Arson Suspected in Razing of Mississippi Church That Defied Virus Lockdown

Tensions are high in America these days; this much is undeniable.  We are living in an unprecedented time, as a global pandemic has blossomed into a horrid political battle that threatens to tear our nation apart in ways that we never imagined were possible.

For some, the threat posed by COVID-19 is very real.  This is still a highly contagious illness, and it has already decimated a number of nursing homes and assisted living facilities, where the elderly and immunocompromised are gathered in close proximity.

For others, however, the more worrisome threat of this pandemic is the prolonged economic shutdown that we continue to endure on account of the need for social distancing.

Those who have railed against these “lockdowns” may not be overly fearful of the virus, but that doesn’t meant that they have nothing to worry about...especially as Americans grow ever more politically perturbed.

A church in Mississippi burned down this week and the incident is now being investigated as arson, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to CBS News First Pentecostal Church in Holly Springs had previously defied stay-at-home orders to open for services, and the church even sued the city of Holly Springs for trying to shut down a Bible study gathering.

Investigators said they found graffiti on the church property reading: “Bet you stay home now you hypokrites.”

“I am heartbroken and furious,” Governor Tate Reeves tweeted on Thursday, sharing a photo of the now-destroyed First Pentecostal Church. “In Mississippi, a church was just burned to the ground. They had been trying to open services.”

The news came just hours ahead of a statement by President Donald Trump in which the Commander in Chief declared that houses of worship are “essential” establishments, allowing them the same ability to reopen as a grocery store or other necessary business.