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Supreme Court blocks New York City attendance limits for religious events

Shaul

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a New York City restriction on the number of attendees at religious events.

https://nypost.com/2020/11/26/supre...cks-nyc-from-setting-church-attendance-limit/

In my opinion this restriction was an overreach. It was rationalized as a means to help fight the spread of Covid-19. But it was targeted at religious organizations while other types of institutions were not similarly restricted.
 

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a New York City restriction on the number of attendees at religious events.

https://nypost.com/2020/11/26/supre...cks-nyc-from-setting-church-attendance-limit/

In my opinion this restriction was an overreach. It was rationalized as a means to help fight the spread of Covid-19. But it was targeted at religious organizations while other types of institutions were not similarly restricted.

What other types of institutions?
 

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
Retail stores, Grocery stores, certain businesses. The government was giving these and more private business advantages over religious institutions a clear violation of the constitution.

Yeah, those should have been targeted as well. Food and clothing aren’t nearly as important as religious events. [/sarcasm]
 

Evangelicalhumanist

"Truth" isn't a thing...
Premium Member
Retail stores, Grocery stores, certain businesses. The government was giving these and more private business advantages over religious institutions a clear violation of the constitution.
One need hardly point out the chief difference between retail and grocery stores, and religious venues. In retail and grocery stores, people have the briefest and least "social" of contacts, and (at least where I live), must be wearing masks. Indeed, there are limits on the numbers of people that can enter at any given time. In religious venues, however, people gather in a much more social way, often engage in risky activities like singing (usually meaning removing masks, if they're being worn), which helps to spread the aerosolized droplets potentially carrying the virus. And they spend upwards of an hour together.

These are very different.
 

Shaul

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Yeah, those should have been targeted as well. Food and clothing aren’t nearly as important as religious events. [/sarcasm]
Exactly the point. In your opinion food is more important than serving god. And you think others should be required to share your opinion on that. And yes, actually, food and clothing are not as important as serving god.
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a New York City restriction on the number of attendees at religious events.

https://nypost.com/2020/11/26/supre...cks-nyc-from-setting-church-attendance-limit/

In my opinion this restriction was an overreach. It was rationalized as a means to help fight the spread of Covid-19. But it was targeted at religious organizations while other types of institutions were not similarly restricted.

I feel so too. All churches should stay open. Open churches don't spread the virus. People's choice to attend church or not would. If people didn't want to spread the virus, they wouldn't go to church. But many people do feel solace in a pandemic so it makes sense. But I do find a lot of discrimination between which churches can be open and which cannot. Catholics have always been on the downside with that here it seems. I dont know about other churches though.
 

Wandering Monk

Well-Known Member
Exactly the point. In your opinion food is more important than serving god. And you think others should be required to share your opinion on that. And yes, actually, food and clothing are not as important as serving god.

Recall the story of the rabbi who decreed that is congregation should eat on Yom Kippur during an epidemic.

P'kuach nefesh permits the violation of all commandments, with a few exceptions, to save or preserve a life.

Berachot 50a ~ "The Three Who Ate" - on Yom Kippur — Talmudology
 

shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a New York City restriction on the number of attendees at religious events.

https://nypost.com/2020/11/26/supre...cks-nyc-from-setting-church-attendance-limit/

In my opinion this restriction was an overreach. It was rationalized as a means to help fight the spread of Covid-19. But it was targeted at religious organizations while other types of institutions were not similarly restricted.

Nonetheless these gatherings share a major responsibility for the spread of COVID-19. It is true that the caviler and disregard for human llife that many religious institutions disregard measures to control the pandemic that leads to growing fatality rate in the USA.
 

Shaul

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Nonetheless these gatherings share a major responsibility for the spread of COVID-19. It is true that the caviler and disregard for human llife that many religious institutions disregard measures to control the pandemic that leads to growing fatality rate in the USA.
It isn’t a dichotomy. It is posible to observe religion and do it in a responsible, healthy manner.
 

Secret Chief

nirvana is samsara
Yeah, those should have been targeted as well. Food and clothing aren’t nearly as important as religious events. [/sarcasm]
Yeah but yeah but what about the food for the soul? Really, what year is America living in?
Time to demo! Get the guns...

What do we want?
Equal rights for entirely different organisations!
When do we want it?
Now!
Why do we want it?
Because we're idiots!
 
Last edited:

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
So God can only be served in groups?
Good point, imo.

Three points I'd like to make:
1.Many if not most people can "attend" religious services on-line, and...
2.if we are to "choose life" as the scriptures tell us, what sense does it make to attend services in person in an area whereas the virus is running rampant if one can "attend" on-line instead, and...
3.the decision was 5:4, thus indicating that this can be "played" different ways.

BTW, some places of worship have auto-pay as our church does, so my wife and I have participated in "Mass for Shut-ins" on a local t.v. station over the last two weeks, and we will continue to so. My wife is VERY high-risk since she is on immunity suppressants because of rheumatoid arthritis and her age [71-- but don't tell her I told ya, OK, or I'll also be considered "high-risk"?:(].
 

Heyo

Veteran Member
The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a New York City restriction on the number of attendees at religious events.

https://nypost.com/2020/11/26/supre...cks-nyc-from-setting-church-attendance-limit/

In my opinion this restriction was an overreach. It was rationalized as a means to help fight the spread of Covid-19. But it was targeted at religious organizations while other types of institutions were not similarly restricted.
I think people should be allowed to enter a church whenever they want, independent of how many are already there or if sanitation measures are observed. Don't restrict attendance - just don't let them out again.
 

shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
It isn’t a dichotomy. It is posible to observe religion and do it in a responsible, healthy manner.

Yes, it is possible, but that would mean complying with the guidelines that have been found unconstitutional, and many religious institutions do not comply to be responsible in a healthy manner, and in like Trump's campaign events and other gatherings, they are major source of 'super spreading' the COVID-19.
 
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