How can they justify keeping communal places of worship open?

[Didyousaynutella]

People’s livelihoods are being destroyed, children are being denied an education but you can still go and sit together in church! It makes no sense.

Because faith is stronger in numbers. For the record no one is excluded from going to a place of worship. You don't have to believe in something to receive the benefits of it. You would have someone to talk to, to vent to, to feel a sense of warmth and less loneliness, something to look forward to each week, to meet people who don't know you but genuinely care about you. I feel very safe in my church with the precautions they take. It might not be exactly the way you want support to look or be packaged but it is something that is open and is there should you need it. I also believe AA meetings have still been running which don't discriminate either- anyone can go along and share their difficulties.

Why is it offensive to compare sport and religion? They're things that people do communally or alone, derive great pleasure from, create a feeling of division or unity...

Being religious isn't superior to anything else that people find meaningful, pleasurable or important.

i thought they were only open for private worship

Humpty I am not saying it’s ok when I fancy going, of course not,

Just that if we are going into a Stricter lockdown and closing schools etc then Churches should be closing too. Education trumps religion surely every time?

Also I went once and was put off from going again.

Our vicar was a complete moaner in the March lockdown and thought we should all be allowed to carry on as normal,he certainly didn’t stick to the social distancing when you met him out and about,and he is of the opinion that God will sort it all out in the end.

It's not tit for tat. It's not 'we are suffering in this way so you should suffer in your own way too'. Just because you prioritise money and education over religion doesn't mean everyone does. Plus the number of people going to churches once or twice a week at the moment compared to the number of children who were in school every day is minuscule.

Imagine there is a single mum out there who has just been told she has lost her job and will have to homeschool 3 children alone and is feeling suicidal from the isolation of not being able to meet friends. Wouldn't you want her to know that a safe place like a church is there for her to go and be encouraged to keep going with her life?

Churches are taking the rules very seriously. You have to pre book. The church is throughly cleaned after mass. You are not allowed to mix with anyone. It's so much safer than a supermarket.

@Mrgrinch

Well firstly, people can't sit together. And secondly, for many people their faith is the only thing getting them through this.

This is true. This is going to turn into a typical church bashing thread.

Our church has opted to remain online for the next 6 weeks or so at least, although our services didn't feel particularly unsafe (everyone was taken to a seat on arrival, at least 2m from anyone else, masks were required, me there was no singing; at the end of the service, we were directed out in individual households and encouraged not to linger)- we just felt that there was no reason for us to stay open when so much else was shut.

There are of course people who have nowhere else to go other than church on a Sunday, but we've tried to make sure they get phone calls at least.

I was kind of embarrassed that we were permitted to stay open, to be honest, and glad when we decided to close anyway.

I don't think that keeping sport/ grass routes sport is at all important. Other people do. We are all allowed to decide what is important to us.

This is true. This is going to turn into a typical church bashing thread.

That will be nothing new, I usually have to hide them at that stage as I get so angry and disgusted at the way people speak about religion on here.

They're closing in scotland. Maybe English churches are some kind of special covid-free zones?

Oh, your faith is the only thing getting you through this? Maybe seeing my sister was the only thing getting me through this but that’s not allowed since we’ve been in different tiers. Maybe music was the only thing getting my musician friend through this but she hasn’t been able to work for the last 9 months. But of course religion is more important. Ridiculous. If everything else is closed, church services bloody well should be too.

That was for @Mrgrinch just to be clear

It’s not a race to the bottom
I have no religious beliefs at all
However my elderly DM does
Her church is still going - far stricter than supermarket
I have to book a space, drop her off - she sits with mask on 2M+ away from everyone else and prays etc - no singing allowed
They ring me to collect her
It helps her get through this - I don’t have to believe myself to see the benefits for those who do

I attend a place of worship, frankly I am surprised they are still open and would be fine for them to close however have good MH atm so not vulnerable etc in that way.

My place you have to book during busy periods and they have been super strict since March about where you sit etc.

I would be fine with places of worship maybe opening for smaller services but may be more of them if needed.

I wonder what percentage of the population regularly worships?

@BaconandWaffles

Oh, your faith is the only thing getting you through this? Maybe seeing my sister was the only thing getting me through this but that’s not allowed since we’ve been in different tiers. Maybe music was the only thing getting my musician friend through this but she hasn’t been able to work for the last 9 months. But of course religion is more important. Ridiculous. If everything else is closed, church services bloody well should be too.

Tell that to the old people whose entire family are dead and whose children don't give a shit about them and they'd have probably killed themselves by now if they didn't get to connect with God.

I understand there's a legal reason why the Cof E at least cannot be prevented from worship and then it has to be extended to other denominations and faiths. I am disappointed our church is meeting even though a video option is available, (and people have had lots of support in getting set up to view it) people still come. I think there should be a strong message to discourage in person attendance except for a widely distanced few who have specific reasons.

My synagogue is closed and i watch the services on youtube. But this is because its a liberal synagogue and there is no issue with using electricity on the sabbath.

However, this isn't the case for orthodox synagogues. Orthodox Jews aren't allowed to use electricity on the sabbath and hence don't have the luxury of tuning into online services. I think if you can use electricity, people should tune in online and there should be support for older people who aren't so tech savvy.

Religion is important to those who believe, why can't those who worship understand that the rest of us have things that are equally important to us.

Golf is taking the rules seriously. You have to book a tee time, rakes have been removed from bunkers, you musn't touch the flag. The bar/restaurant has been closed. People, and many of them older people, have been able to get together with their friends to talk, get some exercise and fresh air, have a laugh.

I find it offensive when those who are religious have an air of superiority as if believing makes them better some how.

It makes no sense at all...it will spread through church as it's one of the few places left open

My church has a ticket system, you need masks to enter, communion isn't being handed out, you can only sit with members of your household, they air each service online, they have marshals sitting people and implementing rules, reduced services so they can clean in between, doors always open. I think they've made it as safe as they can.

My daughters preschool is right next door to the church and in the last lockdown there was a minimum of 20 people standing outside the church listening to the service on tannoys (they have tannoys in normal times as it's a popular church and the service was still on in lockdown being shown on the internet). Those people needed their religion. Why else would you be stood outside in all weathers. It was really heart breaking to see.

And it's not just Christians. There are many Muslims that need their mosque, Jews that need their synagogue, etc.

We're all losing so much during these lockdowns. I don't see why we're attacking the little we (or people) have left.

Many, many churches have closed voluntarily, even though they are legally allowed to open.

Many, many church leaders wish the Government would mandate closure, so they wouldn’t have to walk the tightrope between those in the congregation with different opinions.

Please don’t blame the average person in the pew (or the pulpit) for the decisions made by Government.

@2021vision

Religion is important to those who believe, why can't those who worship understand that the rest of us have things that are equally important to us.

Golf is taking the rules seriously. You have to book a tee time, rakes have been removed from bunkers, you musn't touch the flag. The bar/restaurant has been closed. People, and many of them older people, have been able to get together with their friends to talk, get some exercise and fresh air, have a laugh.

I find it offensive when those who are religious have an air of superiority as if believing makes them better some how.

I am sorry you can't do your golf.