Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Florida Sheriff Arrests Trump-Loving Pastor Who Refused to Stop Holding Packed Services Amid Pandemic

Florida Sheriff Arrests Trump-Loving Pastor Who Refused to Stop Holding Packed Services Amid Pandemic
JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images // Hernando County Sheriff

After weeks of dismissing the current pandemic as little more than a flu overblown by the media to undermine his presidency, President Donald Trump and his administration are finally beginning to acknowledge the severity of the threat posed by the virus that's upended daily life in the United States.

Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne apparently hadn't gotten that memo.


The pastor's deliberate dismissal of social distancing measures enacted by the state of Florida resulted in his arrest on Monday.

Watch Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister announce the arrest warrant below.

Chronister said:

"His reckless disregard for human life put hundreds of people in his congregation at risk, and thousands of residents who may interact with them this week, in danger."

Howard-Browne had been holding services for hundreds of members despite orders forbidding gatherings of more than ten people, and it wasn't because of ignorance of the virus.

In fact, the pastor often discussed it to his congregation—invoking false promises regarding it.

He jokingly told the congregation that God would multiply their toilet paper rolls, and said that the church had installed a ventilation system which killed the virus. He even encouraged the congregation to shake hands.

Watch below.




Howard-Browne turned himself in shortly after Chronister's announcement.

People were happy to see the pastor held accountable for his recklessness.





People began wondering what would happen if cases began getting traced back to his congregation.



Howard-Browne may be facing justice for his actions now, but the consequences of his recklessness for others may prove even worse.

For a deeper look into the white Evangelical community's support for politicians at odds with its core principles, check out The Immoral Majority, available here. You can also preorder Unholy: Why White Evangelicals Worship at the Altar of Donald Trump, available here.

More from People/donald-trump

Screenshots from @sarahtheseven's TikTok video
@sarahtheseven/TikTok

TikToker Speaks Out After Doctor Refused To Set Her Broken Arm Because She Was Crying

Many of us have negative relationships with the healthcare system, going to doctor's appointments, or asking for medical help at all—and unfortunately, that's for good reason.

Too often patients are subjected to medical bias, gaslighting, and neglect, and it can often lead to poor medical attention, inaccurate diagnoses, and even unnecessary medications and procedures. And the main victims of these occurrences are often women and people of color.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @culinaryem's TikTok video
@culinaryem/TikTok

Wedding Caterer Goes Viral For Her Reaction To Discovering Groom Was Having An Affair

It's easy to say that we would intervene if we realized that someone was cheating, but would we actually follow through when it happened?

That was the question chef, caterer, and TikToker @culinaryem faced when she planned to cater a wedding for a "lovely couple" she nicknamed "Sweet" (the bride) and "Dirtbag" (the groom).

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @dani_b_unfiltered's TikTok video
@dani_b_unfiltered/TikTok

Woman Hilariously Panics After She Accidentally Child-Locks Her Dinner In The Oven

We've all been "hangry" before and know how important that Snickers bar can be.

Or in TikToker @dani_b_unfiltered's case, it was a potato that was baking in the oven.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rob McElhenney
Gilbert Flores/ Variety/Getty Images

Rob McElhenney Just Shared A Video Explaining His 'Kinda Douchey' Decision To Legally Change His Name

What's in a name? A lot, apparently.

To be fair, a name represents a lot of things: a person's identity, the family they originate from, and possibly even some of the cultural and historical background of that family.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic
Disney/Marvel Studios

Pedro Pascal Adjusts Accent

Pedro Pascal was advised to tone down the Mid-Atlantic accent for his upcoming role as the stretchy Mister Fantastic/Reed Richards in Fantastic Four: First Steps.

In a video interview with Vanity Fair, he reflected on his past and current work and talked about working with a dialect coach for the Marvel movie, which is set to premiere on July 25th.

Keep ReadingShow less