A FLORIDA megachurch pastor was arrested on Monday after ignoring shutdown rules to hold two packed Sunday services – where he mocked the coronavirus lockdown. Rodney Howard-Browne, who had pledged to “only close his church for the Rapture,” was taken into custody after packing his services with churchgoers in Tampa, reports TMZ. Co-founder of The […]
A FLORIDA megachurch pastor was arrested on Monday after ignoring shutdown rules to hold two packed Sunday services – where he mocked the coronavirus lockdown.
Rodney Howard-Browne, who had pledged to “only close his church for the Rapture,” was taken into custody after packing his services with churchgoers in Tampa, reports TMZ.
Co-founder of The River at Tampa Bay Church, the pastor posted $500 bail and was freed from Hernando County Jail, according to Tampa Bay Times.
The prison’s records showed that he was arrested for violating Hillsborough County’s stay-at-home order.
This was after he allegedly hosted an unlawful assembly and broke strict quarantine orders during a public health emergency – the coronavirus pandemic.
Howard-Browne had said his church would “only close for the Rapture” because it wasn’t for “pansies”.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister told reporters today that Howard-Browne had been warned through his attorneys that he was flouting rules activated to save lives.
Given that the US has had more than 140,000 people diagnosed with the killer bug, he had been warned against putting his congregation at risk of getting and spreading the virus by holding packed services at his church.
Chronister said that the force had been told Howard-Brown had even organised a bus to bring followers to services.
Tampa Bay Times said that he held two large services on Sunday, in defiance of the stay-at-home order.
Shockingly, a Facebook livestream revealed that churchgoers were packed in, and standing right next to each other during Sunday’s ‘Main Event’, it added.
Chronister said: “Because of the reckless disregard of public safety and after repeated requests and warnings, I worked with our state attorney, Andrew Warren, to obtain a warrant for unlawful assembly and violation of public health emergency rules, both of which are second degree misdemeanors.
“Our goal here is not to stop anyone from worshipping, but the safety and well-being of our community must always come first.”
“I’ve got news for you, this church will never close,” Howard-Browne recently told his congregation.
“The only time the church will close is when the Rapture is taking place.”
The South-African cleric, who heads a “Bible school” called Revival Ministries International in Tampa, also told people to greet each other, reports Newsweek.
This was despite multiple warnings from health experts and government officials about social distancing.
He said: “Well I know they don’t want us to do this, but just turn around and greet two, three people.”
“Tell them you love them, Jesus loves them,” he added as the deadly disease continues to infect thousands of Americans.
Howard-Browne’s decision to keep his church open comes as cities and counties implement bans on gatherings, while insisting on social distancing.
The pastor, who first came to the US as a missionary in 1987, appeared to downplay the dangers of the disease after President Donald Trump announced that the country had 15 days to slow the spread of the killer virus.
A statement issued by the White House set out a new set of guidelines to address the outbreak, discouraging people across America from leaving their homes or gathering in public places.
But Howard-Browne believes his house of worship is immune to the virus, which has so far infected about 160,000 people, and killed nearly 3,000 across the US.
On March 18, a press statement was issued by Revival Ministries International and The River at Tampa Bay via Facebook.
It said: “In a time of national crisis, we expect certain institutions to be open and certain people to be on duty.
“We expect hospitals to have their doors open 24/7 to receive and treat patients.
“We expect our police and firefighters to be ready and available to rescue and to help and to keep the peace.
“The Church is another one of those essential services. It is a place where people turn for help and for comfort in a climate of fear and uncertainty.
“Therefore, we feel that it would be wrong for us to close our doors on them, at this time, or any time. “In a time of crisis, people are fearful and in need of comfort and community, more than ever before.
“The River at Tampa Bay is doing, and will do, everything in our power to support the efforts of our wider community by cleaning and sanitizing surfaces and take any other recommended measures to protect our people and keep them healthy and safe.
“If anyone is either not feeling well or would prefer to take the precaution of remaining at home for their own health, we encourage them to do that and to continue to watch the services online.”
