Religious worship is essential

By Modesto P. Sa-onoy

One major defect in the Philippine (and many other countries) approach to the Covid-19 pandemic, is that our government copied the totalitarian solution against the disease.

The communist Chinese formula is “one size fits all” decision, uncaring who gets hurt or what rights are violated. That is expected in a regime where the government decides what rights to allow its citizens.

In the Chinese method, the government classified human activity into two categories – essential and non-essential. The rulers of the land decided what is essential and what is not and prevented people from undertaking what the rulers determined are non-essential. And because they deemed religious worship as unnecessary or can be satisfied by “virtual” or imaginary action, they closed the churches.

For an atheist government that is expected. Communist China that provided the lead that others followed almost in kneejerk fashion, could not care less whether people worshipped or not – in fact, they would like it if people did not. The Communists even prohibited public and private worship in ordinary times except what they approved or for the glory of communist leaders that considered themselves gods.

Sadly, in the Philippines and in many countries where governments decided under an atmosphere of fear, people accepted the government decision without a whimper. Even our church leaders were caught off balanced.

In fairness the Philippine Church did everything they could to provide the faithful with spiritual sustenance with the use of social media, radio, and television. Never have I experienced an explosion of religious themes on these means of mass communication and the clergy going on board.

Perhaps in God’s incomprehensible ways, the pandemic has inspired our Church leaders to make full use to the airwaves in a way they never thought they could. Even the Bacolod diocesan radio station, DYAF, reopened with new and mainly religious programs that was intended when the late Bishop Antonio Fortich opened it in 1968.

Finally, a powerful voice declared that religious worship is essential, and more people are in uproar over the restraints on their inalienable right to freedom of worship.

LifeSiteNews reported last May 22, that President Donald Trump declared houses of worship “essential places that provide essential services,” saying they should be opened up right away and governors who get in the way will have to answer to him.

Indeed, it is unfair and discriminatory against religious worship that “some governors have deemed liquor stores and abortion clinics as essential but have left out churches and other houses of worship. It’s not right,” said Trump. “So, I’m correcting this injustice and calling houses of worship essential. The people are demanding to go to church and synagogue, go to their mosque – many millions of Americans embrace worship as an essential part of life.”

LifeSiteNews noted that “many people of faith have complained that draconian coronavirus lockdowns unfairly targeted churches. Pastors who have held “parking lot” services during which parishioners stayed in their cars have been fined. One California county banned singing during live-streamed church services. When the Knoxville, Tennessee government began to allow people to go to church again, it told churches, “[t]he physical taking of communion/sacrament should not be performed due to the serial breaking of physical distancing across a congregation.” Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan banned Catholic priests from going within six feet of their parishioners.”

The actuations of these American rulers are clearly intended to impede the exercise of Christian religious liberty. Note how ridiculous are some of the “don’ts”. I wondered if they could impose the same conditions on Muslims and their mosques.

LifeSiteNews also reported that in Virginia, Lighthouse Fellowship conducted a worship service with a congregation of 16 people practicing so-called social distancing in a facility that seats more than 200. The pastor faces a year in jail and/or a $2,500 fine. Maybe the law enforcers believed the worshippers would be hugging each other in “fellowship” when the lights are out.

The Trump administration Department of Justice had issued a “Statement of Interest” siding with the churches, writing, “there is no pandemic exception to the Constitution and its Bill of Rights.”

But governors are unperturbed like New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy  who “even told Tucker Carlson that he ‘wasn’t thinking of the Bill of Rights’ when he banned religious gatherings. That’s above my paygrade.”

Wow! That speaks a lot. Let us continue tomorrow.