....you made the point that if the law were written to expect safety protocols be followed in Churches just as elsewhere, then this whole issue could have been avoided and everyone could agree.
I agree with you, but really that misses the whole point of this case for the Left.
The Catholic Churches (and synagogues) targets WERE ALREADY FOLLOWING THOSE RULES. I have no idea how many here attend church here, but thise rules are already being followed in spades. The diocese across the country have been very careful about distancing, masks, etc..
The reason that the law was not written in the reasonable way that you suggested is because it would not accomplish the goal of the Left in this case. COVID prevention is not the heart of this issue, or they would have applied the same rules evenly. If it were written as you suggest, there would not even be any disagreement on the religious worshippers side. The goal Of this move was to restrict the open worship of God in our country. At first under an unusual circumstance, and with time, expanding it.