Well, I'm late to the party but I just found this out. I think this is a travesty, both a violation of constitutional and religious rights. How exactly is this any different than a tupperware party or any of the other millions of reason people gather at someone's home in amounts of 15-20? Has this man committed any crime considered worthy of being sent to jail? What's next? Being sent to jail for having a Super Bowl dinner party and breaking restaurant code violations? http://foxnewsinsider.com/2012/07/1...-study-in-home-his-wife-says-it-defies-logic/
Oh, I forgot. What exactly did the man do worthy of having a police raid? Did he have a stash of bible pamphlets hidden under the flooring?
So no one finds this perturbing in a free society like America? Is every one ok with it? Or am I missing something here?
Fox News: Fair like a rigged card game, and balanced like the slope of Roger Ailes' forehead. If Fox News told me the sky was blue and water was wet, I still wouldn't believe them.
I think everyone agrees with you and is just being sarcastic as it's fairly obvious the story is ridiculous.
The city prosecuter brings up a valid concern about being able exit during a fire, but I don't think that's gonna be enough. Eventually, the city will lose their ass in this fight.
Here are some facts about the story: 1. He's been holding bible studies since 2002 at his home 2. His home is on 4.6 acres 3. His neighbors have never complained to him..only to the police 4. He's been in court several times with this, so its not "out of the blue" 5. He actually built a structure behind his house to hold the bible studies 6. The structure was built with City Permits and passed inspection here's a picture of the group in their meeting place I have mixed feelings on this - if the City gave him the permit for the building..he should be able to meet how he likes in it. This is no different than a group a Nebraska fans meeting once a week to watch the game together. If no money is being given/exchanged for anything, then they should be allowed to assemble. However, if he begins taking an offering on a weekly basis..then it can be classified as a church, and needs to be in the proper zoned areas for a church, or needs the proper permit for a church.
I think the devil is in the details. If he's have 5 people at his house, then this is obviously ridiculous. If he's hosting 200 people at his house every day, taking donations, him preaching, etc - then it basically would be him acting as a Church or business. Jailtime is a bit silly, but it would make sense that the city would shut it down. The article needed a whole lot more details to be useful.
On the surface, this is a pretty blatant violation of freedom of religion. The question remains is what exactly was he doing to piss off the city.
Its about 20 people once a week on 4 acres of land. - I agree with you that if he begins taking donations/Offerings, then the situation is completely different no matter what the size.
Umm, that's weird. That looks like a restaurant - booths on the side, menus on the table, standing menu boards with what look like specials in the middle of the tables, etc. If he has a restaurant in his backyard, then that's a pretty clear violation of zoning rules in general - no idea if this is the case, but that picture is just odd.
Yeah, this is the one thing I wasn't sure off but nobody has claimed he collected any money in anything I could find. So I don't see how this is any different than meeting at a friends house for a book reading club and being charged for bookstore permit violations. I mean, it doesn't sound like he is profiting from anything I have heard. If he were then he wouldn't have as much of a moral ground to stand in but otherwise it just seems like the government has gone crazy out of control on this instance with a huge power and American rights abuse.
Whatever is going on here, it's pretty clear it's not your run-of-the-mill bible study that happens every day at homes all over the country. So I'd be wary of making any kind of judgments based on things like the title of this thread.
Exactly. Just shoddy reporting designed to get a reaction instead of actually providing details. When I see stories like this (usually on Facebook.....), I'm always skeptical. There always seems to be more to the story that comes out later.
lol, I didn't even look at the picture before. That's definitely odd, is this truly even his backyard building? Boy, I hope all the facts get cleared up soon but so far not looking good for American constitutional and religious liberties.
