Why are places of worship still open?

[TingTastic]

I’m trying to understand why places of worship are almost unique in remaining open this time (the other being nurseries and playgrounds which are more understandable). What drove this decision? Surely there is a risk of transmission with dozens of people being inside together through a service (even if they are socially distanced)? Especially as a decent proportion will be older

Places of worship include mosques which are heavily attendee by mostly men of all ages especially on Fridays. So I'm surprised they are open as Covid affects the BAME population more, unless that's why they are open.

I don't get this, either. Religion, when you strip it back, is supposed to be a relationship between you and God (whatever God that may be). Surely that can be done at home through prayer, scripture study and broadcasted services?

I understand the social element is important but it's important to everyone and has been stripped away from them, so I'm sorry to say but I don't see why religion should be any different.

Not everyone “had Christmas”. We were in tier 4 outside London from 20th December.

Re a previous post - why IS Poundland classed as an essential shop? Because they sell paracetamol? There are loads of people trooping through our local one just because it’s something to do.

I haven't been to my church since last Feb, but it is huge with massive high ceilings, built for a time when they had a much larger congregation. They have a booking system in place, so plenty of room for social distancing. I still haven't been for various reasons including that I think other people need the place more than I do, and most of them are elderly and I don't want to pass anything on.

On a practical note, I imagine places of worship are staying open as weddings and funerals are still happening?

@WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants

In England they're not allowed to be except to broadcast from, hold weddings or funerals (bith with limited numbers)

Not true, they’re also open for collective worship

I wondered this - it seems wrong. I understand people's need to worship their deities, but could this not be done privately, or with a service led by lifestream?

@CanWeHaveSnow

B&M Pound-stretcher PoundLand Home Bargains Wilko The Range

Are all still opening, Can bet my bottom dollar there will be loads of people walking around these shops ‘just because’

The risk is alot higher here!

^ These are all places of worship 😂

Hospital Chaplin has already been vaccinated, we do seem value religion

You can't compare nurseries and playgrounds to churches. They're completely different. You also can't compare then to theatres or museums as they operate very differently also.
Churches have booking systems, your more than 2 metres away from everyone, you wear masks you can't sing, you can't talk to anyone. Cleaned before and after and one way systems. They are very low risk. I found it very depressing when I went.
I think most people commenting aren't religious so don't understand how much faith means to a lot of people and from the comments I see on on Mumsnet it seems a lot of people on here aren't religious

On Mumsnet, there’s a heavy bias against church anyway, hence the eleventieth outraged thread that they’re open. For church and Christianity threads, my bingo card usually has “imaginary friend”, “deluded”, “otherwise intelligent people”, “indoctrinated” all ticked.

Sounds like my bloody mother in law. All she says is god is good and we will go when it is our time. So even though she’s almost 80 she still shops nearly every day, both her and husband out together. Has been known to rule break in other ways too. She was gutted we wouldn’t break the rules to let her come at Christmas. She just doesn’t seem to understand that if they caught it they would be such high risk.

The thing is, all those people who say 'It's God's will' or whatever are putting other people at risk, no just themselves.

You could equally ask why is football still allowed to happen, there is no social distancing there, hugging each other, just to kick a bag of wind about. They are more likely to spread a virus than worshipping whatever god you're worshipping.

@Somanysocks

You could equally ask why is football still allowed to happen, there is no social distancing there, hugging each other, just to kick a bag of wind about. They are more likely to spread a virus than worshipping whatever god you're worshipping.

But generally more fit and healthy than the majority of our congregation.

Still spreaders though, my congregation is young, but I suspect this is just a faith bashing thread as is usual on mumsnet.

@wanderings

On Mumsnet, there’s a heavy bias against church anyway, hence the eleventieth outraged thread that they’re open. For church and Christianity threads, my bingo card usually has “imaginary friend”, “deluded”, “otherwise intelligent people”, “indoctrinated” all ticked.

You forgot 'sky fairy'

It’s nothing about faith bashing, it’s a genuine question as to why should they remain open. The idea of a lockdown is to prevent contact and therefore transmission. There is no need for a place of worship to be open. That was the question.

To those saying surely you can chat privately to God at home, that shows an ignorance of many religions. Communal worship is a key part of many faiths. It's about people's spiritual needs. Obviously if this is something that you scoff at anyway, don't expect to understand. Places of worship were closed in previous lockdowns, and it's not the only rule to have changed in more recent lockdowns. I guess it has been judged that the benefits outweigh the risks, just like every other rule that so many posters think they know better on.

Too much value is given to religion in this country, wish we were more secular. Care about someone’s faith as much as I do their veganism or tv package.

It’s a personal lifestyle choice, it should not supersede anything else that is as such meaning it should be closed. This was the first thing I wondered about when they didn’t the announcement as it makes no sense but I expect it’s because religion is protected in ways silly things like culture and education are not.

Many of these places aren’t lofty large and open though, huge numbers of small churches/temples/mosques held near me, by some very fervent worshippers, usually in rooms above shops etc.

@Somanysocks

You could equally ask why is football still allowed to happen, there is no social distancing there, hugging each other, just to kick a bag of wind about. They are more likely to spread a virus than worshipping whatever god you're worshipping.

Totally agree - group/team sports should be stopped as well.

I am not a faith-basher - I am an agnostic, not an atheist, but I don't think communal worship or any other collective activity not essential to survival should be taking place at the moment.

They’re closed in Scotland. Apart from weddings & funerals. Weddings are 5 people and funerals 20.
Services can be broadcast.

Churches aren't open for services. They are open for private prayer. Usually under an incredibly strict pre booked system, where you're allocated a pew/seat, and allowed to stay for a prescribed amount of time. With a one way system, and then the whole area being completely disinfected after the person had vacated.

There is no music, no singing, no clapping, no candles, no prayer books, no communion, no sharing the peace (or anything else!), No taking of money, And nobody within six foot (minimum) of each other. Temperature taken on entry, track and trace information already logged, hands santitised on entry, wearing masks at all times.

And then once everyone had left, we completely dettol the place. And it's left for three days.

Church funerals are incredibly hard to do, trying to make the last practical thing you can do for the deceased as lovely as possible. Whilst being incredibly conscious of all the covid rules and guidelines and trying to be as kind and compassionate to the family as humanly possible. It is horrible. And exhausting.

*And at the moment, church is actually "shut". The congregation and vicar have decided that it is safer to not have anyone in at all in light of the new strain. Everything is online. Except doorstep welfare visits, which aren't exactly doorstep, more, end of the drive "HOW ARE YOU JEAN? HAVE YOU GOT ENOUGH MILK? DO YOU NEED YOUR PRESCRIPTION PICKED UP?"

It is not faith bashing to genuinely seek to understand why faith and religion are prioritised in this way. You'd need to have a particularly large chip on your shoulder to be that defensive. Surely it's reasonable to expect that communal worship be put on hold until this situation is resolved. You can't use your own personal experience of Covid safe church attendance to speak for every church in the country.