Moscow?

In an age of rancor and conflict, we find that the Bible has wise words to say in James chapter 4 about dialing things down and seeking to serve others rather than subvert them. It states: 

1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?
2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

We can ask ourselves if we seek to lead and influence others using the philosophies of the world, which is predicated on exalting self and winning at all costs?  Or of the Kingdom of God, which emphasizes exalting God and others and losing in order to glorify God?  In an age where so many seek power and control, we have to make sure that we are seeking the correct virtues - not in attempting to control the lives of other people in an unhealthy way so they will do what we want. 

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In 1st Peter 5, church leaders are addressed; but this principle of leadership, I think, can work in a variety of settings - in an age of authorities who use their position to control others in an authoritarian manner, some humility is in order. We can read these verses:
2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

It was the fall of 2020 in Moscow.  A group gathered - outdoors - in the parking lot of the city government headquarters, in the midst of COVID lockdowns for what is called a "psalm sing."  It was organized by a local church. Then the trouble began; as one of the participants in the event, named Gabriel, posted a press release on Twitter that said:

Many around the country were outraged by the decision of MPD to arrest peaceful protestors, while others raged at Christ Church for behaving, they believed, unlawfully and unsafely. Since that time, Christ Church has proven to have been right about the flawed science behind Moscow’s COVID orders, and now they have proven to have been right on the law as well. Their psalm sing was constitutionally protected “expressive and associative conduct” and officers did not even have grounds to ask for the ID of participants, let alone make arrests.

You may have been thinking I am talking about Moscow in Russia. But, I'm not - this occurred in the city of Moscow - Idaho - in the United States of America!

FoxNews.com reported that following their arrest, Gabriel Rench and two others, Sean and Rachel Bohnet, filed a lawsuit against the city "that alleged their rights under the First and Fourth Amendments were violated when they were arrested at an outdoor 'psalm sing' conducted by leaders from their church in September 2020."

The article goes on to say:

Rench and the others were charged with violating the city's repeatedly extended health ordinance, which carved out exemptions for activities protected under the U.S. Constitution and the Idaho State Constitution, including religious activity.

Fox reports:

A magistrate judge later dismissed the city's case against them, and U.S. District Court Judge Morrison C. England, Jr., wrote in his Feb. 1, 2023 memorandum and order denying the city's motion to dismiss that the "plaintiffs should never have been arrested in the first place, and the constitutionality of what the City thought [its] code said is irrelevant."

"Somehow, every single City official involved overlooked the exclusionary language [of constitutionally protected behavior] in the Ordinance," the judge further wrote.

Now comes the announcement that the insurance provider for Moscow, the Idaho Counties Risk Management Program (ICRMP) has settled with the plaintiffs - in a press release it said that it "will pay a total settlement amount of $300,000 and all claims against the City and the named City employees will be dismissed with prejudice along with a release of all liability..." The press release said this action "provides closure of a matter related to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and the City’s efforts to protect the public during an exceptionally trying time."

Gabriel Rench is quoted on Twitter as saying:

“I am glad this shameful saga is over, but unfortunately at a high cost to the city taxpayers. I estimate that the city spent about $500,000 of city resources on this fight, including the mediated settlement. I came to Moscow in 2002 to attend University of Idaho and have witnessed consistent religious discrimination to my church and members of the Christian community by the city of Moscow and the liberal cult that surrounds their agenda. To make matters worse, they are continuing to harass members of the Christian community by the ongoing legal harassment of what is now known as Stickergate. The city knew they were going to lose my case, so they decided to target high school kids protesting my arrest for posting free speech stickers on city poles. Why were these high school kids the only ones cited with 12 misdemeanors and not the thousands of others who also posted similar stickers? I think we all know the answer to that. It is sad that we have to appeal to the legal system outside of the City of Moscow to get real justice”

Liberty Counsel reports that "Rench states about half of the settlement will cover legal costs and about $150,000 will be donated to persecuted Christians."

The attempt to regulate the behavior of citizens during the COVID era has revealed an authoritarian bent by some in authority.  In the quest to exercise power and control, those precious commodities were handled irresponsibly.  It's symptomatic of the human condition, and each of us has to be so careful that we don't use what God has bestowed on us in a manner that does not reflect Him. 

While self-control is listed among the fruit of the Spirit, that doesn't mean we are to exercise control over others in a selfish manner. Self-control means that we live controlled, disciplined lives under the authority of the Holy Spirit.  Christian growth occurs as we recognize who is truly in control and submit ourselves to the authority of our God whom we serve.  We are not to become authoritarian in our approach to others - and that is a word of warning to those who are in leadership - but we are called to submit to God and demonstrate a willingness to lead by serving Him and serving those whom we are called to lead. 

The Moscow, Idaho debacle was a failure of leadership.  The desire to protect citizens from the spread of COVID led to what we now see was faulty decision-making.  And, it gave people an opportunity to flex their authoritarian muscles.  It revealed the absolute worst in leadership, and should send a message to those in authority that they have a massive responsibility and should use it wisely.  Believers in Christ can also be challenged to be responsible with what God has granted to us.