It's About Liberty: A Conservative Forum
Topics => Faith & Family => Topic started by: BMG on July 13, 2012, 01:56:29 PM
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LINK (http://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/2012/07/12/home-church-pastor-jailed-60-days-for-67-zoning-violations/?singlepage=true)
In Phoenix, Arizona, this week, a pastor was thrown in jail for 60 days by the local government. His crime is hosting a weekly, private Bible study in his own home. The government argues the man has a church on his property and must therefore correct 67 zoning violations. And right at this very moment a father of six kids sits in a Phoenix prison for teaching the Bible on his own property.
The Salmans have argued that their weekly gathering is not a church. It is simply a Bible study. Authorities raided the property in 2009 (yes, you read that right: they raided the Salmans’ home property) and cited Michael Salman for the church building code violations. Salman claims that since their services are not promoted to the public — they are a private gathering of friends and family — it is not a church in the traditional sense.
In one interview, Pastor Salman made this position clear:
If I had people coming to my home on a regular basis for poker night or Monday Night Football, it would be permitted. But when someone says to us we are not allowed to gather because of religious purposes, that is when you have discrimination.
And the war on Christianity continues...
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One should not have to build a moat and fill it with dangerous starving creatures in order to enjoy their free exercise of religion.
But this is the world we live in now. Or perhaps I should say "for now". ;)
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Nothing is ever as simple as it seems.
I had heard about this a month or so back and followed a conversation about the case. The bottom line to this is simple: If you're going to do stuff that's outside the lines it behooves you not to call attention to yourself.
Mr. Salman called attention to himself and his activities because they were disturbing the peace in the neighborhood by their frequency and volume. He wouldn't cooperate with his neighbors so a bunch of them (not just one or two) complained.
When the city came into the picture they discovered that Mr. Salmam was operating a church on his property. No one said that he couldn't do that but if he was going to persist he would have to follow the zoning regulations. He chose to respond by selectively doing part of what the city demanded. He got a permit and built a "game room" as a dodge. He used that addition as his church hall. He never did obtain the required permit to use the building as a church. Again, that whole call attention to yourself that I mentioned.
The city came in and cited him for zoning violations. He continued in defiance of city edicts. He was taken to court where his church is found liable for a bunch of violations and Salman is given jail time.
IMO he spit into the wind and you know what that gets you.