Does "live streaming" services count (if you're a believer)?

With all the restrictions in place on large group gatherings, many churches including those in my state are using "live streaming" to get their adherents at least virtually together to worship, As a believer, do you think this "counts" if your faith mandates that you gather together on a regular basis to worship? Let's say you are unfortunate enough to pass away during this pandemic. When youget to your place of judgement, the arbiter of your preference says "Almost everything in here looks in order, but let's talk about the last couple of weeks of church services. Easter, specifically." (For Christians). Do you think you get in, or are you out?

Obviously the follow on question: if virtual services count, what do we need the buildings for exactly?

Melcharez & I were touching on this the other day.  Obviously, Paul's encouragement to assemble did not take into account later tech like phones and video, etc.  What proof can anybody provide that the apostles would have failed to see a zoom conference as an assembly?

I notice that both of the megachurch pastors who have been charged with endangering their parishioners made youtube videos of Sunday service and many other assemblies and had no problem with people watching their services remotely before the pandemic.  Only once an opportunity arose to get publicity by forcing an arrest for  preaching did either preacher suddenly have a problem with live streaming.  My study of history suggests that most martyrs have to go well out of their way to force authorities to act..

Let's recall that lepers in the time of Jesus and Paul were not permitted to even enter the city much less attend Christian assemblies.  St. Francis may have kissed a leper but he never suggested that one should be permitted in church.

I think its a silly concern that arises from overly an overly concretized interpretation of fairly abstract concepts (faithfulness and spiritual intercourse)

Jesus made no specific architectural demands for correct worship.  Quite the opposite: the church is for

None of which requires a building or personal contact- only communication

Matthew 18

it counts

As a simple analogy, why attend a local church when you could travel for months or years to get to Rome to attend a service?

We adapt to changing needs of both time and space.

Andwering from the POV of Orthodox Judaism:

Yes and no. While there is some value, especially psychologically, and in some exigent circumstances, connecting via technology can satisfy a religious obligation, for the most part, attending a service over the phone or video does not qualify as having been among a quorum required for certain prayers and obligations.

Unfortunately  God needs us all to meet at the clubhouse AT LEAST once a week. 

It's a group building,  group strengthening  thing. 

And We all know that the good Lord lovesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss  CASH.

The church is the perfect place to ask for this. 

So no church simply takes away there best money collecting Avenue. 

Rubble, rubble,  rubble.

Once as a young man in France, in Provence, I attended a Catholic mass [I'm not a Catholic]. I wanted to witness the proceedings, not being familiar with the mass. It was a new experience, and I appreciated the priest's homily, but was particularly struck by the service of the Eucharist, not because it was different from my experience, but because of one man who went forward with others in the congregation. This man, I judged to be about 50, was horribly crippled. on two short canes, he crawled with uses and deformed legs. I learned later that they were injured in a farming accident. I sat far back in the chapel, on the aisle, but5 he was further back. As he crawled by me, and on done the aisle, I observed his struggle, abd watched him the whole way until he, too, could partake from the priest, who smiled with pure love into hte man's face. Then, I watched him crawl back up the aisle. He was weeping openly, but I perceived it was not due to his pain, which his body expressed we;; enough. He was weeping for the joy of, once again, committing his faith and love of Jesus for having removed his sins, for by his sacrifice, he understood the message of the atonement and a repentant heart. He brought tears to my eyes. At length, I chatted with the priest, who told me the man's story. I related to him my thinking about the man's tears. The priest told me, simply, "He loves the Lord."

That experience would have never been had by an internet service. We need one another, close at hand, to support, share love, encourage, and mourn. of necessity, we are separated, and I pray it will be brief.

Where 2 or more are gathered together in my name, there am i in the midst of them.

(See matthew 18:20)

Forsake not the assembling together

(See hebrews 10:25) 

Lets break down what "gathering together" and "assembly" mean. 

It shows it as a gathering together in 1 place. Not multiple places watching the same thing. Technology doesnt replace the context of what scriptures mean. 

Lets take a look at church history to see what christians did in the past during a plauge. Or we can look at Jesus who healed the sick. 

Here are 4 examples of what christians did. And just because we have technology doesnt mean we can sit behind a screen and call it keeping the assembly.  If your pastor told you to stay home, then obey him. If not, then you can always have assembly at home or elsewhere.

https://biblehub.com/commentaries/hebrews/10-25.htm. I leave this here for study.

I'm not against people seeking company with other's of similar ideals, (Generally speaking).

As other's above say, there is something one can gain in such a gathering,

Humans 'are social animals.

Though I'm fair fond of the two pieces below,

I understand people's appreciation of a church.

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

"Pray without ceasing."

I'm fond of these two pieces,

Seeming to me, to encourage authentic living, mindfully and fully living one's beliefs.

I'm fond of such thought,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Churches and/or attached buildings,

Have also often served uses 'other than prayer,

A place to meet, plan, organize,

Store records, direct charity and volunteer activities from.