Christian Meetings
The bible says: "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." - Hebrews 10: 24-25
Christians are biblically exhorted to gather together, to sing songs of praise, to hear a reading from the word of God, to listen to a helpful message on what it says, and to pray with one another and for one another.
When governments have banned Christians from worshipping together, it's struck at the very heart of Christian life. Jesus taught us to pray "Our Father" - not "my Father". There's meant to be lateral and vertical relationship to living as Christians. Jesus taught us that people should know we're His disciples by how we love each other.
Please check out some articles linked to below, on the importance of meeting together.
So what does this mean?
This means, that preventing, prohibiting and banning Christians from meeting together is a most egregious restriction on the fundamental human right to freedom of worship.
Coupled with the drastic increase of online censorship, deletions and restrictions, this would all seem to be violating long-held western ideals, as espoused in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, which says this:
Article 18 - Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Article 19 - Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Article 20 - Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
What can I do?
One thing you could do, is sign Cauldron Pool's Ezekiel Declaration, petitioning the Australian Federal government against banning unvaccinated people from Christian meetings, and advocating for the importance of Christian meetings for people's mental health.
Over 3,000 church leaders and 24.9k church members have already signed.