Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Louisiana Pastor Gives Mind-Numbing Answer After CNN Host Asks Him How Packing People Into Church During Pandemic Is 'Pro-Life'

Louisiana Pastor Gives Mind-Numbing Answer After CNN Host Asks Him How Packing People Into Church During Pandemic Is 'Pro-Life'
CNN/Youtube

As Louisiana nears 15,000 confirmed cases of the virus and clears 500 deaths—the 5th highest of all U.S. states in that category—it would make sense to limit all gatherings above 10 people.

This guidance was delivered by the CDC.

One Evangelical Christian church is ignoring that guidance however.


Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards issued a statewide "Stay At Home" order on March 22. But Tony Spell, leader of the Life Tabernacle Church continues to press on with church services that draw crowds in the thousands.

During an interview with CNN's Victor Blackwell, Spell proudly shared that the previous week's Sunday service included over 1,800 people. That service occurred eight days after Governor Edwards' order.

Spell described the 27 buses that cover a 50-mile radius of churchgoers, carting them in to "feed them both natural food and spiritual food."

Blackwell pressed Spell on his decision to disregard the governor's guidance, confronting the pastor's ethics from a variety of angles.

Blackwell presses pastor: How can you be pro-life and keep your church open?youtu.be

When Blackwell first raised the possibility that such large gatherings endanger the parishioners' health, Spell managed to support scientists' view of the virus and disregard their advice completely.

"We believe the science of this."
"However, we do have a command from God and there are no governing bodies that can tell us we cannot gather and worship freely."

Blackwell then took a more provocative tactic, applying the Evangelical Christian devotion to being "Pro-Life."

"How is this a pro-life stance to put people in jeopardy of contracting a disease, getting a virus that has no treatment, no cure, often has no symptoms and has killed more than [8,500 people in the U.S.] in five weeks?"

Again, Spell was not phased and responded without any hesitation.

"If they have fears of the virus, the church is more essential now than ever...to let them know there is a physician in Jesus Christ."
"We were supposed to be at a million and half body bags. We're at 8,400. So the narrative is false, Victor."

Clearly coming up against a wall, Blackwell moved on to the very pragmatic legal ramifications of Spell's decision to disregard the Governor's direction.


On March 31st, during the week between that 1,800-strong Sunday service and the CNN interview, Spell was arrested and charged with six misdemeanor counts of violating the governor's order.

When Blackwell brought up those citations, Spell became defensive.

"This is an attack on religious liberty in the greatest nation in the world."

Twitter had some choice words for Spell's behavior and rationale, as well as those flocking to his church.





Governor Edwards' legal recourse is only so powerful.

Spell held service just after the interview with Blackwell, drawing crowds that still numbered in the hundreds, Reuters reported.




As many governors across the U.S. have discovered, Edwards' final recourse remains a simple, repeated plea to the people of Louisiana to follow the rules, as he told Associated Press.

"I'm going to appeal to them one more time: Please stop what you're doing."
"The overwhelming majority of our faith leaders have found other ways to engage with their parishioners."

Many churches are gathering online to keep their parishioners safe.

People wonder if the inability to pass the collection plate in an online setting is bigger motivation for some of those churches insisting on not only holding services, but sending buses to bring cash—people—to their church.

The book God, Greed, and the (Prosperity) Gospel: How Truth Overwhelms a Life Built on Lies is available here.

"Millions desperate for hope and solutions are enticed by the promise of the prosperity gospel - that God will do whatever they need with just a little faith and a financial gift. All the while, prosperity preachers exploit the poor and the needy to stockpile their riches. What can followers of the true gospel do to combat the deception?"
"Through a remarkable and fascinating journey, Costi Hinn went from a next-generation prosperity preacher to the first to abandon the family faith and share the true gospel. Nephew of the world-famous televangelist, Benny Hinn, Costi had a front-row seat to the inner workings and theology of the prosperity gospel."

More from Trending

Barack Obama; Malia Obama
Debra L Rothenberg/WireImage; Foc Kan/WireImage

Barack Obama Reacts To Malia Dropping Her Famous Last Name For First Film Credit

Malia Obama has long been known for being the former president's daughter. But now that she has a professional life of her own, she'd like to be known as something else: Malia Ann.

Barack and Michelle Obama's eldest daughter has dropped her surname in her professional work as a budding filmmaker, going just by her first and middle name in order to separate herself from her parents' legacy.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mary Trump; Donald Trump preparing to enter garbage truck
Dominik Bindl/Getty Images; Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Mary Trump Brutally Rips Her Uncle Over Bizarre Garbage Truck Stunt

Former President Donald Trump's niece Mary Trump tore into her uncle following his Wisconsin garbage truck stunt, likening him to The Village People.

Upon arriving in Green Bay, Wisconsin, for an evening rally, Trump almost fell getting into a campaign-branded garbage truck. He eventually managed to step into the truck, engaging in a quick conversation with reporters as he peered out the window—a scene reminiscent of his recent staged photo op at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania earlier this month.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Donald Trump; Liz Cheney
The National Desk/YouTube; Sarah Rice/Getty Images

Harris Campaign Perfectly Shames Trump For Suggesting Liz Cheney Should Be Shot

After ex-President Donald Trump suggested former Wyoming Republican Representative Liz Cheney should have "guns trained on her face," Ian Sams, the senior spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign, laid out the contrast between their White House bids.

During a campaign rally in Arizona on Thursday night, Trump criticized Cheney as a “war hawk” and suggested she “should be fired upon,” expressing fury toward one of his most vocal critics within the party.

Keep ReadingShow less
Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Don Jr. And Eric Ripped For Wearing The Most Self-Own Halloween Costumes Ever

Brothers Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. were widely mocked after dressing up as different versions of "garbage" for Halloween—and their critics really let them have it.

Their costume choices came after their father, former President Donald Trump, participated in a Wisconsin garbage truck stunt.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Brent Terhune; Donald Trump
@BrentTerhune/TikTok; Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Comedian Pretends To Be Driver Of Trump's Garbage Truck In Hilarious Video—And Right-Wingers Fell For It

Comedian Brent Terhune had social media users rolling after he posted a parody video in which he pretended to be the one driving "Garbage Force One" during Trump's Wisconsin stunt on Wednesday.

Upon arriving in Green Bay, Wisconsin for an evening rally, Trump almost fell getting into a campaign-branded garbage truck. He eventually managed to step into the truck, engaging in a quick conversation with reporters as he peered out the window—a scene reminiscent of his recent staged photo op at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania earlier this month.

Keep ReadingShow less