U.S. Attorney General Condemns Ban On Drive-In Churches

By Stefan J. Bos, Special Correspondent Worthy News

(Worthy News) – America’s top law enforcer has warned state and local government officials against targeting the faithful amid distancing and lockdown measures to combat the new coronavirus pandemic. Attorney General Bill Barr said his Department of Justice condemns cases such as in the U.S. State of Mississippi where worshipers were fined for attending drive-in church services.

In a statement obtained by Worthy News, Barr explained that the Justice Department is siding with Temple Baptist Church in its court case against the state’s City of Greenville. “Today, the Department filed a Statement of Interest in support of a church in Mississippi that allegedly sought to hold parking lot worship services. Congregants listened to their pastor preach over their car radios while sitting in their cars in the church parking lot with their windows rolled up.”

However, in response, “the City of Greenville fined congregants $500 per person for attending these parking lot services. [This happened] while permitting citizens to attend nearby drive-in restaurants, even with their windows open,” Barr complained. “The City appears to have thereby singled churches out as the only essential service [as designated by the state of Mississippi] that may not operate. [This] despite following all [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] (CDC) and state recommendations regarding social distancing,” he argued.

Mayors in Tennessee and Kentucky have also banned drive-in church services for allegedly violating social distancing standards while maintaining that drive-through restaurants do not.

And, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio threatened to permanently close houses of worship if they do not adhere to his lockdown measures. “I want to say to all those who are preparing the potential of religious services this weekend: ‘If you go to your synagogue if you go to your church and attempt to hold services after having been told so often not to, our enforcement agents will have no choice but to shut down those services’,” de Blasio told reporters last month.

However, Barr suggested that authorities should not ban worship services observing social distance guidelines to avoid spreading the coronavirus, COVID-19. “Religion and religious worship continue to be central to the lives of millions of Americans. This is true more so than ever during this difficult time,” he stressed.

“The United States Department of Justice will continue to ensure that religious freedom remains protected if any state or local government, in their response to COVID-19, singles out, targets, or discriminates against any house of worship for special restrictions,” Barr added.

Barr noted that most churches realize the pandemic has changed the ways Americans live their lives. “Religious communities have rallied to the critical need to protect the community from the spread of this disease. By making services available online and in ways that otherwise comply with social distancing guidelines.”

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