To think places of Worship should be closed before pubs.

[StatisticalSense]

If it is found that more restrictions are going to be needed to keep the virus under control people immediately jump to pubs and other hospitality venues which are essential to keeping the economy functioning, employ literally millions of people (and support the jobs of millions more), and are beneficial to the mental health of many of their clientele. Places of worship however provide no economic benefit, and are just as much of a vector of spread as people socialise with many others who they wouldn't otherwise see. This means that it would clearly make sense from an economic and societal stand point to close places of worships if this would allow pubs to stay open.

It’s quite funny that some of you think churches aren’t well attended. My church in a fairly small town gets 1000 people in attendance per week usually (although obviously it’s restricted so we can social distance atm) and there are around 50 churches in a 5 mile radius, all doing pretty well, flourishing really.

And no, my church doesn’t have a school attached to it .

What a joke! Of course churches shouldn't be closed so that pubs can remain open! It's a fundamental right to practice one's religion. For so many, their religious community has much more "societal value" than a place to have a drink, which can happen just as easily at home.

I don't attend church, but I believe in the importance of churches.

If places of worship were the only places open the numbers visiting would almost certainly significantly increase simply because people will use them as an excuse to go out.

Really??? I can't see it myself, if the pub down the road from me was closed I just don't see the regulars flocking to church.

Much easier to run church services via Zoom/web too.

[quote StatisticalSense]@Grottyfeet
If places of worship were the only places open the numbers visiting would almost certainly significantly increase simply because people will use them as an excuse to go out.[/quote]
Highly unlikely.

@Mintjulia

Much easier to run church services via Zoom/web too.

But it's really quite simple to get rat-arsed on your sofa...Zoom or no zoom!

YABU. There are more important things than the economy. I'd imagine the positive impact of faith communities reconnecting would be greater than the impact of having a beer with friends. More mask-wearing, too, I'd bet.

Worshippers should be allowed to worship just as long as they keep amongst themselves and follow strict =regulations in order to not pass it to each other nor anyone else.

I think pre- covid churches were pretty great places to pick up diseases.
And many have been shown to be instrumental in spreading Covid all over the world.

My family are big church people- two different churches and hearing some of the practices prior to lock down made me cringe.

Firstly churches in general tend to be places where people love the meet and greet, handshaking, hugging and kissing. Singing has been shown to create aerosol particles which can spread the virus. People hand round the donation plate.
Communion particularly can be risky.
My mother's church would start off communion with a large cob of bread it woud be passed to the whole congregation of 50 people or so, each handing the bread and digging out a lump to eat, before passing to the next person.
One communion cup ( of blackcurrent squash ) would be passed around and refilled where necessary, with each church member taking a sip from the same cup, no washing of cup inbetween.
Then at end of service everyone hugging/shanking hands/kissing again as they leave and say goodbye.

Having said all this I think churches now realise they specific practices which are risky from a viral point of view, and those that are opening have taken steps to minimuse risk- no singing, no communion, no contact, cutting numbers etc.

Much easier to run church services via Zoom/web too.

Pubs aren’t the only place people can get a drink Mintjulia It might come as a surprise but supermarkets and off-licences have been selling booze for years.

The COVID out break at the Crown & Anchor In Stone, Staffordshire is the reason pubs should shut before pretty much anything else.

Back to Pub quizzes on zoom...

They should be closed. Along with pubs. If necessary. If the covid rates require.

I completely disagree that they need to be kept open as a support network for the community. That is happening anyway!

At my mums church they are having zoom meetings, anyone can ask for help, prayer, a phone call. Anything.

So the need is completely removed. The need to open. Or rather, even if it was needed, we shouldn't, because we are in a pandemic. So have to compromise.

Our church is still online and I don't know of any others that have started back up. A key part of the point of physical church is chatting, singing and having a coffee. Until we can do that were not going back.

I know a number of churches that are open near me, running regular services.

@FunnysInLaJardin

I am not religious at all and like to drink wine, but churches are far more important than pubs from a societal point of view and for that YABU

We need every last scrap of the economy to keep going.

There was an interesting discussion on Radio 4 covering this. Pubs and restaurants can’t sustain opening and then being told to shut for a few weeks. We could lose thousands of businesses. Remember when specific foods were running low and there was surplus in those supplying pubs and restaurants - that chain would go too.

Mass unemployment would have infinitely worse effects on society and individuals than the virus it was trying to save us from.

If this post is really about one specific group, I don't think they're big pub goers....

I don't understand why closing places of worship would allow pubs to stay open? It would have minimal effects on infection rates in most areas.

I know several people who have struggled with not being able to attend their church, although they were stoic about it

The people I know who struggled with not going to the pub just invited their mates around and got pissed anyway.

I get that churches don't bring much to the economy of the country, but they do a lot for the mental wellbeing of some. It depends what you value more.

I'm at the point where if I can't go to mass then I won't go to the pub or a restaurant.

The OP is being disingenuous and a daily hate mail reader. They are not talking about Christian denominations of churches.

They are referring to the Eid celebrations featured on the front page.

YABU and I am not religious in any way my mother is though and going by what she describes her church doing to maintain social distancing, I’d say the parishioners are much less likely to spread the virus and if anyone does get it, tracking them all down will be a lot easier. Quite a few of them like are like my mum and live alone, quite far from family so church and the social aspect of it is a lifeline to them.

X-post. I am so naive should have known what the OP was getting at.

My above comment stands, although the thought of the only pubs left being whetherspoons is depressing.

I do to Church and there are strict guidelines. I have to escort worshippers to their seat and make sure they stick to the 2m rule. One way system around the church, masks to be worn. It is so unlike a usual Mass. It is much stricter than going into a pub.

Pubs shouldn't have opened anyway. Our local forum tells me that all the pubs in town have zero social distancing, despite the staff trying to enforce it.

Just close them, people cannot be trusted. They tried and it was a failure.

@Sennetti

drunken fools in pubs won't be socially distancing for long

Neither will people in mass gatherings in places of worship & there will often be far more people than in a pub

And if it's the economy we're trying to pump life back into pubs & retayrants should definitely stay open instead.

I agree, your faith does not kick in as soon as you enter through the church doors.