COVID-19 restrictions have been preventing wedding ceremonies from proceeding as normal for months now. Just as case counts began picking back up, one Brooklyn temple ignored them completely.
On November 8th, the popular Hasidic synagogue hosted a secret wedding with thousands - yes, thousands - of guests, singing and dancing shoulder-to-shoulder with nary a mask in sight. Only now, weeks later, are city officials learning about the potential superspreader event.
And they aren’t happy.
Superspreaders Get a Super Lecture
"If that happened, it was a blatant disregard of the law," New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said at a press conference. "It's illegal. It was also disrespectful of the people of New York."
Cuomo encouraged the city to conduct an investigation into just how this event came together right under the noses of city officials.
After review, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a $15,000 fine for the synogogue's violation. But why was nothing was done to prevent the incident in the first place?
And was the fine enough? At a wedding that hosted thousands, $15,000 is probably less than the cost of the cake.
This isn’t the first time the Orthodox community and NYC have been at-odds over social distancing guidelines in an international pandemic.
In October, NYC officials put extra restrictions in place in a number of communities with higher-than-average COVID rates, all of which happened to be traditionally Orthodox neighborhoods. In response, hundreds in the Orthodox community responded with a days-long protest that featured everything from pro-Trump cheers to mask burning.
Wedding Underground
Looking past the illegality and recklessness of the event, it's admittedly an impressive feat to pull off a secret wedding with thousands in attendance in the middle of New York City.
So how, exactly, did they do it?
It all started when another Orthodox wedding, which was expected to draw upwards of 10,000 guests, was canceled by an order from Gov. Cuomo, who issued a public health declaration to prevent it.
With the knowledge that secular authorities weren’t afraid to clamp down, wedding planners for Yoel Teitelbaum, the grandson of a leading Grand Rabbi of the Satmar faction, took things underground.
“All notices about upcoming celebrations were passed along through word of mouth, with no notices in writing, no posters on the synagogue walls, no invitations sent through the mail, nor even a report in any publication,” read Der Blatt, a New York-based Yiddish newspaper.
The operation, carried out in stunning secrecy, was more reminiscent of a top secret mission during a war, rather than the planning of nuptials. But these are the times we’re living in.
At the very least, they could have invested in our Pandemic Wedding Package.
COVID: Worst Wedding Favor Ever
What’s done is done, and with a maximum $15,000 fine on the table, the consequences of such reckless endangerment aren’t really of consequence at all.
And while some Orthodox Jews believe they’re being targeted by a biased New York governor and mayor’s office, others lament what they see as an underwhelming community response to the COVID pandemic.
As one Orthodox member told the New York Post, “we don’t wear masks anywhere, we don’t soap our hands, we have huge packed gatherings, we shake hands — there’s zero indication that we’re in the middle of a pandemic and that people in this country and in our community are still getting the virus and dying.
All this, too, despite the fact that New York legalized Zoom weddings earlier this year for the exact purpose of tamping down on large wedding gatherings.
What do you think? What, exactly, should the penalty be for such brazen disregard of public health rules? Is the Orthodox community in New York being unfairly targeted?
57 comments
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Karsten S. A. Johansson
Romans 13:1-2: Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
In these "Trump" years, this is incredibly hard to fathom. But when the government is telling you that you cannot do something, don't. We live in a technical world where there are ways to get your Sunday fix without going against the government or potentially harming others.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
What this pandemic is showing us is that a virus is more powerful than any government or God.
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ORDM Genie G
Maskless protests in tens of thousands are ok, but Jewish weddings not? The law is not applied to all equally.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Anyone know if mask refusing wearer Perry Alllan Baker has died of c0vid yet?
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Perry Alllan Baker
Counter to your wishes I am healthy and strong.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Glad to hear you are still with us. Are you still refusing to wear a mask?
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Yanel Jay Laroche Jr.
You children of Adam and Eve are all sinners (1 Timothy 1:8-11)and spiritually dead(Romans 6:23 and Matthew 8:21,22). December 13, 2020 Revelation 18:1-2
New International Version Lament Over Fallen Babylon 18 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. 2 With a mighty voice he shouted:
“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’[a] She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
1 Timothy 1:8-11 New International Version
8 We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. 9 We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine 11 that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.
Romans 6:23 New International Version
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.
Matthew 8:21-22 New International Version
21 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
Matthew 8:21-22 New Living Translation 21 Another of his disciples said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”
22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.[a]”
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Katherine Mary Moss
Not sure how I feel about this ... on the one hand, why are the Jews seemingly ignoring this stuff,while the rest of the religious community is not geting away with it? (I'm in no way supporting this!) But how?
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Douglas Robert Spindler
@Perry Alllan Baker My friend you might want to read your constitutional law books again. In US law the Health Department can and has taken away personal freedoms in order to protect society from contagious diseases. It doesn’t take an act of congress. In fact my friend if were to read your law books you would know congress cannot take this power away from health departments.
As for people wearing masks properly or not, we know it prevents the spread of covid. Just look at the states where the masks are not being worn and you will see a high transmission rate of covid. In the states and countries where masks are being worn the rate is much lower.
Perry Alllan Baker have you ministered to anyone who is dying of covid. Or to the family members or someone who has died of covid? You might want to give it a try before you post some jive ass false information. Aren’t you a man of God? You should be preaching the truth instead of lies.
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Perry Alllan Baker
You all (with a few exceptions) should be ashamed of yourselves. You are all ministers but what are you doing but ad- ministering fear. Your level of research is really pathetic and I know from the statements that keep being stated, was done listening to the mainstream media. You have not used any other means of investigation. You keep touting what certain organizations state but you refuse to check their allegiance. You will find it is to the almighty dollar not the public welfare. I am constantly amazed by people throwing death numbers around like they have actually counted the bodies themselves. If you actually look up data you will find that on average ( the latest number available) 2,800,000 people die in the U.S. every year from all sources combined. I constantly have people tell me that’s impossible. All they are stating in saying it’s impossible is their utter disbelief that in 2018 that many die in our country and the news makes zero mention of it. That in itself should tell you about the reporting quality of the mainstream media. They do everything they can to shield you from inconvenient truths. The one thing Thom didn’t mention is that a Johns Hopkins graduate student did a numbers study and found that there is NO significant death increase this year from cOvid. That is because all death from other diseases were dropping at the same time cOvid deaths were going up. This finding dictates other disease deaths were incorrectly categorized. Heart disease, cancer, diabetes etc deaths all dropped during the rise of cOvid. Now I’m sure someone will tell me that Johns Hopkins retracted the study which is true, but the reason was not because the study or data was incorrect. It was retract because “people “ were (according to Johns Hopkins) using the data to forwardtheories they found to be untrue. English translation- the data goes counter to the story you are being spoon fed by the powers that be. Do you think the virus goes away because you run from it? You honestly think a mask will save someone? A virus is 3-9 microns in size. That is 3/1000000”. No one is wearing a mask correctly even if it could stop the virus. I know as I have worn them in hazardous working conditions for 25 years. You must have a perfect seal on your face to start with. Then no one is even questioning what these masks that are almost wholly made in China are made of , sprayed with , etc. You just assume the same country you are blaming for this virus has your best interests at heart and they are not out to further contaminate you. What I’m pointing out here is the levels of assumptions upon assumptions that everyone is making and acting like it’s the truth from The Almighty themself. If you want to be afraid let me give you this fact to show how ridiculous your arguments are Quoting the Virology Blog, there are 100,988,000 KNOWN viruses in the world. If you want to be constantly afraid of something you can’t see, I just gave you a 100 million reasons more. Did your birth certificate have a guaranteed 84 years of life on it? Mine doesn’t. We are not guaranteed one more day than our first breath, stop acting like you are. Hiding from life in your house thinking you escaped something is not living. Unless you consider being locked up like a dog in its cage at the behest of the Government , living. This virus, this election all comes down to one thing. Is the constitution the law of the land or not. There is no stipulation that powers that be can override the document without a full vote of congress. You cannot override the freedoms stipulated there. If we allow that to happen regardless of the reason then the document is DEAD. Do not think that once a freedom has been taken from you it will ever be returned. It won’t. Freedom is not given, it is taken from an oppressor. If that happens you best hope cOvid kills everyone lest you like your prison sentence. Now, why are you all supposed people of faith slinging slander at anyone who practices differently than you? Who the hell died and left you as judge , jury, and executioner? I say more power to these people who are willing to stand up for their rights afforded them by the constitution. You are just spouting your fears and passing judgements based on that. What is your fear? Your own mortality. I have watched people for years claim they are living life when their actions dictate they are running from death very waking moment. When I pray I have zero fear of getting sick in the presence of creator and all the breathern. To have that fear is the ultimate affront to creator. .
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Ilmenheru Terikson
First, by gawd man that is an unholy wall of text, so sinful I am certain the all mighty is going to work alongside the ancient enemy to create a whole new eternal punishment just for you.
Second, what are you spouting? It reads as the ravings of a mad man trapped in the pit of an old outhouse neck deep in offal, high on their fumes, and lost in a mixture of utter horror and delusion. No like really not one thing you wrote that I can even begin to decipher holds any merits as great as C A T spells Cat!
You do seem to be endorsing willfully risky and ignorant behavior in the name of ancient archaic delusions of being the chosen people of some god famous for killing babies so uhm yeah that is pretty vile and completely at odds with the mission statement of the ULC and its ministers.
The entire reason for faith/spirituality/religion is to seek enlightenment, and nothing you spout shows a whit of nor interest in becoming an enlightened soul on the path to the divine.
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Richard Lee Cornell
Stupid. It fills the hospital beds then the morgue. They might not believe in Hell but this virus will show them the meaning of pain. Me think that Christians were stupid when it came to COVID-19 risk, but this is far further then that. It must make every Muslim glee with joy at seeing these people bunch together.
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Rev Ned
Covidiots!
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Cameron Alistair Grant
These are trying times and we are looking to ower leaders on a dayly basis for advise and action In my opinion this rabi got it wrong even if it was just a small ceremony with a hundred or so guests it still would have been wrong but to expose thousands like this I wonder how he sleeps at night knowing the blood he now has on his hands A 15k fine to the synagogue is nothing more than a slap on the wrist to them stronger action needs to be taken like imposing everyone who attended this wedding a 15k fine they might think twice about braking the law again then how about rounding them all up and querinteening them for a month at there expense as they did after all brake the law knowingly and willingly As for the state of New York I would propose that it dose not recodnised this wedding as lawfull leagitimit or in any way leagal preventing the couple from any benefits the state my offer a married couple There needs to be a stricter sentence for this crime to prevent it happening again as its not just there life's they are playing god with but the life's of everyone in the world how any of the guests few in and out for this wedding spreading the virus to inicint people
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Alexander Clarke
All religions are the same in that the followers believe that they are special and that their brand of whatever religion is THE one and only and that all others are wrong. Religions were created by man to control what you thinks, say and do. God, however one defines it, does not need your money but religions do. One can have faith without belonging to an organized religion.
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Kent Lacey
The Constitution says we have the right to assemble and practice religion. No so-call recently passed in a panic law can change the Constitution.
We are all going to die, we don't know when or why, but we will. Be brave. What we who belong on this website should practice is not politics, but love, compassion, and be ready to help our relatives, friends and neighbors. Lend a hand, make someone smile. Do what you think is best, and let others have the same personal freedom to also choose what they think is best. God bless you all.
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Rev. Elizabeth
It’s the law then fines should be delegated to the facility owner(s) and to the people who wanted the wedding to the person(s) who organized the wedding to the organizations that catered the wedding. Anyone that allowed it to happen should be fined according to the law. We have new laws now. We have to abide and no one should be exempt from them. It also means that innocent people could now get sick from that act alone. And rises people could die from that selfish act.
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Rev. Elizabeth
It’s the law then fines should be delegated to the facility owner(s) and to the people who wanted the wedding to the person(s) who organized the wedding to the organizations that catered the wedding. Anyone that allowed it to happen should be fined according to the law. We have new laws now. We have to abide and no one should be exempt from them. It also means that innocent people could now get sick from that act alone. And rises people could die from that selfish act.
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Kent Lacey
Many of the writers herein say that "no one is above the law" and from that point of view they go on to make their other claims. If we believe all laws rule us, then maybe they are correct. If any person was smart enough to know which conflicting law outranks other laws we might have some clarity, but we do not. And if we believe that judges are smarter than the citizens then we must cower to their dictates, and then we must march to what judges tell us. But we often see one court overturn other courts decisions. This is very confusing. And the laws of one State often conflict with the laws of the other States. What is a person to do? Oh my ! Think about the annual drive from NY to Florida for the winter, you pass thru many legal jurisdictions and likely violate many "laws." Power hungry politicians often seem to make their own laws when on camera and are overturned months later is someone challenges them in the courts.
In uncertain times like we are in now, I rather trust "the people" to make their own decisions. The government has proved themselves inept since the Covid landed on our shores. The most important legal document in the USA begins with the words "WE THE PEOPLE . . ." I trust the people much more than I do power hungry, egotistical politicians. Amen, and love your neighbors and go in peace.-
T Kosse`
Well the "people" don't always make wise decision and if we left everything up to the "people' without any central governing body we would have nothing but chaos.
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T Kosse`
Electing Trump as president is a very good example of a really bad and stupid decision that the people can make.
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T Kosse`
You know when people in the Jewish community show a total selfish reckless and dangerous disregard for the safety health and wellbeing of others, it really makes it hard for me to feel any sympathy or compassion for them, whenever they start to cry discrimination and oppression.
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Thom
I hope you enjoy being locked down.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Better than being dead,
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Anisahoni
While I do usually agree with you, T Kosse, please do not lump all Jews together. The Hasidics are a rabid, misogynistic and racist cult and Jews I know who are Reform and Conservative despise them and for good reason.
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T Kosse`
Yes I now not all of them are like that I was in Israel once and I have heard of them.
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T Kosse`
Yes I now not all of them are like that I was in Israel once and I have heard of them.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Aren’t the Hasidics Jews the “Chosen ones” by God. It will be interesting to see if they were chosen to live or die by God. If you know your Jewish history God choose someone to exterminate 6 million in Europe less than 100 years ago.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
The 99.95% survival rate is only with the best federally funded research and medical care, Imagine what the dearth count would be if no federal dollars had been spent on covid research and tracking what treatments are successful in treating covid.
My Jewish friends have always told me they are the “chosen ones”. Looks like right now God has “chosen” them not to get covid. But as the Bible tells us, God can change his mind and kill almost everyone with a flood, diseases, starvation or a chosen dictator in Europe.
With history always repeating itself God any day now is going to turn on us and kill most of us. I’s just a mater of time before all powerful mighty God goes on a massive killing spree once again.
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Mya-Lia Sharizyn
A bit of sarcasm in my part here, I couldn't resist posting this thought, why would he need to do that when he's got people doing it already?
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Maybe because God likes to get in on the massive killing action at times.
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Clay Serenbetz
These Jewish cult members hurting themselves and their loved-ones. It appears to me that these members are willingly engaging in self-genocide. If their gatherings result in death, then we already have manslaughter laws to punish this reckless communal behavior. The Second Amendment allows us to own guns, but that doesn't include the right to shot and kill innocent bystanders. Similarly, the First Amendment allows us to worship responsibly, but not to cause mass-suicide, as Jim Jones did in a commune in 1978.
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Anisahoni
This cult is not representative of Jewish people and they are racist and misogynistic sect. They are the most extreme, self righteous and dangerous group. Some members of my family are Sephardic Jews, as well as my spouse, and they absolutely despise the Hasidic Jews. I bet none of you really know much about them. They treat their women like garbage in direct contrast to Reform and Conservative Jews. I worked for B'nai B'rith. Women are required to shave their heads after they marry and have to wear wigs when they leave their homes. None of you have ever walked around their filthy, and I mean filthy, litter and garbage strewn neighborhood in Brooklyn. Disgusting. They are reckless, they believe they are better then everyone else on the planet. I do not feel sorry for them. They represent the worst of religious bigotry.
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Corinne Linda Geller
Thank you Catherine for taking the words out of my mouth, but more eloquently.
Hasidic Jews are a small, fanatical, fringe cult of extremists. The vast majority of NYC Jews are Reform and/or Conservative and are in NO way aligned with their ideals or practices.I am from NYC and my family were Dutch, Sephardic Jews and Holocaust survivors who were always appalled by the Hasidic’s moral standards (or lack thereof). However, reading the amount of antisemitism this has elicited is even more alarming to me. And we’re ministers!
I believe that if NYC is going to fine their synagogue for being super spreaders (as they should), let’s not forget to fine Trump and his ‘base’ for repeatedly doing the same.
We are representative of the ‘light’ and must always practice love and peace in our words and deeds. We are here to fight the ‘darkness’, not contribute to it.
🙏 namaste’
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Clay Serenbetz
My apologies for typos; I should have proof-read my post. In my opinion, the post conveys its message sufficiently.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
“The Second Amendment allows us to own guns, but that doesn't include the right to shot and kill innocent bystanders.” People might not have the right, but they d o it anyway.
“Similarly, the First Amendment allows us to worship responsibly, but not to cause mass-suicide, as Jim Jones did in a commune in 1978.” Where in the First Amendment does it say we are allowed to worship responsible? There is nothing in the First Amendment that says religions cannot engage in mass-suicide or as in the case of the Catholic Church rape children. But as we have seen, religious mass-suicide and the raping of little children and women happens over and over again.
Why don’t we wait and see what God does to these chosen Jews. Is God going to protect them from the virus? Or kill them with the virus?
So far God has been killing off Americans more than anyone else.
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John P Maher
NOT ONLY IGNORANT but VERY DANGEROUS !
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Douglas Robert Spindler
“The Second Amendment allows us to own guns, but that doesn't include the right to shot and kill innocent bystanders.” People might not have the right, but they d o it anyway.
“Similarly, the First Amendment allows us to worship responsibly, but not to cause mass-suicide, as Jim Jones did in a commune in 1978.” Where in the First Amendment does it say we are allowed to worship responsible? There is nothing in the First Amendment that says religions cannot engage in mass-suicide or as in the case of the Catholic Church rape children. But as we have seen, religious mass-suicide and the raping of little children and women happens over and over again.
Why don’t we wait and see what God does to these chosen Jews. Is God going to protect them from the virus? Or kill them with the virus?
So far God has been killing off Americans more than anyone else.
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David A Griffith
Today’s Supreme Court would allow Jim Jones to gather and do what he did in the name of religion. That is the problem, when any person or group affects me than it becomes everyone who gets to have a say. If they want to try and kill each other let them, but once they enter the temple they must stay in the temple so they can’t murder me, a non-believer of their beliefs.
Why religious people have such a hard time with that amazes me.
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Judith
The hypocrisy among the mayors, governors, & congressmen & Women is so rampant. There attitude of us peons operate under a different set of rules than the government elite. I would say they make me ill, but furious is closer to the truth.
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T Kosse`
Well the hypocrisy and attitude of people like you Judith make me ill, but furious is closer to the truth.
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Minister Mike
We want to government to protect us as long as we don't have to do anything to help.
The jewish god is a vengeful god (read the OT if you don't believe me) and I hope and pray he rains his wrath down on that community in perpetuity. They are nothing more than common killers and should be treated as such.
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Woodrow
Touchouch not God's annointed!!
Psalms 105:1 O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.
2 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.
3 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.
4 Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
6 O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.
7 He is the Lord our God: his judgments are in all the earth.
8 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.
9 Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;
10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:
11 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance:
12 When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it.
13 When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people;
14 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes;
15 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
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Woodrow
IT"S the Abrahamic covenant for all of the descendants. I wouldn't mess with the Father, if I was you. It won't turn out good for those who come against us.
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Daniel Gray
And they can and the Coumo government cant do a darn thing to them. The US Supreme Court smacked Coumo so hard his grand children are left with palm prints. It was a 6-3 decision and showed Coumo that he was NOT the little dictator he thought he was and that he didnt have as much authority as he thought he did. Coumo is now trying to save face and doing a horrible job of it. So the rest of the Gov's need to understand that the US Supreme Court is NOT going to allow them to just shut down churches or Temples just because they think they can. here is a small list of Gov's who tried and found they now have impeachment proceedings against them Newsom, California-Granholm, Michigan-DeWine, Ohio-Coumo, New York. So the rest of the Gov's had better sit up and pay attention or they can and will be next.
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Thom
The Jewish community has been treated horribly by the NYC central command. The Mayor has done more to trash these folks and it is not right. The first amendment of the US Constitution allows for people to gather and for freedom of religion and what right does NYC central command have to stop this? Yes, there is a pandemic going on but, we have rights and NYC can't stop everything. Oh, if you are going to complain, please remember, NYC central command said it was fine to protest so, why is not OK for people to practice their religion? And, this virus has a 99.95% survival rate. Peace.
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Minister Mike
You are adding to the infodemic by lying about the survival rate. The mortality rate varies from about 1.5% to as high as 9%. Check John Hopkins mortality rates chart to verify. In the US, the mortality rate is about 2%, meaning the survival rate is less than half of what you claim - only 98%. That's about 275,000 deaths that did not have to happen, WOULDN'T have happened if you and your kind weren't so hell bent on murdering innocents.
But, I suppose you'd be OK with vigilantes wandering through your neighborhood, randomly shooting and killing 2% of your friends and neighbors? That's exactly what you're doing when you attend a super spreading event. The jews in NYC are one of the major causes of the spread, so, yea, they should be punished for it.
The three basic rights claimed in the Constitution are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, and all three trump any of the amendments. Your neighbors have a right to life, and when you organize, attend, or even support such events you become a murderer. At lest the Nazis killed for a purpose, you do it just because you think you can get away with it.
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Thom
OK, so to prove what I have said, lets see the numbers but first, how about we look at the death rate in the US. The death rate has not increased in 2020. Meaning, no more people have died in 2020 than died in previous years. You see, medical provider are paid for every covid related death. If a person who is on hospice with end-stage cancer and they had a covid test right before they died but no results, then covid is the cause. If a person who has heart disease has covid, the cause of death is covid. Whatever the Doctor puts on the death certificate is the cause and, they are getting paid for covid death even if they have no proof. If you look at Collin county in Texas, they have a low covid death rate because the medical examiner there wants proof of covid as a diagnosis.
Now, lets look at the total number of cases, according to the all knowing Google, as of 12/04/2020 the total number of cases in the US are: 14,281,380; as of the same date, the total number of deaths is 279,634. With me so far? The population of the USA is estimated to be 350,000,000 people, give or take. So, take the total death of 279,634 and dividing it by the total cases 14,281,380, the total is .019538%. So my comment should have been, the survival rate is 99.98% chance of survival. Are you with me here? Then if you take the CDC's estimation of total actual covid deaths, this is about 6% of total deaths where, it is covid only, nothing else. If we take the total deaths, 279,634 multiplied by 6% we get a total of 16,778.04. So, why this number is higher than what we want, it is still not a great many consider it is something like .000004% of the population who have died only from covid. I mean, even the CDC has the death number listed with other diagnosis.
So, we do have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and these flow right into the first amendment of the Constitution and this allows for Freedom of speech, religion, press, right to gather peacefully and, right to petition the government. So, if we take these people wanting to get together peacefully for a religious ceremony, they are doing this to be happy and they have the right to do so. Now, if they are disallowed these rights then they can rename it to be a protest of white people getting married. New York command will allow this.
As for deaths that should not have happen, I totally agree with you. China knew about this virus yet, they did nothing. So, if you want to blame someone, blame China and not anyone else. And, if you think we are the only ones suffering from this, you should check the increase in the number for Canada.
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John
Why do I get the feeling your from Texas. I notice from your computations that you make no mention of the hundreds of lives affected and even lost in the health care community. The techs, aids, nurses, doctors that work at hospitals, rehab centers, clinics etc., would not share your sentiments. They have no choice but to treat the people affected even as it puts them at great risk. What about the thousands upon thousands that survived their bout of the virus but continue to be greatly affected by a plethora of lingering symptoms that prevent them from returning back to a normal life. Yes, everyone has heard your diatribe (politicians, religious leaders, ignorant, selfish people) make the point about "my" Constitutional rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness yada yada yada. But when your get infected and are in need of medical care you’re the first inline to get all the care you need, especially when the government picks up the tab. How did that Kennedy line go; "ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." You should learn to think more like a patriot my friend.
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John
Comment removed by user.
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Nathaniel Robert Hunt
Then you fully support my church doing mass gay weddings then?
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Kirk England
Way to throw the unrelated gay card out there, but yeah go ahead!
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Nathaniel Robert Hunt
No just showing if you let one church get an extra bonus you give all the churches the right to do the same
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T Kosse`
THEY ARE NOT ABOVE THE LAW!!! Thom
Religious freedom protects people’s right to live, speak, and act according to their beliefs peacefully and publicly. It protects their ability to be themselves at work, in class, and at social activities.
Ok, that sounds good, but does such “freedom” allow people to do whatever they want under the cover of religion?
Well, that answer is no. The Supreme Court has said the federal government may limit religious freedom – but only when it has a “compelling interest” to do so in order to protect the common good and limit people’s ability to harm others.
You are so full of BS Thom and, this virus DOES NOT have a 99.95% survival rate
Since the first reported U.S. coronavirus death on Feb. 29, there have been more than 166,000 U.S. deaths – more than 13 times the estimated number of U.S. swine flu deaths in its first year – according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, more than 750,000 people have died of COVID-19, significantly more than the highest swine flu death estimate from the CDC.
The CDC estimates the coronavirus has an infection fatality rate of 0.65%. Unlike the swine flu, those primarily at risk for coronavirus are older adults and those with underlying medical conditions.
Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, told USA TODAY that because the severity of the coronavirus is quite different from that of the swine flu, the U.S. response needed to be significantly different, too.
It's true that the CDC estimates the 2009 swine flu pandemic infected an estimated 60.8 million people in its first year, versus about 5 million COVID-19 cases confirmed in the U.S. But that comparison lacks important context about the severity of each virus. While the swine flu spread easily, the virus had only a fraction of the fatality rate of COVID-19. A comparison between the two that lacks this context when comparing the nation's response is incomplete.
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Thom
See my reply above, all the numbers are proven and open your eyes.
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Thom
They are not above the law, they are totally within the law to do what they are doing. They have the right to gather, have religious ceremonies and the pursuit of happiness. So, they have the right in the United States. If you believe the government has the right to take away these freedoms then, you believe the way America is run is not right. Also, according to the numbers posted by Google, the survival rate is 99.98% and the actual death rate is only 6% of the total number of specified covid death numbers.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Do your research. NOT ONLY ARE THEY ABOVE THE LAW. THEY ARE THE LAW. They are in control f the city government and are created there own police which is also above the law.
AND, they are using YOUR tax dollars to fund to fund Jewish religion Public schools. These PUBLIC schools prevent anyone who is not Jewish from attending.
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I’m just wondering if the quantity of people gathering for this event was any greater than those gathering to loot, riot, and cause mayhem that the left media refused to comment on during Covid-19 this year. 🤔
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