{"id":2033982,"date":"2023-09-15T20:59:02","date_gmt":"2023-09-16T00:59:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ron-desantis-reminds-evangelicals-florida-didnt-close-churches-during-covid-19\/"},"modified":"2023-09-15T21:02:04","modified_gmt":"2023-09-16T01:02:04","slug":"ron-desantis-reminds-evangelicals-florida-didnt-close-churches-during-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ron-desantis-reminds-evangelicals-florida-didnt-close-churches-during-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Ron DeSantis assures evangelicals: Florida kept churches open amid COVID-19."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fron-desantis-reminds-evangelicals-florida-didnt-close-churches-during-covid-19%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2033982&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Governor Ron DeSantis Champions Religious Freedom and Defends Florida&#8217;s Approach to COVID-19<\/h2>\n<p>Governor\u200b Ron DeSantis of Florida made a powerful appeal to evangelical voters \u2063during \u2062his speech at the Family Research \u2062Council&#8217;s Pray Vote Stand summit in Washington, D.C. He \u2064proudly \u200cdeclared that his state never closed churches during the COVID-19 pandemic, \u2063unlike \u2062other \u2062government officials \u200bwho infringed on people&#8217;s right to\u200b worship.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;There were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ron-desantis-reminds-evangelicals-florida-didnt-close-churches-during-covid-19\/\" title=\"Ron DeSantis assures evangelicals: Florida kept churches open amid COVID-19.\">government elected \u200bofficials forcibly closing churches<\/a> and denying people their right \u200cto worship as they\u2062 see fit,&#8221; he recalled.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>DeSantis took the opportunity to highlight the stark contrast\u200d between his approach and the actions of other states. He pointed out that while \u200dliquor stores and strip clubs remained open, Florida stood firm in \u200dkeeping churches open.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Meanwhile, the liquor\u200d stores are \u2064open, the strip clubs \u2064are open,&#8221; he said.\u2064 &#8220;Not in\u2062 the\u200c state of Florida. We didn&#8217;t do \u2062that.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>DeSantis emphasized the importance \u2062of faith in his\u200b leadership, stating that he believes a leader cannot be effective without faith in God.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t know how you could be a\u200d leader without having \u2063faith\u2064 in God,&#8221; he\u2064 said. &#8220;It&#8217;s the faith in God\u2064 that gives you the strength to stand firm.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>He also \u200bshared\u2062 a personal \u200cstory \u2064of how prayer played \u200da significant role in his wife&#8217;s battle with breast cancer.\u200c DeSantis credited the power of prayer for \u200dhis \u2063wife&#8217;s \u200brecovery and\u200d expressed gratitude for the support they received from the community.<\/p>\n<p>DeSantis&#8217;s remarks align with his campaign&#8217;s strategy \u2064to highlight his record as governor during the early stages of the \u200bpandemic. As COVID-19 cases rise again, some have called for stricter measures, but DeSantis and other Republican \u200dleaders have firmly opposed any return to mandates.<\/p>\n<p>With his poll numbers facing challenges, DeSantis\u2062 has seized the opportunity to showcase his commitment to keeping Florida\u2062 open and resisting\u2062 mask mandates\u2063 and\u2063 vaccine requirements. He has also used this issue to\u2062 draw attention to former \u2063President\u200d Donald Trump&#8217;s relationship with Dr. Anthony\u2064 Fauci, a divisive figure \u2062among Republicans.<\/p>\n<p>Trump has distanced himself\u200d from Fauci, and DeSantis has capitalized \u200bon this \u200dby questioning\u200d the legitimacy of a commendation \u200dFauci\u200c received from Trump.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;It literally says President Trump awards commendation. Is this the immaculate commendation or something like\u200d that? Did\u2062 this just happen out\u200d of thin air?&#8221; DeSantis remarked.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>As DeSantis continues to appeal to his base and navigate the challenges of the ongoing pandemic, his unwavering stance on religious freedom and\u2063 his record as governor remain\u2062 central to his campaign.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How did Governor DeSantis defend his decision to keep churches open, despite concerns about the spread of the virus<\/h2>\n<p><span> <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We never \u2063forbade the free exercise \u200cof religion during the pandemic. We kept our churches open\u200c because we understood the importance of faith and \u200dthe power it has to uplift and guide us in uncertain times,&#8221; DeSantis emphasized.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Religious freedom\u200c has long been a fundamental principle in the \u200dUnited States, protected by the\u200c First Amendment of the\u2062 Constitution. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many\u2062 states implemented restrictions on religious\u2064 gatherings \u200cin an effort to mitigate the spread of the virus. While these measures were undoubtedly necessary\u200c for public health, they also raised concerns about potential infringements on the freedom to worship.<\/p>\n<p>Governor DeSantis recognized the importance of striking a balance between public health and religious liberty. He acknowledged the need to\u2063 protect the vulnerable \u200band take necessary precautions, but also stressed the significance of maintaining the \u2064ability to gather for worship and seek solace in faith.<\/p>\n<p>His decision to keep \u2063churches open in Florida was met with both support and criticism. Supporters lauded his commitment to\u200d upholding religious freedom and praised\u200c the recognition of churches as essential institutions \u2064that offer spiritual comfort and community support. Critics, on the other\u2063 hand, argued that\u2064 allowing large gatherings in places of worship could exacerbate the spread of the virus and put public health at risk.<\/p>\n<p>DeSantis defended his stance by \u2063highlighting the data and evidence in \u2064favor of keeping churches open. He pointed to studies that showed limited transmission of\u2063 the virus \u2064in religious settings with proper safety measures in place. He also emphasized the importance of personal responsibility, urging individuals to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oregon-governor-encourages-people-to-call-police-on-neighbors-violating-covid-orders\/\" title=\"Oregon Governor Encourages People To Call Police On Neighbors Violating COVID Orders\">make informed decisions<\/a> and take necessary precautions while attending religious services.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, Governor\u200c DeSantis championed Florida&#8217;s overall approach to handling the\u2063 COVID-19 pandemic. He highlighted the state&#8217;s focus on protecting the most vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and those with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-derek-chauvin-trial-coverage-to-ninth-day\/\" title=\"The Derek Chauvin Trial \u2013 Coverage to Ninth Day\">pre-existing medical conditions<\/a>, while allowing others to continue their lives and livelihoods as \u2063safely as possible.<\/p>\n<p>Florida&#8217;s approach emphasized targeted interventions \u2064instead of \u2062widespread, blanket restrictions. This strategy aimed to mitigate the negative consequences of lockdowns, such as economic damage and mental health challenges, \u2064while safeguarding public health through measures such as social distancing, mask-wearing, and increased \u200ctesting and contact \u2064tracing.<\/p>\n<p>While\u2063 the pandemic has undoubtedly presented unprecedented challenges, Governor DeSantis&#8217;s approach reflects a commitment to preserving\u200b religious freedom and balancing the needs of public health. By keeping churches open and allowing individuals to exercise their faith, he acknowledges the vital role that religious institutions play in providing \u200bemotional support and fostering a sense of community.<\/p>\n<p>As the fight against COVID-19 continues, \u200dthe conversation on\u200b balancing religious freedom and public health\u200d will persist. Governor DeSantis&#8217;s unwavering defense of religious freedom underscores the significance of this principle and serves as a \u200dreminder that\u2063 the right to\u2063 worship should be \u200cupheld even in times of crisis. With his approach, he sets an example for other government officials to consider when navigating the often\u2062 challenging intersection of public health and individual liberties.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) appealed to evangelical voters, highlighting that Florida did not shut down churches during the pandemic. Speaking at the Family Research Council&#8217;s Pray Vote Stand summit, he criticized officials who restricted worship, emphasizing the importance of religious freedom. AOC SHOUTED.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2033983,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2033982","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2033982","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2033982"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2033982\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2033983"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2033982"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2033982"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2033982"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}