and making them sheepishly walk away.
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/bethbaumann/2021/04/04/no-gestapo-here-polish-pastor-tosses-canadian-police-out-of-good-friday-churc-n2587374
That is how our priests should act, rather than acting in concert with the government to shut down our ability to worship together as a community, protected by our rights granted to us by our Creator that are more powerful than anything the Government wants.
Not going on a rant on the erosion of the Constitution and especially the Bill of Rights over the last century or so, as there's just not enough electrons in existence to really get my wrath up (like, oh, say the whole legislation starting nationally in 1934 to attack the 2nd Amendment, or the way the 1st Amendment is used to allow Satanists and Witches to do their thing but good Christian people get kicked to the curb and so forth...)
Funny, the more the powers-that-be try to attack Mrs. Andrew's and My ability to practice our Faith, the stronger that Faith is.
Not even going into the whole complicity of Mother Church in the suppression of Christians in Communist China or here in National Socialist America. Nope. Not talking about that at all....
Reminds me of some of the stories from the early Church, when local authorities attempted vigorous and kinetic suppressive measures, only to have the Faithful grow by leaps and bounds.
Good posting, Sir juvat. Glad you and yours could Easter Mass with the Masses. And that you Fellowshipped afterwards.
I absolutely loved that video!
DeleteThe pushback is coming, and glad you were able to attend.
ReplyDeleteOne certainly hopes so and soon. Thanks
DeletePart of Grace Community Church’s lawsuit against Calif. Governor Gavin Newsom... Thanks to Pastor John MacArthur for his bold leadership in this area...
ReplyDelete“... Grace Community Church regards the wearing of masks in worship first of all as a matter of conscience—and since we are forbidden by the teaching of Christ not to make extrabiblical religious rules that bind men’s consciences (Matthew 23:1-7; 15:1-9), we neither mandate nor forbid the wearing of masks in worship....”
It goes on — face it (pun intended) — the government will NEVER voluntarily lift the mask mandate for churches.
This afternoon I observed two of my fellow condo residents (both with completed shots) sitting in an 8x12 foot office. They both hade masks on. I am in FL, so we’re pretty open. Why at exactly does the series of shots do for you? (Serious question).
covid restictions? Check out my reply to juvat, above, 4D, @ 2:00PM & google "COVID COUP"--the American Mind
DeleteD4, One of my identifiers of people with little to no brain are the ones driving by themselves in a car with the windows rolled up and a Mask on. Who are they afraid will give them the bug at that point?
DeleteA recent letter to the editor here was excoriating people for not wearing masks. Her reasoning? "You're not wearing a mask to protect you, you're wearing it to protect ME!" (Exclamation point included in the letter. Capitalization was mine). Lady, it's not my responsibility to protect you. That's your job. Stay home. There are plenty of ways to go about life from there.
There's no medical logic being applied consistently in this "pandemic" that I'm aware of. As VX's suggestion points out, there IS a political logic to all the folderol going on. And I'm glad to say, more and more people are becoming aware of that and are starting to Just say No! Thank You, Lord!
The more they move the goal posts, the more their agenda becomes apparent. Remember when they said we have to keep on masks because we don't know if the vaccine covers other variants? Now that the CDC says it does, they change the narrative to being unsure about how long immunity lasts. CDC said vaccinated can now travel (OH! THANKS Almighty CDC), but they "don't recommend it." WTFO? They just want to control us. Their dictates aren't even grounded in a scintilla of science now.
ReplyDeleteExactly, Tuna. That's why I think the backlash is imminent. The pols are listening to the loud mouthed whiners and other idiots in their echo chamber. There not looking at the surge that's building and will rapidly turn into a tidal wave. An example? Florida and Texas governors and some others have already banned the vaccine passport. A pre-emptive strike. It will be interesting to see how Zhou Bai Dinh and his handlers try to counter that. Especially with the numbers that, thank you Lord, aren't supporting the measures they want to take or are warning against.
Delete