lifesitenews--2020-05-04--Intelligence report confirms China intentionally lied to world about coronavirus

May 4 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — China deliberately lied about the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak and allowed it to spread across the globe to the “ endangerment of other countries , ” resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of people , a leaked “ Five Eyes ” intelligence alliance dossier confirmed .
Obtained by the Australian Daily Telegraph , the 15-page report by the intelligence agencies of the United States , Canada , United Kingdom , Australia and New Zealand accuses President Xi Jinping ’ s Communist government of an “ assault on international transparency.
’ ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence of human-human transmission from early December ” but continued to deny this until January 20 , the Daily Telegraph reported .
The report detailed how Xi ’ s regime downplayed the threat of the virus to the world while attempting to eradicate all evidence of the virus at home by censoring news and social media beginning in late December ; silencing whistle-blower doctors and journalists or making them disappear ; destroying evidence of the virus in laboratories and bleaching wet-market stalls ; suppressing growing evidence of asymptomatic or ‘ silent carriers ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ share samples of the virus with nations working on a vaccine .
The intelligence dossier also blasted the World Health Organization ( WHO ) for uncritically repeating Beijing ’ s claims and denying human-to-human transmission of the virus , despite the fact that “ officials in Taiwan raised concerns as early as December 31 , as did experts in Hong Kong on January 4 , ” according to FoxNews .
The dossier is vindication for U.S. President Donald Trump , who has long contended China is to blame for the pandemic and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he blasted April 29 as “ literally a pipe organ for China.
” But the document also reveals disagreement among the Five Eyes nations on the genesis of the virus , according to the Daily Telegraph .
The contention that the coronavirus originated in and escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology has been downplayed as a conspiracy theory in the face of Beijing ’ s insistence that it originated in local wet markets .
Australian intelligence claims there ’ s only a five percent chance the virus originated in a Wuhan lab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ Australian government trained and funded a team of Chinese scientists who belong to a laboratory which went on to genetically modify deadly coronaviruses that could be transmitted from bats to humans and had no cure , and is now the subject of a probe into the origins of COVID-19 , ” noted the Telegraph .
Moreover , the intelligence report cited several studies led by scientist Dr. Shi Zhengli of the Wuhan Institute of Virology as a concern .
Shi and her team “ have conducted research in the lab into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the virus samples being a 96 percent genetic match for COVID-19 , ” according to the UK 's Daily Mail .
Shi ’ s protégé , Peng Zhou , “ now the head of the Bat Virus Infection and Immunity Project at the Wuhan Institute of Virology — spent three years at the biocontainment facility Australian Animal Health Laboratory between 2011 and 2014 .
He was sent by China to complete his doctorate at the CSIRO ( Australia ’ s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization ) from 2009-2010 , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mosher , who has been writing extensively on the coronavirus pandemic , lauded the Five Eyes report for condemning China for “ everything that happens after the pandemic began ” and for “ suggesting it leaked from the lab.
” However , he faulted Australian intelligence for putting such low odds on the virus leaking from a lab , noting that this “ is a reflection ” of its connection with the Wuhan Institute of Virology .
“ I think Australian virologists — and there aren ’ t that many of them — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a leak from a Wuhan lab for personal and professional reasons , ” he told LifeSiteNews .
“ It clearly did leak from a lab.
” Moreover , the intelligence dossier is “ much too definitive ” in “ rejecting out of hand ” the possibility that the virus was created in Dr. Shi ’ s lab using recombinant technology to “ join together parts and pieces of two different coronaviruses to enhance them to make them more infectious and more lethal , ” he said .
“ I view this as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a sense , it ’ s a propaganda coup for the Chinese Communist Party , ” said Mosher , who outlined the case for the virus being created in the Wuhan lab in an article published Monday by LifeSiteNews .
The Five Eyes dossier did note a study published February 6 by South China University of Technology researchers that concluded “ the killer coronavirus probably originated from a laboratory in Wuhan ” based on its genome sequence , the Daily Telegraph reported .
“ The paper is soon withdrawn because it ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ according to author Botao Xiano , ” stated the dossier , adding , ‘ “ No scientists have confirmed or refuted the paper ’ s findings , ’ scholar Yanzhong Huang wrote on March 5.
” However , acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell stated in an April 30 press release that the Intelligence Community “ concurs with the wide scientific consensus that the COVID-19 virus was not man made or genetically modified.
” “ As we do in all crises , the Community ’ s experts respond by surging resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to U.S. national security .
The IC will continue to rigorously examine emerging information and intelligence to determine whether the outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan , ” Grenell stated .
Other details from the Five Eyes intelligence dossier as reported in the Daily Telegraph include : • From December 31 , China began censoring news of the virus on search engines from December 31 , deleting terms such as “ SARS variation , ” “ Wuhan Seafood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” • On January 1 , eight Wuhan doctors who raised alarms about the virus “ are detained and condemned.
” • On January 3 , China ’ s National Health Commission issued a “ no-publication order ” about the virus and ordered samples destroyed .
The wet market was bleached as part of a mass “ suppression and destruction of evidence.
” • China quarantined Wuhan 's 11 million citizens at the same time it downplayed the need for a travel ban .
“ Millions of people leave Wuhan after the outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on January 23 , ” the dossier states .
“ Thousands fly overseas .
Throughout February , Beijing presses the US , Italy , India , Australia , Southeast Asian neighbors and others not to protect themselves via travel restrictions , even as the PRC ( People ’ s Republic of China ) imposes severe restrictions at home.
” • Huang Yan Ling , the researcher at the Wuhan Institute of Virology believed to be patient zero for the global pandemic , has disappeared and her biography was deleted from the lab ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the institute denied she was patient zero and said she was alive and well , but there has been no proof of life since then , fanning speculation.
” • Citizen-journalist businessman Fang Bin , lawyer Chen Qiushi and former state TV reporter Li Zehua “ are reportedly being held in extrajudicial detention centers for speaking out about China 's response to the pandemic .
”

Agencies from the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand have documented evidence that the Communists knew about the outbreak in early December but tried to hide it.
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May 4, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — China deliberately lied about the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak and allowed it to spread across the globe to the “endangerment of other countries,” resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of people, a leaked “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance dossier confirmed.
Obtained by the Australian Daily Telegraph, the 15-page report by the intelligence agencies of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand accuses President Xi Jinping’s Communist government of an “assault on international transparency.’’
The dossier documented that China had “evidence of human-human transmission from early December” but continued to deny this until January 20, the Daily Telegraph reported.
The report detailed how Xi’s regime downplayed the threat of the virus to the world while attempting to eradicate all evidence of the virus at home by censoring news and social media beginning in late December; silencing whistle-blower doctors and journalists or making them disappear; destroying evidence of the virus in laboratories and bleaching wet-market stalls; suppressing growing evidence of asymptomatic or ‘silent carriers’ of the virus; and refusing to share samples of the virus with nations working on a vaccine.
The intelligence dossier also blasted the World Health Organization (WHO) for uncritically repeating Beijing’s claims and denying human-to-human transmission of the virus, despite the fact that “officials in Taiwan raised concerns as early as December 31, as did experts in Hong Kong on January 4,” according to FoxNews.
The dossier is vindication for U.S. President Donald Trump, who has long contended China is to blame for the pandemic and has been critical of the WHO, which he blasted April 29 as “literally a pipe organ for China.”
But the document also reveals disagreement among the Five Eyes nations on the genesis of the virus, according to the Daily Telegraph.
The contention that the coronavirus originated in and escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology has been downplayed as a conspiracy theory in the face of Beijing’s insistence that it originated in local wet markets.
Australian intelligence claims there’s only a five percent chance the virus originated in a Wuhan lab, but at the same time, the “Australian government trained and funded a team of Chinese scientists who belong to a laboratory which went on to genetically modify deadly coronaviruses that could be transmitted from bats to humans and had no cure, and is now the subject of a probe into the origins of COVID-19,” noted the Telegraph.
Moreover, the intelligence report cited several studies led by scientist Dr. Shi Zhengli of the Wuhan Institute of Virology as a concern. Shi and her team “have conducted research in the lab into deadly bat-derived coronaviruses, with at least one of the virus samples being a 96 percent genetic match for COVID-19,” according to the UK's Daily Mail.
Shi’s protégé, Peng Zhou, “now the head of the Bat Virus Infection and Immunity Project at the Wuhan Institute of Virology — spent three years at the biocontainment facility Australian Animal Health Laboratory between 2011 and 2014. He was sent by China to complete his doctorate at the CSIRO (Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization) from 2009-2010,” reported the Telegraph.
China expert Steve Mosher, who has been writing extensively on the coronavirus pandemic, lauded the Five Eyes report for condemning China for “everything that happens after the pandemic began” and for “suggesting it leaked from the lab.”
However, he faulted Australian intelligence for putting such low odds on the virus leaking from a lab, noting that this “is a reflection” of its connection with the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
“I think Australian virologists — and there aren’t that many of them — would very much prefer this not to be a leak from a Wuhan lab for personal and professional reasons,” he told LifeSiteNews. “It clearly did leak from a lab.”
Moreover, the intelligence dossier is “much too definitive” in “rejecting out of hand” the possibility that the virus was created in Dr. Shi’s lab using recombinant technology to “join together parts and pieces of two different coronaviruses to enhance them to make them more infectious and more lethal,” he said.
“I view this as a defensive kind of report, and in a sense, it’s a propaganda coup for the Chinese Communist Party,” said Mosher, who outlined the case for the virus being created in the Wuhan lab in an article published Monday by LifeSiteNews.
The Five Eyes dossier did note a study published February 6 by South China University of Technology researchers that concluded “the killer coronavirus probably originated from a laboratory in Wuhan” based on its genome sequence, the Daily Telegraph reported.
“The paper is soon withdrawn because it ‘was not supported by direct proofs,’ according to author Botao Xiano,” stated the dossier, adding, ‘“No scientists have confirmed or refuted the paper’s findings,’ scholar Yanzhong Huang wrote on March 5.”
However, acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell stated in an April 30 press release that the Intelligence Community “concurs with the wide scientific consensus that the COVID-19 virus was not man made or genetically modified.”
“As we do in all crises, the Community’s experts respond by surging resources and producing critical intelligence on issues vital to U.S. national security. The IC will continue to rigorously examine emerging information and intelligence to determine whether the outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan,” Grenell stated.
Other details from the Five Eyes intelligence dossier as reported in the Daily Telegraph include:
From December 31, China began censoring news of the virus on search engines, deleting terms such as “SARS variation,” “Wuhan Seafood market” and “Wuhan Unknown Pneumonia.”
On January 1, eight Wuhan doctors who raised alarms about the virus “are detained and condemned.”
On January 3, China’s National Health Commission issued a “no-publication order” about the virus and ordered samples destroyed. The wet market was bleached as part of a mass “suppression and destruction of evidence.”
China quarantined Wuhan's 11 million citizens at the same time it downplayed the need for a travel ban. “Millions of people leave Wuhan after the outbreak and before Beijing locks down the city on January 23,” the dossier states. “Thousands fly overseas. Throughout February, Beijing presses the US, Italy, India, Australia, Southeast Asian neighbors and others not to protect themselves via travel restrictions, even as the PRC (People’s Republic of China) imposes severe restrictions at home.”
Huang Yan Ling, the researcher at the Wuhan Institute of Virology believed to be patient zero for the global pandemic, has disappeared and her biography was deleted from the lab’s website. “On February 16, the institute denied she was patient zero and said she was alive and well, but there has been no proof of life since then, fanning speculation.”
Citizen-journalist businessman Fang Bin, lawyer Chen Qiushi and former state TV reporter Li Zehua “are reportedly being held in extrajudicial detention centers for speaking out about China's response to the pandemic.”
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lifesitenews--2020-05-04--UK government agency rejects Google/Apple coronavirus app to store users’ data itself

UNITED KINGDOM , May 4 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — Britain ’ s National Health Service ( NHS ) has just begun testing a smartphone app aimed at limiting the spread of the Wuhan virus , igniting a host of privacy concerns and warnings about mission creep .
Government health experts in the U.K. rejected an app developed by Google and Apple that stores pertinent information on each user ’ s phone in favor of developing their own , which stores information about individuals on a central government server .
The NHS ’ s newly created NHSX — which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practices where technology and digital data intersect with health care — just launched a limited test run in the Isle of Wight .
At the moment , France and the United Kingdom are poised to deploy centralized government apps as the U.K. is doing , while other European nations , including Germany , Switzerland , and Austria , appear ready to use decentralized designs .
All tracking apps currently in development to combat the pandemic utilize Bluetooth measuring functions in order to alert smartphone users who have been in close contact with someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus .
For most countries , the proximity standard is within two meters and for at least ten minutes .
As soon as an app user is reported to have the virus , everyone who has fallen within those close contact standards receives an alert advising him to get tested or to go into quarantine .
“ If I am in the wide open , my Bluetooth and your Bluetooth might ping each other even if you ’ re much more than six feet away , ” Dr. Farzad Mostashari , former national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States Department of Health and Human Services , told The Verge .
“ You could be through the wall from me in an apartment , and it could ping that we ’ re having a proximity event .
You could be on a different floor of the building and it could ping .
You could be biking by me in the open air and it could ping.
” Australia has found that other phone apps that utilize Bluetooth technology can interfere with the ability of its COVIDSafe app to reliably record all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus .
Likewise , operating a phone in “ low power mode ” may also negatively impact the utility of the app , reducing its ability to track contacts , according to a spokesperson for Australia ’ s government services minister , Stuart Robert .
During a remote Zoom hearing conducted today , experts from the London School of Economics ( LSE ) and University College London ( UCL ) urged legislative oversight for the new tracking technologies now being deployed to combat the Wuhan virus pandemic .
“ The introduction of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ privacy , such as whether or not individuals may find themselves compelled to produce the app , or to download it , ” said LSE ’ s Orla Lynskey , according to a report by ComputerWeekly.com .
“ That is beyond the role of the Information Commissioner , and goes into areas of human rights and discrimination.
” “ We need a roadmap of where this is going , who might have access , and without that roadmap and accountability around it , it is very hard to say the system is secure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Michael Veale .
Veale also expressed concern from a human rights and privacy perspective due to the NHSX ’ s centralized system for obtaining and storing personal data .
“ The tech giants believe their effort provides more privacy , as it limits the ability of either the authorities or a hacker to use the computer server logs to track specific individuals and identify their social interactions , ” reported the BBC .
A pan-European group of experts known as DP3T is pushing for decentralized designs such as Britain ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all tracking apps .
Although all apps currently in the works or already deployed purport to anonymize all information , DP3T warns that with centralized government proximity tracing systems , it wouldn ’ t be hard for either hackers — or law enforcement agencies armed with subpoenas — to track and target app users and those they associate with .
This would open the door to future “ long-term persistent surveillance of individuals by third parties , ” whether adversarial hackers or law enforcement .
As currently envisioned , downloading tracking apps to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s good news for those concerned about protecting their privacy , it is also a potential Achilles heel for tracking apps : epidemiologists have said a critical mass — meaning at least 60 % of any given population — would need to use the app in order for it to be successful .
Australia launched its own app last week , but only 2 million people have downloaded the app so far , meaning less than 10 % of the nation ’ s population .

The NHS’s newly created NHSX just launched a limited test run in the Isle of Wight. It will use Bluetooth to exhort users to get tested for coronavirus or quarantine themselves.
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UNITED KINGDOM, May 4, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) has just begun testing a smartphone app aimed at limiting the spread of the Wuhan virus, igniting a host of privacy concerns and warnings about mission creep.
Government health experts in the U.K. rejected an app developed by Google and Apple that stores pertinent information on each user’s phone in favor of developing their own, which stores information about individuals on a central government server.
The NHS’s newly created NHSX — which is charged with setting national policy and practices where technology and digital data intersect with health care — just launched a limited test run in the Isle of Wight.
At the moment, France and the United Kingdom are poised to deploy centralized government apps as the U.K. is doing, while other European nations, including Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, appear ready to use decentralized designs.
How tracking apps work
All tracking apps currently in development to combat the pandemic utilize Bluetooth measuring functions in order to alert smartphone users who have been in close contact with someone who has become infected with the Wuhan virus. For most countries, the proximity standard is within two meters and for at least ten minutes.
As soon as an app user is reported to have the virus, everyone who has fallen within those close contact standards receives an alert advising him to get tested or to go into quarantine.
False positives and interference
“If I am in the wide open, my Bluetooth and your Bluetooth might ping each other even if you’re much more than six feet away,” Dr. Farzad Mostashari, former national coordinator for health information technology at the United States Department of Health and Human Services, told The Verge. “You could be through the wall from me in an apartment, and it could ping that we’re having a proximity event. You could be on a different floor of the building and it could ping. You could be biking by me in the open air and it could ping.”
Australia has found that other phone apps that utilize Bluetooth technology can interfere with the ability of its COVIDSafe app to reliably record all close encounters with individuals infected with the virus.
Likewise, operating a phone in “low power mode” may also negatively impact the utility of the app, reducing its ability to track contacts, according to a spokesperson for Australia’s government services minister, Stuart Robert.
Danger of human rights infringement, mission creep
During a remote Zoom hearing conducted today, experts from the London School of Economics (LSE) and University College London (UCL) urged legislative oversight for the new tracking technologies now being deployed to combat the Wuhan virus pandemic.
“The introduction of the app raises issues beyond data protection and privacy, such as whether or not individuals may find themselves compelled to produce the app, or to download it,” said LSE’s Orla Lynskey, according to a report by ComputerWeekly.com. “That is beyond the role of the Information Commissioner, and goes into areas of human rights and discrimination.”
“We need a roadmap of where this is going, who might have access, and without that roadmap and accountability around it, it is very hard to say the system is secure against mission creep,” noted UCL’s Michael Veale.
Veale also expressed concern from a human rights and privacy perspective due to the NHSX’s centralized system for obtaining and storing personal data.
“The tech giants believe their effort provides more privacy, as it limits the ability of either the authorities or a hacker to use the computer server logs to track specific individuals and identify their social interactions,” reported the BBC.
A pan-European group of experts known as DP3T is pushing for decentralized designs such as Britain’s while calling attention to the vulnerabilities of all tracking apps.
Although all apps currently in the works or already deployed purport to anonymize all information, DP3T warns that with centralized government proximity tracing systems, it wouldn’t be hard for either hackers — or law enforcement agencies armed with subpoenas — to track and target app users and those they associate with.
This would open the door to future “long-term persistent surveillance of individuals by third parties,” whether adversarial hackers or law enforcement.
Critical mass
As currently envisioned, downloading tracking apps to personal devices is purely voluntary.
While that’s good news for those concerned about protecting their privacy, it is also a potential Achilles heel for tracking apps: epidemiologists have said a critical mass — meaning at least 60% of any given population — would need to use the app in order for it to be successful.
Australia launched its own app last week, but only 2 million people have downloaded the app so far, meaning less than 10% of the nation’s population.
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lifesitenews--2020-05-04--Trying to dialogue with trans advocate only leads to more gender confusion

May 4 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) -- One of the things I think many people struggle with in relation to the transgender movement is , well , understanding the movement ’ s assertions .
As a service to the public , I would like to explore some of the things that the movement ’ s partisans say , in the form of a dialogue .
Imagine I am talking to an apologist for the ideology ; let ’ s call this individual Sam .
Sam : There is nothing complicated or confusing about our new understanding of gender .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and legislation is that gender , being a man , being a woman , and being anything else , is a matter above all of feelings .
Your feelings , in your mind , are the most important thing about you , and it is natural that we accept that a person who feels she is a woman , for example , really is a woman .
Me : Even though she might have the chromosomes and characteristics typical of a man .
Sam : Yes .
The transgender movement was founded by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which society had determined indicated one gender , were at odds with the gender that they felt themselves to be : they were ‘ born in the wrong body.
’ Me : So there might be , for example , a woman in a man ’ s body ?
Sam : It often felt that way , because physical characteristics tend to determine the way we are treated ( that is , as a man , or as a woman ) , but if gender is determined by the mind , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the body of a person who identifies as a woman is a woman ’ s body .
She is , after all , a woman .
Me : So a woman can have what we would traditionally have identified as male sexual organs ?
Sam : Absolutely .
The idea that to be a real woman a trans person has to have hormone supplements and surgery is not correct .
They can have those things if they make them more comfortable , but before any such treatment they are already what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an individual has a feeling , which that individual describes as “ feeling female.
” Is it possible that such a feeling could be misidentified ?
Sam : No .
If you think you feel you are a woman , you do feel you are a woman , and you are a woman .
It ’ s like thinking you are in pain : if you think you are , you are .
Me : OK .
So what exactly do you think you are , when you think you are a woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And what is a woman ?
Sam : As I have already explained , woman is someone who feels she is a woman .
Me : That looks like a circular definition .
Sam : Well , if you want something more , there are the social conventions that put men and women into different categories , and treat them differently , such as clothing , or the way we address them .
Me : So a woman is a person who feels she should be addressed as “ she ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather superficial indications of gender , but perhaps they mark something deeper , like gender roles .
Sam : No no : women can be firefighters , right ?
And anyway , we don ’ t want to limit ourselves to just two genders .
We ’ ve been talking about male and female , but there are really as many genders as people wish to identify with .
The social conventions have relevance because , insofar as they exist , trans people naturally want to be treated as what they are .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ If they ceased to exist , what would be left for trans people to identify as ?
Sam : Simply being a woman , or whatever the individual identifies as .
Being a woman is not defined by physical characteristics , and it obviously isn ’ t identified by conventions about clothing or doing the cooking and cleaning .
But women exist , and if they exist , then some people are women , and we must allow them to tell us whether they are women or not .
Me : Whether “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what we mean by “ women ” … But there is another problem , which is that , as many feminists have claimed , the experience of being a woman is the experience of having a female body ( or what we would traditionally have regarded as one ) .
The possibility of pregnancy and childbirth , or indeed the impossibility of it because of infertility , forms the basis for a set of experiences and feelings that are distinctive , which men can not have .
The body ’ s gender-specific capacities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ female experience .
Sam : Well , those experiences are real , and they are experiences that women have had , so we can call them women ’ s experiences .
But they don ’ t define or limit what women are .
Men can have wombs and experience childbirth .
Men with wombs will be men if they feel they are men .
Me : If this is so , then there are no characteristically female feelings .
This makes it difficult to see what it could mean for a person to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and indeed the distinction between male and female is in danger of disappearing altogether .
Sam : Perhaps that distinction has , after all , outlived its usefulness .

Biology or feelings have nothing to do with gender; the trans view is you are what you think you are.
May 4, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — One of the things I think many people struggle with in relation to the transgender movement is, well, understanding the movement’s assertions. As a service to the public, I would like to explore some of the things that the movement’s partisans say, in the form of a dialogue. Imagine I am talking to an apologist for the ideology; let’s call this individual Sam.
Sam: There is nothing complicated or confusing about our new understanding of gender. What is increasingly acknowledged by social norms and legislation is that gender, being a man, being a woman, and being anything else, is a matter above all of feelings. Your feelings, in your mind, are the most important thing about you, and it is natural that we accept that a person who feels she is a woman, for example, really is a woman.
Me: Even though she might have the chromosomes and characteristics typical of a man.
Sam: Yes. The transgender movement was founded by people who felt that their physical characteristics, which society had determined indicated one gender, were at odds with the gender that they felt themselves to be: they were ‘born in the wrong body.’
Me: So there might be, for example, a woman in a man’s body?
Sam: It often felt that way, because physical characteristics tend to determine the way we are treated (that is, as a man, or as a woman), but if gender is determined by the mind, then it would be more accurate to say that the body of a person who identifies as a woman is a woman’s body. She is, after all, a woman.
Me: So a woman can have what we would traditionally have identified as male sexual organs?
Sam: Absolutely. The idea that to be a real woman a trans person has to have hormone supplements and surgery is not correct. They can have those things if they make them more comfortable, but before any such treatment they are already what they identify as being.
Me: So an individual has a feeling, which that individual describes as “feeling female.” Is it possible that such a feeling could be misidentified?
Sam: No. If you think you feel you are a woman, you do feel you are a woman, and you are a woman. It’s like thinking you are in pain: if you think you are, you are.
Me: OK. So what exactly do you think you are, when you think you are a woman?
Sam: A woman, obviously.
Me: Obviously. A woman. And what is a woman?
Sam: As I have already explained, woman is someone who feels she is a woman.
Me: That looks like a circular definition.
Sam: Well, if you want something more, there are the social conventions that put men and women into different categories, and treat them differently, such as clothing, or the way we address them.
Me: So a woman is a person who feels she should be addressed as “she” and wear female clothes. These look like rather superficial indications of gender, but perhaps they mark something deeper, like gender roles.
Sam: No no: women can be firefighters, right? And anyway, we don’t want to limit ourselves to just two genders. We’ve been talking about male and female, but there are really as many genders as people wish to identify with. The social conventions have relevance because, insofar as they exist, trans people naturally want to be treated as what they are.
Me: These conventions are weakening. If they ceased to exist, what would be left for trans people to identify as?
Sam: Simply being a woman, or whatever the individual identifies as. Being a woman is not defined by physical characteristics, and it obviously isn’t identified by conventions about clothing or doing the cooking and cleaning. But women exist, and if they exist, then some people are women, and we must allow them to tell us whether they are women or not.
Me: Whether “women” exist or not depends on what we mean by “women”… But there is another problem, which is that, as many feminists have claimed, the experience of being a woman is the experience of having a female body (or what we would traditionally have regarded as one). The possibility of pregnancy and childbirth, or indeed the impossibility of it because of infertility, forms the basis for a set of experiences and feelings that are distinctive, which men cannot have. The body’s gender-specific capacities and incapacities are therefore central to the female experience.
Sam: Well, those experiences are real, and they are experiences that women have had, so we can call them women’s experiences. But they don’t define or limit what women are. Men can have wombs and experience childbirth. Men with wombs will be men if they feel they are men.
Me: If this is so, then there are no characteristically female feelings. This makes it difficult to see what it could mean for a person to “feel like a woman,” and indeed the distinction between male and female is in danger of disappearing altogether.
Sam: Perhaps that distinction has, after all, outlived its usefulness.
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lifesitenews--2020-05-04--Pope backs universal prayer day against coronavirus with Muslims, doesn’t mention sin or Christ

May 4 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – As an answer to the coronavirus crisis , a call for a global interreligious day of fasting and prayer on May 14 has just been launched by the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity , aimed at all believers of all religions .
The appeal was approved on Sunday both by Pope Francis and U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres .
If this is not an actual global unified religion in action , it is beginning to look more and more like it .
The call for prayer , fasting , and “ good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic speaks not of man ’ s waywardness and disregard of divine law , nor of a call to penance and search for the true God : only for inspiration for a “ cure , ” that God –whomsoever He may be – should “ rescue us all from this adversity.
” It is , in fact , completely consensual .
It asks for “ security , stability , healthiness and prosperity , so that , after this pandemic is over , our world will become a better place for humanity and fraternity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are good in themselves , but the vision is purely horizontal , focused on a better “ here and now ” and oblivious of God ’ s reality as the Most Holy Trinity , and man ’ s true , eternal destination , his salvation for which Jesus Christ became man and was crucified .
But then again , Jesus Christ is also totally absent from this global prayer call .
The Higher Committee of Human Fraternity which issued the call was established in August 2019 , following the signing of the Abu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmad al-Tayeb .
This declaration has already raised many questions because of its assertion that “ the pluralism and the diversity of religions , color , sex , race and language are willed by God in His wisdom , through which He created human beings , ” which is as such a heretical proposition .
The first ongoing project of the said Higher Committee , set up in the United Arab Emirates with the support of the Vatican , is the construction of the Abrahamic Family House , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi , where three cubic “ temples ” built on exactly the same model in terms of volume and orientation will place a Christian church , a synagogue , and a mosque side by side at the points of a triangle , on an equal footing .
The May 14 prayer day will mark a new stage in this search for universal brotherhood that borrows its vocabulary from Freemasonry .
In the name of the good of humanity in a health crisis that has already been turned into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to erase the differences between the religions .
It fits .
Since the beginning of the Chinese coronavirus pandemic , mainstream voices have been raised , telling us that we were moving towards a new civilization of empathy and solidarity .
The official Vatican news bulletin published the statement of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity on Saturday .
Be it a coincidence or not , the interreligious day of prayer will take place on the precise day – May 14 – on which the Global Compact on Education was to be signed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francis , before being postponed until next October .
That project also touts a new “ humanism ” in cooperation with other religions .
Through the coronavirus crisis and the common prayer call from a Committee uniting the so-called “ Abrahamic religions , ” global spirituality is even more clearly at the fore .
The call of the Higher Committee for Human Fraternity , as approved by members of the hierarchy of the Catholic Church , is a short communiqué calling for a prayer to God , “ the All-Creator , ” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the One and Triune God whom we adore .
Here below is the full text of the statement : Dear fellow believers in God , the All-Creator , our brothers and sisters in humanity everywhere , Our world is facing a great danger that threatens the lives of millions of people around the world due to the growing spread of the coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) pandemic .
While we reaffirm the role of medicine and scientific research in fighting this pandemic , we should not forget to seek refuge in God , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis .
Therefore , we call on all peoples around the world to do good deeds , observe fast , pray , and make devout supplications to God Almighty to end this pandemic .
Each one from wherever they are and according to the teachings of their religion , faith , or sect , should implore God to lift this pandemic off us and the entire world , to rescue us all from this adversity , to inspire scientists to find a cure that can turn back this disease , and to save @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic , and human repercussions of this serious pandemic As part of its efforts to realize the objectives of the Document on Human Fraternity , the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity suggests announcing Thursday May 14th , 2020 , a day for fasting , prayers , and supplications for the good of all humanity .
As such , the Committee invites all religious leaders and peoples around the world to respond to this call for humanity and together beseech God Almighty to safeguard the entire world , to help us overcome this pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthiness , and prosperity , so that , after this pandemic is over , our world will become a better place for humanity and fraternity than ever before .
Yes , that is what is sought : not a world that repents of evil and unites in truth under the gentle reign of Our Lord Jesus Christ , but a new world , that will have found unity in resisting the “ invisible enemy ” of the coronavirus , and praying together to any deity .
No one is excluded .
Anything can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ satanist , an Islamist , or a worshipper of the onion , this call is addressed to you .
The Emirati press this Sunday gave some details about the appeal of the High Committee of Human Brotherhood .
May 14 should be dedicated “ to fasting , works of mercy , prayers and supplications for the good of all humanity ” and for the end of the pandemic , wrote Gulf News .
It seems fitting indeed that it should take place in the middle of Ramadan that runs this year from April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , works of mercy ( “ alms ” ) , and prayer are three of the five pillars of Islam .
Gulf News did not mention the non-Islamic components of the Higher Committee , simply recalling that it was established by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan , Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates .
For the record , the High Committee comprises nine members , including Cardinal Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot , President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of Pope Francis ’ personal secretaries .
The first personality to have approved the appeal was Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb , co-signatory of the Abu Dhabi Declaration , who made known his support for the initiative through a Facebook message : “ I welcome the committee ’ s noble humanitarian appeal to invite people around the world to pray , to beg for the good of all humanity and to do good in the name of Allah the Almighty , in order to remove this pandemic that is hitting us and the whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would appear that Allah does not allow himself to be supplanted .
Pope Francis quickly fell in step on Sunday , May 3 , and gave his full support during the virtual global audience he gave at noon from the library of the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican , as America Magazine , the magazine of the United States Jesuits , immediately reported .
The story bore the title : “ Pope Francis joins Muslim leaders in calling for world day of prayer to end the coronavirus.
” The story added that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day of prayer during the same talk .
Francis “ endorsed the call to ‘ the believers of all the religions to unite together spiritually on May 14 in a day of prayer and fasting , to implore God to help humanity overcome the coronavirus pandemic.
’ ” During his talk , he repeated : “ Remember , May 14 , all believers together , believers of the different [ religious ] traditions , to pray , to fast , and to do works of charity.
” Mentioning the Higher Committee for Human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Since prayer is a universal value , I accepted its proposal.
” But praying to the true God is not the same thing as worshipping false gods , as a universal prayer initiative would imply .
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres – former president of the Socialist International – posted a tweet on Sunday evening confirming that he too was supporting the Higher Committee ’ s appeal .
“ In difficult times , we must stand together for peace , humanity & solidarity .
I join His Holiness Pope Francis ( @ Pontifex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Azhar Sheikh Ahmed Al Tayeb in their support for the Prayer for Humanity this 14 May – a moment for reflection , hope , and faith , ” he wrote .
Shortly before Easter , the same Antonio Guterres had published a policy brief on “ The impact of COVID-19 on women ” in which he called for full access to “ sexual and reproductive health services ” which in United Nations documents refers in particular to contraception and also , in coded language , to what U.N. agencies call “ safe abortion @ @

The initiative urges all people to 'unite together spiritually' against the coronavirus. It does not mention sin, repentance, or Jesus Christ.
PETITION: Catholics call on the Vatican to affirm all salvation comes through Jesus Sign the petition here.
ANALYSIS
May 4, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – As an answer to the coronavirus crisis, a call for a global interreligious day of fasting and prayer on May 14 has just been launched by the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity, aimed at all believers of all religions. The appeal was approved on Sunday both by Pope Francis and U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres. If this is not an actual global unified religion in action, it is beginning to look more and more like it.
The call for prayer, fasting, and “good deeds” for an end to the pandemic speaks not of man’s waywardness and disregard of divine law, nor of a call to penance and search for the true God: only for inspiration for a “cure,” that God –whomsoever He may be – should “rescue us all from this adversity.” It is, in fact, completely consensual.
It asks for “security, stability, healthiness and prosperity, so that, after this pandemic is over, our world will become a better place for humanity and fraternity than ever before.” All of these are good in themselves, but the vision is purely horizontal, focused on a better “here and now” and oblivious of God’s reality as the Most Holy Trinity, and man’s true, eternal destination, his salvation for which Jesus Christ became man and was crucified. But then again, Jesus Christ is also totally absent from this global prayer call.
The Higher Committee of Human Fraternity which issued the call was established in August 2019, following the signing of the Abu Dhabi Declaration by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmad al-Tayeb. This declaration has already raised many questions because of its assertion that “the pluralism and the diversity of religions, color, sex, race and language are willed by God in His wisdom, through which He created human beings,” which is as such a heretical proposition.
The first ongoing project of the said Higher Committee, set up in the United Arab Emirates with the support of the Vatican, is the construction of the Abrahamic Family House, a multi-religious place of worship on the island of Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi, where three cubic “temples” built on exactly the same model in terms of volume and orientation will place a Christian church, a synagogue, and a mosque side by side at the points of a triangle, on an equal footing.
The May 14 prayer day will mark a new stage in this search for universal brotherhood that borrows its vocabulary from Freemasonry. In the name of the good of humanity in a health crisis that has already been turned into a health dictatorship, it constitutes a call to erase the differences between the religions.
It fits. Since the beginning of the Chinese coronavirus pandemic, mainstream voices have been raised, telling us that we were moving towards a new civilization of empathy and solidarity.
The official Vatican news bulletin published the statement of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity on Saturday. Be it a coincidence or not, the interreligious day of prayer will take place on the precise day – May 14 – on which the Global Compact on Education was to be signed in Rome under the auspices of Pope Francis, before being postponed until next October. That project also touts a new “humanism” in cooperation with other religions.
Through the coronavirus crisis and the common prayer call from a Committee uniting the so-called “Abrahamic religions,” global spirituality is even more clearly at the fore.
The call of the Higher Committee for Human Fraternity, as approved by members of the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, is a short communiqué calling for a prayer to God, “the All-Creator,” “for humanity” – but not to the One and Triune God whom we adore. Here below is the full text of the statement:
Dear fellow believers in God, the All-Creator, our brothers and sisters in humanity everywhere, Our world is facing a great danger that threatens the lives of millions of people around the world due to the growing spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. While we reaffirm the role of medicine and scientific research in fighting this pandemic, we should not forget to seek refuge in God, the All-Creator, as we face such severe crisis. Therefore, we call on all peoples around the world to do good deeds, observe fast, pray, and make devout supplications to God Almighty to end this pandemic. Each one from wherever they are and according to the teachings of their religion, faith, or sect, should implore God to lift this pandemic off us and the entire world, to rescue us all from this adversity, to inspire scientists to find a cure that can turn back this disease, and to save the whole world from the health, economic, and human repercussions of this serious pandemic As part of its efforts to realize the objectives of the Document on Human Fraternity, the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity suggests announcing Thursday May 14th, 2020, a day for fasting, prayers, and supplications for the good of all humanity. As such, the Committee invites all religious leaders and peoples around the world to respond to this call for humanity and together beseech God Almighty to safeguard the entire world, to help us overcome this pandemic, to restore security, stability, healthiness, and prosperity, so that, after this pandemic is over, our world will become a better place for humanity and fraternity than ever before.
Yes, that is what is sought: not a world that repents of evil and unites in truth under the gentle reign of Our Lord Jesus Christ, but a new world, that will have found unity in resisting the “invisible enemy” of the coronavirus, and praying together to any deity. No one is excluded. Anything can be believed. Whether you are a satanist, an Islamist, or a worshipper of the onion, this call is addressed to you.
The Emirati press this Sunday gave some details about the appeal of the High Committee of Human Brotherhood. May 14 should be dedicated “to fasting, works of mercy, prayers and supplications for the good of all humanity” and for the end of the pandemic, wrote Gulf News. It seems fitting indeed that it should take place in the middle of Ramadan that runs this year from April 24 to May 23, as fasting, works of mercy (“alms”), and prayer are three of the five pillars of Islam.
Gulf News did not mention the non-Islamic components of the Higher Committee, simply recalling that it was established by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates.
For the record, the High Committee comprises nine members, including Cardinal Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and Archbishop Yoannis Lahzi Gaid, one of Pope Francis’ personal secretaries.
The first personality to have approved the appeal was Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb, co-signatory of the Abu Dhabi Declaration, who made known his support for the initiative through a Facebook message: “I welcome the committee’s noble humanitarian appeal to invite people around the world to pray, to beg for the good of all humanity and to do good in the name of Allah the Almighty, in order to remove this pandemic that is hitting us and the whole world,” he wrote.
It would appear that Allah does not allow himself to be supplanted.
Pope Francis quickly fell in step on Sunday, May 3, and gave his full support during the virtual global audience he gave at noon from the library of the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican, as America Magazine, the magazine of the United States Jesuits, immediately reported. The story bore the title: “Pope Francis joins Muslim leaders in calling for world day of prayer to end the coronavirus.”
The story added that the Pope reiterated the call for the inter-religious day of prayer during the same talk. Francis “endorsed the call to ‘the believers of all the religions to unite together spiritually on May 14 in a day of prayer and fasting, to implore God to help humanity overcome the coronavirus pandemic.’”
During his talk, he repeated: “Remember, May 14, all believers together, believers of the different [religious] traditions, to pray, to fast, and to do works of charity.” Mentioning the Higher Committee for Human Fraternity, Pope Francis added: “Since prayer is a universal value, I accepted its proposal.”
But praying to the true God is not the same thing as worshipping false gods, as a universal prayer initiative would imply.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres – former president of the Socialist International – posted a tweet on Sunday evening confirming that he too was supporting the Higher Committee’s appeal. “In difficult times, we must stand together for peace, humanity & solidarity. I join His Holiness Pope Francis (@Pontifex) and the Grand Imam of Al Azhar Sheikh Ahmed Al Tayeb in their support for the Prayer for Humanity this 14 May – a moment for reflection, hope, and faith,” he wrote.
Shortly before Easter, the same Antonio Guterres had published a policy brief on “The impact of COVID-19 on women” in which he called for full access to “sexual and reproductive health services” which in United Nations documents refers in particular to contraception and also, in coded language, to what U.N. agencies call “safe abortion.”
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lifesitenews--2020-05-04--As governments eye reopening, churches banned from singing, Communion: Live COVID-19 updates

LifeSite ’ s previous ( and future ) live updates on the coronavirus crisis and how it relates to issues our readers care about can be viewed HERE .
Knoxville , Tennessee is allowing people to go to church starting today , but its government guidelines specifically declare , “ [ t ] he physical taking of communion/sacrament should not be performed due to the serial breaking of physical distancing across a congregation.
” May 4 , 2020 , 5:34 p.m. EST : “ A group of Republican state lawmakers , religious leaders , and business owners are suing Maryland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his stay-at-home order , ” patch.com reports .
“ In the lawsuit filed on Saturday , the plaintiffs allege that their right to free speech and assembly have been violated — and that businesses have suffered economic injury because of Hogan 's stay-at-home order.
” A priest of the Society of St. Pius X is suing New Jersey Gov .
Phil Murphy over his similarly draconian “ stay-at-home ” order , which the governor defended in an interview with Tucker Carlson on April 15 .
The priest , Father Kevin Robinson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights have been violated .
Murphy said he “ wasn ’ t thinking of the Bill of Rights ” when he prohibited large gatherings of more than 50 people , including religious gatherings , in his state due to the coronavirus pandemic .
“ That ’ s above my paygrade , ” he told Carlson .
The governor also argued that shutting down liquor stores would have led to “ unintended mental health and addiction prices to pay , unintended consequences.
” The Daily Caller reported yesterday , “ President Donald Trump suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ town hall that his administration will soon release ‘ conclusive ’ evidence showing how the coronavirus originally leaked out of China ’ s Wuhan Institute of Virology.
” In Flint , Michigan , three people have been charged with murder “ in the killing of a security guard at a Family Dollar store ... during an argument over a state order for shoppers to wear face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic , ” according to local media .
May 4 , 2020 , 3:47 p.m. EST : Also on Friday , pro-life activist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bella , Crescendo , and Little Boy , to name a few , was arrested protesting Hawaii ’ s lockdown .
A video of his arrest can be viewed HERE .
May 4 , 2020 , 2:26 p.m. EST : On May 1 , CBS News reported : New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham invoked the state 's Riot Control Act on Friday to essentially lock down the city of Gallup after its mayor requested that she do so on Thursday .
Under the act , all roads leading into Gallup are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of COVID-19 in that city.
” “ Effective at 12 p.m. , May 1 , all roads into Gallup are closed .
Businesses in the city of Gallup will close from 5 p.m. through 8 a.m. Vehicles may only have a maximum of two individuals .
Residents of the city should remain at home except for emergency outings and those essential for health , safety and welfare , ” Grisham 's office said in a press release .
Liberty Counsel has more details about the Kansas City government requiring churches to submit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and attendees along with their names , addresses and telephone numbers to city officials for tracking and surveillance purposes.
” May 4 , 2020 , 9:21 a.m. EST : Cardinal Robert Sarah , the Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments , denounced abuses of the Eucharist such as putting Holy Communion in a plastic bag and also reaffirmed that no one can take away from priests the right to give the faithful Holy Communion and hear their Confessions .
May 1 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing “ rules ” is now for the New York Police Department more of a priority than helping someone who is “ getting robbed at gunpoint , ” an insider told the New York Post .
The anonymous source says police are being told to prioritize social distancing infractions over 911 calls .
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has called government mandates confining people to their homes “ fascist.
” Ohio ’ s “ stay-at-home ” mandate has been extended to the end of May .
Media have been quick to hype people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or “ gun-toting.
” Unrest is becoming particularly strong in Michigan , where Governor Gretchen Whitmer just extended her unpopular executive order confining people to their homes .
“ As the legislature met on Thursday , hundreds of protesters gathered at the Capitol building in Lansing to voice frustrations about the stay home order , including some who were armed and entered the Capitol , ” CBS News reported .
As businesses are forced to shut down and more than a million Michiganders have filed for unemployment , the state is providing residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Guardian reports that in Germany , the government will soon “ set out guidelines for holding religious services during the coronavirus pandemic with a list of strict restrictions expected to include a ban on singing ” ( emphasis added ) .
“ Religious leaders have agreed in advance meetings a set of general rules on strict physical distancing and the prohibition of anything involving bodily fluids , such as kissing religious objects , including the Jewish Torah , or administering communion from hand to mouth ... .Communal singing has reportedly proved to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussions , despite repeated warnings by leading epidemiologists that singing is as dangerous as coughing for spreading the virus.
” In April , a California county banned any singing during live-streamed church services in empty church buildings .
“ Wind instruments ” and “ harmonicas ” were also deemed a threat .
An April 24 BBC article explains , “ Bulgaria is the latest country to test a wristband that can track people during the coronavirus pandemic ... Several nations are testing similar wristbands to make sure people are obeying orders to stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hong Kong have also been using electronic trackers to help enforce quarantine….As well as confirming a person is staying at home , the device can monitor the wearer 's heart rate and be used to call the emergency services.
” As Kansas City , Missouri begins to open back up , most businesses will be required to “ track all customers who sit down inside for more than 10 minutes.
” “ That means whether you go to a restaurant , a movie theater , or church , the establishment will have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entry , ” a local news report explained .
Discussing the massive citizen tracking effort , Mayor Quinton Lucas claimed , “ our goal isn ’ t to see what everyone is doing and be Big Brother.
” New York Governor Andrew Cuomo , meanwhile , has announced the government will be hiring an “ army ” of “ contact tracers.
” The Catholic Diocese of Lincoln , regarded as one of the most orthodox in the country , has announced plans for public Masses to resume on May 4 .
President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic to a lab in Wuhan , China .

Live updates on the coronavirus crisis and how it relates to pro-life issues, faith, and freedom.
LifeSite’s previous (and future) live updates on the coronavirus crisis and how it relates to issues our readers care about can be viewed HERE.
Knoxville, Tennessee is allowing people to go to church starting today, but its government guidelines specifically declare, “[t]he physical taking of communion/sacrament should not be performed due to the serial breaking of physical distancing across a congregation.”
May 4, 2020, 5:34 p.m. EST: “A group of Republican state lawmakers, religious leaders, and business owners are suing Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan over the constitutionality of his stay-at-home order,” patch.com reports. “In the lawsuit filed on Saturday, the plaintiffs allege that their right to free speech and assembly have been violated — and that businesses have suffered economic injury because of Hogan's stay-at-home order.”
The report continues (emphasis added):
In the court filing, state Del. Cox (R-District 4) said he was scheduled to speak at Reopen Maryland's event on Saturday, but was “warned by a senior law enforcement official that the ‘Governor has his sights on you’ and that if I attend, ride along and speak at the Reopen Rally, I would potentially be arrested…”
A priest of the Society of St. Pius X is suing New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy over his similarly draconian “stay-at-home” order, which the governor defended in an interview with Tucker Carlson on April 15. The priest, Father Kevin Robinson, is arguing his First and Fourteenth Amendment rights have been violated.
Murphy said he “wasn’t thinking of the Bill of Rights” when he prohibited large gatherings of more than 50 people, including religious gatherings, in his state due to the coronavirus pandemic. “That’s above my paygrade,” he told Carlson. The governor also argued that shutting down liquor stores would have led to “unintended mental health and addiction prices to pay, unintended consequences.”
The Daily Caller reported yesterday, “President Donald Trump suggested during Sunday night’s Fox News town hall that his administration will soon release ‘conclusive’ evidence showing how the coronavirus originally leaked out of China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology.”
In Flint, Michigan, three people have been charged with murder “in the killing of a security guard at a Family Dollar store…during an argument over a state order for shoppers to wear face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to local media.
May 4, 2020, 3:47 p.m. EST: Also on Friday, pro-life activist and moviemaker Jason Jones, who created Bella, Crescendo, and Little Boy, to name a few, was arrested protesting Hawaii’s lockdown. A video of his arrest can be viewed HERE.
May 4, 2020, 2:26 p.m. EST: On May 1, CBS News reported:
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham invoked the state's Riot Control Act on Friday to essentially lock down the city of Gallup after its mayor requested that she do so on Thursday. Under the act, all roads leading into Gallup are now closed off “to mitigate the uninhibited spread of COVID-19 in that city.” “Effective at 12 p.m., May 1, all roads into Gallup are closed. Businesses in the city of Gallup will close from 5 p.m. through 8 a.m. Vehicles may only have a maximum of two individuals. Residents of the city should remain at home except for emergency outings and those essential for health, safety and welfare,” Grisham's office said in a press release.
Liberty Counsel has more details about the Kansas City government requiring churches to submit to them “a list of members and attendees along with their names, addresses and telephone numbers to city officials for tracking and surveillance purposes.”
May 4, 2020, 9:21 a.m. EST: Cardinal Robert Sarah, the Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, denounced abuses of the Eucharist such as putting Holy Communion in a plastic bag and also reaffirmed that no one can take away from priests the right to give the faithful Holy Communion and hear their Confessions.
Nobody can prevent a priest from confessing and giving communion, nobody has the right to stop him. The sacrament must be respected. So even if it is not possible to attend Masses, the faithful can ask to be confessed and to receive Communion. +RS pic.twitter.com/ZvwjSoTpuo — Cardinal R. Sarah (@Card_R_Sarah) May 3, 2020
May 1, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Following up on violations of so-called social distancing “rules” is now for the New York Police Department more of a priority than helping someone who is “getting robbed at gunpoint,” an insider told the New York Post. The anonymous source says police are being told to prioritize social distancing infractions over 911 calls.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has called government mandates confining people to their homes “fascist.”
Ohio’s “stay-at-home” mandate has been extended to the end of May.
Media have been quick to hype people protesting draconian lockdowns as “armed” or “gun-toting.” Unrest is becoming particularly strong in Michigan, where Governor Gretchen Whitmer just extended her unpopular executive order confining people to their homes.
“As the legislature met on Thursday, hundreds of protesters gathered at the Capitol building in Lansing to voice frustrations about the stay home order, including some who were armed and entered the Capitol,” CBS News reported.
As businesses are forced to shut down and more than a million Michiganders have filed for unemployment, the state is providing residents with free condoms during the pandemic.
The Guardian reports that in Germany, the government will soon “set out guidelines for holding religious services during the coronavirus pandemic with a list of strict restrictions expected to include a ban on singing” (emphasis added).
“Religious leaders have agreed in advance meetings a set of general rules on strict physical distancing and the prohibition of anything involving bodily fluids, such as kissing religious objects, including the Jewish Torah, or administering communion from hand to mouth….Communal singing has reportedly proved to be a particular sticking point in the discussions, despite repeated warnings by leading epidemiologists that singing is as dangerous as coughing for spreading the virus.”
In April, a California county banned any singing during live-streamed church services in empty church buildings. “Wind instruments” and “harmonicas” were also deemed a threat.
An April 24 BBC article explains, “Bulgaria is the latest country to test a wristband that can track people during the coronavirus pandemic…Several nations are testing similar wristbands to make sure people are obeying orders to stay at home.”
“South Korea and Hong Kong have also been using electronic trackers to help enforce quarantine….As well as confirming a person is staying at home, the device can monitor the wearer's heart rate and be used to call the emergency services.”
As Kansas City, Missouri begins to open back up, most businesses will be required to “track all customers who sit down inside for more than 10 minutes.”
“That means whether you go to a restaurant, a movie theater, or church, the establishment will have to know who you are to allow you entry,” a local news report explained.
Discussing the massive citizen tracking effort, Mayor Quinton Lucas claimed, “our goal isn’t to see what everyone is doing and be Big Brother.”
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, meanwhile, has announced the government will be hiring an “army” of “contact tracers.”
The Catholic Diocese of Lincoln, regarded as one of the most orthodox in the country, has announced plans for public Masses to resume on May 4.
President Trump says he has seen evidence linking the pandemic to a lab in Wuhan, China.
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lifesitenews--2020-05-04--When he was a cardinal, Pope Benedict said Freemasonry is the greatest danger to the Church

May 4 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Dr. Robert Moynihan , the editor-in-chief of the Catholic journal Inside the Vatican , revealed on April 23 that he once had a conversation with then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger ( who later became Pope Benedict XVI ) about the “ greatest danger to the Church , ” and he recounts that Ratzinger said : “ It is Freemasonry.
” These words have a special importance in light of Pope Benedict 's recent words about the “ world-wide dictatorship of seemingly humanistic ideologies ” that are fostering a “ fear of the spiritual power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consider here Moynihan 's own full report on that memorable conversation .
“ I recall a conversation that I had with then Cardinal Ratzinger a few years before he became pope , ” Moynihan writes on his website .
“ We were in his apartment , not far from St. Anne ’ s Gate .
We were discussing his conflict with Cardinal Walter Kasper over the question of Universal Church and Particular Church which was much in the media at that time .
I asked the Cardinal where the greatest danger to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it in our own selves , our own sins and weaknesses .
Is this what is the greatest danger to the Church or is it something else , some external enemy ?
’ ” Moynihan continues : “ He looked at me directly in the eyes and then after a moment ’ s pause , as if he were reflecting , he said : ‘ It is Freemasonry.
’ ” “ I never forgot that conversation as it was [ a ] fixed point that brought to a conclusion a long series of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that meeting and have concerned me since.
” This report comes to us because Dr. Moynihan received a letter from one of his readers concerned about the fact that in recent times , Freemasons are making attempts to undermine the Catholic Church ’ s ban on Freemasonry .
This revelation on the part of Dr. Moynihan is especially important in light of the fact that Pope Benedict XVI , in recent comments to his biographer Peter Seewald , spoke of the “ spiritual power of the Anti-Christ ” of which many are afraid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of abortion , homosexuality , and in-vitro fertilization .
He spoke of a “ world-wide dictatorship of seemingly humanistic ideologies.
” “ Today , one is being excommunicated by society if one opposes it [ this ‘ dictatorship ’ ] , ” Benedict told Seewald for his new book Benedict XVI : a Life ( published first in German by Droemer Verlag ) .
“ Modern society is in the middle of formulating an anti-Christian creed , and if one opposes it , one is being punished by society with excommunication , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The fear of this spiritual power of the Anti-Christ is then only more than natural , and it really needs the help of prayers on the part of an entire diocese and of the Universal Church in order to resist it.
” In order to understand where certain elements of this “ world-wide dictatorship ” come from , we can turn to Bishop Athanasius Schneider , who gave , in 2017 , a talk on the 300-year-old history of Freemasonry .
He delivered this talk for the Kirche in Not organization , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided LifeSiteNews with an English manuscript of this talk .
In this talk , Bishop Schneider described the characteristics of Freemasonry based on multiple scholarly sources .
After describing them in detail , he concluded : “ In fact , Freemasonry is the perfect Anti-Church , where all the theological and moral foundations of the Catholic Church are turned into their opposite !
A Freemason told his sister in a private talk the following : ‘ Do you know what we Freemasons are in fact ?
We are the anti-Church.
’ ” According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ the so-called ‘ sexual revolution ’ of 1968.
” He explains : “ The two Grandmasters of the two largest Freemasonic organizations in France , Frédéric Zeller and Pierre Simon , were with some of their members actively engaged in the Paris student revolts in May 1968 .
The said Grandmaster Pierre Simon became then assessor of the minister Simone Weil , who legalized in France abortion.
” Further expounding on this topic , Bishop Schneider states that Freemasons were crucial in the promotion of abortion , same-sex “ marriage , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schneider points out that “ in 2012 , the Parish Newspaper Le Figaro published a comprehensive dossier about Freemasonry and Le Figaro let top Freemasonic members speak in its newspaper forum .
One of these Freemasonic officials openly stated that the laws about legalization of abortion , the so-called ‘ same sex marriage ’ or ‘ marriage for all ’ and of the euthanasia were prepared in the idealistic Freemasonic ‘ laboratories ’ and that they were then , with the help of lobbying and of their members in parliament and in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bishop Schneider also gives the exact reference to this issue of the French newspaper , saying that “ this can be read in the newspaper Le Figaro of the year 2012 ( supplément LE FIGARO , 20-21 Juillet 2012 ) .
” Then-Cardinal Ratzinger was already in the 1980s so concerned about the nature and work of Freemasonry that he worked out a statement for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , whose Prefect he then was , which repeated the Church 's long-standing ban on Freemasonry .
That is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be members of Freemasonry .
On November 26 , 1983 , Ratzinger signed a document that stated , “ Therefore the Church ’ s negative judgment in regard to Masonic association remains unchanged since their principles have always been considered irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Church and therefore membership in them remains forbidden .
The faithful who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion.
” This document came into being because the new Code of Canon Law that was promulgated that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lacked an explicit ban on Freemasonry .
It does not mention Freemasonry by name when it states : “ A person who joins an association which plots against the Church is to be punished with a just penalty ; one who promotes or takes office in such an association is to be punished with an interdict.
” Dr. Ingo Dollinger played an important role in restoring clearly the 1983 ban on Freemasonry .
He was a German priest from Augsburg who had led the discussions between the German Bishops ' Conference and Freemasonic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of which stood the statement of the German bishops that membership in a Freemasonic lodge is “ incompatible ” with the Catholic faith ( see this report for a more detailed description of Father Dollinger ) .
According to his private secretary , Dollinger , after seeing the ambiguity of the 1983 Code of Canon Law , then approached Cardinal Ratzinger , who set up a commission in order to issue the above-mentioned clarification , with the approval of Pope John Paul II .
Thus , this 1983 CDF statement insisting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faith is a further proof that Cardinal Ratzinger , indeed , was aware of the work of Freemasonry .
It is thus important to know that he even thought , at least at some point in his life , that Freemasonry was the greatest danger to the Church .

May 4, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Dr. Robert Moynihan, the editor-in-chief of the Catholic journal Inside the Vatican, revealed on April 23 that he once had a conversation with then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (who later became Pope Benedict XVI) about the “greatest danger to the Church,” and he recounts that Ratzinger said: “It is Freemasonry.” These words have a special importance in light of Pope Benedict’s recent words about the “world-wide dictatorship of seemingly humanistic ideologies” that are fostering a “fear of the spiritual power of the Anti-Christ.”
Let us first consider here Moynihan’s own full report on that memorable conversation.
“I recall a conversation that I had with then Cardinal Ratzinger a few years before he became pope,” Moynihan writes on his website. “We were in his apartment, not far from St. Anne’s Gate. We were discussing his conflict with Cardinal Walter Kasper over the question of Universal Church and Particular Church which was much in the media at that time. I asked the Cardinal where the greatest danger to the authentic Catholic faith lies. ‘Is it in our own selves, our own sins and weaknesses. Is this what is the greatest danger to the Church or is it something else, some external enemy?’”
Moynihan continues: “He looked at me directly in the eyes and then after a moment’s pause, as if he were reflecting, he said: ‘It is Freemasonry.’”
“I never forgot that conversation as it was [a] fixed point that brought to a conclusion a long series of questions that had concerned me up until that meeting and have concerned me since.”
This report comes to us because Dr. Moynihan received a letter from one of his readers concerned about the fact that in recent times, Freemasons are making attempts to undermine the Catholic Church’s ban on Freemasonry.
This revelation on the part of Dr. Moynihan is especially important in light of the fact that Pope Benedict XVI, in recent comments to his biographer Peter Seewald, spoke of the “spiritual power of the Anti-Christ” of which many are afraid, especially when opposing the modern agenda of abortion, homosexuality, and in-vitro fertilization. He spoke of a “world-wide dictatorship of seemingly humanistic ideologies.”
“Today, one is being excommunicated by society if one opposes it [this ‘dictatorship’],” Benedict told Seewald for his new book Benedict XVI: a Life (published first in German by Droemer Verlag).
“Modern society is in the middle of formulating an anti-Christian creed, and if one opposes it, one is being punished by society with excommunication,” he went on to say. “The fear of this spiritual power of the Anti-Christ is then only more than natural, and it really needs the help of prayers on the part of an entire diocese and of the Universal Church in order to resist it.”
In order to understand where certain elements of this “world-wide dictatorship” come from, we can turn to Bishop Athanasius Schneider, who gave, in 2017, a talk on the 300-year-old history of Freemasonry. He delivered this talk for the Kirche in Not organization, a Pontifical Foundation. Bishop Schneider has kindly provided LifeSiteNews with an English manuscript of this talk.
In this talk, Bishop Schneider described the characteristics of Freemasonry based on multiple scholarly sources. After describing them in detail, he concluded: “In fact, Freemasonry is the perfect Anti-Church, where all the theological and moral foundations of the Catholic Church are turned into their opposite! A Freemason told his sister in a private talk the following: ‘Do you know what we Freemasons are in fact? We are the anti-Church.’”
According to Bishop Schneider, Freemasonry also promoted “the so-called ‘sexual revolution’ of 1968.” He explains: “The two Grandmasters of the two largest Freemasonic organizations in France, Frédéric Zeller and Pierre Simon, were with some of their members actively engaged in the Paris student revolts in May 1968. The said Grandmaster Pierre Simon became then assessor of the minister Simone Veil, who legalized in France abortion.”
Further expounding on this topic, Bishop Schneider states that Freemasons were crucial in the promotion of abortion, same-sex “marriage,” and euthanasia in France.
Here, Schneider points out that “in 2012, the Parish Newspaper Le Figaro published a comprehensive dossier about Freemasonry and Le Figaro let top Freemasonic members speak in its newspaper forum. One of these Freemasonic officials openly stated that the laws about legalization of abortion, the so-called ‘same sex marriage’ or ‘marriage for all’ and of the euthanasia were prepared in the idealistic Freemasonic ‘laboratories’ and that they were then, with the help of lobbying and of their members in parliament and in the government, pushed through the legislation.”
Bishop Schneider also gives the exact reference to this issue of the French newspaper, saying that “this can be read in the newspaper Le Figaro of the year 2012 (supplément LE FIGARO, 20-21 Juillet 2012).”
Then-Cardinal Ratzinger was already in the 1980s so concerned about the nature and work of Freemasonry that he worked out a statement for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, whose Prefect he then was, which repeated the Church’s long-standing ban on Freemasonry. That is to say, he re-stated that Catholics may not be members of Freemasonry. On November 26, 1983, Ratzinger signed a document that stated, “Therefore the Church’s negative judgment in regard to Masonic association remains unchanged since their principles have always been considered irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Church and therefore membership in them remains forbidden. The faithful who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion.”
This document came into being because the new Code of Canon Law that was promulgated that year under Pope John Paul II surprisingly lacked an explicit ban on Freemasonry. It does not mention Freemasonry by name when it states: “A person who joins an association which plots against the Church is to be punished with a just penalty; one who promotes or takes office in such an association is to be punished with an interdict.”
Dr. Ingo Dollinger played an important role in restoring clearly the 1983 ban on Freemasonry. He was a German priest from Augsburg who had led the discussions between the German Bishops’ Conference and Freemasonic lodges between 1974 and 1980, at the end of which stood the statement of the German bishops that membership in a Freemasonic lodge is “incompatible” with the Catholic faith (see this report for a more detailed description of Father Dollinger). According to his private secretary, Dollinger, after seeing the ambiguity of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, then approached Cardinal Ratzinger, who set up a commission in order to issue the above-mentioned clarification, with the approval of Pope John Paul II.
Thus, this 1983 CDF statement insisting that Freemasonry is incompatible with the Catholic faith is a further proof that Cardinal Ratzinger, indeed, was aware of the work of Freemasonry. It is thus important to know that he even thought, at least at some point in his life, that Freemasonry was the greatest danger to the Church.
Follow Maike Dr. Maike Hickson was born and raised in Germany. She holds a PhD from the University of Hannover, Germany, after having written in Switzerland her doctoral dissertation on the history of Swiss intellectuals before and during World War II. She now lives in the U.S. and is married to Dr. Robert Hickson, and they have been blessed with two beautiful children. She is a happy housewife who likes to write articles when time permits. Dr. Hickson published in 2014 a Festschrift, a collection of some thirty essays written by thoughtful authors in honor of her husband upon his 70th birthday, which is entitled A Catholic Witness in Our Time. Hickson has closely followed the papacy of Pope Francis and the developments in the Catholic Church in Germany, and she has been writing articles on religion and politics for U.S. and European publications and websites such as LifeSiteNews, OnePeterFive, The Wanderer, Rorate Caeli, Catholicism.org, Catholic Family News, Christian Order, Notizie Pro-Vita, Corrispondenza Romana, Katholisches.info, Der Dreizehnte, Zeit-Fragen, and Westfalen-Blatt.
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lifesitenews--2020-05-04--DOJ sides with church busted, cited by cops for having 16 people in 293-seat building

WASHINGTON , D.C. , May 4 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – The U.S. Department of Justice ( DOJ ) is supporting the case of Lighthouse Fellowship , a Protestant community in Chincoteague , Virginia , that was served a summons for holding worship services amid the coronavirus pandemic .
In a Statement of Interest filed on Sunday , the DOJ explained that governments are in a position to take necessary and temporary measures to meet genuine emergencies .
However , “ there is no pandemic exception to the Constitution and its Bill of Rights.
” On Palm Sunday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had conducted a worship service with a congregation of 16 people practicing so-called social distancing in a facility that seats more than 200 .
As reported by Liberty Counsel , which represents Lighthouse Fellowship in court , “ a local police officer entered the church .
He gave no introduction and did not ask for the pastor .
He abruptly said they could not have more than 10 people spaced six feet apart.
” After the service , “ two police officers entered the church in full mask and gloves and asked to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pastor Wilson a summons and informed him that if he had service on Easter , and if more than ten people attended , everyone would receive the same summons.
” The DOJ compared the restrictions imposed on religious gatherings by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam , a Democrat , to those on many businesses .
“ Because the executive orders prohibit Lighthouse ’ s sixteen-person , socially distanced gathering in a 225-seat church but allow similar secular conduct , such as a gathering of 16 lawyers in a large law firm conference room , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constitute a violation of the church ’ s constitutional rights to the free exercise of religion , ” the DOJ stated .
“ The ultimate question for this Court , then , is whether the Commonwealth ’ s prohibition on in-person religious worship exceeding ten people to Lighthouse ’ s sixteen-person gathering—while exempting all non-retail businesses and others from the ten-person limit—furthers a compelling interest , and whether there is no less restrictive measure the Commonwealth could use to achieve that interest while allowing the church to hold its services , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summarized .
“ The Commonwealth can not treat religious gatherings less favorably than other similar , secular gatherings , ” explained G. Zachary Terwilliger , U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia .
On April 24 , Lighthouse Fellowship had filed a complaint against the overnor .
Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel said at the time that Northam had “ clearly discriminated ” against the community “ which provides essential physical , emotional and spiritual services.
” According to Staver , Lighthouse Fellowship “ does not have internet and can not flip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if it could go online , many of the people the church serves do not have internet .
Pastor Wilson protected the health and safety of the 16 people that attended on Palm Sunday by requiring them to be spread far apart in the sanctuary .
But because the church had six more people than the 10 allowed by the governor , the pastor is being criminally charged.
” After hearing of the federal government ’ s support in the case , Staver said he was “ pleased ” by the development .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ DOJ ’ s Assistant Attorney General Eric S. Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division said , “ For many people of faith , exercising religion is essential , especially during a crisis.
” “ The Commonwealth of Virginia has offered no good reason for refusing to trust congregants who promise to use care in worship in the same way it trusts accountants , lawyers , and other workers to do the same , ” he pointed out .
Matthew J. Schneider , U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan , who works @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ As important as it is that we stay safe during these challenging times , it is also important for states to remember that we do not abandon all of our freedoms in times of emergency.
” “ Unlawful discrimination against people who exercise their right to religion violates the First Amendment , whether we are in a pandemic or not .
”

There is 'no pandemic exception to the Constitution and its Bill of Rights,' the federal government's Statement of Interest argued.
PETITION: Support pro-lifers threatened and arrested for praying outside of abortion facilities Sign the petition here.
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 4, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is supporting the case of Lighthouse Fellowship, a Protestant community in Chincoteague, Virginia, that was served a summons for holding worship services amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In a Statement of Interest filed on Sunday, the DOJ explained that governments are in a position to take necessary and temporary measures to meet genuine emergencies. However, “there is no pandemic exception to the Constitution and its Bill of Rights.”
On Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter, Lighthouse Fellowship had conducted a worship service with a congregation of 16 people practicing so-called social distancing in a facility that seats more than 200.
As reported by Liberty Counsel, which represents Lighthouse Fellowship in court, “a local police officer entered the church. He gave no introduction and did not ask for the pastor. He abruptly said they could not have more than 10 people spaced six feet apart.”
After the service, “two police officers entered the church in full mask and gloves and asked to speak with the pastor. They issued Pastor Wilson a summons and informed him that if he had service on Easter, and if more than ten people attended, everyone would receive the same summons.”
The DOJ compared the restrictions imposed on religious gatherings by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, a Democrat, to those on many businesses.
“Because the executive orders prohibit Lighthouse’s sixteen-person, socially distanced gathering in a 225-seat church but allow similar secular conduct, such as a gathering of 16 lawyers in a large law firm conference room, the governor’s executive orders may constitute a violation of the church’s constitutional rights to the free exercise of religion,” the DOJ stated.
“The ultimate question for this Court, then, is whether the Commonwealth’s prohibition on in-person religious worship exceeding ten people to Lighthouse’s sixteen-person gathering—while exempting all non-retail businesses and others from the ten-person limit—furthers a compelling interest, and whether there is no less restrictive measure the Commonwealth could use to achieve that interest while allowing the church to hold its services,” the federal government’s Statement of Interest summarized.
“The Commonwealth cannot treat religious gatherings less favorably than other similar, secular gatherings,” explained G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
On April 24, Lighthouse Fellowship had filed a complaint against the governor.
Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel said at the time that Northam had “clearly discriminated” against the community “which provides essential physical, emotional and spiritual services.”
According to Staver, Lighthouse Fellowship “does not have internet and cannot flip a switch to broadcast online. Even if it could go online, many of the people the church serves do not have internet. Pastor Wilson protected the health and safety of the 16 people that attended on Palm Sunday by requiring them to be spread far apart in the sanctuary. But because the church had six more people than the 10 allowed by the governor, the pastor is being criminally charged.”
After hearing of the federal government’s support in the case, Staver said he was “pleased” by the development. “This discrimination must end.”
The DOJ’s Assistant Attorney General Eric S. Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division said, “For many people of faith, exercising religion is essential, especially during a crisis.”
“The Commonwealth of Virginia has offered no good reason for refusing to trust congregants who promise to use care in worship in the same way it trusts accountants, lawyers, and other workers to do the same,” he pointed out.
Matthew J. Schneider, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, who works closely together with Dreiband, added, “As important as it is that we stay safe during these challenging times, it is also important for states to remember that we do not abandon all of our freedoms in times of emergency.”
“Unlawful discrimination against people who exercise their right to religion violates the First Amendment, whether we are in a pandemic or not.”
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