Belmont University sent out an email to students condemning Sunday’s worship protest and asking students to self-report if they attended. The university cited concern over the “city’s ability to manage the spread of this virus.”
“Regardless of your personal views about COVID-related restrictions on religious worship, events like this severely challenge our city’s ability to manage the spread of this virus,” read the email. “If you are a Belmont student and you did attend this event without wearing a mask and maintaining proper distance from others, please contact Health Services so they can evaluate your potential exposure and determine if a period of quarantine or being tested is necessary.”
Christian artist Sean Feucht hosted the mass worship event on Sunday, saying that it was legal because it was a protest. It is one in a series of “worship protests” in a nationwide campaign of events called, “Let Us Worship.” The Metro Public Health Department is investigating the event to issue “penalties” against Feucht.
Sami Lin, a Belmont student, shared with The Tennessee Star that she doesn’t believe the university should have issued a statement on the safety of this event.
“Well, I think if people are allowed to go into Home Depot and Starbucks, then a worship service is no different. Students and others are expressing their religious beliefs in the great country of America where they have the freedom to do so. No one took this much precaution with flu season. If masks are supposed to work then I don’t see the issue in practicing religion, whatever it may be. It’s a Christian university and students are getting in trouble for practicing their Christianity.”
In an interview with The Star, Belmont Turning Point USA President Jeffrey Seraphine stated that he disagreed with the university’s email entirely.
“I trust that the leadership at Belmont is concerned about the health and well being of their students. When I saw that email, I understood their interest in reaching out to students. What I don’t understand is why they have decided to single out this event to address the well being of the students,” he added.
Seraphine added that the university’s level of concern over Sunday’s event wasn’t uniformly applied to other events throughout this semester.
“The only form of communication concerning the potential hazards from the virus was during the first week of school. Bob Fisher sent us an email warning us not to go out and party. Since then, there have been a multitude of events such as parties, marches for racial justice, and riots. All of which Belmont students have participated in. I don’t understand why this event would be singled out as a challenge to the entire city’s ability to control a virus while other events go unnoticed. As a student, all I ask for is transparency and fairness. But when Belmont decides to attack this service out of all the other things that have happened, it makes you wonder if the standards are being applied consistently.”
Belmont University didn’t respond with a comment by press time.
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Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and the Star News Network. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Let Us Worship” by Sean Feucht.
I think that Belmont administrators, officials, and professors should return to doing what they are hired for, teaching. Not teaching their beliefs, their versions of history; not serving as propaganda mouthpieces; not attempting to act as father and mother figures in absentia. This holds true for all schools, at all levels above kindergarten; no one hired you or gave you authority to abrogate Rights and if you continue to do so, you should be arrested and charged with violation of 18 U.S. Code §241, which says “Conspiracy against rights
If two or more persons conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or because of his having so exercised the same; They shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.”
Perhaps that is a subject you should educate students about, the Constitutional protection of Right, and the Limitations it places on government.
If not, just stick to the three R’s.
According to governor Lee’s executive order 30 , page 3 , item 3 , and page 8 , item C , it reads as if restrictions cannot be put on worship services. I’m glad so many people have come out against the lies and fear tactics.
METRO NASHVILLE GOVERNMENT – COVID SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS
WORSHIP = 200 SQUARE FEET PER PERSON
See: “Guidance for Davidson County Religious Communities” at asafenashville.org
BUSINESS = 113 SQUARE FEET PER PERSON (6 FOOT RADIUS DISTANCING)
See: “Roadmap for Reopening Nashville: Phase Two Guidance” at asafenashville.org
PROTESTS = 0 SQUARE FEET PER PERSON
Google Search Images “Mayor Cooper at Protest”
Now John, the “virus” knows what kind of building it is and moves in closer at church buildings. Or bars. Or especially elderly barbers’ shops.
It stays away from statue destruction, burning, looting, autonomous zones, etc.
That’s both interesting and heartening that Belmont University would voice these concerns given the fact that it once was an ultra-conservative Baptist college known as Belmont College (Ward Belmont before 1951) back in the day.
Forgive me if I missed something since I moved out of the socialist republic of Nashville last month, but did these folks try to burn down the courthouse and lower Broadway while they met? I mean that’s the new “normal” for expressing yourself, right? Oh wait, it did say a worship service to God didn’t they ? Best I remember they have some self discipline and moral backbone don’t they ? They do sin and slip up but they do have a higher calling. Reckon those burners and looters forgot that part of life. Just asking.
THIS is the entire problem with Politics in Nashville. It is the primary reason there will NEVER be a Conservative(Republican) Mayor or majority Conservative City Council in Nashville ever again.
I believe the Cs would have a fighting chance BUT for the SJWs in the local College/Universities that Vote in DROVES and overwhelmingly PROGRESSIVE
Until that Issue is resolved and Cs get ALL their ppl out to Vote AND the Republican Party of TN starts pouring $$ into Davidson to recruit and support good Candidates, Nashville is lost
People brave enough to face danger of death to worship God,
Are the safest people in the world, and when they leave the world.
Reckless behavior by zealots. Lock them up if they report being there!!! Twice as long if they don’t report and are seen on camera!!
Wow! That’s very judgmental! So according to this standard, the gathering of protestors mentioned by “Fireguy”, who then engaged in violent destructive behavior, should be locked up twice as long or more. And Mayor Cooper incited that “reckless behavior”, no, felonious acts, an accessory to their crimes.
Nashville increases in its quest to become the liberal Mecca of the world. Chicken Coop invites protesters and then wants to arrest Christians.
Native Tennesseans would be wise to leave Nashville before it becomes the total Hellhole that Chicken Coop wants it to be.
Just remember Coop has a brother that will help him get his way.
Sad you feel like worshipping God is reckless but protesting against society is not.
Those who participated in the riots and the victimhood activities aren’t the ones paying their own way to attend the school, i.e. cash biz for the school. The ones participating in this event are. Belmont is gonna collect the $$$ from the government whether the rioter/student/activist/lost soul attends class, skips class, drops out or gets sick. The same guarantee cannot be made for those paying their own tuition. Therefore. try to shame them from doing anything that may jeopardize the school’s income.
Belmont has gone to the land of the lefties. When the music industry people started to become big financial contributors, Belmont lost its way, no moral direction and it is not the school it once was never will be again, a sad institution. Its Vandy on the boulevard. Its difficult for Bob Fisher the president of Belmont, to run the school as he has his lips permanently planted on the backside of the mayor, Commie Cooper
This “pandemic” has been useful in that it has demonstrated the lengths that institutions and credentialed people will go to ignore science that contradicts what they believe or wish to be true. I have noticed many MDs and PhDs will descend into name calling and other insults on Twitter if you should point this other research out. What ever happened to exploration of other ideas and true scientific pursuit to discover the truth? Are these same people censoring their own research? Are scientific publications also refusing to print research if it doesn’t fit the preferred narrative? What a place we have come to – and why you can no longer trust the “experts.”
Yep, Julie, as it’s been said, “name calling and insults are the last recourse of an exhausted mind” which demonstrates they aren’t appealing to knowledge from the “scientific method”.
It’s a cold folks, with a 99.97% recovery rate. Land of the not so free? Home of the afraid? What ever happened to land of the free, home of the brave? Have Americans lost it? As evidenced by….
I don’t think we’ve lost it. We aren’t just going to roll over and not do anything. This protest/rally proves that.
I know a professor who teaches at Belmont and is also a Pastor. He’s a decent guy but let me just say this. He’s more interested in calling the basketball games than he is about God or what he’s preaching about on Sundays. So I’m not shocked Belmont has condemned such a gathering of Christians.