VirtualWright | COVID-19 | “Tyranny”
The self-proclaimed king of the pandemic in Illinois, a.k.a, Governor J.B. Pritzker, has graciously allowed churches to reopen! But no more than 10 people. Right. The following is from the latest proclamation on the subject, 2020-32, issued April 30, 2020.
Here is what he says about “essential” businesses:
And here is what he says about religion:
So, both are required to maintain the magic 6 feet of social distancing (because the Wuhan virus is only able to fly a maximum of 6 feet 0 inches) but he additionally states that no more than 10 people can gather for church. This additional requirement is a clear, arbitrary and unscientific discrimination against religion. In fact, it’s a mockery of religion because the proclamation speaks twice of “the free exercise of religion”. It’s hardly free when the governor arbitrarily limits it to 10 people.
By pulling this arbitrary number 10 out of his crown, he is stating that 10 people in a large cathedral is the same as 10 people in a house church. But an essential store can have hundreds of people as long as they’re capped at 50 percent, to the greatest extent possible. Lots of leeway there for essential activities like buying flowers but not for the constitutionally guaranteed free exercise of religion.
When will the Christian leaders in Illinois and elsewhere say enough is enough and stand up for our God-given rights?
We do not need permission from the governor to worship God in the manner that we see fit. The pilgrims first came to this country for this very reason, freedom of religion. Are we going to give it up because of a disease?
I am constantly amazed when I hear such leaders in this country quote from Romans 13 and tell us we must always obey our rulers, no matter what. I wonder if they have ever read our constitution. Here is what Paul wrote:
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. (Romans 13:1-5)
In this land, the supreme authority is will of the citizenry, as codified in the constitution and laws, it is not government officials. The legislature passes laws, the executive is supposed to carry them out faithfully, and the judiciary resolves disputes—based on the law. Even then, no law must ever be allowed to trample on our God-given rights, such as, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
We do not elect people to rule over us in the United States. We elect them to carry out our wishes as expressed in law, not the other way around. And when governors like Pritzker take unto themselves power that no constitution or law allows, this is tyranny and it is unlawful. It is they who are refusing to be subject to and and who are rebelling against authority, i.e., the law. To submit to such unlawful tyranny is to abdicate our God-given responsibility as citizens and puts us in danger of forever losing those liberties that so many have fought and died to secure.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Richard J. Wright, a chemist and information technology specialist, has been tracking the official Covid-19 epidemic (SARS-CoV-2 virus) data and assessing our government’s disease progression modeling, plus responses, at virtualwright.com.
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