The government of California is acting like a communist state in its actions toward churches. Most recently, health officials of Los Angeles County cited 11 parishioners who attended a worship service at Our Lady of the Angels Church that seats 500. The citation carries a $1,000 fine (“Clear Case of Retaliation,” The Daily Wire, Oct. 26, 2020). On October 20, county inspectors attempted to eject two women praying alone in the church and threatened them with citations. In late September, the church joined in a lawsuit against California Gov. Gavin Newson and other state officials claiming that their rights under the state constitution were being violated by the extended lockdown. In September, North Valley Baptist Church in Santa Clara, was fined more than $112,000 for congregating contrary to the state’s regulations. Los Angeles County has repeatedly sought to shut down the services of Grace Community Church of Sun Valley and to hold Pastor John MacArthur in contempt, but in early October a Los Angeles Superior Court ruled that the church is entitled to a full trial on the merits of their challenge to the constitutionality of the government shut-down orders and the county’s injunction. This delays implementation of the fines and possible imprisonment sought by the totalitarian county.
(Friday Church News Notes, October 30, 2020, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)