I warned Christians in my new book, “Culture Jihad – How to Stop the Left From Killing a Nation,” that one day activist judges would shut down worship services. Click here to read the book. Today, that warning came true.
A judge in Ventura County, California granted a restraining order against Godspeak Calvary Chapel Church, Pastor Rob McCoy and the entire congregation – ordering them to stop holding indoor services.
“I wish it didn’t have to come to this, I really do, but we will be violating the judge’s order,” McCoy said. “We will be open this Sunday.”
More than 1,000 people have been attending Godspeak’s services on Sundays in defiance of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order banning indoor services and singing.
“The Constitution is not a suicide pact,” the judge said in remarks reported by Thousands Oaks Acorn. “The exercise of individual liberties has to be consistent with public health, otherwise the one would cancel out the other.”
Ventura County leaders along with the health department filed a lawsuit against not only Pastor McCoy but also 1,000 “John Doe’s.”
In other words, they sued every member of the congregation in attendance at Sunday services.
“McCoy and Doe’s 1-1,000 have conducted, participated in, attended, or conducted, indoor worship services at the property in violation of the state stay at home order and the local health order,” the lawsuit alleges.
They also allege that church members failed to wear masks or practice social distancing.
“McCoy has stated that he is ‘willing to go to jail’ and is ‘willing for them to take our building’ rather than comply with the state stay at home order and the local health order,” the lawsuit states.
“Our elected officials have destroyed our businesses, they’ve shuttered our schools, they’ve traumatized our children, they’ve released prisoners into our communities and now they are seeking legal action against our houses of worship,” Pastor Rob McCoy said. “The government’s cure is worse than the virus itself.”
Mat Staver, the founder of Liberty Counsel, denounced the judge’s decision.
“The same governor who encourages mass protests, bans all worship. The same governor who says the church can meet for secular services, bans the church from having religious worship,” said Staver. “If people cannot see this obvious unconstitutional violation, they are blind. This unconstitutional hostility against religious worship must end. Enough is enough!”
Pastor McCoy said neither he nor his congregation will abide by the government’s edict.
It’s time for the American people to stand up and stand alongside Godspeak Calvary Chapel Church. We must not allow religious liberty to be destroyed in the name of the China Virus.
Fight back, Happy Warriors.