Breitbart News reports that police showed up to “warn” a congregation that they were violating the “law” (executive order of the Dictator of California and his deputy dictator of public health) by gathering for worship on Sunday afternoon, the 5th, in Lodi, California.

Adding insult to injury, another congregation, which rents their building on Sunday afternoons to the first assembly, had changed the locks to keep the scofflaws out, and in a public message told the first group that they must obey the Governor [Dictator}. Which was, ironically, a violation of the same dictator’s decree that evictions of tenants are now allowed during the Beer Flu panic.

It appears that the Apostle Peter got it all wrong, or Luke wrote it down wrong in Acts 5:29. Apparently Peter did NOT tell the Sanhedrin “we must obey God rather than men.”

The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) is an organization that frequently aids churches, synagogues, mosques, and other religious organizations legally in various cases of discrimination, especially by government. Obviously, they have been taking a lot of interest and providing assistance. In their article (at the link above) on “Can the Government close churches in response to an epidemic” they generally state that state and local governments (NOT the federal government) can do so, provided that the religious organization is not singled out. One of the examples they give is that police has the right to pursue a criminal across a church’s property; another is a fire department cutting down trees on religious property in an effort to stop a wildfire.

I respect the work that ACLJ does, and their work is generally scholarly and with a firm understanding of the relationships (good and bad) between government and religion. But in this case, I have to disagree.

We see that California is far from alone in negating both the First Amendment of the US Constitution AND the similar clauses of their own Declarations or Bills of Rights.

Northam, the blackface-practicing, baby-killing, gun-hating governor of California-East, excuse me, the Commonwealth of Virginia, is being sued on an emergency basis for his own imperial decree by a man stating that his religious liberty is denied by Northam’s tyrannical decree to prohibit religious assemblies on Easter Sunday. The defenders of the discredited regime in Richmond claim that it is not religious discrimination because the restriction on meetings, assemblies, and such (to less than 10 people) applies across the board. Even though such a limit does not seem to apply to supermarkets, liquor stores, government meetings, or apparently, abortion clinics.

Kansas Governor Kelly, not to be outdone although she seeks to rule over a chunk of flyover country, is claiming that the Legislature in voiding her executive order prohibiting any assembly of 10 or more people for religious purposes, claims that the Legislature is violating the State’s constitution, and that she took an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution.

Funny, but this is how that part of Kansas’ Bill of Rights reads: “§ 7. Religious liberty. The right to worship God according to the dictates of conscience shall never be infringed; nor shall any person be compelled to attend or support any form of worship; nor shall any control of or interference with the rights of conscience be permitted, nor any preference be given by law to any religious establishment or mode of worship. No religious test or property qualification shall be required for any office of public trust, nor for any vote at any elections, nor shall any person be incompetent to testify on account of religious belief.”

Is she now a dictator that can pick and choose which part of the Constitution to uphold? I would strongly urge Kansas legislators to immediately impeach, try, and remove her from office. And then file charges of treason against her in court and seek the death penalty, as a strong reminder of the consequences of trashing Kansan liberty.

Such an option is not available in Virginia, of course, since the Democratic majority in both houses have made it clear that they will follow Northam slavishly almost to the bitter end and hail him as a demigod. It might be wise for them to recall just what is on the Commonwealth’s flag.

And, of course, to remember what happened to one particular legitimate tyrant in England, a few years after Virginia’s founding. Does “King” Ralph really want to imitate King Charles in denying his “subjects” their God-given rights? Does he remember that Charles got shortened for his troubles? (Or that all those gun-toting lobbyists and protesters back in January might not be so peaceful and law-abiding if they have to go back? Virginians in 1776 might not have had an easy way to get to London to treat George in like manner, but Ralph is in Richmond!)

The lessons of history ARE being learned by leaders in many other States. The governors of Texas and Florida – and even Louisiana and maybe Colorado – have apparently remembered, and have explicitly stated that religious gatherings are not forbidden. Other states’ new dictators may need to be read from the Book, however.