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'Take Them Stupid Masks Off', Tennessee Pastor Demands of Congregants during Easter Service

  • Amanda Casanova

    Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and…

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  • Updated Apr 12, 2021

Pastor Greg Locke of the Global Vision Bible Church in Tennessee told his congregants to "take them stupid masks off" during this past weekend's Easter Sunday services.

"Unless you're under a doctor's orders — and a few of you are — take them stupid masks off when you come to Global Vision! There, I said it on Easter. Take them stupid masks off," Locke said Sunday, according to The Christian Post. "Call me crazy? You come, pull up in the parking lot wearing two masks in a car by yourself. Call me crazy? That's crack-smoking crazy is what that is."

Previously, Locke has said masks are "idols."

"These don't do anything whatsoever," he said last summer. "They are the dumbest thing to have ever been created by humanity. They are scientifically proven to do Jack sprat! But I'll tell you, religiously, what they've done, they've divided the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. These things are so dumb."

On Sunday, Locke also referenced Isaiah 53:6, saying, "It's interesting God calls us that [sheep]. Not much has changed, has it? You remember this time last year?  This time last year, they were like, 'Oh my goodness! You cannot have resurrection service; you will kill everybody. You are going to kill everybody within 250 miles.' We ain't killed nobody yet, by the way."

Locke's church stayed open as other churches closed during a nationwide lockdown early in the pandemic.

"Since we're a year in, I just want to verifiably say, thanks be to God for other churches that opened, that reopened, and thank God for churches that decided that they weren't going to close at all. They saw through it. We've never closed yet. We've never closed one single time during all this COVID debacle," Locke said.

He added that it would take "the entire United States military" to force his church to close.

"You have lost your mind if you think I've given in to that. You have lost your mind if you think I'm giving into that mess. We are staying open forever. Forever."

Photo courtesy: Noah/Unsplash


Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and IBelieve.com. She blogs at The Migraine Runner.