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Brian Tamaki has been accused of “promoting lawlessness” by The AM Show host Duncan Garner in a heated confrontation over the bishop’s intention to lead a church service this Sunday, despite level 2 restrictions requiring that religious services have a limit of 10 people.
The self-described apostle and founder of the Church of Destiny announced via Facebook that the service will take place this Sunday in clear violation of the alert level protocol. Under level 2, which will go into effect on Thursday, there is a strict limit of 10 people for social gatherings, services and religious and religious events, including weddings and funerals.
But Tamaki is urging his supporters to “stand up for our freedoms together,” claiming that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the government are robbing New Zealanders of their “freedoms and rights” by denying massive worship congregations.
“They are violating the Bill of Rights by containing only 10 people. We have restaurants, cinemas, bars, clubs, schools, shopping malls, rugby games; everyone is allowed the unlimited green light. So it’s obvious [that] the church has been attacked, “Tamaki told The AM Show on Wednesday morning.
Restaurants, cinemas, and the like are not allowed to operate “without limits,” as all public gatherings and public spaces must have no more than 100 patrons or patrons at any one time.
“Right now I have had enough. We have kept [to] All the requirements, we have a test station outside our door, most of our people have been tested, positive, and still we are punished in this way. I’ve had enough of this state-controlled government and its abusive political power, trying to tell the church ‘you’re not an essential requirement’ … to hell with that, or to heaven with that. We are going to have a service this weekend, obey the rules and social distance, “said Tamaki.
Despite his insistence that the faithful will follow the guidelines of the Ministry of Health by maintaining physical distance, Garner pointed out that running a service with more than 10 assistants is clearly breaking the rules.
“I am following the rules, we have kept them throughout the confinement,” Tamaki argued. “If we have social distancing, I don’t think we need to be controlled. I will not allow that any longer. It is in the Bill of Rights, freedom of worship, we have the right to do so … [Ardern’s] Powers no longer have the right to run us over. She cannot do that.
“She is using the power of an audience that has been deceived by her deception and her brow.”
He also criticized the alert level 2 compliance legislation that is urgently rushed through Parliament, which will allow the government greater power to strengthen the alert level protocol, as the “most dangerous bill ever put forward in Parliament. ”
“If this bill is passed, which I think will, New Zealanders must do something, we have to defend ourselves, maybe take to the streets and let them know by numbers that we are going to fight this government.”
“You are promoting anarchy,” Garner replied.
“It is not anarchy … we have to let this government know that we are not going to be harassed, our rights and our freedoms to work and live … that will be taken from us if this bill is approved.” Tamaki said.
“[It’s] God’s Squad vs. App Squad, a highway to hell, “Garner joked.
In a statement to Newshub, New Zealand police confirmed that the officers will be “committed to the Church of Destiny to encourage them to work within the guidelines required under Alert Level 2”.
“The vast majority of people in New Zealand have followed the rules for the past six and a half weeks and it has made a real difference,” said a police spokesman.
“As we advance to Alert Level 2, it is important for everyone to become familiar with the constraints to understand what they can and cannot do and the best way to protect themselves and their loved ones. At Alert Level 2 still There are restrictions and we need to continue to abide by the rules. We must stay safe and this means not holding mass gatherings, even for religious services.
“The police will engage with individuals and organizations that need help to understand the new restrictions and will continue to take an education-led approach.”
