And so the war comes for its first public victim.
Arrest warrant issued for Tampa megachurch pastor who led packed services despite safer-at-home orders
https://www.fox13news.com/news/arrest-warrant-issued-for-tampa-megachurch-pastor-who-led-packed-services-despite-safer-at-home-orders
http://archive.is/wip/cpUtJ
The pastor of a Tampa megachurch is facing charges after refusing to close its doors despite a "safer at home" order in effect in Hillsborough County, meant to stop the spread of COVID-19. The sheriff of Hillsborough County says one of two Sunday services had up to 500 people in attendance.
Sheriff Chad Chronister and State Attorney Andrew Warren on Monday announced that an arrest warrant had been issued for Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne. He faces charges of unlawful assembly and violation of public health emergency order.
The River at Tampa Bay Church held two services Sunday, Chronister said, and even offered bus transportation for those services. The chuch's livestream showed a packed crowd cheering and applauding.
"They have access to technology allowing them to livestream their services over the internet and broadcast to their 400 members from the safety of their own homes, but instead they chose to gather at church," Chronister said during a press conference.
Chronister said Howard-Browne is not in custody yet, but said he is expected to turn himself in.
Chronister said deputies tried to speak to Howard-Browne on at least two separate occasions about the "dangerous environment" the church was creating. He said HCSO command staff went to the church to speak to the pastor, but was advised by church leaders and legal staff that Howard-Browne was refusing to see them or cancel the Sunday church services.
“I think it’s unfortunate that the pastor here is hiding behind the First Amendment," State Attorney Warren offered. "One, it’s absolutely clear that emergency orders like this are constitutional and valid. Second of all, leaders from our faith-based community across this country have embraced the importance of social distancing.”
On Sunday, Howard-Browne defended his decision to keep the church open in a video posted to his YouTube channel, claiming the building had the technology to eradicate any virus.
"We brought in 13 machines that basically kill every virus in the place," Howard-Browne said. "If they sneeze it shoots it down like at 100 miles per hour and it will neutralize it in a split second."
During his announcement of the arrest warrant, other leaders from local churches also joined him. Pastor Ken Whitten from Idlewild Baptist Church pointed out that quarantining is mentioned in the Bible.
"It was practiced by people," he said. "The issue here is not religious freedom. Churches are not the ones being singled out. Everything is shut down. There is no basketball. There is no hockey. All of us our doing our part. I'm a pastor that believes God heals…this is not a faith issue. This is a responsible friend issue."
Reverend Thomas Scott of 34th Street Church, a former chairman of the Board of County Commissioners and Tampa City Council member, said his church began streaming online and on Facebook.
"We value the importance of the laws of the land and we value the importance of social distancing, and more importantly, protecting our parishioners – make sure they are not in harm's way and spreading this deadly disease throughout the community," he said. " To us, COVID-19 and social distancing is very important. It's also important for the religious community to govern themselves, according to the laws of the land."
Chronister and Warren also appealed to River parishioners, asking them not to gather in their pastor's absence. The state attorney even quoted Mark 12:31 in making his point.
“There is no more important commandment than to love thy neighbor as thyself,” Warren preached. “Loving thy neighbors is protecting them, not jeopardizing their health by exposing them to this deadly virus.”