On Friday, in
United States v. Genesis II Church of Health and Healing, (SD FL, April 17, 2020), a Florida federal district court issued a temporary restraining order against an organization claiming to be a church which was selling a powerful industrial bleach product as a cure for COVID-19 and other serious conditions. As set out in the government's Complaint (
full text) and its Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order (
full text) filed April 16, the defendant told the FDA:
We can say cure, heal and treat as a Free Church. Don’t need you [sic] approval or authorization for a Church Sacrament.”... There will be NO corrective actions on our part … You have no authority over us! … Never going to happen.
ARS Technia gives additional background:
Genesis was selling MMS online and describes it as a sacrament. Attempting to purchase the product today leads to an error page that says, "We are currently in prayer!!! During these difficult and trying times, we are in prayer and seeking The LORD's wisdom & guidance. Please pray for us."
Genesis' main website calls the organization "a non-religious church" that aims to "restore health" to the world and which "was formed for the purpose of serving mankind and not for the purpose of worship."
