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Federal Judge Tells DC Mayor She Can’t Restrict Capitol Hill Baptist Church Meetings
The Epoch Times ^ | OCTOBER 10, 2020 | MARK TAPSCOTT

Posted on 10/10/2020 4:23:46 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

A federal judge granted Capitol Hill Baptist Church’s request for a preliminary injunction against Mayor Muriel Bowser allowing the congregation to resume worship services in the District of Columbia.

“The Court determines that the church is likely to succeed in proving that the District’s actions violate [the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993] RFRA,” wrote U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Judge Trevor McFadden in a decision late Friday.

“The District’s current restrictions substantially burden the church’s exercise of religion. More, the District has failed to offer evidence at this stage showing that it has a compelling interest in preventing the church from meeting outdoors with appropriate precautions, or that this prohibition is the least-restrictive means to achieve its interest. The Court will therefore grant the Church’s motion for injunctive relief,” McFadden wrote.

Senior Pastor Mark Dever and the 850-member congregation that has held worship services every Sunday since 1878 (except for three weeks during the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic) had sought unsuccessfully since March a compromise with Bowser and D.C. government that would allow it to continue meeting.

While its historic building is located only a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol complex, the congregation has recently been meeting in an open field near Del Ray Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia.

The mayor had banned all indoor and outdoor church gatherings of 100 or more persons in response to the CCP Virus, which is also known as the novel coronavirus, that has killed more than 210,000 Americans in 2020. The ban applied even if participants wore masks and socially distanced.

But CHBC officials told the court congregational worship meetings are required by its understanding of the Bible, and for that reason it has not provided a digital alternative to in-person attendance.

(Excerpt) Read more at theepochtimes.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: 1stamentment; dcdistrict; federalistsociety; firstamendment; freedomofassembly; freedomofreligion; judiciary; politicaljudiciary; trevormcfadden; trevornmcfadden; trumpjudge
https://outline.com/m8FC8n
1 posted on 10/10/2020 4:23:46 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
Nice with the Outline link.

Another way to do it is with http://archive.vn/ - create the archived article, then link that.

Federalist Society Trump judge for The Win!!!

2 posted on 10/10/2020 4:32:39 PM PDT by kiryandil (Chris Wallace: Because someone has to drive the Clown Car)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

The problem with the court decision is that it appears to allow only outside church meetings. Not much help in the rain or in winter.


3 posted on 10/10/2020 4:36:55 PM PDT by aimhigh (THIS is His commandment . . . . 1 John 3:23)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
Exactly! First Amendment...Freedom of Religion *and* Peaceful Assembly!
4 posted on 10/10/2020 4:42:05 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Thanks To Biden Voters Oregon's Now A Battleground State)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

There really needs to be civil and criminal penalties for elected officials violating people’s constitutional rights.


5 posted on 10/10/2020 4:44:24 PM PDT by ConservativeInPA ("War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength." - George Orwell, 1984)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

L8r


6 posted on 10/10/2020 4:52:39 PM PDT by preacher ( Journalism no longer reports news, they use news to shape our society.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum; drstevej; OrthodoxPresbyterian; CCWoody; Wrigley; Gamecock; Jean Chauvin; ...

Pesky Calvinists.</sarc>

7 posted on 10/10/2020 5:07:32 PM PDT by Gamecock ("O God, break the teeth in their mouths." - Psalm 58:6)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Deprivation of rights under color of law.

Lots of felonies to go around.


8 posted on 10/10/2020 5:14:59 PM PDT by wastedyears (The left would kill every single one of us and our families if they knew they could get away with it)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

“nor the free exercise thereof...”


9 posted on 10/10/2020 5:37:11 PM PDT by Regulator
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To: Gamecock

It was predestined. :O)


10 posted on 10/10/2020 6:59:57 PM PDT by HarleyD
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
The District’s current restrictions substantially burden the church’s exercise of religion. More, the District has failed to offer evidence at this stage showing that it has a compelling interest in preventing the church from meeting outdoors with appropriate precautions, or that this prohibition is the least-restrictive means to achieve its interest.

Somewhat weak statement from the judge... How does the District have compelling evidence they have an interest in preventing worship services at all? Why limit this ruling to only instances of worship that are "outdoors with appropriate precautions"?
11 posted on 10/10/2020 8:29:28 PM PDT by Svartalfiar
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

“The Court determines that the church is likely to succeed in proving that the District’s actions violate [the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993] RFRA,” wrote U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Judge Trevor McFadden in a decision late Friday.>>>>
My Dad’s cousin’s son.


12 posted on 10/10/2020 9:33:03 PM PDT by kvanbrunt2 (spooks won on day 76)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
the 850-member congregation that has held worship services every Sunday since 1878 (except for three weeks during the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic)

Gee, two weeks (plus one) to "flatten the curve" worked back then....

...and we are now at 29 weeks and counting!?!?!?

13 posted on 10/10/2020 9:41:14 PM PDT by lightman (I am a binary Trinitarian. Deal with it!)
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To: lightman
Gee, two weeks (plus one) to "flatten the curve" worked back then.......and we are now at 29 weeks and counting!?!?!?

Must not have been an election year.

14 posted on 10/10/2020 10:38:56 PM PDT by aimhigh (THIS is His commandment . . . . 1 John 3:23)
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To: aimhigh

In 1918 Woodrow Wilson was midway into his second term.


15 posted on 10/11/2020 4:24:29 AM PDT by lightman (I am a binary Trinitarian. Deal with it!)
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