VOA慢速英语--宗教聚会在COVID-19危机中是否“必不可少”？

Some Americans have strong opinions about attending religious services during the coronavirus health crisis.

"I don't give a rat's tail who John Bel Edwards thinks is essential and who isn't," said Tricia Slaughter¹. She attends Life Tabernacle Church in Baton² Rouge³, Louisiana.

John Bel Edwards is Louisiana's governor. He announced a stay-at-home order for the state on March 23. The order remains⁴ in effect. It limits the operation of businesses and other activities that government and health officials consider nonessential.

Of all the activities restricted, religious services have been among the most debated.

Louisiana joined more than two-thirds of the 50 states in barring or substantially restricting in-person religious services to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Edwards has limited the number of people permitted at such services to 10.

Many religious groups across the United States have temporarily moved to online services. Still, some people argue that the restrictions⁵ violate their Constitutional guarantee of religious freedom.

Among them is Tony Spell, who leads the Life Tabernacle Church. He continues to hold weekly in-person services with hundreds of followers⁶. The clergyman has been placed under house arrest for violating the order.

Many religious Americans sympathize with the desire to gather and pray together. But they also worry that churches like Life Tabernacle are unnecessarily putting the public at risk.

"Surely there's a way to worship without sacrificing the wellness of the world," said Amanda Pitts of Texas. She has attended online services with her church since the coronavirus pandemic began.

But Tricia Slaughter says it is Life Tabernacle's in-person services that have kept her and other members well during the health crisis.

What is essential?

Slaughter's defense⁷ of her church's right to hold services is more personal than a debate about the U.S. Constitution.

Slaughter said she suffers from drug dependency. She said she turned to Alcoholics⁹ Anonymous¹⁰ to end her dependency, but it did not work for her.

"I told Pastor¹¹ Spell all of this," she said, adding, "and he told me, ‘You are welcome here.'"

For three years, Slaughter went to Sunday morning services, but she says her worry about COVID-19 makes her fearful she will return to alcohol. So, she started attending additional services at the church.

"I never imagined I'd live a day without vodka, but now my family at Life Tabernacle is helping¹² me stay sober during a very difficult time," she said.

Slaughter says she has nothing against those who enjoy online religious services. But she says that method might not meet the needs of the weakest.

Health risks

Many people say, however, that the larger public health risks should outweigh¹³ individual desires.

Yuria Orihuela attends church in Miami, Florida. The state's government has removed major restrictions on attending religious services. But Orihuela's church, like many others in the state and country, has decided¹⁴ to continue with online-only services for now.

She says she would not attend in-person services, even if her church offered them.

"To put yourself and your family in danger, when scientists are telling you it isn't wise, is being careless and uncaring, or simply ignorant," she said. "I think it would be an irresponsible choice."

Since the pandemic began, the virus has infected worshippers at several religious centers. For example, more than 40 people developed signs of COVID-19 after attending a March 15 service in Illinois.

And in Virginia, a clergyman died of the disease after holding in-person services in late-March.

Slaughter says Life Tabernacle is not ignoring the risks of COVID-19. She says she knows of nine church members who have the disease. The East Baton Rouge Coroner's Office confirms one member died of COVID-19.

"The media is creating this story of us being careless or rebellious," said another Life Tabernacle Church member, Courtney Tobias. She added, "...but that's not true."

Tobias said church members have their temperature taken before they enter the building. She said members are asked to wear face masks, clean their hands and to sit only with their family. She said many of the older members have chosen not to attend for a while.

"This is something we are taking seriously," she said.

Online services not available to all

Tobias says a lot of Life Tabernacle members lack the technology to make online services work. Slaughter knows the truth of this.

"I don't have high-speed internet or a smartphone," she said.

Many members don't have cars either. Life Tabernacle has 27 buses it sends around the area to take people to church each Sunday. Members say it would not be possible to organize the transportation for 10-person services.

Jen Olano of New Orleans, Louisiana, has enjoyed her church's online services and says her Bible study meets online also. She says it angers her to see people going against the stay-at-home order.

However, she thinks the issue can be complex, especially for those seeking church to better their mental health condition.

"You wouldn't deny a cancer patient treatment during coronavirus," she said.

Tobias says she understands that governments are trying to balance the health needs of all their citizens, but she agrees with Slaughter that some government policies are questionable¹⁵.

"They're making it so hard for me to go to the place I need to fight my alcoholism," Slaughter said. "But do you know where they make it really easy for me to go? The liquor store. The liquor store is considered essential."

I'm Caty Weaver¹⁶.

Words in This Story

essential -adj. extremely important and necessary

worship -v. to honor or respect (someone or something) as a god

pandemic -n. an occurrence in which a disease spreads very quickly and affects a large number of people over a wide area or throughout the world

vodka -n. a strong, clear alcoholic⁸ drink that is originally from Russia

sober -adj. free of alcohol or drugs

mask -n. a covering used to cover your mouth and nose to prevent disease spread

liquor -n. a strong alcoholic drink

1 slaughter   

n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀

参考例句：

• I couldn't stand to watch them slaughter the cattle.我不忍看他们宰牛。
• Wholesale slaughter was carried out in the name of progress.大规模的屠杀在维护进步的名义下进行。

2 baton   

n.乐队用指挥杖

参考例句：

• With the baton the conductor was beating time.乐队指挥用指挥棒打拍子。
• The conductor waved his baton,and the band started up.指挥挥动指挥棒，乐队开始演奏起来。

3 rouge   

n.胭脂，口红唇膏；v.(在…上)擦口红

参考例句：

• Women put rouge on their cheeks to make their faces pretty.女人往面颊上涂胭脂，使脸更漂亮。
• She didn't need any powder or lip rouge to make her pretty.她天生漂亮，不需要任何脂粉唇膏打扮自己。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

6 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

7 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

8 alcoholic   

adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者

参考例句：

• The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
• Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。

9 Alcoholics   

n.嗜酒者，酒鬼( alcoholic的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Many alcoholics go on drinking sprees that continue for days at a time. 许多酒鬼一次要狂饮好几天。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Do you have a copy of the Alcoholics Anonymous book? 你手上有戒酒匿名会的书吗？ 来自互联网

10 anonymous   

adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的

参考例句：

• Sending anonymous letters is a cowardly act.寄匿名信是懦夫的行为。
• The author wishes to remain anonymous.作者希望姓名不公开。

11 pastor   

n.牧师，牧人

参考例句：

• He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
• We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

12 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

13 outweigh   

vt.比...更重，...更重要

参考例句：

• The merits of your plan outweigh the defects.你制定的计划其优点胜过缺点。
• One's merits outweigh one's short-comings.功大于过。

14 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

15 questionable   

adj.可疑的，有问题的

参考例句：

• There are still a few questionable points in the case.这个案件还有几个疑点。
• Your argument is based on a set of questionable assumptions.你的论证建立在一套有问题的假设上。

16 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。