Navy issues 'absolutely outrageous' order

In threatening to court martial service members if they attend church, the Navy is openly defying the commander in chief's declaration of churches as essential to America.

Attorney Mike Berry of First Liberty Institute reports that the Navy issued an order on June 24^th "prohibiting service members from attending in-person and indoor religious services. So that means anybody serving with the Navy is now prohibited from going to church or synagogue or temple or whatever," he explains. "And if they do and they're caught, they could be court martialed for violating that order. And so that, of course, is absolutely outrageous."

But Berry points out that the order actually allows service members to do other things.

"They can use mass transit. They can even host house parties of any size in their house," he reports. "Even if someone in their house tests positive for COVID-19, they can host a party, but they can't go to church. That's absolutely outrageous."

Berry hopes President Trump will intervene if the Navy does not reverse course.

"The president did recently declare that churches are essential in America, and he's right about that," the attorney agrees. "As commander in chief, he certainly can order the Navy to withdraw this order, and I think that's exactly what he should do."

If the president does not intervene, though, then First Liberty Institute may explore legal options.