Amidst restrictions across America banning church gatherings because of the COVID-19 threat, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves insists that religious freedom should never be “infringed” because “God is bigger than government.”
Religious Liberty
In a recent post-Thanksgiving message on Monday, Gov. Tate Reeves expressed his gratefulness for the God-given religious liberty.
“With all the things we can be thankful for in this season, I am especially grateful for our God-given religious liberty,” he wrote on Facebook. Then he highlighted the United States Supreme Court’s upheld law, blocking the New York restriction on worship gatherings.”
“Throughout this pandemic, Mississippi has never restricted religious gathering and worship. We made that clear in our court filings. God is bigger than the government. The right to freely practice your faith must never be infringed.”
Governor Tate shared his comments after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Catholic diocese and an Orthodox Jewish group in New York.
The high court stated, “Members of this Court are not public health experts, and we should respect the judgment of those with special expertise and responsibility in this area. But even in a pandemic, the Constitution cannot be put away and forgotten. The restrictions at issue here, by effectively barring many from attending religious services, strike at the very heart of the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious liberty.”
COVID-19 Cases In Mississippi
Mississippi’s COVID-19 case reached 1,000 hospitalizations on Monday, according to the Clarion Ledger–first time the state had 1,000 coronavirus cases.
But while the Mississippi Government does not place any restrictions on religious gatherings, the Governor is urging everyone to practice coronavirus protocols. Residents should avoid large social crowds and required to wear face masks in certain circumstances.
“This is a dangerous time. We all need to adjust our behavior accordingly,” he said at a press conference. Apparently, the coronavirus had infected his three daughters as well.
“We know that wearing masks works, we know that wearing masks helps prevent the transmission of the virus. And we know that avoiding large social gatherings helps.”
Meanwhile, state officials have been pushing the Mississippi Governor to impose a statewide mask mandate. However, he argued that “trying to order a statewide mask mandate is akin to ordering hurricanes to no longer hit Mississippi.”
Reference: The Christian Post
