Covidiots - Californian Pastor For God and Covid-19

Greg Fairrington, Destiny Christian Church. "Mandated by God to disobey lockdown"

California Pastor Vows Church Will Defy Lockdown Order

Is it really too much to expect Christians to start behaving like caring and compassionate people, willing to give a little self-sacrifice to the welfare of others or is there something deeply ingrained in their faith that tells them to be selfish at all times and never to put the needs of others above their own personal needs?

It really looks that way when you look at the reaction of Christian fundamentalist to the measure introduced to try to reduce the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and reduce the number of people killed or made sick by the virus.


Take the California pastor, Greg Fairrington, of the Destiny Christian Church, Rocklin, California. He has told his worshipers that that he has a mandate from God to disobey Governor Gavin Newsom's latest lockdown order, so they should continue to attend his church (and pay their tithes) despite the severe rise in new Covid-19 cases in the state following a too-soon-too-extensive lifting of the previous lockdown. The new measures include sweeping closures of many businesses across the Golden State, including the indoor operations of malls, office, gyms, salons and places of worship in 29 counties.

He told worshipers:

I believe my mandate as a pastor is to obey the word of God. Worship is a part of what we do together as a church corporately and we need to do this. This is important that we do this. We are not going to allow the government to use data that is not supported factually to shut the church down... Do not let the fear the media is driving, do not let the fear of what's out there, affect us as a church. Let's pull together. Let's be strong together.

Daily new Covid-19 cases - California (19 July, 2020)

Source: Johns Hopkins University

This came despite tentative signs that the new measures are beginning to work, as can be seen in this chart from Johns Hopkins University, where the three-day rolling average has been downward from the peak of 10,843 recorded on July 8, 2020. However, it is early days yet and downward trends have reversed before.

Called on to support this collective effort and the sacrifices of those who obeyed the measures, Greg Fairrington decided to look after his own self-interest and maintain his income stream at the expense of his fellow Californians, and blamed God for his selfishness and lack of a social conscience. Apparently, he disagrees with St Paul's instruction, given to the Romans, to obey the government:

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

Romans 13:1-7

Covid-19 New Cases by day - USA 19 July, 2020

Pastor Greg Fairrington appears to think this means he can ignore the powers 'ordained by God' and that the threat that he'll receive to himself damnation if he 'resisteth' it, doesn't apply to him or his worshipers.

Presumably he believes either St Paul (or God) made a mistake here, and that his self-interests override any obligation he might feel to play his part in helping to reduce the grief and suffering Covid-19 is causing throughout California and the USA.

Meanwhile, the devastating second wave reaches record levels, aided and abetted by Christian fundamentalist Trumpanzees, and a president who is clearly out of his depth and casting around for things to blame for his manifest incompetence.

According to the New York Times tracker, 650 Covid-19 cases were linked to places of worship. The same database shows that there were 1,151 Covid-19 cases and 11 Covid-19 deaths in Placer County, California where Pastor Fairrington has his church.

Throughout the world, we see religious fundamentalists of all flavours, actively working to resist control measures, putting their own self-interest above the needs of the people they purport to serve and blaming religion for their selfishness. In this pandemic emergency, religions are proving to be a major danger to humanity, while science is providing our only hope. Tweet

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