The pastor of a megachurch in Los Angeles defended the church’s decision to allow thousands in for services on Sunday, and escaped state orders in California amid the outbreak of coronavirus.
Grace Community Church held personal services on Sunday, and Pastor John MacArthur told CNN that six or seven thousand people attended.
The public size rejects a state order released at the end of July that limits participation from within a place of worship to 25 percent of a building capacity or a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever is lower.
Asked about his disregard for coronavirus restrictions, MacArthur denied responsibility for following such guidelines.
‘When we look at your church, it’s inside, as you said, there are thousands of people, there is absolutely no social distance, there [are] no masks. Why not get creative so you can follow, as you state the ‘law of God’, but also follow rules? ‘CNN’s Brianna Keilar asked the pastor.
MacArthur replied that the church had been creative, placing a tent in a flooded area and a screen in the middle of a large patio, but he said both areas were filled in and that people were walking in the center of honor.
“We are not orchestrating this, this is a church. We do not ask people to make reservations to come to church, ‘he said.
He pushed for his decision to open the doors, saying he would not let people “stand outside in a pindle.”
“We have opened the doors because that is what we are, we are a church and we will trust these people to make adult decisions about the reality of their physical and mental health and how that balances for each of them. works, “he said. “Nobody forces anything, they’re here because they want to be here.”
MacArthur called the restrictions on places of worship designed to reduce the spread of coronavirus “unconstitutional” and “troublesome”, arguing that they “have no meaning in light of the actual death toll”. t see members of his church.
The Los Angeles County Department of Health reported 2,428 new cases of coronavirus and 58 new deaths on Wednesday, bringing the country to a total of 200,802 cases and 4,763 deaths.
Statewide, California reported a total of 586,056 COVID-19 cases and 10,648 deaths as of Wednesday.
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