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<ul><li><keyword id="11585629" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Baptist-Christian-Hospital">Baptist Christian Hospital</keyword> has integrated Qure.ai’s <keyword id="107950" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="20" keywordseo="artificial-intelligence">artificial intelligence</keyword> solution to read brain CT scans in a matter of seconds.</li><li>About 150 people are affected by strokes in Assam every day and 54,890 on a yearly basis.</li><li>Baptist Christian Hospital has been using the technology since March-April 2021 and has been diagnosing about 100 patients on a monthly basis.</li></ul> Nestled in the foothills of Himalayas, the Baptist Christian Hospital, in the Tezpur town of Assam, decided to move away from its traditional radiology solution in order to provide faster treatment to its patients affected by strokes and concussions. The hospital, which largely caters to the tea plantation workers in and around the town, has integrated Qure.ai’s artificial intelligence solution since then to read the brain CT scan in a matter of seconds. <div type="image" title="A small hospital in a remote corner of Assam is using AI to detect strokes in tea planters" msid="84194124" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Baptist Christian Hospital in Tezpur, Assam&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Not many are aware, but strokes are one of the <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/health/haemorrhagic-stroke-rate-highest-in-india-s-northeastern-states/story-2A4TFEVpDvE34HAgqMaDLP.html">major causes</a> of death in the Assamese region. About 150 people are affected by strokes in Assam every day and 54,890 on a yearly basis, according to a<a href="https://www.sentinelassam.com/guwahati-city/stroke-affects-54890-every-year-in-assam-gnrc/"> study</a> released by a local hospital GNRC in 2018. One of its previous <a href="https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/48-die-of-stroke-daily-in-assam-study/cid/1626782">reports</a> published in 2014 highlighted that 48 people die of these strokes in the state. The situation is definitely a tough one in the region and it is aggravated due to the lack of radiologists — medical practitioners who use medical imaging to diagnose and treat diseases on the scene. According to a Global Healthcare Insights <a href="https://globalhealthi.com/2017/04/20/medical-imaging-india/">report </a>published in 2017, there are about 10,000 practicing radiologists in India and it is not enough. Prashant <keyword id="1967905" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Warrier">Warrier</keyword>, co-founder and chief executive of Qure.ai, tells Business Insider that India has about 15,000 radiologists as of 2021 and they are usually concentrated in the metro or Tier I cities. This leads to people from suburban areas to either travel long distances to go to a healthcare facility or hospitals to rely on third-party radiologists. Both these solutions are not only inconvenient, but also not efficient. Dr. Jemin J Webster of the Baptist Christian Hospital highlights that they used to rely on tele-radiology services that took about two hours to get readings of routine scans and about half-an-hour to one hour to get reading on emergency cases. While the doctors too are self sufficient to handle such delays, but a quick reading can make a huge difference. The matters related to strokes and concussions are highly sensitive, as millions of brain cells are dying per minute. Even a delay of a few minutes can cause body functions like walking or talking to shut down. Therefore, Qure.ai decided to integrate its qER technology in Baptist Christian Hospital, a 130-bed secondary care hospital by non-profit Emmanuel Hospital Association of New Delhi. How does the qER actually work? Warrier expl<keyword id="6355999" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ai">ai</keyword>ned that there are two parts to their artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled deep learning solution — the gateway and the application programming interface (API). The gateway are the x-ray machines and the computed tomography (CT) scan machines that collect the inputs from the healthcare centres and transfer it to the cloud. The API, then, scans, processes and creates a radiology report based on their algorithm. Notably, the company anonymises all the data before sending it from gateway to API to maintain users’ privacy. Baptist Christian Hospital has been using the technology since March-April 2021 and has been diagnosing about 100 patients on a monthly basis. Dr Webster noted that the technology has enabled them to get the test results much faster. “The report comes through two systems. One our original PACS system, a system through which we see whatever CT images we have done within our hospitals. The analysed reports are uploaded into the system also, and one more good thing is that they have integrated with messaging app Telegram. So whenever a CT for a patient is done, it comes with an alert on Telegram. In that manner, it is like you are pushing a patient for CT scan and by the time they are back, you get an alert on your phone with an analysis on their condition.” <div type="image" title="A small hospital in a remote corner of Assam is using AI to detect strokes in tea planters" msid="84194183" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;AI at Baptist Christian Hospital&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Dr. Pooja Rao, co-founder and head of research and development (R&amp;D) at Qure.ai, emphasised that the data is accurate. The company has trained their deep learning algorithms with a large as well as diverse data bank sourced from research labs. The company also publishes its accuracy rate on a regular basis, peer review publications and keeps updating its technology often. Qure.ai has received US’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Europe’s CE certifications to validate this technology. Qure.ai has been using the same technology, with few variations, to detect tuberculosis and lung infections as well. Even the <keyword id="6356311" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Health-Organisation">World Health Organisation</keyword> (WHO) has <a href="https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/340255/9789240022676-eng.pdf">validated</a> that Qure.AI’s tuberculosis diagnostic software can replace human specialists in its annual Integrated Tuberculosis Screening Guidelines. It also partnered with British-Swedish pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/astrazeneca-qure-ai-to-bring-ai-solutions-for-early-detection-of-lung-cancer/articleshow/79609309.cms">early detection</a> of lung cancer. The use cases of the technology can be further expanded to diagnose other health issues by training the algorithm, Dr Rao added. AI can essentially aid medical staff Over the last year, the company’s qXR technology is also being used to detect COVID-19 across the world and also carried out operations in remote parts of Maharashtra as well as Jharkhand. CEO Warrier added that Qure.ai’s lung X-Ray system, when coupled with other metrics oxygen saturation, temperature and more, can be used to diagnose COVID-19 in areas where RT-PCR tests are not available. He noted that AI can provide an alternative to a trained resource. <div type="image" title="A small hospital in a remote corner of Assam is using AI to detect strokes in tea planters" msid="84194361" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Qure.AI&amp;#39;s COVID-19 detection mechanism&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Qure.ai’s CEO Warrier noted that the value of such AI solutions is much higher in lower income geographies and countries. He noted that even In India, the quality of care is much higher in big hospitals like Apollo and others, as they have quality radiologists. The quality of healthcare gets even better in high income countries. “The value [for such AI solutions] for a place like Assam is very different because they don't have a radiologist on duty and for them interpreting that scan is very challenging. You are basically asking somebody who's not a radiologist to interpret the scan and correspondingly act on that patient during surgery, administering a blood thinner or something like that. The value in Assam, or Africa or Southeast Asian countries is tremendous because we can help those non-radiologists interpret x-rays or CT scans without necessarily getting radiologist input, ” he added. A team of researchers led by Professor Alastair Denniston from the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust in the United Kingdom conducted a study in 2019, to determine whether AI can diagnose illnesses as effectively as healthcare professionals. The study <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326460#AI-on-a-par-with-healthcare-professionals">noted</a> that AI correctly diagnoses diseases in 87% of the cases, whereas detection by healthcare professionals yielded an 86% accuracy rate. The specificity for deep learning algorithms was 93%, compared with humans’ at 91%. Qure.ai has raised about $16 million to date from Sequoia Capital India and MassMutual Ventures Southeast Asia. It has marked its presence across 450 sites across 40 countries over the years. It also has its presence across Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and few other Indian cities, but its head CT scan feature is only being used in Assam’s Baptist Christian Hospital at the moment. *The quotes have been edited for clarity of language SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/groovy-earned-15-crores-just-by-selling-juices-during-covid-19-pandemic/articleshow/84166874.cms">A startup that earned ₹15 crore selling juices in India’s suburbs is now looking at international expansion</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/failure-to-pivot-covid-19-blues-force-amazon-backed-shuttl-to-look-for-a-buyer/articleshow/84056797.cms">Failure to pivot, COVID-19 blues force Amazon-backed Shuttl to look for a buyer</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/indian-businesses-have-raised-about-4-1-billion-of-capital-in-the-month-of-june-2021-across-121-deals/slidelist/84174428.cms">Fogg, Byju’s and PharmEasy grabbed the biggest investments of June 2021— here’s more</a>

A small hospital in a remote corner of Assam is using AI to detect strokes in tea planters

Berlin, May 23 (AP) A parish leader says that several members of a congregation have tested positive for the coronavirus after a church service in Frankfurt. News agency dpa reported Saturday that Wladimir Pritzkau, the deputy head of the Evangelical Christian Baptist congregation involved, as saying the service took place on May 10. He did not say how many people were affected but said that most are at home and six are in hospital. Religious services have been allowed in the region since May 1, with conditions that include a 1.5 meter (5-foot) distance between worshippers and the provision of disinfectant. Pritzkau said rules were adhered to. The church has canceled all gatherings and is now conducting services online. The head of the city's health office wouldn't confirm or deny the case, citing medical confidentiality. (AP) IND IND

Several members of Christian congregation test positive for coronavirus

<ul class="summary-list"><li>My Christian family didn't accept me when I came out.</li><li>My partner's family welcomed me with an ease I hadn't known was possible.</li></ul>"I'm gay, and I'm dating the person I want to marry. I'm telling you because I love you and I want you to know me," I told my <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.insider.com/transgender-person-experienced-microaggressions-corporate-job-work-2023-4">parents</a> around the dining-room table. Cards for our impending game were splayed out in front of us.I never thought I'd come out to my Southern Baptist parents, but when <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.insider.com/wore-tux-instead-dress-family-wedding-queer-2023-5">I fell in love with Quinn</a> at 26, I couldn't keep my sexuality a secret anymore. Unfortunately, my <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/family-tiny-house-village-kids-have-own-homes-3-years-later-2023-5">family</a> didn't accept me.<h2>My parents' response was confirmation of what I'd long expected</h2>"We love you, but we'll never support this choice," my mom declared before leaving the table, face streaked with tears. Disgusted, my dad tossed his cards for the game we would never play on the table and followed her out.I knew better than to want their approval. My coming out was a transactional moment — an exchange of information so they could finally know the truth. But part of me still hoped they'd choose me over their god.After I left their house, my mom and I continued to process the situation via painful phone calls. My dad refused to speak with me, and I didn't hear from him again for nine months. I watched on Instagram and lurked in the family group chat as they gathered for birthdays and Christmas without me. My regular spot on the couch was taken over, and my empty chair at the table was made invisible.<h2>I thought that was how it had to be when it came to family</h2>Queer people have long created chosen families, especially when their own families turn them away. But when I met Quinn's, I learned family could be accepting and loving.I heard the stories: Quinn's PopPop told them as a child that he supported gay marriage, Quinn's grandma, Nanny, wasn't afraid to use Quinn's chosen name, Quinn's mom took care of them after their top surgery, and Quinn's aunt and uncle crossed out other pronouns on birthday cards and added a handwritten "them.""I hate how religion divides people," Quinn's mom, Stacy, said when I met her over Thai food in South Philly. "It should bring people together, not make people more hateful."My eyes welled up with tears. Stacy didn't know about the open wound I was nursing, but when I told her about Christianity and my family, she reached across the table and squeezed my hand."I am so sorry," she said. "They're missing out on an incredible person."<h2>Quinn's family welcomed me with an ease I hadn't known was possible</h2>As I slowly started to be allowed back to my family's events, Quinn and I made careful plans: How would we respond to homophobic comments? How much would we touch in front of them? How would we de-stress afterward?When we saw Quinn's family, we didn't have to make plans. We cuddled up on Nanny and PopPop's couch, and sometimes when we emerged from a private moment, we'd catch their faces beaming at us. Stacy often wrapped us in huge hugs and told us how happy she was to see us so in love.<h2>6 months after I met this loving family, Quinn's grandma had her first fall</h2>Nanny's dementia had her memory rapidly failing, and the fall landed her in hospice. It was a wake-up call, and we started going to Baltimore almost every weekend to visit.On our weekends, we danced to Frank Sinatra, ate ice cream from coffee mugs, and talked about everything from family history to restorative justice. When PopPop suddenly went to the hospital, we slept by Nanny's side. She clutched Quinn's hand all night to feel safe.When she died a year and a half later, we spent the week with our family."I see Nanny and me in you," PopPop told us as we crouched around his chair, hugging him goodbye before heading back to Philly. "And I think it's wonderful."We all revered Nanny and PopPop's love: Together for 71 years and still in love until the very end. When Nanny's dementia got worse, she often woke him up in the middle of the night to ask whether he loved her. Eternally patient, he always said yes."That means so much," Quinn said, squeezing him tight. "We want to build a love like yours."<h2>Quinn's family can't replace mine, but I've found another family in them</h2>My parents couldn't give me what I wanted. They didn't celebrate my relationship with Quinn. They didn't show me that my queerness didn't make me unlovable. But Quinn's family did.Last month, Stacy offered us Nanny's engagement ring for our joint proposal this fall. We slid the diamond onto my finger and looked at each other. "It's perfect," we agreed. Stacy squealed with joy and pulled us in for a group hug — a family ring, from one big family love to another.

When I came out as queer, my religious family didn't accept me. My partner's family took me in.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>An abandoned semi-truck was found in a remote part of the southwest side of San Antonio, <keyword id="11896956" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="texas" source="Orion">Texas</keyword>.</li><li>At least 53 people, most of them believed to be <keyword id="12127762" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="migrants" source="Orion">migrants</keyword> crossing into US from Mexico, have died, according to reports.</li></ul>At least 53 people, most of them believed to be migrants, have died since they were found in an abandoned semi-truck on Monday in a remote part of southwest San Antonio, Texas, according to multiple <keyword id="11893589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="news" source="Orion">news</keyword> reports.The latest death toll came Wednesday after authorities initially reported that 46 individuals were found dead in and near the truck and 16 were hospitalized. Among the dead are 40 men and 13 women, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/06/29/san-antonio-tractor-trailer-migrants-death-toll/7765123001/">USA Today reported, citing the Bexar County Public Information Office.</a>The office was not available to respond to comments from Insider.Two more individuals died on Wednesday, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/san-antonio-migrant-deaths-lead-to-slow-effort-to-id-victims/2022/06/29/88bdaa8c-f760-11ec-81db-ac07a394a86b_story.html">according to The Washington Post</a>. Earlier Tuesday, three people died at the Baptist Medical Center, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/28/us/migrants-dead-san-antonio-texas.html">The New York Times reported</a>. Local authorities said in a press conference on Monday that the hospitalized individuals appeared to be suffering from heat exhaustion after San Antonio experienced triple-digit temperatures that day.Most of the victims are suspected to be migrants entering the US illegally, according to the Department of Justice.Mexico's Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard tweeted Tuesday that the deceased included 22 Mexicans, seven Guatemalans, two Hondurans, and others yet to be identified.As of Wednesday, four people were in custody in connection to what's being considered one of the deadliest cases of human smuggling in recent years.One individual, Homero Zamorano, 45, was detained on Monday at the scene near Quintana Road where the truck was found, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdtx/pr/53-fatalities-tractor-trailer-smuggling-incident-charges-filed-against-four">the Justice Department wrote in a news release</a>. He's being charged with one count of smuggling undocumented people resulting in death.Christian Martinez, 28, of Palestine, Texas, who was in contact with Zamorano at the time of the suspected smuggling, according to the DOJ, is also being charged with one count of conspiracy to transport undocumented people resulting in death.Federal prosecutors also charged two men — Juan Claudio D'Luna-Mendez and Juan Francisco D'Luna-Bilbao — on Tuesday for illegal weapons possession and for being in the US illegally. The two were seen leaving the home at an address under which the semi-truck was registered.The truck was first spotted by a nearby worker and called authorities around 6 p.m., San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said during a press conference near where the truck was found on Monday. The US Department of Homeland Security is leading the investigation, he said.Chief Charles Hood of the San Antonio Fire Department initially confirmed that 46 bodies have been "triaged, tagged, and declared deceased."The injured included 12 adults and four children, who were "hot to the touch" and taken to nearby hospitals, Hood said.The individuals were inside a refrigerated truck that appeared to have no working air conditioner, he added. A video posted by KSAT 12, a San Antonio-based news outlet, showed a long line of emergency response vehicles and personnel at the scene, parked behind what appears to be the semi-truck in question.The tractor-trailer was found by the intersection of Quintana and Cassin roads located on the southwest side of San Antonio, according to the local news outlet.The Department of Homeland Security and US Customs and Border Protection did not immediately respond for comment from Insider.Individuals crossing the US border from Mexico often face a perilous journey, in many cases depending on smugglers who pack large numbers of people into vehicles, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/27/us/migrant-deaths-san-antonio.html?name=styln-texas-migrant-deaths&amp;region=TOP_BANNER&amp;block=storyline_menu_recirc&amp;action=click&amp;pgtype=Article&amp;variant=show&amp;is_new=false">according to The Times</a>.In August 2021, <a href="https://www.click2houston.com/news/texas/2021/08/04/at-least-11-dead-more-than-a-dozen-injured-after-van-crashes-in-south-texas-authorities-say/">at least 10 people died and 20 were injured</a> after the van they were in crashed about 80 miles north of the Mexico border. In March 2021, an SUV packed with about 25 people collided with a big rig, <a href="https://www.insider.com/california-suv-crash-may-be-linked-breach-us-mexico-border-2021-3">leaving 13 people dead</a>.President Joe Biden said in <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1541858758820864000?s=20&amp;t=bqWD-z1TxXhOyusas-2hKg">a tweet on Tuesday</a> that his administration "will continue to do everything possible to stop criminal smugglers from exploiting migrants."

At least 53 people dead after being found in overheated semi-truck in San Antonio, Texas, according to reports

Berlin, May 23 (AP) A parish leader says that several members of a congregation have tested positive for the coronavirus after a church service in Frankfurt. News agency dpa reported Saturday that Wladimir Pritzkau, the deputy head of the Evangelical Christian Baptist congregation involved, as saying the service took place on May 10. He did not say how many people were affected but said that most are at home and six are in hospital. Religious services have been allowed in the region since May 1, with conditions that include a 1.5 meter (5-foot) distance between worshippers and the provision of disinfectant. Pritzkau said rules were adhered to. The church has canceled all gatherings and is now conducting services online. The head of the city's health office wouldn't confirm or deny the case, citing medical confidentiality. (AP) CPS

Positive cases after church service in Frankfurt

<ul class="summary-list"><li>More than 100 people sang without <keyword id="9418" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="masks">masks</keyword> in front of Vice President Mike Pence and a large audience in a megachurch in <keyword id="95097" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Dallas">Dallas</keyword> on Sunday, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/28/politics/mike-pence-dallas-choir-no-masks-church-event/index.html?utm_source=fbCNN&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_content=2020-06-28T20%3A30%3A05&amp;utm_term=link&amp;fbclid=IwAR0VY_Z8ZIQH4GCZ60TRvx0LtTKP_P-MWgk94lssBBOYHcnWtBYVUhnxXVUYHcnWtBYVUhnxXVU">according to CNN</a>.</li><li>Pence wore a mask in the audience but removed it for his address. He later urged mask wearing, good hygiene, and social distancing, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/videos/politics/2020/06/28/pence-wear-mask-westwood-bts-vpx.cnn/video/playlists/this-week-in-politics/">CNN reported</a>.</li><li>The CDC <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cdc-removed-its-warning-against-choir-singing-in-religious-settings-2020-5?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">has lifted its warning</a> against singing in choirs, but they are still considered a possible "super-spreader" activity.</li><li><keyword id="15710" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="texas">Texas</keyword> has seen a massive surge in <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> cases, with a recent average of at least 5,000 new reported cases a day, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53215501">according to the BBC</a>.</li></ul>A choir of more than 100 people performed for Vice President Mike Pence without face masks on Sunday at a megachurch in Dallas, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/28/politics/mike-pence-dallas-choir-no-masks-church-event/index.html?utm_source=fbCNN&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_content=2020-06-28T20%3A30%3A05&amp;utm_term=link&amp;fbclid=IwAR0VY_Z8ZIQH4GCZ60TRvx0LtTKP_P-MWgk94lssBBOYHcnWtBYVUhnxXVUYHcnWtBYVUhnxXVU">CNN reported</a>.Footage of the Celebrate Freedom event at the First Baptist Church, where Pence also gave a speech, showed the choir members spaced about 2 feet apart as they performed several songs at a distance from the audience.Pence was seen wearing a mask as he disembarked his flight, to meet Texas' Republican governor, Greg Abbott, as well as in the church audience, CNN reported. He removed it to give a speech, the outlet reported.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously warned that group singing performances — like a choir recital — <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-super-spreader-events-reveal-gatherings-to-avoid-2020-5">could be a "super-spreader event,"</a> meaning it could transmit the virus among a large number of people.Singing and projecting your voice could send droplets farther than the recommended 6 feet of social distancing, as Business Insider <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/loud-talking-singing-spread-coronavirus-further-than-6-feet-2020-3">previously reported</a>.The CDC <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cdc-removed-its-warning-against-choir-singing-in-religious-settings-2020-5">removed its guidance</a> against singing in church choirs on May 22 despite the health warnings.<div type="image" title="mike pence mask first baptist church coronavirus texas dallas" height="500" width="1000" msid="76689860" hostid="261"></div>The First Baptist Church service took place with Texas struggling to contain a renewed outbreak of the coronavirus.Abbott has said the state is seeing a "swift and very dangerous turn" in the pandemic, with an average of 5,000 new cases reported each day, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53215501">the BBC reported</a>. Hospitals are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-hospitals-expand-icu-capacity-rush-coronavirus-spike-2020-6?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">hurrying to expand</a> capacities of their intensive-care units to cope with the increase.The state has reported nearly 150,000 cases to date, and nearly 2,400 deaths, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2020/jun/18/coronavirus-map-us-latest-cases-state-by-state">according to The Guardian</a>.It is one of several states seeing huge surges in the virus since lifting lockdown restrictions.Pence himself urged mask wearing "wherever it's indicated" at a later address with Abbott, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/videos/politics/2020/06/28/pence-wear-mask-westwood-bts-vpx.cnn">CNN reported</a>."We know from experience, it will slow the spread of the coronavirus," he was reported saying.<div type="image" title="Greg Abbott texas bar close order" height="1250" width="2500" msid="76689861" hostid="261"></div>Pence said he did not believe the reopenings were causing the growth in new cases, CNN reported. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/southern-states-spike-coronavirus-cases-hospitalizations-but-few-lockdowns-2020-6">Health experts, however, have attributed the new cases to the easing of lockdown restrictions</a>.Abbott first <a href="https://www.insider.com/texas-vows-to-lift-lockdown-and-reopen-businesses-amid-coronavirus-2020-4">announced plans</a> to lift restrictions for Texan businesses on April 11, and by the end of May many businesses and aspects of social life <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-governor-greg-abbott-lifts-coronavirus-restrictions-new-cases-2020-5?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">had returned</a> statewide.Currently, Dallas businesses are allowed to reopen at 50% occupancy, and <a href="https://dallascityhall.com/DCH%20Documents/covid19/FAQ%20stay%20at%20home%20regulations%20-%20ENGLISH.pdf">face coverings are required</a> in all public places where social distancing is not possible. It is unclear if this applies to churches, where there is also <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/faith-based.html">no hard occupancy limit</a>.<a href="https://www.firstdallas.org/cfs-faqs">According to the First Baptist Church website,</a> its visitors undergo temperature screening, and masks and social distancing are strongly encouraged. A representative, Abigail Miller, told Business Insider that capacity in the venue was reduced to 70% but did not address a query about the transmission risks of choral singing.<a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgxwJWXbpJzwjvdSXPmVWNKTDqQzp?projector=1&amp;messagePartId=0.1=0.1">A church statement said</a> 350,000 people watched the service via broadcast.Dr. Robert Jeffress, the senior pastor at the church and a Fox News contributor, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/drjeffress">wrote on Facebook</a> on Sunday: "Thank you Vice President Mike Pence for a powerful, inspiring message at First Baptist Dallas today that all Americans need to hear! Millions of Christians are grateful for you and for our tremendous President Donald J. Trump."

A 100-person choir performed without masks in front of Mike Pence at a Dallas megachurch, as COVID-19 cases surge through Texas

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="10179230" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="rev-raphael-warnock">Rev. Raphael Warnock</keyword> and <keyword id="4410681" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="jon-ossoff">Jon Ossoff</keyword> are Democratic candidates for the two US <keyword id="6355284" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="senate">Senate</keyword> seats in <keyword id="6385073" type="LOCATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="georgia">Georgia</keyword> that are up for grabs in 2020. They were both just endorsed by Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.</li><li>Warnock has led the pack in his "jungle primary" race, recently polling just above 40 percent; Ossoff is virtually tied with incumbent Sen. David Perdue. </li><li>Warnock and Ossoff reflected to Business Insider what the changing demographics of Georgia mean for their races and the Democratic party.</li><li>Warnock, if successful, would become only the 11th Black Senator in US history, and the first from Georgia.</li><li>If elected, Ossoff would become the first Jewish Senator elected in the Deep South since the 19th century.</li></ul>Rev. Raphael Warnock had a few minutes to talk before heading off to greet voters at the town square in suburban Marietta, Georgia, only steps from a museum located in a former 19th-century cotton warehouse.Warnock has the potential to grab one of two Senate seats for the Democrats in Georgia. It's the only state this year where both seats are in play, in a state that is seeing a demographic shift — an influx of immigrants and a younger more diverse voters, as local NPR station <a href="https://www.wabe.org/georgia-gop-fears-changing-demographics-could-end-partys-long-dominance/">WABE reported</a>."Georgia is definitely changing," Warnock said. "And everybody knows it ... It's a reversal of the Southern strategy, where race was used to divide. Now, we have diversity as a hope and promise of bringing us together for a new South."Warnock, who was named 15 years ago as the youngest senior pastor in the 135-year history of Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church — the same pulpit where Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. preached — knows about bringing people together. He also knows about the Southern strategy, a Republican appeal to white voters based initially on 1964 presidential candidate Barry Goldwater's opposition to the Civil Rights Act — five years before Warnock was born. Goldwater's approach won him five states in the Deep South (including Georgia) — the only area of the country where it worked, apart from his home state of Arizona. While Democrats have been able to punch through in some races over the ensuing decades (like Jimmy Carter who was governor of Georgia and then won the South in his 1976 presidential race), the Republican party has continued refining their tactics throughout Warnock's lifetime, adding "ideas about the role of government in the economy, women's place in society, white evangelical Christianity, and white racial grievance," Angie Maxwell, author of "The Long Southern Strategy," <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/07/26/what-we-get-wrong-about-southern-strategy/#comments-wrapper">wrote in The Washington Post</a> last year.This seems to be slowly changing. While there are stronghold areas of the state — swaths of both <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/politics/georgia-political-geography/">North and South Georgia</a> — the GOP margin of victory is shrinking: President Donald Trump won Georgia by only around five points in 2016, and in 2018, Democratic candidate for governor Stacey Abrams lost by fewer than two points.<h2>'Dog whistles, fear-mongering, all that old-school nonsense are now ineffective.'</h2>Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff, who is running for the second Senate seat, echoed Warnock in a recent call in the middle of a week, where he had been publicly decrying his opponent, incumbent Republican Sen. David Perdue, for mocking Sen. Kamala Harris' first name while warming up a Trump rally in Macon. Ossoff, who, like Warnock, is a Georgia native, also spoke to Business Insider of his "personal experience of this state's evolution and progress over the course of my lifetime," adding, "Dog whistles, fear-mongering, all that old-school nonsense are now ineffective." Warnock, if successful, would become only the 11th Black Senator in US history, and the first from Georgia. Ossoff is white and runs a company that produces documentaries using investigative journalism; if elected, he would become the first Jewish Senator elected in the Deep South since the 19th century.The two candidates share platforms that include protecting voting rights, affordable healthcare and protecting Roe v. Wade, criminal justice reform, combatting climate change, LBGTQ rights, and improving the state's rural economy. They were both endorsed by Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, who is making a campaign stop in the state on Tuesday, Oct. 27.Their races, though they are both courting Democrats in Georgia, look surprisingly different. Unlike Ossoff's race where he's challenging the incumbent, Perdue, Warnock is one of 21 candidates in a "jungle primary." He's running in a special election to fill the remaining two years in former Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson's term, who retired last year due to health issues. His opponents include Republicans Sen. Kelly Loeffler, who Gov. Brian Kemp named to serve until Nov. 3, and Rep. Doug Collins. A candidate must obtain more than 50 percent of the vote to win the seat; if not, the top two advance to a January run-off. Warnock has led the pack in his race, recently polling just above 40 percent; Ossoff is virtually tied with Perdue. "In both cases, they probably wouldn't have done so well 10, 20 years ago," said<a href="https://kerileighmerritt.com/about/"> Keri Leigh Merritt,</a> a historian and author of "Masterless Men: Poor Whites and Slavery in the Antebellum South." This is because of the growing number of Black, Hispanic, and Asian voters, as well as young voters, plus the influence of social media on fundraising for national races, Merritt said. The polling numbers to date and public enthusiasm for the candidates make her think the two may be on their way to "break[ing] the old white man conservative power hold" in Georgia. Georgia's changing electorate is perhaps nowhere more evident than in the ever-expanding Atlanta metro area – particularly in Gwinnett County, the state's second largest, with nearly 1 million residents. In the 2018 midterms, Gwinnett became the first county in the state required by federal law to develop election materials in a language other than English, due to its Hispanic population of nearly 22%. There are also pockets of immigrant populations from Africa, Asia, and eastern European countries. These populations "have a background in the free market, but also, a strong investment in social justice … they're not responding well to the levers the GOP is pressing lately," said <a href="https://architecture.ou.edu/directory/gaddie-2/">Keith Gaddie</a>, an academic and author of books on <keyword id="6358883" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="politics">politics</keyword> in the South, including "The Triumph of Voting Rights in the South." Those "levers" have included incidents such as Sen. Perdue's mockery of "Kamala," which not only resulted in Ossoff <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/after-republican-senator-mocks-pronunciation-kamala-harris-name-dem-opponent-raises-nearly-2-1540351">raising nearly $2 million</a> in donations, but also gave the candidate a chance to speak to Georgia's changing electorate — organizing an <a href="https://www.cbs46.com/news/ossoff-georgia-leaders-respond-to-sen-perdues-mispronunciation-of-kamala-harris-name-at-trump-rally/article_c2e3e642-12e0-11eb-b414-cfe6e76e1a0a.html">event </a>with state legislators from immigrant backgrounds who spoke in personal terms about overcoming bigotry in Georgia and elsewhere in the South.They have also included attacks against Ossoff — a Perdue <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jonossoff/posts/sitting-us-senator-david-perdues-digital-attack-ad-distorted-my-face-to-enlarge-/3384720024919277/">Facebook ad</a> posted in July made his nose look bigger (the campaign took down the ad and said it was an <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/28/politics/david-perdue-jon-ossoff-takes-down-ad/index.html">"unintentional error"</a>), and the Republican's campaign materials have highlighted the investigative journalist's work for Al Jazeera media, a Qatari-owned company, saying this links Ossoff to terrorists. <a href="https://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/gop-ad-jon-ossoff-al-jazeera-bin-laden">One such ad</a> asks, "How can we trust him?" – a question that invokes a historical ingredient in the<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/03/opinion/sunday/psychology-anti-semitism.html"> psychology of anti-Semitism.</a> Anti-Semitism has deep roots in the South, said Merritt, noting the Ku Klux Klan's motivations during its early 20th-century resurgence. "They were driven as much by anti-Semitism and anti-Catholicism as by racism," the historian said. Rev. Warnock called these incidents "testament to the change in Georgia, ironically — they're the backlash of a dragon that is dying."<div type="image" title="Georgia voting" height="1000" width="2000" msid="78898644" hostid="261"></div><h2>Getting out the vote</h2>At the same time, changing demographics and attitudes through swaths of Georgia mean nothing if people aren't registered and don't vote, said <a href="https://www.agnesscott.edu/directory/faculty/morris-robin.html">Robin Morris</a>, a history professor at Agnes Scott College.Another recent change that may favor either, or both, of these candidates has been intensive voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts in recent years — best exemplified by Abrams, who narrowly missed becoming the nation's first Black woman governor in 2018, but also carried out by state lawmakers like Bee Nguyen, who has reached Asian-American voters with such efforts. "We need to look back to local politics of at least 2016 … and how they strategized to turn a more diverse population into more diverse voters. Abrams escalated those efforts in 2018 and her <a href="https://fairfight.com/">Fair Fight </a>campaign, growing out of her 2018 loss, is critical to understand 2020," Morris said.In his first TV <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=894508577739979">ad</a>, launched in August, Rev. Warnock stands in the Kayton Homes housing project where he grew up in Savannah and says, "I realize that a kid growing up here today, and struggling families all across Georgia, have it harder now than I did back then." Asked about this recently, he said, "People across racial lines are having a hard time. I'm also talking about white kids, in rural, disaffected communities. When I say, 'kids like me,' I don't mean racially – I mean there's an increasing division between the haves and have nots." "Whites in this state are hurting, too," said Merritt, noting that rural parts of the state are suffering economically, with ongoing challenges to the agricultural economy and Georgia still being one of a dozen states that have <a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/status-of-state-medicaid-expansion-decisions-interactive-map/">not expanded Medicaid</a>. "And those are the areas that are most racist – the ones with white suicides, white poverty, white opioid addiction, no rural hospitals, and no jobs."<h2>The legacy of Rep. John Lewis</h2>Older voters in particular are likely aware of one way the two candidates evoke several political touchpoints in Georgia and the Deep South generally – including the "long history … of African-American candidates coming out of the church," Gaddie said. "You don't have Georgia politics without Ebenezer Baptist Church and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference." Also, there's a "long history of ties between Jewish and African-American communities," particularly during the Civil Rights movement, he said. As Georgians consider the two in the coming days, Ossoff brought this to mind. He recalled when he was only a high school student, and interned with Rep. John Lewis. "I remember my first lunch … he wanted to talk to me about how he had marched side by side with Jewish religious leaders," he said. "Here we are in 2020, and Georgia is poised to elect a young, Jewish man and the senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church, both of whom were mentored by John Lewis. There could be no better illustration of the changes Georgia has gone through."

'Georgia is definitely changing': Democratic candidates for Senate are banking on Georgia's changing demographics to give them an edge

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The new movie <a href="http://www.stoperasing.com/">"Boy Erased"</a> tells the true story of <a href="http://garrardconley.com/">Garrard Conley</a> - the son of a Baptist pastor who, after being outed to his parents at 19, was sent to a two-week-long "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/lgbtq">gay conversion therapy</a>" program. </li><li>Conley tells us what the <a href="https://people.com/human-interest/boy-erased-gay-conversion-therapy-gerrard-conley/">experience</a> was really like, and discussed his efforts to make the practice of conversion therapy on minors illegal. </li><li>It is currently <a href="http://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/conversion_therapy">legal</a> to practice conversion therapy on minors in 36 states. </li><li>Conley was joined by his mother Martha, who experienced a change of heart while Garrard was in the conversion therapy program and removed him before it was complete. </li></ul>Following is a transcript of the video. Victor Sykes in "Boy Erased": So, who's ready? Welcome to the Refuge Program! Come on! Garrard Conley: I'm Garrard Conley. I'm the author of "Boy Erased," now a major motion picture. "Boy Erased" is the story of my going into conversion therapy after being outed to my parents and the psychological torture that I endured while I was there. Victor Sykes in "Boy Erased": You cannot be born gay! Garrard: Also, it's the story, I think, of my mom who takes me out of therapy and saves my life, and also has to go on her own journey of acceptance. Martha Conley: I'm just here to try to stop conversion therapy because I wish I had done my homework before I took him instead of after I took him because it's a horrible thing and we need to get it stopped. Garrard: Conversion therapy's taken many forms. It's been around since the 19th century, actually. In the 1950's and '60s, there was a hospital called St. Elizabeths Hospital outside of Washington, D.C. They performed lobotomies, they performed electroshock therapy, they had people in straitjackets. At this moment, 36 states do not have bans on conversion therapy for minors. The bigger battle, however, is that any religious organization can perform conversion therapy and charge for it currently, no matter what state you're in. I mean, I had it pretty easy growing up. We moved to a place called Cherokee Village, Arkansas. We'd always been very much a church family. I'd always been told that being LGBTQ was not right and I don't think there were any exceptions to that. I think that, as I grew older, and I started to understand myself a lot more and my sexuality, it became obvious that I was on a crash course with these two ideologies. Martha: Being married to a Baptist pastor and being raised the way I was, we believed exactly what the Bible said about homosexuality, and that's what I was taught and I just didn't question it because I think you don't tend to question things until it hits your family or someone that you love. Garrard: I was actually in my first semester of college. Someone that I knew at the time raped me and he confessed to me that he'd also raped a 14-year-old boy. Right after he raped me, he confessed this to me. And I told some friends what he'd done and he found out that I'd told that. And so, as a preemptive move, he called my parents, called my mom specifically, because he really wanted to strike fear and it worked. And when I came home, Dad took me into his bedroom and said, like, "Can you explain to me what's going on?" And so I told him, "I think I'm gay." Martha: First of all, we took him to the doctor and had his hormones checked, you know? That's how naive we were. Then we called the largest Southern Baptist church in Memphis and they said, "Oh yes, you're so lucky." "We have a unit right here in Memphis and it's called" "Love in Action, and they have an 84% cure rate." And I'm thinking, wow, you know? I didn't even know what conversion therapy was. Garrard: We did one-on-one therapy sessions after I was outed for about six months. I went to a residential program. The main activity that we did was called a "Moral Inventory," and we were asked to write down every sexual fantasy or experience we'd ever had, and we would have to say it in front of everyone, like share that with everyone in the group. And then after that, they would give me Bible verses to sort of combat those thoughts that I'd had. I knew that if I didn't do this, I would lose my family, my faith, perhaps, my community. By the end of the second week, I was asked to do this exercise asking me to imagine my father sitting there, and basically say that I hated him. And I remember thinking to myself, these are Christians who are saying that in order to be cured, I have to hate someone not love someone. And Christ is all about love. Graham Flanagan: How much were you paying for this? Martha: It was like $3,200. Garrard: For just a really short period of time. Martha: And then we also had to stay in a hotel for two weeks. Garrard: But his quote for you, for me going out for a year, for doing years of therapy, how much was that? Martha: Well, it was like $21,000. Victor Sykes in "Boy Erased": Now this may be the toughest, but most rewarding 12 days that many of you will ever face. Martha: We later found out that all the leaders, I mean none of them had more than a high school education. Within a week, they started talking to me about, "Oh he's not following the rules. He's not doing his homework right. I think you need to put him in the three-month program and then you need to think about keeping him out of school next year." That was just too quick. It just got so phony to me. And they were, like, trying to pressure me into signing him up, and he hadn't even been there a week yet. Victor Sykes in "Boy Erased": So, who's ready? Garrard: Victor Sykes in the film is based off of John Smid, who ran Love in Action for many years. Martha: 22. Garrard: 22 years. And after a while, I don't know if it's because of the negative press, or if it's because it got to his conscience, but he quit. He stepped down. And once he stepped down, he began a slow journey of realizing that it was not ever working, that he was selling a lie. And then, he married his now-husband, and lives in Paris, Texas making furniture. [Smid has since become an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ rights.] Martha: It just did such damage to me as well, because of the guilt I feel for taking him there. You do it because you think you're saving your child, and you love your child. I don't want other parents to have to go through the guilt that I've had to go through for 14 years. Garrard: I think the greatest value for this film is its ability to show a roadmap for people who are around LGBTQ youth to do better, and to act better, and to become better people through it. And that's what I hope the movie does.

The author of 'Boy Erased' reveals what gay conversion therapy is really like -&#160;and how he survived it

<ul class="summary-list"><li>While most of the country remains under phased <keyword id="8897280" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="social-distancing">social distancing</keyword> orders to prevent the spread of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-live-updates-latest-news">coronavirus</a>, some faith leaders across the US are making a <keyword id="916586" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="First-Amendment">First Amendment</keyword> case to open up places of worship.</li><li>Three pastors explained to Business Insider why they're fighting to open up.</li><li>"I'm not afraid to get <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> when I go to Home Depot and neither should anyone be afraid when they come to <keyword id="6361455" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="church">church</keyword>," one pastor, Diego Mesa, put it.</li><li>On Friday, President Donald Trump said he would force governors to open up places of worship, even though he doesn't have the authority to do so.</li></ul>Diego Mesa was driving in Southern California on Thursday evening when he passed shops selling donuts, clothes, and cannabis.It boggles his mind that these businesses were marked as <a href="https://covid19.ca.gov/roadmap/#stage-2">essential</a> and permitted to reopen on May 8, as Gov. Gavin Newsom's reopening plan moved into its second stage. Churches, however, were shelved until the plan's third phase — lumped in with personal care, exercise, and entertainment facilities."Our ideals differ in what we view as essential," Mesa told Business Insider. "When we are deemed as non-essential, there's an agenda there."But this isn't about who's right and who's wrong, he added."Opening church is not the issue," Mesa said. "It's about whether I have the right to open the church. And, according to the First Amendment, I do."As the pastor of the Abundant Living Family Church in Rancho Cucamonga, Mesa is among more than 1,200 religious leaders in California who've signed a <a href="https://www.insider.com/california-pastors-reopening-churches-during-coronavirus-stay-at-home-orders-2020-5">Declaration of Essentiality for Churches</a>, vowing to host in-person services on May 31, Pentecost Sunday, with or without Newsom's blessing. <div type="image" title="churches coronavirus reopen 2" height="1667" width="2500" msid="75907487" hostid="261"></div>Attorney Robert Tyler is representing the Cross Culture Christian Center in Lodi in a lawsuit against Newsom, alleging that the state's public gathering ban violates religious freedom granted by the First Amendment."We're asking the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to rule that the governor's order treats churches unlawfully by not allowing religious assemblies to meet on the same terms and conditions as secular organizations," Tyler said.He told Business Insider that next Sunday's act of civil disobedience was sparked by religious leaders seeking recourse amid the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-cases-maps-us-world-spread-symptoms-death-rate-2020-1">pandemic</a>."They began to say that this order by the governor has gone too far and too long," he said. "The governor is deciding based upon his own subjective decisions as to what he thinks is essential and what is not essential. At some point in time, we have to be allowed to get over the fear and allow these essential ministries to meet again."<h2>'Religious institutions must not be singled out for special burdens'</h2>As of Friday, the <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> has infected 1.58 million Americans and killed 95,276, according to <a href="https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6">Johns Hopkins University</a>.But, Tyler said, the disease and virus-related deaths are one part of this crisis. The other part encompasses unemployment, economic and financial hardships, isolation, depression, addictions, suicide, and other traumas."The pastors are seeing a huge need and have decided that they need to take a stand and do what God's called them to do," Tyler said. "And they will do so using all appropriate safety precautions recommended by the CDC and local governments, just as Costco and Walmart are required to do."<div type="image" title="spain church coronavirus lockdown reopens social distancing" height="1667" width="2222" msid="75907489" hostid="261"></div>In April, the Justice Department got involved in a federal lawsuit brought by a church in Greenville, Mississippi, over local officials' efforts to stop drive-in services in a bid to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. "Religious institutions must not be singled out for special burdens," <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-william-p-barr-issues-statement-religious-practice-and-social-distancing-0">Attorney General William Barr wrote</a>.If authorities allow concert halls, cinemas, and restaurants to resume business, they can't stop houses of worship from doing the same, he said."Even in times of emergency, when reasonable and temporary restrictions are placed on rights, the First Amendment and federal statutory law prohibit discrimination against religious institutions and religious believers," Barr wrote. "Thus, government may not impose special restrictions on religious activity that do not also apply to similar nonreligious activity."On Tuesday, Eric S. Dreiband, the head of the Justice Department's civil rights division, echoed the sentiment. Newsom's current plan to reopen California demonstrates "unequal treatment of faith communities" and "discriminates against religious exercise," he <a href="https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000172-3334-d930-a77f-b3b7e1a50000">wrote</a>."Simply put, there is no pandemic exception to the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights," Dreiband added.<div type="image" title="trump president donald white house" height="1634" width="2179" msid="75907491" hostid="261"></div>In Europe, and elsewhere in the world, <a href="https://www.ncronline.org/news/coronavirus/churches-europe-reopening-restrictions-avoid-contagion">many places of worship have already been permitted to reopen</a> with safety measures in place.Tyler's legal efforts haven't been successful so far. In a ruling on May 5, a federal judge in Sacramento denied a request from the Cross Culture Christian Center to reopen."Even in times of health, government officials must often strike the delicate balance between ensuring public safety and preserving the Constitution's fundamental guarantees," <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6923269-Cross-Culture-Order-Denying-Tro-1588721901.html">US District Judge John A. Mendez wrote in his ruling</a>. "But during public health crises, new considerations come to bear, and government officials must ask whether even fundamental rights must give way to a deeper need to control the spread of infectious disease and protect the lives of society's most vulnerable."He's now moving the fight to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, where he's hoping the judges will weigh in his favor.On Friday, President Donald Trump entered the cultural fray. He announced plans to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-declares-houses-of-worship-essential-says-hell-override-governors-2020-5">designate houses of worship as essential services</a> and telling them they can open immediately — even though he doesn't have the legal authority to override state rules."I call upon governors to allow our churches and places of worship to open right now ... These are places that hold our society together and keep our people united, the people are demanding to go to church and synagogues, go to their mosque," he said.<h2>If a Walmart can do it, so can a church</h2>Several super-spreader events in the United States and South Korea <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/houses-of-worship-trump-says-essential-coronavirus-hotspots-2020-5">have been traced back to places of worship</a>, where large numbers gather indoors. events in Asked if he's concerned by the possibility of parishioners contracting or spreading the virus during in-person services, Tyler said everything in life comes with some amount of risk."I think it is probably more likely for someone to die in a car accident than of COVID-19 in many parts of California," he said. "The church isn't saying we want to meet just because we think we have a constitutional right to do so — we want to meet because there are so many important needs of the community that need to be addressed.""Individuals need to be able to come together, to love and support one other again, while taking all the same precautions that any secular enterprise would," he continued.<div type="image" title="coronavirus church reopen 1" height="1645" width="2468" msid="75907493" hostid="261"></div>Pastor Paul Chappell of Lancaster Baptist Church told Business Insider that it's been over 10 weeks since he's been able to minister in person to the church's nearly 7,000 members.During the pandemic, he's used Zoom to livestream services, and the church's staff has prepared meals for elderly community members and dropped off lunches at local hospitals. Other services, like youth meetings and marriage and crisis counseling have been paused.Hundreds of pastors across the state have been "very compliant" with the stay-at-home orders, Chappell said, because the Bible encourages them to "obey and support authorities." However, he said, it also contains "scriptural commands to assemble.""The general idea is that if the Walmart just down the street can have 300 shoppers," Chappell said, "then a church with similar square footage could use the same generally accepted practices and provide worship for the people. We believe that churches are as competent to accomplish this task as any other service industry."<div type="image" title="church greece" height="1650" width="2200" msid="75907495" hostid="261"></div>Next Sunday, churchgoers at Lancaster Baptist will be asked to wear face masks and gloves and will have their temperatures taken as they enter. Chappell said the church will enforce social distancing measures, allowing only up to 20% of the church's maximum occupancy, and that he'll host four instead of the regular two services. Also, he said, electrostatic sprayers will be used to sanitize the campus after each of the small services.Chappell said there's always concern about people falling sick, but they need to be weighed with the need to worship."Our rights are concerning to us as well and we have a biblical mandate to worship," he said. "We've been patient, but we feel in our conscience that it's getting to a point where we would need to follow the scriptures."According to Chappell, a breakdown in communication between government leaders and clergymen has made this an increasingly politicized issue. But the goal, he said, isn't to make a fuss: It's to simply move forward with "humble resolve.""I would say to someone who opposes our decision that they have every right to abstain from worship and we have every right to worship — that's the greatness of this country," he said.<h2>'As much as the governor is a servant of the state, I am a servant of God'</h2>For his part, Mesa has turned to technology to stay connected with over his church's over 15,000 members. Their viewership numbers have been "off the charts," he said. And a lot of that traffic is coming from people who have been affected by the coronavirus and are turning to religion for community, hope, and answers."I also ask people if there's a difference between watching a screen where they see a fire log versus an actual fireplace," Mesa said.Many elderly longtime parishioners of Abundant Living Family Church don't have the digital know-how to be able to log into Zoom or Facebook Live. "Their relief has been cut off," said Mesa, who's been calling them on the phone every week and delivering groceries to their doorsteps."Many of them go to their windows or balconies and say, 'It is just so wonderful to see your face,' or 'I'm a widow and I miss my spiritual family,' or 'I'm lonely, this is the highlight of my week,'" Mesa said.<div type="image" title="coronavirus churches lockdown first amendment religion" height="1667" width="2500" msid="75907498" hostid="261"></div>Others who are suffering in silence are <keyword id="6354525" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="healthcare">healthcare</keyword> workers who toil for long hours on the <a href="https://www.insider.com/stories-from-the-coronavirus-pandemic-2020-5">frontline of the pandemic</a>, where they're inundated with sickness, trauma, death, and even suicides.Many are sleeping in hotels or garages, separated from their loved ones, in an effort to protect them from the virus.Mesa quoted one nurse, who told him: "I need my church community because I'm giving, I'm giving, I'm giving, I'm helping to pour into the lives of others, but my cup is running dry."So, he said, he feels confident in the robust safety guidelines of his church, which mirrors Chappell's."At the end of the day, I'm not afraid to get COVID-19 when I go to Home Depot and neither should anyone be afraid when they come to church," Mesa said. "Number one, the infection and mortality rates are down, and number two, we're exercising optimum cleanliness and sanitation that is far beyond what you would get anywhere else."<div type="image" title="churches coronavirus new york stay at home order lockdown.JPG" height="1667" width="2500" msid="75907500" hostid="261"></div>Even though Abundant Living Family Church can seat up to 4,000 worshippers, Mesa is also planning to ask the congregation to reserve seats online because only 700 people will be allowed to sit in the pews on May 31.People who are over 65 years old or have underlying health conditions are being asked to stay home as are those who simply feel uncomfortable."As much as the governor is a servant of the state, I am a servant of God," said Mesa. "As a governor, he has a term limit. We have signed lifetime commitments to serve the people that he is supposed to be working for, so he needs to allow us to do that."<h2>The tension isn't just brewing in California</h2>Religious leaders in California have garnered attention for turning to litigation and defiance over state moratoriums on religious gatherings.But this friction is showing up across the rest of the country as well.Pastor Brian Gibson of HIS Church, which has two campuses in Kentucky and another two in Texas, founded the <a href="http://click.agilitypr.delivery/ls/click?upn=t0UREBxkNTVJTb9ZRO-2FRAiHE5ddjg7eNbFYTGp7DNtkbxBShGikGmdsb6wf8lk8UEGm5_aUA9tyzcfGZDJiuiLhKle7bkg7JhqRFi7hmjYjtDAEoYE6OqmiSdmpkOg0kTvdTimiZs-2Bnhrq1eGp31iSodtQtgJQH64Y-2FD3Tp8hnisgSyu8XgcdkccDZJftmMRAURW-2BU6oRJCyUant4NEmyI2X-2FchDn-2Bmldh2hGdXCbA-2FvskwRRiaa9NNVqqmDJoeVvfMvByZlEh4lNhwc98jEUhML-2BiizxZcd5eXawMmO4kakY20k0flDAH-2BNr6QA-2B0dQu5ygCHJjuUdZT4Okjr3Bd49grVFdG5evK7wz6Unz5aBYB0H4U9BhGG9Rd0mHDzWjjnAqgBG1ayWlre93096QRb9xWy2jAKw7kwMdW2pW4BtibMmlTNR486taH4771xXl-2BQmAP3ALwhBTabbwOT2gB4Z6jo8aWglYeqPt70KPwEo8JjC7ycvagKhqzCSb1G35ljLip" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PeaceablyGather.com</a> movement to speak out on behalf of religious freedom that's enshrined by the Constitution. On Sunday, he'll be in Chicago alongside Pastor Joseph Wyrostek at the Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church."Every day a house of worship is closed, a little bit of liberty dies," he said. "We have a constitutional crisis in America and if Americans don't speak up and speak out, the fabric of our nation is going to be torn in a way that can't be repaired."<div type="image" title="california church closed coronavirus" height="1866" width="2500" msid="75907502" hostid="261"></div>Gibson described feeling enraged when he was stopped from hosting a drive-through Easter Egg giveaway service, where social distancing was going to be followed and church staff members were protected with masks and gloves.Meanwhile, he said, across the street and within viewing distance of the church, baristas were making lattes, fast food restaurants were serving fries, and people were buying liquor."But the message to us was the church isn't smart enough to give kids candy in the name of Jesus," he said. "We started asking ourselves: Is this fair? Is this constitutional? Is this religious targeting? The answer is absolutely yes."The Bible says there's a time to be "lamb-like, to be quiet, to be meek, to be mild," Gibson said, but that moment has passed. Religious leaders now need to roar like lions and take a firm stance against "tyranny" and religious oppression.<div type="image" title="church closed france" height="1851" width="2500" msid="75907503" hostid="261"></div>Gibson said he welcomes opposition from community members and government leaders, saying "That smells like liberty to me."He also issued a call to action to people who believe that big-box retailers and general merchandising stores are essential, but don't view churches in the same light. "Those businesses operate strictly on the basis of cash in, cash out," he said. "Do you know what the church has done for 2,000 years?""It's prayed for the sick, it's built hospitals, it's built universities, it's married people, it's buried people," He continues." [See] if the Walmart will bury your dead. Go and see if the Walmart will pray [for] and bless your children."Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pastors-leading-charge-reopen-churches-coronavirus-first-amendment-2020-5">Business Insider</a>

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<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>A Chick-fil-A restaurant is donating food to a gay pride picnic in Iowa.A Coralville outpost of the popular fast food chain is donating 200 sandwiches and side dishes to the Iowa City Pride Fest's picnic on June 19, <a href="http://www.kcrg.com/subject/news/coralville-chick-fil-a-to-donate-food-to-iowa-city-pride-picnic-20150603" target="_blank">KCRG</a> reports.The move is surprising, considering some Chick-fil-A executives' history of hostility toward the gay community. The restaurant's owner, Adam Donius, agreed to this arrangement, according to the report."We offered him different ways he could contribute and be a part of our bridge, help us build community," Iowa City Pride Chair, Jewell Amos, told KCRG. "He said he totally believes in building community. So he was like, 'sure.'"Chick-fil-A has earned a reputation in the past few years as a homophobic institution, and there has certainly been tension between the company and the gay community. <a href="http://equalitymatters.org/factcheck/201111010001" target="_blank">Equality Rights</a> revealed in 2011 that the chain had donated more than $2 million to anti-gay rights organizations two years earlier. Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy publicly discussed his opposition to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chick-fil-a-admits-its-against-gay-marriage-2012-7" target="_blank">same-sex marriage</a> in 2012. He told <a href="http://www.bpnews.net/38271" target="_blank">The Baptist Press</a> that he was "guilty as charged" when it came to his stance on how a family should be constructed. "We are very much supportive of the family - the biblical definition of the family unit," he said. The chain is known for its roots in Christian values; it is famously not open on Sundays.Cathy continued to steadfastly cling to his platform about "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chick-fil-a-dan-cathy-marriage-2012-10" target="_blank">biblical families</a>," and in June 2013 things took a turn for the worse when he <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/deleted-tweet-from-chick-fil-a-president-2013-6" target="_blank">deleted a homophobic tweet</a> after the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/report-supreme-court-strikes-down-key-part-of-defense-of-marriage-act-2013-6" target="_blank">Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act</a>. <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2013/06/26/deleted-tweet-from-chick-fil-a-head-calls-same-sex-ruling-sad-day/" target="_blank">The Wall Street Journal</a> reported that he called the monumental event a "sad day." Chick-fil-A attempted to remain in the good graces of the public by releasing <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/deleted-tweet-from-chick-fil-a-president-2013-6" target="_blank">a statement</a> that read:Dan Cathy, like everyone in this country, has his own views on this topic, but Chick-fil-A is focused on providing great tasting food and genuine hospitality to everyone ... He realized his views didn't necessarily represent the views of all customers, restaurant owners and employees and didn't want to distract them from providing a great restaurant experience.Cathy began to try to repair his image in 2014. He told The Atlanta Journal Constitution [via <a href="http://time.com/27940/chick-fil-a-dan-cathy-gay-marriage/" target="_blank">Time</a>] that "every leader goes through different phases of maturity, growth and development and it helps by [recognizing] the mistakes that you make ... And you learn from those mistakes. If not, you're just a fool. I'm thankful that I lived through it and I learned a lot from it." The partnership between one Iowa Chick-fil-A and a Pride festival may help alleviate any remaining hostility. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/michael-kors-isnt-cool-anymore-2015-4">It's official: Michael Kors isn't cool anymore</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="pueTJqdDrhpwZXwc3-tTyfqeZRjByVhG" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

An Iowa Chick-fil-A is donating to a gay pride picnic

<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/undividing"></a><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/8Qyh33BQ5M/?taken-by=chickfila">@chickfila on Instagram</a>Chick-fil-A is reinventing itself.</div></div></div>When Chick-fil-A opened its first New York City restaurant two years ago, police officers gathered outside the three-story building expecting a rash of protests.The Georgia-based chain, famous for its fried chicken, had ignited a nationwide boycott several years earlier after its founder spoke out against gay marriage.This was Chick-fil-A's foray into the liberal enclave of Manhattan - part of a larger expansion into the Northeast - and no one was quite sure how New Yorkers would react when it arrived.But to everyone's surprise there were only a <a href="http://nypost.com/2015/10/03/chick-fil-as-nyc-debut-full-of-customers-and-protesters/">handful of protesters</a> at the restaurant's grand opening. Meanwhile, hundreds of hungry customers waited for hours in a line that snaked down several blocks to get a taste of the chain's food.Since then, Chick-fil-A has opened two more locations in Manhattan and one in Staten Island, and it has expanded into new states and cities across the US, including Seattle, Portland, Michigan, and Maine.The company's sales have exploded, from $6.8 billion in 2015 to nearly $8 billion in 2016, marking 49 consecutive years of sales growth, according to Chick-fil-A. Its 2,100 restaurants generated <a href="https://www.qsrmagazine.com/content/qsr50-2017-top-50-chart?sort=2016_us_average_sales_per_unit_thousands&amp;dir=desc">$4.4 million in sales per unit last year</a>, more than any other restaurant chain. By comparison, McDonald's restaurants generated about $2.5 million in per-unit sales last year, and KFC's brought in about $1.1 million per restaurant.In a few years, Chick-fil-A has managed to shed its controversial image to appeal to a broader swath of America, all without losing its loyal customers base.<h2>'To glorify God'</h2>Chick-fil-A's successful expansion north came after its biggest controversy.Dan Cathy, the son of the late Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy, set off a <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/02/us/us-chick-fil-a-debate/">fury among gay-rights supporters</a> in 2012 that led to nationwide protests after he told <a href="http://www.bpnews.net/38271">the Baptist Press</a> that the company was "guilty as charged" for backing "the biblical definition of a family."After Cathy's remarks, reports emerged detailing <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-how-much-money-chick-fil-a-gives-to-anti-gay-groups-2012-7">Chick-fil-A's many charitable donations to anti-gay-marriage organizations</a>.For months afterward, protesters rallied outside Chick-fil-A restaurants across the country and held "kiss-ins," where same-sex couples kissed in front of onlookers and TV cameras covering the backlash.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">AP Photo/David TulisJim Fortier and Mark Toomajian joined about two-dozen members of gay-rights groups and others protesting outside a Decatur, Georgia, Chick-fil-A restaurant.</div></div></div>These days, Chick-fil-A is warning all its franchisees against speaking out publicly or getting involved in anything that could blur the line between their private beliefs and their public roles as extensions of the Chick-fil-A brand, the company has said.Last year, that message extended to <keyword id="6358883" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="politics">politics</keyword>, in part to keep the brand from being exploited by candidates. The company turned down several candidates who tried to use Chick-fil-A to bolster their campaigns, according to David Farmer, Chick-fil-A's vice president of menu strategy and development."There are several candidates who would like to use us as a platform," Farmer told Business Insider last year. "We are not engaging. Chick-fil-A is about food, and that's it."The company still encourages its franchisees to get "entrenched" in their communities. Operators' involvement in their communities is a critical part of what has helped Chick-fil-A attract a passionate following.Traditionally, that has meant getting involved in local churches. But Chick-fil-A says its focus now - both for local and corporate involvement and philanthropy - is on youth and education causes.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">APS. Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A (second right), with son Dan T. Cathy (far left), daughter Trudy White, and son Donald "Bubba" Cathy.</div></div></div>The company's corporate purpose, which is displayed prominently on its website, still reflects its founder's Christian faith: "To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come into contact with Chick-fil-A."Chick-fil-A locations all remain closed on Sundays. The company attributes this tradition to Truett Cathy on its website: "Having worked seven days a week in restaurants open 24 hours, Truett saw the importance of closing on Sundays so that he and his employees could set aside one day to rest and worship if they choose - a practice we uphold today."While still practicing some of the Cathy's faith-based traditions, Chick-fil-A is trying to push a more inclusive message. The company said it has told its operators not to let their activities in the community alienate or exclude any particular faiths or religious organizations."We want Chick-fil-A to be for everyone," Farmer said in an interview last year, recalling a message told to franchisees. "That's your filter when deciding what to engage in."<h2>'It requires heroic leadership'</h2>Chick-fil-A's cultural reinvention hasn't been without setbacks. Over the years, protesters have tried - and sometimes succeeded - to quash proposals to build new restaurants.As recently as May, Fordham University in New York <a href="http://www.fordhamobserver.com/student-groups-shut-down-chick-fil-a-proposal/">denied the chain's proposal to build a restaurant on campus</a> because of backlash from student groups supporting LGBTQ rights.But the chain has been largely successful in changing its image, something that's nearly impossible to achieve, according to Mark Cohen, a professor at Columbia Business School and the former CEO of Sears Canada."Most companies that get into trouble never get out of trouble," Cohen told Business Insider. "It requires heroic leadership, and usually that leadership has to be brand new."For Chick-fil-A, that meant replacing Truett Cathy. He retired from his roles as chairman and CEO of Chick-fil-A in 2013 at age 92, about a year after his anti-gay remarks were published. His son Dan took over.After the younger Cathy became CEO, Chick-fil-A started modernizing its corporate offices in Atlanta and opened an "innovation center" modeled after the offices of Silicon Valley tech companies, including HP Labs, Apple, and Pixar.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Hayley PetersonThe company hired chefs, food scientists, and dietitians to work in its innovation center.</div></div></div>The company hired chefs, food scientists, and dietitians to experiment with new menu items to appeal to upmarket customers who frequent chains like Shake Shack and Panera and are looking for healthier options.One of the products has been the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chick-fil-a-is-doing-something-no-other-fast-food-chain-has-done-before-2016-1">"superfood side"</a> that has kale, broccolini, and roasted nuts.So as the company has shifted its cultural compass away from churches and toward schools, it has pivoted toward a more "premium" image. "We still view ourselves as fast food because of our drive-thrus, but we're premium fast food," Farmer said.<h2>Winning customer service</h2>Key to Chick-fil-A's reinvention has been its customer service, which consistently ranks No. 1 in nationwide surveys. Highly regarded customer service is uncommon in fast food, an industry notorious for paying low wages.Chick-fil-A doesn't pay much more than the industry average, at least according to the wage-tracking site Glassdoor. The company pays its restaurant employees about $8.45 an hour, just 20 cents more than the industry average of <a href="http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Fast_Food_Worker/Hourly_Rate">$8.25</a> per hour.Chick-fil-A says it is investing in employees in other ways, though, whether it's through training programs or tuition assistance. The company says it encourages franchisees to ask new hires what their career goals are and then to try to help them achieve them, whether or not their aspirations are rooted in the fast-food industry.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qISA2TD8xhk">YouTube/The Texting Yoga Pants</a>Chick-fil-A consistently ranks No. 1 in nationwide surveys for customer service.</div></div></div>For Kevin Moss, a Chick-fil-A manager of 20 years, supporting his team has meant funding an employee's marketing degree and paying for another worker to take photography classes.Moss told Business Insider he also tries to support his employees in times of need. If an employee's family member is in the hospital, he will send food to the family and hospital staff. "I've found people are more motivated and respond better when you care about them," Moss said.Another franchisee, Jamie Ochsner, gives employees enrolled in high school or college bonuses of up to $250 per semester for every A or B grade they get. Many franchisees offer training classes for employees to earn certificates in managing food and labor costs and managing conflict in restaurants."The better we train, the longer people stay with us," Moss said.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Chick-fil-AChick-fil-A invests in rigorous training programs for its employees and offers perks like tuition assistance.</div></div></div>According to Cohen, it's Chick-fil-A's investment in its employees that has been the linchpin to its successful reinvention."Your employees are your ambassadors to the public," Cohen said. "The folks who are staffing those Chick-fil-A stores are aggressively reengaging with people and talking about how great the company is." <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/divided-family-donald-trump-election-undividing-america-2017-7">A mother and daughter stopped speaking after Trump was elected - here's their emotional first conversation 6 months later</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="x5cnR3YjE6lCeQ8beKmaVlknaCdj8Lqo" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

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