An Alabama pastor didn’t just hold services over the weekend despite the threat of COVID-19. He literally invited people infected with the coronavirus — or anyone who thought they had symptoms of it — to the service in order to be “healed” through prayer.

I guess the Bible never taught him how diseases spread…

Chris Bartlett, pastor of the Boaz Church of God, has since deleted his post from Facebook, but the screenshot lives on:

I say this NOT to stir up controversy. I’m certainly not trying to be insensitive or draw attention to myself. I am not making a statement of criticism against my fellow Pastors who do not agree with me. However I may be exercising a little foolishness. But I am somewhat moved over the fact that all it takes to disassemble God‘s church is the threat of sickness by germ spreading. It seems the early church wouldn’t have made very far with this type of timidity. Our top priority is not primarily the safety and health of our members, but that they advance in faith and godliness even on occasions at the expense of their safety and well-being. Yes I believe that Jesus Christ is the savior of the world who gave up the safety and comfort of heaven to take upon our sin so that we might have eternal life with Him. In light His example we will not disassemble ourselves due to any threat to our physical bodies or status in the world. So with boldness of faith if you have the coronavirus or feel threatened by such, you are most welcome at Boaz Church of God Sunday morning at 10 AM. We will gladly anoint the sick with oil and pray the prayer of faith over you! You are also welcome to fist bump instead of hand shake, smile instead of hug and have the Impact Team open the door for you. Perhaps we have the greatest opportunity in years to show forth Greatness of our God!! God be glorified and His Son magnified and your faith edified despite any and all opposition. So with boldness of faith if you have the coronavirus or feel threatened by such, you are most welcome at Boaz Church of God Sunday morning at 10 AM where we will anoint the sick with oil and pray the prayer of faith over you!

These people belong to a death cult.

Apparently, I want them to survive this pandemic more than they do…

The concern, of course, isn’t just that members of this cult get infected with the disease. It’s that they could all become vectors, so that when they leave church, they’ll infect people they come into contact with at the grocery store, at the post office, etc.

We’re all self-quarantined because we’re trying to avoid becoming vectors. If someone has the disease, that person needs to be isolated, tested, and treated, not get celebrity treatment at a large gathering.

These Christian buffoons were planning a deadlier version of those infamous chicken pox parties without even realizing it.

It’s not clear when Bartlett deleted the post — or why. But he did preach on Sunday morning about the “hysteria of fear.” So even on Sunday morning, he was downplaying the seriousness of the current pandemic.

At one point (around 19:50), he says, “Some of you may walk out of here coughing today, but you’re gonna walk out of here with some faith today.” Also: “I’m glad Jesus knew who He was when that poor leper said, ‘Would you make me clean?’ I thank God He [Jesus] didn’t quarantine Himself!…”

He hasn’t learned anything. He may have deleted the post, but it was clearly to avoid backlash, not because he wanted to protect his congregation. Or anyone else, for that matter.

(via Bama Politics. Thanks to Brent for the link)

