SALT LAKE CITY-Utah Sen. Mike Lee is leading a group of lawmakers with a letter urging United States President Donald Trump to protect religious freedom.
This includes the restriction of covid-19 funds from some states and localities who are being punitive to the Constitutional right of exercising religious freedom of residents in such places.
Lee is the first of 10 senators to sign this bill. Others include Indiana Republican Mike Braun, Missouri Republican Josh Hawley, Montana Republican Steve Daines, Georgia Republican Kelly Loeffler, North Carolina Republican Thom Tillis, Mississippi Republicans Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Wicker, Oklahoma Republican James Lankford and Arkansas Republican Tom Cotton.
The letter’s purpose is to protect the Constitution’s First Amendment’s guarantee of “religious freedom.”
The letter contains a footnote confirming that a double standard exists prohibiting the gathering for religious worship or education but allows large gatherings for peaceful protests.
Incidentally, in Lee’s home state of Utah, Gov. Gary Herbert has allowed Church gatherings to occur for several months.
California, governed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, has issued guidance for churches in the Golden State. This entails the discontinuation of “singing and chanting activities” and limiting indoor attendance to 25 percent of building capacity. This also extends to a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever should be lower.
The U.S. Supreme Court has since repelled the Chula Vista, Calif.-based South Bay United Pentecostal Church’s effort to block Newsom’s restriction on the matter.
The letter states that “this discriminatory behavior violates our Constitution’s guarantee of religious freedom.”
The letter also indicates that religious services are needed more than ever in these perilous times.
