Pro-mask or anti-mask? Your moral beliefs probably predict your stance

NOVEMBER 22, 2020 BY THE CONVERSATION Moral combat: Do you wear a face mask to show you care about others? Or do you refuse because you believe they defy human nature?Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images By Eugene Y. Chan of Purdue University Governments around the world have recommended or mandated various behaviors to slow the spread of COVID-19. These include staying […]

Teaching from Our Death Beds? The Tragedy of Paola De Simone

SEPTEMBER 9, 2020 BY LEAH D. SCHADE The story of university professor Paola De Simone collapsing and dying of Covid-19 while in the middle of an online lecture to her students is both disturbing and heartbreaking. A college professor in Buenos Aires, Argentina, De Simone had been battling symptoms of the coronavirus for several weeks.  While delivering an online lecture […]

Orthodox Church Leader Who Blamed COVID-19 On Gays Is Now Sick With Virus

 SEPTEMBER 8, 2020 BY MICHAEL STONE When In Doubt, They Blame The Gays: Ukrainian Orthodox Church leader Patriarch Filaret contracts coronavirus after blaming gays for the virus. The church leader who recently claimed COVID-19 was “God’s punishment” for same-sex marriage has been hospitalized after testing positive for the virus.  ABC News reports: Leading Ukrainian religious figure Patriarch Filaret […]

Vaccine mandates vs. religious beliefs — the legal arguments for the upcoming coronavirus lawsuits

 SEPTEMBER 4, 2020 BY THE CONVERSATION A vaccine for COVID-19 may only effectively stop the spread if enough people take it.Javier Zayas Photography/Getty Images By Ross D. Silverman of Indiana University The longer COVID-19 rages on, the more the United States appears to be hanging its hopes on the development and rapid, mass distribution of a vaccine. Getting a safe and effective vaccine out to […]

Florida Christians Claim ‘Biblically Wrong’ Face Mask Mandate Interferes With Prayer

 AUGUST 4, 2020 BY MICHAEL STONE Because The Bible: Florida Christians are fighting a local face mask mandate, holding rallies and launching lawsuits while claiming that the mandate is “Biblically wrong” and “interferes with the ability to pray.” The Bradenton Herald reports: A Palmetto pastor and a state politician have sued Manatee County government over its mandatory […]

Preacher Sean Feucht Is Holding COVID-Ignorant Worship Services for Thousands

BY HEMANT MEHTA  JULY 29, 2020 About a week after declaring California’s sensible COVID restrictions “tyrannical,” worship leader and MAGA cultist Sean Feucht held an outdoor Christian concert for (what he claims is) 5,000 people. You can see from the video that very few people are wearing masks. There sure as hell is no social distancing; people are […]

Pastor Tony Spell Of COVID-19 Defying Megachurch Arrested For Assault

 APRIL 21, 2020 BY MICHAEL STONE Lock Him Up! Pastor Tony Spell of the COVID-19 defying Life Tabernacle Church in Louisiana has been arrested for aggravated assault after threatening a protester with a church bus. NBC News reports: A Louisiana pastor who has defied state orders against large gatherings was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly backing his church bus […]

Workers, officials say too little too late after Tyson closes Waterloo pork plant: ‘All they talked about was production’

By Ann Colwell, Dianne Gallagher, Pamela Kirkland and Konstantin Toropin, CNN Updated 9:05 PM ET, Wed April 22, 2020 The Tyson Fresh Meats plant in Waterloo, Iowa, has a workforce of nearly 3,000. (CNN)After more than a week of public pressure, Tyson announced Wednesday morning it will “indefinitely suspend operations” at its Waterloo, Iowa, pork processing plant that employs […]

Televangelist Claims He Has Magic Machines That Will ‘Shoot Down’ Coronavirus

 MARCH 28, 2020 BY MICHAEL STONE Because Jesus is Magic: Televangelist Rodney Howard-Browne says he will continue holding church services because he has 13 magic machines that will “shoot down” and “neutralize” the coronavirus. In an idiotic and dangerous statement the televangelist declared:  The Lord has helped us to secure our congregation. We brought in 13 machines […]

Louisiana Pastor Hosts Hundreds Because COVID-19 Is “Politically Motivated”

BY VAL WILDE  MARCH 20, 2020 While the rest of us practice social distancing — even the Vatican has canceled live gatherings for the foreseeable future, despite Easter’s rapid approach — Baton Rouge Pastor Tony Spell (below) continues to hold live gatherings for hundreds of believers, encouraging them to “keep going to church” in defiance of a state order that says […]