COVID-19 and the Failure of America's
Major Religions
PJ Media,
by
Dennis Prager
Original Article
Posted By: Hazymac,
2/15/2022 12:19:10 PM
For two years, Americans have been partially or entirely deprived of fundamental freedoms — of assembly, speech, religious liberty, making a living, a child’s right to an education, access to early treatment for a potentially deadly virus, and more — for the first time in American history. That half of America, especially its elites, has either made peace with or supported these deprivations of freedom is why many of us worry about America’s future as a free society.
Even more concerning have been the reactions of America’s great religions — specifically, Catholics, Protestants, Mormons (Latter-day Saints) and Jews. The government issued irrational (as well as anti-religious and unethical) edicts and
Reply 1 - Posted by:
DVC 2/15/2022 12:47:18 PM (No. 1072716)
All of them went along with the totalitarian thugs, many gleefully.
The national level structures of all of our churches have been taken over by extreme leftists. They are now on the side of evil.
21 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
ussjimmycarter 2/15/2022 12:58:33 PM (No. 1072735)
Our new Mo Synod Lutheran church followed every order from the Feds! I sent an email to our pastor and got no reply! Seeking a new church! Martin Luther is ready to jump out of his grave and smite the church bearing his name! Did Luther recant under order of death! No! Did Christ recant knowing He was headed to the most vicious death penalty ever invented by man? NO HE DID NOT! Christ is our example! Caesar now also owns the church! Grrrr!
18 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
czechlist 2/15/2022 12:59:50 PM (No. 1072738)
At some level even churches likely receive some type of federal funding which they don't want to lose. I realized in the mid '80s that Fed money comes with Fed rules and regs and is how DC controls us.
7 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
SALady 2/15/2022 1:06:34 PM (No. 1072745)
I am Baptist. But in talking to my friends in the pro-life movement here in Texas, they are all experiencing similar things at their churches in other denominations too.
When I go to church these days, it is seldom more than 50% full. It used to be full at most services prior to Covid. And when I look at the congregation at any given service, 75% or more of the people there are over 40 (often much older). The other 25% is mostly young families, though there are far fewer of them than there were prior to Covid.
What I don't see are teens, and people in their 20's and 30's. They are gone, and there is no indication that they are coming back. There is one young man who I taught as a teen in Sunday school classes for several years. I haven't seen him at church since they re-opened. I ran in to him at Wal-Mart one day and asked him if he was going to church. You could tell he was embarrassed, but he admitted that he wasn't. He said that when the Coronavirus first hit, he looked to his faith to strengthen him in those scary times, but all he found were locked doors at the church, and church "leaders" cowering in fear.
When you have lost a whole generation of people, it's going to be hard for any given congregation to survive. And we have nobody but ourselves to blame for being sheep and not demanding our church leaders actually lead us and be beacons of faith when we needed it most.
26 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
FormerDem 2/15/2022 1:32:34 PM (No. 1072769)
This is offensive and silly. Stay away from what you do not actually understand.
0 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
LC Chihuahua 2/15/2022 1:41:58 PM (No. 1072775)
Why have all the religions gone along with the government? They don't want to be seen as interfering with government business, and consequently losing their tax-exempt status.
10 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
belwhatter 2/15/2022 2:02:00 PM (No. 1072796)
A different note from this reader in Washington state where a tyrannical Governor still holds on to his Emergency Power declaration after almost 700 days!
Our personal church, Anglican, has remained open all the time except for two months in the spring of 2020. I am so proud of our priest whose faith and belief, and the blessing of our Diocesan Bishop, made it possible for the healthy members to attend face to face, with music and singing as well. For the more nervous nellies he offered the services via social media to keep people connected.
4 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
stablemoney 2/15/2022 2:11:33 PM (No. 1072808)
The religions have totally failed. They are silent, corrupt, and degenerated. There are a few old country churches left. The rest have sold their souls.
5 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
Illinois Mom 2/15/2022 3:02:29 PM (No. 1072847)
A life long Catholic I still can't believe the things I have heard from our religious leaders from the Pope on down.
The government (to be fair the State government) said shutter your churches...and they did. I'll give them a pass on the first two weeks, but when the edict was renewed they continued. Local bishop's shut down small Parish pastor's who tried to reopen with accommodations. On Easter, 2020, the highest holy day of the year the church was empty. Our pastor placed the Blessed Sacrament in the Narthex of the church so that it could be seen through the large glass doors and the people could make a visit from outside. No, no, no, we couldn't have people congregating in the big large open space in April. They asked, "Can we hear Confession's outside in special "booths?" They were told that they could try it but...no Confession's for non-parishioner's. That was unheard of up until then. No priest would ever deny a penitent.
So many of our friends feel the same way. Now that things are pretty much open, I cringe when I read our bulletin and see words like "community" and the prayer's requested for those who died All Soul's Day in 2020, some great people left us that year none of whom had a funeral they deserved.
Right now, I am feel I am disillusioned with the stewards of my Church (not my Faith) and combined with the potential loss of Freedom in my country, and the fallout of the mass gene therapy movement, I truly fear the future for my kids and grandkids.
8 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
wakeupcall 2/15/2022 3:44:55 PM (No. 1072881)
At the beginning of the end time, all but 'I AM's Very Elect' will be worshiping Lucifer who as their savior 'The False Jesus' will bring a false peace and prosperity at the sound of the 'sixth trump' fooling all as what Lucifer brings is death of the soul in the abyss of everlasting fire.
2 Peter 2
1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
6 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
Harlowe 2/15/2022 5:29:07 PM (No. 1072967)
#2, Et Al Likes ~ People of faith, including clergy, question the wisdom of closing churches to comply with government mandates that many believe “violate the ‘free exercise’ clause of the First Amendment.” Although many mainline churches shuttered churches and schools, many offered live streaming or other forms of video worship services for church members to participate in from their residences. Some churches offered Holy Communion by means of a drive-through in church parking lots.
The sensational emphasis on the danger of COVID-19 by politicians and amplified by the mainstream media presented churches with a complex and serious predicament of protecting the health and well-being of church members, including children in parochial schools, as well as their churches being held in violation of government mandates. Without question there are times when Romans 13:1-7 (Submission to Authorities) becomes an absolute consideration; however, was this the time is a matter of opinion. Decisions were made and lessons learned that may serve to guide churches for whatever future events may be presented for dire decisions.
“To err is human, to forgive is divine.” Christians may do well to reflect on the blood of Jesus shed for the forgiveness of sins—sins He will remember no more. Forgiving and forgetting. Go and sin no more. “Even the brightest bulbs on the theological marquee can slip, forgetting that God is the God who forgives and forgets for Jesus’ sake.”
It is sincerely hoped that those who are especially upset with the LCMS will not be hasty in wanting to leave a truly Scripture based church with a theology that is, as many believe, the result of Martin Luther having been guided by the Holy Spirit.
“From the beginning of my Reformation I have asked God to send me neither dreams, nor visions, nor angels, but to give me the right understanding of His Word, the Holy Scriptures; for as long as I have God's Word, I know that I am walking in His way and that I shall not fall into any error or delusion.” +++ Martin Luther
2 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
Sandpiper 2/15/2022 6:11:37 PM (No. 1073005)
Well this article hit home.
I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I love and respect our prophet, Pres Nelson, and any active member can tell you that because of his prophetic vision we were well prepared as a church to weather stay-at-home church. A few years earlier our curriculum and meeting schedule changed radically but prepared our church to seemlessly move to remote meetings. And yet … now that we are returning more to meeting in person I too notice that some familiar faces no longer attending. Not gathering in person was very very hard on some people and some were lost. I also saw politics creep into meetings and conversations which I had never seen before. It felt as though the more liberal members looked down on and even condemned the more conservative members (yes, there are liberal Mormons.) Before Covid I couldn’t have told you what someone’s political leanings were - we were united as a congregation. Politics were not important. Now I can, and I have to watch what I say.
Number 4, you wrote an insightful comment and have given me a lot to think about. In my congregation it is the elderly, the ill and young families that have not returned. It is the young families I am most concerned about. They are raising the next generation. Your quote from the young man is devastating. Thank you for posting it.
2 people like this.
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Dennis Prager is an American treasure.