Pastor refuses to apologize for exposing 180 churchgoers to coronavirus: 'Jesus didn't defend himself -- so I don't have to'

The pastor of Palermo Bible Family Church in Butte County, California, says he's not sorry for hosting an in-person church service that exposed 180 people to coronavirus due to an infected parishioner, according to The Sacramento Bee.

“May I just say to all of our church, you don’t need to defend us. When Jesus went before Pilate, he didn’t defend himself. So I don’t feel the need,” Pastor Michael Jacobsen said during a recent sermon.

“I don’t feel the like the decision we made was irresponsible,” he added.

Jacobson said he is self-quarantining in light of the news.

It's still not known how many tested positive out of the 180 exposed.

“We are continuing an extensive contract tracing investigation,” Lisa Almaguer, a spokeswoman for the county’s health department, told the Bee.

During his sermon, Jacobsen defended the coronavirus-positive congregant.

“They didn’t do it intentionally,” he said, referring to the congregant. “It was never in my heart to put our church in harm’s way.”