A Holland pastor is in hot water after a clip surfaced showing him urging his church's congregants to just "get it over with" and get COVID-19.
In a clip that could be a
Saturday Night Live skit, pastor Bart Spencer of Lighthouse Baptist Church tells his followers — while coughing — "COVID, it’s all good."
To be clear, medical experts have strongly urged against people intentionally getting COVID-19. While most people survive the illness, more than 10,000 Michiganders have not, or 2.5% of the state's confirmed cases. Many who do survive still report symptoms months after falling ill, plus it's not just
you that health officials are worried about — asymptomatic people can still spread the disease to other, more vulnerable people.
Spencer made the comments during a Nov. 14 sermon, which was shared on Facebook by Miguel Medina, a former member of the church, where it has drawn sharp criticism.
"I had no intention of posting, but I couldn’t believe what I just saw and heard," Medina told the
Holland Sentinel.
The full sermon is posted on the church's
website, and the clip is below.
Spencer claims he and several members of his family got and recovered from COVID-19, which he admitted is "not fun" but says "my bout with the flu was worse." Like others, Spencer says he experienced a loss of taste and smell after getting the virus.
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