Written by Amanda Angulo
Friday was a big win for people of faith and religious freedom.
After the Chula Vista South Bay United Pentecostal Church continuously fought for the lifting of Gov. Newsom’s COVID-19 restrictions on indoor services, the Supreme Court finally ruled. The decision was 6-3 that the governor’s ban is unconstitutional.
It has been nearly a year since religious institutions had to stop all indoor services due to the pandemic. However, in light of the recent court decision, churches are now able to resume indoor services with up to 25% capacity.
“The State has concluded, for example, that singing indoors poses a heightened risk of transmitting COVID–19. I see no basis in this record for overriding that aspect of the state public health framework,” wrote Chief Justice John Roberts. “At the same time, the State’s present determination — that the maximum number of adherents who can safely worship in the most cavernous cathedral is zero — appears to reflect not expertise or discretion, but instead insufficient appreciation or consideration of the interests at stake.”
After the court decision, indoor church services in California are allowed to resume but certain activities, like singing and chanting indoors, are still prohibited.
Following the decision, attorneys for the South Bay Church have stated, “This court thus admonished the lower courts that it is especially during a pandemic – not despite a pandemic – that courts should stand strong in protecting constitutional rights”.
This ongoing pandemic has shown us that the government, or more specifically democratic governors, are willing to impose restrictions on our rights and overstep the authority granted to them by the voters and the constitution.
Therefore, the result of this court case is a big win for conservatives who want to see small government that does not infringe on our constitutional rights and liberties. While we may have a Democrat-controlled legislature at the moment, it is clear the Supreme Court will step in and protect our rights when liberals step too far out of line.
