South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster signed a bill into law making churches “essential” during emergencies like COVID-19.
The law allows churches and other houses of worship to remain open during a state of emergency, deeming religious organizations “essential service” that “must be allowed to continue operations,” Just the News reports.
McMaster said that closing churches would be a violation of freedom of religion, a Constitutional right.
The bill reads that South Carolina “may not limit the ability of a religious organization to continue operating and to engage in religious services during a state of emergency to a greater extent than it limits operations or services of other organizations or businesses that provide essential services.”
South Carolina may, however, require religious organizations to “comply with neutral health, safety, or occupancy requirements during a state of emergency” that are also being applied to “all organizations or businesses providing essential services” and “do not impose a substantial burden on religious services.”
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I applaud the idea but in this country under The Constitution it should not have been necessary. We live in a time when cynical people have slowly been contorting the meaning of that document in ways never envisioned by the Founders who held to both personal and public priciples and situational ethics. The statement: “Congress (which has been extended to all levels of government) shall make NO law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; etc.” is quite clear in purpose and intent, don’t mess with churches or individuals exercising their right wherever they want, loke a coach after a football game. It is unfortunate that secularism has become the unofficial established religion of the liberals who are attempting to impose it on everyone else.
IT shouldn’t have been necessary, is right on the money.
BUT IF THE LEFT WILLFULLY ignores the constitution, what makes this governor think they WON’T IGNORE THIS LAW??