“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
Galatians 5:1
We at Arsenal of the King want to warn our brothers, sisters, and other concerned patriots at the alarming trend of government officials restricting our freedoms. If the concern about the pandemic was not enough, our elected officials, and leaders have used the Covid-19 virus to force mandatory lock downs, travel restrictions and curtail liberties around the world. We have a series of videos on the Covid 19 and how it affects the economy- https://arsenaloftheking.com/2020/05/01/government-shutdown-hurts-the-economy/, where it originated from in China-https://arsenaloftheking.com/2020/04/24/coronavirus-is-the-chinese-virus/, and how the virus has affected our liberties-https://arsenaloftheking.com/2020/04/20/national-emergency-jails-liberty/.
This virus is being being used as a clamp by liberal governors to tighten control over houses of worship. Churches are being told not to meet even with implementing CDC guidelines while people stand in Walmart lines for hours. Please note that many times there are so many people in the lines social distancing in not able to be observed. It is because of the onslaught to limit, and crush our freedoms we are sharing events that are detailed in the following articles and links. However, because of the escalation of unjust laws, and restrictions that are put in place this only small sampling of the online stories about the ways our constitutional rights and God-given freedoms, including the right to liberty and the right to religion, are being controlled and decreased by over-zealous officials who seek to limit our constitutional rights.
Update since our post on May 15
Brothers and sisters praise the name of Jesus that our prayers, phone calls and emails are working, and the Trump administration has seen the injustice done to our places of worship and is working with the CDC to deem them ESSENTIAL. Thank you, King Jesus. It will be a state by state basis and we still need to pray, and move forward as Christ leads you.
According to Fox News, “President Trump on Friday announced that new Centers for Disease Control guidance will classify houses of worship as “essential,” as he called on governors to allow them to open “right now” after being closed during the coronavirus lock downs.
“The governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important essential places of faith to open right now–for this weekend,” Trump said. “If they don’t do it, I will override the governors.” “In America, we need more prayer not less,” Trump added.
It’s unclear under what authority Trump has to override governors. But Trump took issue with certain businesses being open, while churches are not. Attorney General William Barr already warned last month that coronavirus restrictions by state and local government should be applied evenly and not single out religious organizations.
“Some governors have deemed the liquor stores and abortion clinics as essential,” Trump said. “But have left out churches and other houses of worship. It’s not right. So I’m correcting this injustice and calling houses of worship essential.”” https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-announces-that-houses-of-worship-are-essential-calls-on-governors-to-open-them-up
Churches are beginning to stand together, and a movement called Peaceabley Gather has over 1200 churches signing petitions to open up and minister to people during this time of crisis [Fox News]. On the Peaceabley Gather website is “Our Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and the right to assemble peacefully. By signing the petition, you pledge that you will exercise these sacred rights, your church will be open, and you will welcome all healthy people in your communities to attend and physically participate in services. Churches are in all different areas of the country and thus under different state laws or orders as well as different levels of cases of COVID-19. Each church should review their own local and state situation before making any decisions. If they have any questions or concerns, we encourage them to contact First Liberty Institute, the largest non-profit law firm in the country specializing in religious freedom. Their services will be provided to you free of charge.”[Firstliberty.org] https://peaceablygather.com/
Church Burned
One of the first things I will mention is a church that was burned and tagged with a hateful message this sets an angry precedent against Churches who want to meet and worship the Lord. “The First Pentecostal Church of Holly Springs in Mississipi burned down early Wednesday morning. The congregation had been in a legal battle to continue holding services despite the novel coronavirus outbreak and subsequent lockdown orders. The building went up in flames between 2-4 a.m. Investigators said the church was spray-painted with graffiti before an explosion blew out the front of the building, according to Fox 13. Maj. Kelly McMillian of the Marshall Count Sheriff’s Department confirmed the fire to be a criminal act of arson.
Thomas More Society senior counsel and lawyer for the church, Stephen Crampton, spoke with Fox News about the fire and said the perpetrators spray-painted a message that read, “I Bet you stay home now you hypokrits.”
“We’re in a time where I don’t think it’s any secret that there’s a growing hostility toward churches, across the board,” Crampton said. “And now, here are churches like First Pentecostal that are sort of stirring up the waters by being outspoken and somewhat firm about seeking to protect their Constitutional rights.” https://www.foxnews.com/faith-values/mississippi-church-fire-investigated-arson
Legal Issues Against Democratic Lockdowns
According to Politico, Democratic governors, and their health appointees are facing several lawsuits about the severe lockdowns, and shelter in place orders. [Politico] “And legal challenges are continuing to pile-up across the country — even as governors who extend their state’s shelter-in-place orders begin peeling back some restrictions. The plaintiffs are business owners, aggrieved private citizens, pastors and in some cases, state legislators and legislatures.” https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/17/democratic-governors-coronavirus-lockdown-legal-challenges-261428
Lawsuits are being brought in Michigan, California, Ohio, Wisconsin, Virginia, and Maine for a variety of reasons of infringement on “civil liberties and executive overreach.” [Politico]
Ninth Amendment and Public Officials
Do our public officials even have the right to command closures and stay at home orders? To find out more about this, we will start off with some comments from the Hal Turner Radio Show website included, “No elected public servant has the authority to ORDER citizens to stay home. In America, the Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution provides that “. . . no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law.” A Governor’s “order” is not due process of law. Moreover, the Ninth Amendment to the US Constitution provides “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. Moreover, the Ninth Amendment to the US Constitution provides “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.” https://halturnerradioshow.com/index.php/en/news-page/world/hubei-and-shulan-provinces-in-china-re-lock-cities-due-to-a-second-wave-of-covid19
Civil Liberties Assaulted
Please be aware the right to habeas corpus is under attack, and according to the Washington Standard with Ron Paul, “The assault on our civil liberties is in overdrive. Habeas corpus is thrown out the window and the government is asking to be able to indefinitely detain Americans without charge or trial. Constitutional law attorney John Whitehead, President of the Rutherford Institute, joins Liberty Report to discuss these threats…and to let us know what we can do about them!” This is an excellent video on this subject. https://thewashingtonstandard.com/how-the-police-state-uses-crises-to-expand-lockdown-powers-video/
Former Rep. Bob Barr writes, “Now, it appears the federal government is readying additional measures that would undercut one of our Founders’ deepest fears – use of the military for domestic law enforcement purposes.
Steps likely under consideration include further expanding exceptions to the Posse Comitatus Act (the law designed to prohibit use of the Armed Forces in domestic matters), and broadening the president’s power to deploy the military to quell an “insurrection” in circumstances having nothing to do with such a domestic uprising. Additionally, federal officials may impose other clever sleight-of-hand measures to undercut the “great writ” of habeas corpus to facilitate arresting and detaining individuals for the duration of the declared “emergency.” https://dailycaller.com/2020/03/23/barr-coronavirus-national-emergency-constitution-bill-of-rights/
Individuals reporting on others who are not social distancing has become so severe that the Toledo Police posted on May 19th on Twitter. “Citizens: We are posting this because people are tying up the 911 lines to report others who are not socially distancing. Our goal is to provide the appropriate number for people to call instead of them calling 911.” https://twitter.com/ToledoPolice/status/1262766962918244353
Seattle Officer Suspended
Another case in point is Greg Anderson, a police officer in the port of Seattle who has been put on suspension for expressing his views specifically about whether the government has the right to violate individuals’ rights. “I want to remind you that regardless of where you stand on the coronavirus, we don’t have the authority to do those things to people just because a mayor or a governor tells you otherwise,” he said. “We don’t get to violate people’s constitutional rights because somebody in our chain of command tells us otherwise.”
Anderson, who has served as a police officer for 10 years, said he became concerned after seeing people arrested or cited for going to church or opening their businesses.” https://www.foxnews.com/us/washington-police-officer-video-coronavirus-measures
Church Services Banned
Here are just a few of the news items of the crackdown on Churches in America. Believe it or not, people who attended Church had their license plate numbers taken, in California wind instruments were banned in online church services, and there is discourse on whether or not to ban corporate singing in Churches when they do begin to meet. To quote Fox News, “The most egregious example of this outpouring of authoritarianism was an attempt by Louisville, Kentucky, Mayor Greg Fischer to ban drive-in church services on Easter. On Holy Thursday, one day before Christians were to begin their most important religious celebrations of the year, Fischer declared that drive-in Easter services would be illegal.
To remove all doubt about his seriousness, he also threatened arrest and criminal penalties for anyone who dared violate his order, and in an Orwellian twist, invited people to snitch on their fellow citizens. Fischer justified this by saying it was “to save lives.”
Thankfully, a federal judge made short work of the mayor’s idiotic power-grab, issuing a temporary restraining order against the city of Louisville on Saturday, writing so as to remove all doubt, “The Mayor’s decision is stunning. And it is, ‘beyond all reason,’ unconstitutional.”” https://www.foxnews.com/us/coronavirus-california-reopen-church-service-gov-newsom-pastors
Another note on the Church banning by the Federalist.com, Mayor Fischer of Louisville also, “threatened arrest and criminal penalties for anyone who dared violate his order, and in an Orwellian twist, invited people to snitch on their fellow citizens. Fischer justified this by saying it was “to save lives.” https://thefederalist.com/2020/04/13/the-coronavirus-is-exposing-little-tyrants-all-over-the-country/
According to Fox News, on Easter Sunday, “Dr. Jack Roberts, the pastor of Marysville Baptist Church, arrived to find “at least one box of nails” blocking each entrance of the parking lot, the Louisville Courier-Journal reports. “It was sad when we drove into the house of God today. Someone decided it would be nice if you all drove home with flat tires today,” Roberts, a preacher of 55 years, told the congregation Sunday morning during his sermon.” https://www.foxnews.com/us/coronavirus-kentucky-easter-church-service-nails-police-license-plates
Outlawed Things
Please note some elected officials, including, Pelosi are trying to make voting by mail only. An article on the Common Sense Show website has samplings of things that are being outlawed; basically, small businesses are hot spots and a big no-no for shoppers, as well beaches are closed to swimmers, and the elderly sitting in the sand [Common Sense]. https://thecommonsenseshow.com/conspiracy-economics-education/government-has-chosen-winners-and-losers-new-normal-which-list-are-you
“Greensboro, N.C., police arrested several Christians for engaging in peaceful prayer outside an abortion facility, claiming that they were in violation of a Guilford County emergency proclamation related to the coronavirus crisis. Police arrested members of the Christian ministry Love Life because they traveled by car and not by foot and because they traveled from outside the county—prohibitions found nowhere in the proclamation or in any law. The city also claimed that the proclamation gives the city authority to prohibit all First Amendment activity, which is also untrue. Love Life members intentionally and carefully engaged in their activities to comply with the proclamation.” https://www.adflegal.org/case/global-impact-ministries-v-city-greensboro.
“David Benham, the chairman of the board for Cities4Life in Charlotte, North Carolina, was peacefully praying outside an abortion facility. He and a handful of other volunteers were following COVID-19 social distancing guidelines by not gathering in groups larger than 10 and staying at least six feet away from each other.” https://www.adflegal.org/blog/while-police-were-arresting-david-benham-outside-abortion-facility-babys-life-was-saved
Social Scoring and Privacy
Is Covid-19 being used to curtail the freedom of Americans? Chinese style social scoring is coming to the U.S., and maybe in your office sooner than you think. According to Tyler Durden of Zero Hedge, “Advertising giant Interpublic Group of Cos . is exploring dividing its 22,000 U.S. employees into three separate groups, according to perceived health risks, which could include age. Workers could be asked to disclose medical and other personal information about themselves and, in some cases, family members…“It is a reasonable approach, if you can get through the operational and some of the privacy and regulatory issues,” Dr. Ossmann said.” https://www.zerohedge.com/health/your-every-move-will-be-watched-post-covid-offices-will-resemble-chinas-social-credit-system
LA County Slow to Reopen
Residents of LA County were alarmed at their official’s slow plan to open up the county. According to Reuters Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles commented on LA County Health Director Ferrer statement, “I think, quite simply, she’s saying that we’re not going to fully reopen Los Angeles and probably anywhere in America, without any protections or any health orders in the next three months. I think we know it’s going to be even longer than three months,” Garcetti said. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-idUSKBN22O1Y7
President Trump
To quote our President, “Many complaints coming in about Maine. I love that State, won Maine 2 – Don’t make the cure worse than the problem itself. That can happen, you know! Donald Trump.” https://twitter.com/danco_1830/status/1256826161902112769 …
Maine Pulls Licenses
After Rick Savage was featured on Maine Gov. Takes Away Rick Savage’s State License After He Defied Her Orders And Opened For Business. https://chicksonright.com/blog/2020/05/02/maine-gov-takes-away-rick-savages-state-license-after-he-defied-her-orders-and-opened-for-business/… via @chicksonright
“Several Maine businesses said they will defy Democrat Gov. Janet Mills’ executive order closing dine-in restaurants to the public because of the corona-virus and will open as soon as Saturday.” https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2020/05/02/several-maine-restaurants-defy-democrat-gov-janet-mills-executive-order-reopen/
Michigan Pulls License
In Michigan Governor Whitmer, “extended her stay-at-home orders, the 77 year old, Karl Manke, reopened his shop anyway and started cutting his clients hair again.
What did the Michigan government do? They bypassed the court and all legal procedures by suspending his barber license and his shop license without any due process.
State regulators on Wednesday suspended the license of a 77-year-old Michigan barber who insisted on cutting hair despite an order to stay closed during the coronavirus pandemic.
Karl Manke has pledged to keep his shop open “until Jesus comes.” A judge declined the state’s request to shut down his shop Monday without first holding a hearing. Regulators took a different path by suspending his barber license and his shop license.”
https://allnewspipeline.com/The_Explosion_Will_Be_Heard_Around_The_World.php
North Carolina
Some peaceful protestors arrested for praying at abortion clinic. “Greensboro, N.C., police arrested several Christians for engaging in peaceful prayer outside an abortion facility, claiming that they were in violation of a Guilford County emergency proclamation related to the coronavirus crisis. Police arrested members of the Christian ministry Love Life because they traveled by car and not by foot and because they traveled from outside the county—prohibitions found nowhere in the proclamation or in any law. The city also claimed that the proclamation gives the city authority to prohibit all First Amendment activity, which is also untrue. Love Life members intentionally and carefully engaged in their activities to comply with the proclamation.” https://www.adflegal.org/case/global-impact-ministries-v-city-greensboro
Sadly in NC another prolife person was arrested, “On April 4, former minor league baseball player and former HGTV host David Benham was arrested. David, the chairman of the board for Cites4life in Charlotte, North Carolina, was peacefully praying outside an abortion facility. He and a handful of other volunteers were following COVID-19 social distancing guidelines by not gathering in groups larger than 10 and staying at least six feet away from each other.” https://www.adflegal.org/blog/watch-why-david-benham-and-3-pastors-were-arrested-outside-abortion-clinic
What Can I Do
It is alarming the outright assault on our liberties, including freedom of movement, freedom to go to church, and even the ability to run small businesses. I adjure you my brothers and sisters to pray for our country, to pray for the pandemic to decrease and for the totalitarianism of our officials, elected or appointed to stop.
This control of our movement, worship, commerce, and privacy must end. Speak up, write your elected officials, your senators, your governors, your representatives and tell them what you think. If you do not speak up, our freedom is in jeopardy.
Christ wants us to be free. To be a voice for the voiceless to speak out against tyranny. To be the watchmen on the wall to lead the call and sound your shofar for His righteous cause. God bless you.
“2 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.”
1 Timothy 2:1-3
Arsenal Of The King 