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Religious Communities Cautious as Trump Calls for Houses of Worship to Reopen

Patsy Widakuswara

   WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump is callingonthe nation's governors
   to immediately reopen churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of
   worship, characterizing them as "essential places that provide
   essential services" during the pandemic.

   "At my direction, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is
   issuing guidance for communities of faith," Trump said Friday.

   Trump admonished governors who have "deemed liquor stores and abortion
   clinics as essential but have left out churches and other houses of
   worship" and threatened to override any governors who continue to keep
   houses of worship closedforsafety reasons.

   "Ministers, pastors, rabbis,imams and others faith leaders will make
   sure that their congregations are safe as they gather and pray," Trump
   said. [1]The CDC guidelines include guidance for disinfecting houses of
   worship and how to modify religious services.

   The announcement is lauded by First Liberty, an organization that
   defends religious freedom.

   "This is what the faithful of America have been waiting for some time,
   to see some leadership from somewhere, say that the First Amendment is
   not dead or sick, said Jeremy Dys, First Liberty Special Counsel.

References

   1. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/index.html

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