This pandemic has given an opening to these wannabe totalitarians and it’s quite alarming to witness how far they are taking it.
Canada’s GraceLife Church near Edmonton, which made headlines for defying provincial pandemic-related lockdown orders, is now being blocked off by police using roadblocks and fencing to prevent worshippers from reaching the building.
Last month, the church’s pastor, James Coates was jailed for violating lockdown orders. He was reportedly held for nearly two and a half weeks before being release.
“Police were at the Spruce Grove church before 8 a.m. Crews could be seen putting fencing up around the building’s perimeter, as well as blocking off several parking stalls.
“Alberta Health Services physically closed GraceLife Church (GLC) and has prevented access to the building until GLC can demonstrate the ability to comply with Alberta’s chief medical officer of health’s (CMOH) restrictions,” AHS said in a statement Wednesday morning...
The church, along with its pastor James Coates, are set to appear in court in May. They are charged with violating measures under the Public Health Act related to capacity limits, physical distancing and masking.
Coates was released from jail on March 22 after he breached a bail condition to stop holding services that did not follow regulations. He pleaded guilty and was fined $1,500."
The Church says in a statement posted to their website:
"it is apparent that the negative effects of the government lockdown measures on society far surpass the effects of COVID-19. The science being used to justify lockdown measures is both suspect and selective. In fact, there is no empirical evidence that lockdowns are effective in mitigating the spread of the virus. We are gravely concerned that COVID-19 is being used to fundamentally alter society and strip us all of our civil liberties. By the time the so-called “pandemic” is over, if it is ever permitted to be over, Albertans will be utterly reliant on government, instead of free, prosperous, and independent.
As such, we believe love for our neighbor demands that we exercise our civil liberties. We do not see our actions as perpetuating the longevity of COVID-19 or any other virus that will inevitably come along. If anything, we see our actions as contributing to its end – the end of destructive lockdowns and the end of the attempt to institutionalize the debilitating fear of viral infections. Our local church is clear evidence that governmental lockdowns are unnecessary. In fact, it is also evidence of how harmful they are. Without going into detail, we recently lost the life of one of our precious congregants who was denied necessary health care due to government lockdown measures...
Many Albertans are afraid and are convinced of the efficacy of government lockdowns for two reasons: misinformation and fearmongering. The media has so pounded the COVID-19 drum since the “pandemic” began, almost exclusively emphasizing caseload and deaths, that people are fearful. So fearful, in fact, they have been convinced that yielding up their civil liberties to the government is in their best interests. It is difficult to have not lost confidence in the mainstream media. It would seem as though journalism is on life-support in our province. The media should be made up of the most thorough, discerning, and investigative people in our society. Instead, many of them seem to be serving an ideological agenda. Now more than ever, it is vital that Albertans exercise discernment when listening to the mainstream media."