The church where President Trump will host his latest rally since the pandemic has made some bold claims about its facility and coronavirus, and it sounds too good to be true.
Faith leaders for Arizona's Dream City Church -- which has 7 locations, including a Phoenix and Scottsdale location -- hopped online with a promo video hyping up this new technology they say they got their hands on ... which can, allegedly, wipe out nearly 100% of COVID-19 molecules in the air.
DCC's CFO Brendon Zastrow and Pastor Luke Barnett stood shoulder-to-shoulder in this bizarre clip, claiming Clean Air Exp -- an air purification org -- has a way to scientifically zap away 99.9% of the virus that might be floating around while people breathe.
They chalk it up to ionization, which they (and Clean Air EXP) say cluster pollutants in the air and attacks them ... which these fellas claim make it impossible for COVID-19 to live.
Zastrow and Barnett say this air purification system is up and running in their megachurches, and assure us it's safe for people to swing by and worship. The timing is anything short of suspicious -- DT's heading to their Phoenix site Tuesday for another rally.
The CDC hasn't weighed in on the efficacy of Clean Air EXP's method -- it certainly hasn't approved it as effective -- but the company itself is pumping up the claim.
Here's an example of true healing playing out in a very biblical sense -- a group of white police officers and other community members came together to wash their black brother's and sister's feet ... and asked for forgiveness.
Check out this moving scene that was captured Saturday in Cary, North Carolina ... where, during BLM demonstrations, a handful of white folks came together to clean the feet of black religious leaders, while offering a prayer repenting for the sins inflicted on black people at large.
White protesters wash the feet of black protest organizers and beg for forgiveness in Cary, North Carolina. pic.twitter.com/SbZFZjbOLq
There's one man with a megaphone leading the prayer, and he acknowledges there's one race of people ... going on to ask for forgiveness for their white ancestors enslaving, mistreating and oppressing African-Americans.
It was a surprising, yet moving sight to see -- and also very Christ-like. In a week filled with all kinds of images of police run-ins with protesters -- both good and bad -- this one might say the most about the nation's desire for change.
1:11 PM PT -- Al Sharpton just finished giving the eulogy and his words also brought the crowd to their feet. He said, "[George] did not die of common health conditions. He died of a common American criminal justice malfunction." Sharpton also took a shot at President Trump's recent photo-op and urged the Prez -- without ever mentioning his name -- to open the bible instead of using it as a prop. Sharpton said "George Floyd's story has been the story of black folks, because ever since 401 years ago the reason we could never be who we wanted and dreamed to being is because you kept your knee on our neck. It’s time for us to stand up in George's name and say get your knee off our necks."
Sharpton also had a message for the flawed criminal justice system: "We don’t have a problem denouncing violence, Mr governor. We don’t have a problem, Mr. Mayor, denouncing looting. But it seems like some in the criminal justice system have a problem looking at a tape and knowing there’s probable cause and it takes a long time for you to go and do what you see that you need to do."
UPDATE
12:59 PM PT -- Floyd's family remembered George as a magnetic presence regardless of who surrounded him. One said, "When he spoke to people, he made you feel special. They felt like they were the president because that's how he made you feel." They also remembered his big bear hugs. "No matter who you talked to, they all felt special. They never felt left out. He would embrace them. What I'll miss the most about him is his hugs. When he wrapped his arms around you, it felt like your problems would go away." They also talked about how George was a HUUUUGE LeBron James fan.
UPDATE
The lawyer repping Floyd's family, Ben Crump, also gave an inspiring speech that brought everyone to their feet. He invoked the names of those who fell at the hands of injustice ... from Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor to Eric Garner, Stephon Clark and Trayvon Martin. Crump also had these inspiring words justifying peaceful protests, "What we are doing is helping America be America for all Americans."
The first of four services to honor George Floyd is about to get underway in Minneapolis ... and you can follow it live right here.
Thursday's memorial service will begin at 11 AM PT at the Frank J. Lindquist Sanctuary at North Central University. It's a private event to be attended by family, friends and invitees of the Floyd family only.
On Saturday, a public viewing and a private memorial service will be held in Raeford, North Carolina. George was born nearby in Fayetteville, and his sister said "his family would remember him" in the state.
According to Hoke County Sheriff Hubert Peterkin ... no protesting will be allowed at this service. Peterkin said, "The memorial is about the life that Mr. George Floyd lived, and this is a time to embrace the family with expressions of love and kindness."
Finally, on Monday in Houston, there will be a public viewing at The Fountain of Praise Church, followed by a private service Tuesday. Floyd grew up in Houston but left several years ago when he moved to Minnesota.
Of course, Floyd was killed while Minneapolis PD arrested him on May 25. The video of his death -- showing ex-cop Derek Chauvin pressing his knee on Floyd's neck as he pled, "I can't breathe" -- set off a firestorm of outrage. Across the country, protests sprung up ... a few of which escalated to riots and violence.
All 4 Minneapolis PD officers involved in the incident were fired within one day, and 4 days later Chauvin was arrested -- initially charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
On Wednesday, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison added a 2nd-degree murdercharge.
The 3 other ex-cops -- Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Keung and Tou Thao -- were also arrested and charged with felonies ... aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
A housekeeping employee who used to work for the Trump Hotel in Vegas claims she was kept out of church (and on the clock) for years, despite being a devout Christian ... now, she's suing.
The woman's name is Sonia Torres, and according to a lawsuit she just filed against her former bosses in Sin City ... she'd been working in the hotel's housekeeping division without issue for years. That's until a new housekeeping regime came in, and allegedly screwed up her Sunday appointments with God by switching up her schedule.
In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Torres claims she was hired in 2010 with an explicit understanding she would not work Sundays, so she could observe her faith. Torres says management, at the time, said no problemo ... and hired her.
Fast-forward to 2015, and Ms. Torres alleges a new boss started giving her Sundays off to a dude who had less seniority than her. Torres says she complained to her superiors and HR, but nothing changed.
Eventually, she says the issue came to a head, and after talking it out with union reps ... they suggested she go on call for Sundays, but she refused. Torres says she just stopped showing up on Sundays, which got her fired in 2018.
Now, she's suing for religious discrimination and hostile work environment, demanding damages and back pay.
Looks like the outrage over George Floyd's death has trickled over to a part of society that doesn't usually hear about stuff right away -- yes, it's the Amish ... that, or their peaceful brethren.
A group of about 10 people dressed in Amish-esque garb (plain, old-fashioned clothes from the 1800s or something) were spotted out Friday in Minneapolis -- before the latest round of nighttime chaos began -- with signs showing solidarity with George Floyd protesters.
They were singing songs in a chorus together -- possibly hymns -- and a lot of them were holding signs that reflected what a lot of other protesters in town have been shouting at the top of their lungs ... "Justice for George Floyd." One sign said just that -- others read, "I Can't Breathe," "Thou Shall Not Kill Any Man," and "Standing Against Systems of Oppression."
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They were getting rounds of applause from the crowd that had gathered around them, and a lot of surprised reactions online too. Many simply couldn't believe the Amish had even heard about George Floyd -- seeing how they're so isolated and technology-less and all -- which then led to some speculation that these good folks here might not be Amish at all.
Some people are speculating this group might be Mennonites -- which are slightly different from the Amish, in that they're allowed to use basic technology and usually pull up in actual vehicles as opposed to horse-and-cart buggies. Others said the might be mere Quakers.
Whatever guild they claim ... their presence was much appreciated by their fellow Minneapolitans.
Hundreds of Muslims from a mosque in Germany came together for a holiday prayer while maintaining social distancing ... thanks to their friendly neighborhood IKEA.
Muslims all over the world spent the weekend celebrating Eid al-Fitr -- AKA the "Festival of Breaking the Fast," which marks the end of Ramadan -- but for obvious pandemic reasons, gatherings and group prayer for the holy day were more challenging to do safely.
So, a mosque in Wetzlar asked the local IKEA if it could use the store's currently unoccupied parking lot as a community spot for physical-distancing-safe congregating ... and got the green light.
Muslims in Germany asked IKEA if they could use their parking lot to pray, while maintaining distance.
The photo is awesome and proves that old adage ... where there's a will there's a way. Folks online called the event "beautiful," "uplifting" and a "gorgeous sight."
It's also a good lesson for churches here in the U.S. that are trying to convene for services under quarantine rules.
The mosque, IGMG Wetzlar FATIH CAMII, publicly thanked IKEA's management and all the public officials and police officers who helped make "this extraordinary holiday prayer possible."
President Trump's Press Secretary said out loud today ... she senses White House correspondents don't much believe in God, for daring to ask her why the President is defying some governors who do not want churches open this weekend because of the pandemic.
Friday's White House briefing was a s*** show. Trump wants all churches open this weekend, despite the orders from some governors who want them shut because the virus is still out of control in their states.
A reporter dared to ask Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany if Trump was asking people to defy their governors. She dog-whistled for sure -- urging people to follow Trump's direction and go to church -- but would never squarely say her boss wanted people to defy the governors. Fact is, that's exactly what she's saying.
And, then it got real ... you gotta watch the video. When pressed, she mused that it was interesting these reporters wanted houses of worship locked up like a drum, suggesting they were all a bunch of heretics. At least one church-going reporter became indignant.
In case you forgot ... there was a church service not too long ago, where 2 people had the virus, and it spread to 30 people in the congregation.
BTW ... Trump is flip-flopping more than a 50-pound tuna that was just reeled in. A few weeks ago he said everything was up to the governors. Now he's saying defy the governors.
On the subject of houses of worship ... God help us.
A North Carolina man named Jesushas confessed after vandalizing a local church's historic stained glass window ... this according to cops.
Police arrested Jesus Jose Arellano after he used a foot-long sandstone rock to smash a Tiffany glass window at Grace Moravian Church. The stained glass window, which dates back nearly 100 years to 1925, now has a 2-square-foot hole thanks to Jesus.
Cops say Jesus confessed to his sins when he was arrested the day after the vandalism -- in a nearby cemetery, no less. Jesus was charged with injury to real property.
Jesus had to work pretty hard to vandalize the church ... cops say he used the sandstone to break through 6 inches of Plexiglass before smashing the stained glass window.
Neil Ruth, the church's pastor told WXII the Grace Moravian is a symbol of kindness in its Mount Airy community, and he found it odd Jesus would do such a thing.
Ruth says the congregation is upset by the vandalism, but also concerned about Jesus.
A Catholic priest got creative in doling out blessings and holy water around Easter time last month -- and his viral method has since gotten a proper meme treatment ... rightly so.
The guy's name is Father Tim Pelc, hails from Detroit. About a month ago, he was standing outside his church and blasting his parishioners with holy water through a mini squirt gun -- all just to bless their Easter food baskets. It's tradition ... and he kept it alive.
BTW, it was done safely -- Father Pelc stood a good distance away from folks puling up to their makeshift drive-thru and shot water into their vehicles, this while wearing a N95 mask, a plastic face shield and disposable gloves. Hallelujah ... responsible social distancing.
Meanwhile, Father Pelc's photos went viral since he started doing this -- and, naturally, the internet had a field day with the images. Some people featured him on fake movie posters, and we gotta say ... they look pretty legit. We'd go see these flicks -- if we could, that is.
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Crafty online sleuths turned Pelc into an action hero of sorts -- featuring him on posters for 'Doom,' 'The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly' and others. He slides right in perfectly -- guess that'll happen when you play dress-up and horse around like a little kid with toy guns.
Tampa's controversial Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne won't be prosecuted for packing his church during quarantine, because prosecutors think arresting him did the job.
Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren announced Friday his office will not pursue charges against the pastor. Warren says, simply put, it's unnecessary now because Pastor Browne's been socially distancing ever since he got busted.
Warren said the arrest immediately corrected the irresponsible behavior -- "Pastor Howard-Browne has maintained responsible social distancing on his church campus while engaging with community leaders in a dialogue about the best path forward for his congregation."
Call it a slap on the wrist.
As we reported ... Howard-Browne was a wanted man after defying Florida's shelter-at-home orders by holding a Sunday service back in March at his River Church. Not only was the house packed to the gills, but the pastor thumbed his nose at authorities, boasting ... "The only time the church will close is when the Rapture is taking place."
FYI, Florida churches are getting ready to reopen this weekend -- but only at 25% capacity and the congregation must practice social distancing.
Did Mercury coming out of retrograde cost Aaron Judge the rookie home run record?!?!
That's what Pete Alonso's saying ... admitting once the smallest planet in our solar system got back in line last summer -- his bat suddenly woke up from a weeks-long slump!!!
And, yeah ... the Mets superstar is DEAD serious about it!!!
🍪 NEW COOKIE CLUB! 🍪
The bear is IN THE BUILDING. @Pete_Alonso20 joins the show this week to explain his ultimate slump-buster — Mercury coming out of retrograde 🤣
"I saw something on Twitter," Pete said on "The Cookie Club" show this week, "I was in a rabbit hole one night after the game and it's like, 'Mercury is out of retrograde, and if you're born in a certain month, then it really affects you in a negative way and your performance at your job.'"
"And I'm like, 'Oh, Mercury's in retrograde!'" Pete added. "'It comes out of retrograde on this day, and I can't wait for that!' And, that day was probably like five days away."
Sure enough, Pete says as soon as that day hit on the calendar -- he went BERSERK at the plate ... and his teammates laughed their faces off over it all!!
"He came in the locker room screaming it," Mets stud Dominic Smith said. "'Mercury's out of retrograde!' And we're looking around like, 'What does that even mean?!'"
Smith added, "And, I was just like, 'Whatever, Pete's back!' And, I'm telling you, he went off! Like I couldn't believe it!"
FYI, Alonso used that game and about three dozen more following it to ultimately break Judge's rookie home run record ... finishing with 53 jacks in one season.
As for Alonso repeating that feat in 2020 ... he seems confident he's got the skills to do it -- although Mercury is set to go in retrograde from June 18 to July 12.
Two huge stars are joining forces to raise money for Holocaust survivors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic ... by kicking your ass into shape!
NFL star Julian Edelmanand NBA Hall of FamerIsiah Thomas have signed on to teach a Trooper Fitness virtual workout class to raise money for the 333 Charity and UJA-Federation.
The orgs say all proceeds will go toward providing meals for Holocaust survivors living in New York who are unable to leave their homes due to the health crisis.
"There are 36,000 Holocaust survivors living in the New York area, 40% of whom are living in poverty," 333 says.
Isiah Thomas explained his decision to join the event to Page Six ... saying, "Watching New York and the rest of the world get hit by the COVID-19 pandemic has been extremely difficult."
"Myself and my family are happy to work with 333 Charity and other organizations on Giving Tuesday to support meal deliveries for Holocaust survivors living in poverty during this difficult time."
The class -- $20 per person -- will take place over Zoom beginning at 3:30 PM PT.
"Pitch Perfect" star Skylar Astin will also participate along with "Real Housewives" star Dolores Catania.
There probably is a limit to what Pastor Tony Spell can get away with, but for now ... he's still collecting stimulus dough from parishioners while dodging jail.
The infamous leader of the Life Tabernacle Church in Louisiana tells TMZ ... since April 19 when his "stimulus challenge" began, 205 people have given at least a portion of their stimulus checks to his church.
We're told this includes parishioners as well as outsiders who don't belong to Life Tabernacle. Spell would not reveal how much cash he's hauled in from these folks.
We did the math, out of curiosity, though, and if each donor gave the typical tithe of 10% of the max stimulus amount of $1,200 -- that's $24,600 for Tony. Granted, it could be less or a lot more. He seemed to be encouraging donors to give their full checks ... as he claims he did.
As we reported ... Spell's been urging folks to give their stimulus dough away to all evangelists who can't pass the offering plate during the pandemic shutdowns.
Of course, that doesn't really apply to Spell because he's not been abiding by the Governor's stay-at-home order. Not only is he still holding services where he can take offerings, but he's also disobeying a judge's order to home confinement due to his recent arrest.
Tony tells us that's not going to change this Sunday either ... he's planning on leading another church service. He says he had 800 people attend last week (though it looks like he added a zero based on video) and expects a bigger turnout this time.
Spell says he knows he's in direct contempt of the court when he leaves his house to go to his church, but adds ... "The Bible commands us to go."
However, Spell tells us he will not be participating in his church's protest of stay-at-home orders Saturday outside the Governor's mansion. He says, "I do not want federal agents to pick me up when I am off the premises of my property." For the record, it would be local cops, not feds ... but ya get his drift.
Spell's willing to risk it to go to church though, and for now, he's suffered very few consequences.
An Illinois church and its pastor believe the Governor is treating them like second-class citizens during the coronavirus pandemic ... and they're suing to open back up.
Pastor Stephen Cassell and The Beloved Church of Lena, Illinois are going after Gov. Jay Pritzker over the state's stay-at-home orders, claiming places of worship are "no less 'essential' than its liquor stores to the health and well-being of its residents."
Cassell says that under Pritzker's current stay-at-home order, his prayer and worship services are off-limits because religious nonprofits are only essential when they provide food, shelter, and social services for needy people.
Cassell also claims Pritzker's declaration that churches are non-essential businesses "reeks of rank bigotry."
The church wants the court to step in and find the Governor's order of shutting down churches unconstitutional.
According to the docs ... the church believes this violates the constitutional rights to free exercise of religion, free speech and freedom of assembly.
Cassell adds that he and his parishioners are "fully willing to comply with proper constitutional guidelines ... but they cannot abide by an indefinite shut down of their church."
He's asking for an order to keep the Governor and government officials from interfering with church business and let them be.
The pastor adds the orders rest on "shaky legal grounds," but the Governor is trying to enforce them and extend them to the end of May and possibly beyond ... and they've had enough.
The church plans to reopen and hold a public worship service Sunday.
What the Pastor doesn't address ... how bad it would be if congregants pass the virus along to one another and then they go home, infect others and they die.
Pastor Tony Spell should be thrown in jail for brazenly and outrageously violating a judge's stay-at-home order and conducting his Sunday service -- actually, his stay-at-home order is really house arrest -- but he's not going to jail.
As we showed you, Spell showed up and falsely claimed his congregations were practicing social distancing -- in fact, the video clearly shows the congregants were packed in. Spell also displayed his ankle bracelet as an act of defiance to the judge who ordered him to wear it after getting arrested for allegedly trying to run over a protester.
Now, here's what's really shocking. The judge could have cited Spell for contempt of court and changed his mailing address to the county jail, but he didn't do that. The judge is worried that Spell might infect the prisoners who are currently in jail, so Tony gets a pass.
The judge wrote, "in consideration of the involuntary population at the parish prison ... to avoid the exposure of this captive population to the defendant [Spell]; instead of his remand to jail until an indefinite date, the conditions previously set on his bond will remain the same."
So, in other words, Spell just goes home and stays on house arrest, until next Sunday when he'll probably defy the judge again.
The judge did say further violations will be addressed, but you gotta assume the same situation will exist next Sunday as well. There will still be prisoners who would be put at risk if Spell ends up behind bars.
The judge also said he didn't have jurisdiction over the congregation. By saying that, the judge is clearly saying they were acting recklessly as well, but nothing hizzoner can do.
Reverend Tony Spell is flirting with death yet again ... because he's defied authorities again and jammed people into his church ... despite being on house arrest.
Spell displayed his ankle bracelet to his congregation, saying it was a cryin' shame that people have to "hide." Unlike most responsible religious leaders he has not been performing services virtually.
Shockingly, Spell blurted out that his congregation is practicing social distancing because if they were not self-quarantined in the same house they were told not to touch. That's NOT social distancing. It means PHYSICALLY being at least 6-feet away, which they weren't.
As for that pesky problem that Spell was arrested for allegedly trying to run over a protester and placed on home confinement ... well, Baton Rouge Central Police Chief Roger Corcoran tells TMZ, "It will now be up to a judge on whether he's picked up or not, and what his punishment will be."
One thing's clear ... Spell will continue defying the law, doctors and scientists as he puts his entire congregation at risk, in a state where the coronavirus has exploded and caused misery and death.
Chief Corcoran says ... "It's a blatant disrespect to the law and to the judge's order. It's further proof Tony Spell is out for himself and has no respect for the law."
And, it gets bats**t crazier ... there's a protest scheduled Monday outside the PD to protest the "unconstitutional arrest of Tony Spell" ... organized by TV evangelist Joshua Feuerstein.
It's not as simple as saying if they want to die then that's their right, because as we learned in other states ... one massive event like spring break or even a funeral can cause a cataclysmic outbreak.
