Faithful Disobedience

Justice Samuel Alito’s Christmas Present For America

When U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Alito spoke to the National Lawyers Convention of the Federalist Society in early November, no one would have predicted that his address would be a Christmas gift to America.

Alito’s basic message was a warning that the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious liberty — our “First Freedom” —is being jeopardized as never before by politicians using Covid-19 as an excuse to violate the Constitution.

As HillFaith reported last month, Alito told the convention at the outset of his address, which he delivered virtually, that “the pandemic has resulted in previously unimaginable restrictions on individual liberty.” Continue reading “Justice Samuel Alito’s Christmas Present For America”

Pastor Rob McCoy: ‘This Is Insane … Take Off The Masks!’

Pastor Rob McCoy, who describes himself as a “pro-life Democrat,” recently converted his church, Godspeak Calvary Chapel in Thousand Oaks, California, into a strip club.

Yes, you read that correctly, a strip club. McCoy acted in response to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s decree that church congregations cannot assemble to worship God but strip clubs and numerous other kinds of establishments can remain open.

So, McCoy did a quick strip (of his tie, people, nothing more, this is church, remember?!??), accompanied by the 1960s show tune, “The Stripper.”

And then he delivered a sermon that is yet another sign of a gathering spirit of liberty sparked by oppressive “public health measures” decreed by Newsom and other government figures across the country in response to the Covid Pandemic. Continue reading “Pastor Rob McCoy: ‘This Is Insane … Take Off The Masks!’”

Justice Department Sides With Capitol Hill Baptist Church Against Bowser, D.C. Government

Capitol Hill Baptist Church (CHBC) is being unreasonably burdened by District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser and the D.C. government with its anti-Covid regulations that effectively bar members of the congregation from exercising their First Amendment right to religious freedom, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

Capitol Hill Baptist Church Senior Pastor Mark Dever (Screenshot from CHBC video).

“Here, Defendants (collectively, the Honorable Muriel Bowser and the District of Columbia) are imposing a substantial burden, within the meaning of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), on Plaintiff Capitol Hill Baptist Church’s religious exercise by denying the church the ability to gather as a single body as required by its sincere religious faith,” DOJ said in a Statement of Interest filed Friday with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

The CHBC, represented by the First Liberty Institute, filed suit in the federal court last week against the regulations.

“This triggers strict scrutiny: Defendants must meet the high burden of showing that their actions support a compelling governmental interest pursued through the least restrictive means. Continue reading “Justice Department Sides With Capitol Hill Baptist Church Against Bowser, D.C. Government”

FAITHFUL DISOBEDIENCE: Here’s The Absurdly Detailed California Covid Orders to Prevent Churches From Meeting To Worship Indoors

California authorities are clearly determined to make an example of Pastor John MacArthur and Grace Community Church (GCC) in Los Angeles County in retaliation for defying the state’s ban on indoor worship meetings.

The ban has been challenged by other California congregations, but MacArthur is an internationally known evangelical pastor, book author and opinion molder. He and GCC are represented in court by Jenna Ellis and the Thomas More Society. Go here, here and here for previous HillFaith posts on GCC.

Yesterday, Sunday, September 13, MacArthur and GBC defied a court order specifically banning the congregation from meeting indoors. During the service, MacArthur described the specific demands California seeks to impose on all churches in the state.

As MacArthur goes through these demands, it should be obvious to all reasonable persons that California officials are attempting bureaucratic strangulation by regulation of the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious freedom and assembly.

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EMERGING ISSUES ON THE HILL: Churches Defy California Guv’s Covid Restrictions on Multiple Worship Gatherings

Grace Community Church in Los Angeles County is the latest Christian congregation to challenge California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ban on religious gatherings in 30 Golden State jurisdictions.

Grace is led by Pastor John MacArthur, one of the nation’s most influential evangelical Christian pastors and authors. His ministries encompass books, translations of the Bible, radio and digital programs seen around the world, missionary works and multiple other outlets.

In a July 24 statement issued by him, other members of the pastoral staff and the elders of Grace, it was announced that: Continue reading “EMERGING ISSUES ON THE HILL: Churches Defy California Guv’s Covid Restrictions on Multiple Worship Gatherings”

Hong Kong’s Sea Of Protesters Part To Allow Ambulance Through; Moses Unavailable For Comment

Hong Kong’s population includes an estimated 7.5 million people, approximately two million of whom participated at the height of the protests that have grabbed world-wide attention.

At one point earlier this week, something quite amazing happened: The sea of protesters parted to allow an ambulance to get to somebody in distress. As the ambulance passed by, the protesters reformed their ranks.

The protests have been remarkable in many ways that even the New York Times is noticing: Continue reading “Hong Kong’s Sea Of Protesters Part To Allow Ambulance Through; Moses Unavailable For Comment”

Would You Go To Jail For Your Basic Beliefs, Like This Chinese Pastor?

Pastor Wang Yi of Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, China, is in jail, accused by the Communist government in Beijing of “inciting subversion of state power.”

The pastor absolutely denies the charges, which are based on the fact he preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ, including His claim to be “the King of Kings” and His injunction to “render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and the things that are God’s to God.”

Continue reading “Would You Go To Jail For Your Basic Beliefs, Like This Chinese Pastor?”