Six Reason I'm Not Going Back to Church in Person Yet

I've seen a lot of posts from people who are very concerned about going back to church at this point because there's absolutely nothing substantial that will prevent the spread of contagion there. I not only support you, I'm here to add fuel to your fire. I wouldn't go back to church right now even if you paid me.


 Reason 1: My church building has not been cleaned in months. It probably won't be cleaned before services begin. And even if it is, the lackadaisical cleaning crews of volunteers will not maintain the sanitary conditions required to prevent contagion from spreading.

Reason 2: At 99 spots in sacrament meeting, those spots should be reserved for single women, widows, and the fatherless who have no other access to the sacrament in their homes. There's no reason for families who can bless and pass their own sacrament to take those spots.

Reason 3: There is no rule saying I cannot continue to do home church whenever I need to. Especially if it's better for my mental health or personal circumstances. Home church works better for me? Then I'm going to keep doing it, through the pandemic and beyond.

Reason 4: I don't need to justify my absence from a building to anyone. Go back and read Alma 32. God doesn't need a church building or a formal meeting to reach out and bless my life. I'm not going to make the mistake of believing otherwise.

Reason 5: The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. I don't come from a family who doesn't get that. I'm not filled with guilt and complexes any time I miss church for any reason, no matter how valid. There is no perfect attendance award for church.

Reason 6: I fundamentally disagree with church membership in states like Idaho, whose infection rates are allegedly "relatively low," being used as guinea pigs to test drive what reopening the Church could look like everywhere else.       

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