A Pennsylvania pastor says he is planning to organize a “Woodstock”-like Easter service to protest stay-at-home orders made to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Evangelist Jonathan Shuttlesworth announced Tuesday on social media that he’s going to hold an “Easter blowout service” that won’t be online. “A national gathering. You come from all over, like Woodstock. And we’re gonna gather and lift up Jesus Christ,” Pittsburgh’s CBS affiliate reported.
The Rodney Howard-Browne Tribute Special https://t.co/uSe5qrFvdd
— Jonathan Shuttlesworth (@JDShuttlesworth) April 1, 2020
Shuttlesworth is based in Washington County, which is near Pittsburgh, and co-founded Revival Today TV. Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf placed all of Pennsylvania under a stay-at-home order Wednesday, Fox 29 reported.
Shuttlesworth has been a vocal critic of coronavirus prevention efforts like the shuttering of churches, and suggested in early March that Catholicism is a “fraud” when Catholic churches began removing holy water to prevent coronavirus contamination.
“Catholic Church not having holy water in the lobby — how holy is the water then?” he said in his video. “That should be a sign to you that your whole religion’s a fraud. Any faith that doesn’t work in real life is a fake faith. Totally fake.”
Right-wing evangelist Jonathan Shuttlesworth has no time for “loser” pastors who are canceling services because of the coronavirus, saying they should instead be holding mass gatherings to demonstrate the power of their faith. pic.twitter.com/XNXJ89AE32
— Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) March 11, 2020
He continued, adding that every European church that shut down is a “bunch of sissies” and should “burn your church down.”
“Shame on every European full gospel church, bunch of sissies, that shut down during this thing,” Shuttlesworth said. “If you’re putting out pamphlets and telling everybody to use Purell before they come into the sanctuary and don’t greet anyone, you should just turn in your ministry credentials and burn your church down — turn it into a casino or something,” he said on social media. “You’re a loser. Bunch of pansies. No balls. Got neutered somewhere along the line and don’t even realize it.”
His announcement follows the arrests of several other pastors in the U.S. who have defied coronavirus social-distancing orders and held church services. (RELATED: Florida Sheriff Issues Arrest Warrant For Pastor Who Refused To Cancel Services)