Pastor James Coates in Edmonton

Governments in free countries DO NOT have the right to dictate to any church how they should assemble or conduct their services.

This is not persecution of Christians since every organization is subjected to the same sanctions.

Biden should be impeached for suggesting that the amendments to the constitution are not absolute. If Trump had said such a thing they would have drug him out and burned him at the stake on the front lawn. I'm not for violence but it seems that Biden has failed to uphold his oath to defend and protect the constitution of the United States.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

I wish Coates had not done this. It opens the door to people like the failed Notley to use this civil disobedience as a stepping stone to her socialist agenda. Sadly, most Albertans are totally disillusioned with Kenney, even though almost no one would vote for the NDP, who pulled a Trudeau in their 4 years in gov't, trying to start in a worker's "green" paradise in redneck Alberta!

I've asked this question so many times, not just about this church in Edmonton, but all the pastors and churches in both Canada and the USA who are defying COVID health protocols,

What about Romans 13?? I just don't see any wiggle room. And Paul was taking about tyrannical Caesars like Nero and Caligula, who were absolute rulers, who killed people in a whim!

"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. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience." Romans 13:1-5

No mincing words here! So answer me why it is ok for pastors, to be leading their congregations into disobedience to the gov't and God. I just don't understand the reasoning!

“On April 6, Canada’s rate of new COVID-19 cases came as close as its ever been to that of the United States since the beginning of the pandemic, as Canada posted 180.8 cases per million population, while the U.S. posted 195.7 per million population. And our case count is rising so fast—up 28 per cent in the past week alone—that we’re likely to exceed the plateauing U.S. rate in the coming days. “

https://www.macleans.ca/news/canada-likely-to-exceed-u-s-infection-rate-in-coming-days/

Respectfully, that is not a true statement. If you say the government has no right to dictate who should be worshipped then I would agree, but we have fire regulations and if the government believes the assembly is in danger then they will intervene. If they believe the assembly will hurt someone either themselves, children, or mass suicide....then the government will intervene. In this case, if they are working on the erroneous belief that large assembly of individuals endangers the lives then they feel justified to intervene in regards to COVID19. If you disagree than civil disobedience is your right to express but then there are consequences and unfortunately that is what the pastor is living with along with other violators of the sanctions. This is not persecution of Christians since every organization is subjected to the same sanctions.

Just saw someone post that comment on my FB yesterday. I was stunned. What stupor has fallen over the country that people are not alarmed by this? I don't understand it. Is it because Joe has been in politics so lonng they are just use to him and ignore him? You're 100% right, had this been uttered by Trump he'd be in solitary confinement by now, long since dragged out of the WH and any one that dare say they support him would be in the cell next to him. It's stunning to me.

I’m new and I know I should keep my mouth shut but I won’t because I feel like truth is so important and we aren’t all telling the truth. The pastor was not asked to shut the church down but to reduce its numbers and change the way they operated while Canada struggles to manage the rapid spread of COVID in this country.

The truth of the matter is that there are several restaurant owners who were asked to do the same and they broke the rules like the pastor did. Like others who sharEd his convictions, they too went to jail because it’s to deter this behaviour of not following the government’ s rules.

More importantly there are people suffering in our hospitals which are set up differently than the states and the government regulated a lot of sanctions which people call draconian but it was not restricted to Christians. Please don’t manipulate the truth to sound like persecution - the whole country faced these sanctions. The big box stores were the only places to prosper which has now been addressed.

The penalty the pastor faced is the same that other violators of the law faced, this includes jail and the fine of people who would be repeat offenders. This entitled attitude gives Christian’s a poor reputation because all other organizations followed the rules. There are churches who are open and conducted multiple services with 10 people because of the rules. It might not be the right rules but it wasn’t just given to Christians but to the country.

Currently Canada is doing worse than America and Britain in managing COVID. Many people are suffering and the medical staff who have cared and are caring for patients in the ICU without vacations, working double shifts and have also contracted COVID while on duty are really hurt by the pastors lack of understanding. We have the military working on this, people coming out of retirement to help, new grads coming alongside AND people understand that the pastor is not bad but frustrated with a frustrating situation. I just pray that he humbles himself to see the hurting and how they could support the weak. There are other churches who are making meals for the shut-ins, bring communion to those who are desperate to fellowship and can’t risk being around large crowds; while preaching the gospel multiple times a week which is also exhausting.

No one shut down church meetings here. We adjusted our meeting format to comply with CDC and local recommendations, and put many of our ministry programs on hold. Last month we restarted our community outreach children's ministry. As nursing homes open up we are ready to restart that ministry with a fully vaccinated staff.

All I hear here is how the government is trying to take over, or vaccinations are the mark of the beast, or that vaccinations are killing off the entire population, or we can't open our church because the government won't let us.

I ask where is your faith in God? What happened to "I can do all things through Christ"? Do you want things to change? Stop the bellyaching and really put God first in your life. Do you want to change the nation? Humble yourself and pray and seek God.

It's time to preach the Gospel of Christ. There are far too many souls being lost to the Gospel of Covid19.

The vaccine is your lifeline.

I ask where is your faith in God?

Biden should be impeached for suggesting that the amendments to the constitution are not absolute. If Trump had said such a thing they would have drug him out and burned him at the stake on the front lawn. I'm not for violence but it seems that Biden has failed to uphold his oath to defend and protect the constitution of the United States.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

Well the thing is, it's different in the US. Here, people take their freedom as a God given right and the government be da**ed.

The blue states here would like to stay on lockdown and the red states are open or are opening. The riots in the streets last year were allowed to go on and this year it is worse in Oregon. Half the people do not wear masks and not one Democrat has anything to say about the so called spread of any virus.

Surely you are aware of the border to the south here. Testing for Covid? It's hit and miss. Just put 'em on a bus and send them to the interior.

Covid is an excuse to shut down churches and Canada has become a country with another dictator.

I ask where is your faith in God? If you are healthy and trusting in God, why would you need a vaccine WHICH IS NOT A VACCINE?

While genuine vaccines create immunity, bogus vaccines create serious health problems, blood clots, and death. You do not have to take my word for it. Do some serious research in conservative, reliable, scientific sources. As one professional virologist has already stated publicly this so-called pandemic was THEGREATEST HOAX perpetrated on an unsuspecting public.

You are not trusting God, but TESTING God!

"Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Matt 4:5-7

COVID kills. It also damages the body and 1 in 3 people who have had COVID have neurological or mental illness when they recover.

I've know a few people who have died from COVID, including one of my seminary professors, who taught church planting and always had a smile in his face. One of my fellow PhD students almost died in the ICU from COVID. But that time, God did intervene. He prayed for healing, and for God to spare his life, so he could continue his ministry to a tribe of indigenous people in southern Mexico. But he did beg God. He was lying in his stomach, and after he prayed he felt a hand rubbing his back. He turned around and no one was there. By the next day his lungs were clear, and everything was healed.

So, God will heal someone who is sick with COVID, I agree. But all the people walking around with no safety precautions, are truly testing God. Do NOT test the Lord.

These precautions, with a proper mask, not a layer of T shirt material, do work. I've been self isolating and I have a carbon filter mask which filters out the smallest particulate matter or bacteria/virus. I've been doing it since February, 2020!

This is the longest I have ever gone without a cold, which always turns into pneumonia for me. My latest lung CT scan from March shows the fluid in the bottom of my lungs has dried up, and the blocked bottoms of my lungs can work again. I also feel much better!! (I'm a never smoker, don't drink!)

Sometimes God uses the strangest things to help us, like COVID precautions! I just praise God for leading me in a way my health is improving! But I am NOT going to test God and get COVID. My lungs, heart, kidneys and liver would not survive a bad case.

Do you seriously believe this lie? What do you know about these bogus vaccines which are (1) killing people like flies, (2) causing serious medical and health conditions, (3) failing to provide any immunity whatsoever, and (4) making billions of dollars for the manufacturers even though they were only approved FOR EMERGENCY USE?

Canada was already under a dictatorship, since he was first elected in 2015. There is no doubt he is the worst prime minister Canada has ever had. I'm not just talking COVID, but ethnics violations, giving money away to other countries so they can have abortions, pocketing kickbacks, and not caring for Canadians, bringing in Muslim immigrants only, and constantly, because he wants Canada to be a Muslim, globalist nation.

So, I agree with you, except it is much worse than you can imagine. Of course Biden is probably the worst president the US has ever had, so you have my sympathies!