OK, so why is Sheriff Joe doing this?
File this under “Things You Just Don’t Want To Believe”.
To bad he isn’t an illegal, a black militant, gay, transgendered and or a public union member.
Would they DARE prosecute a muslim for running a mosque out of his home?
I'm guessing his neighbors were not happy.
What part of ‘free EXERCISE of religion’ do they not understand?
That article is a bit deceptive “Home-owner jailed..” ?
I also see it doesnt say how many people were in that 2000 sM church he built on his property. 200?? 50? It matters.
Oh, the private property myth. If you truly think you “own” your property, try not paying taxes on it. The great American Dream should really be called the Great American Property Tax Heist. Thread hop.. it was truly shocking to read the Federal Government owns a third of the land in the US. Who owns the other two thirds?
Sounds like, from reading the whole article, that this home bible study group had grown too big for the home. They were meeting in a separate 2,000 sq. ft. building behind the house and probably need to move.
Betcha neighbors were annoyed not with the religious nature of the meetings but rather with the associated traffic, parking, and noise problems.
Also something about lighting.
Probably more of a zoning and disturbing the peace issue than one of religious freedom.
This sounds like a case for Jay Sekulow.
Bible study activities in my home will go unfettered by any human authority, who will be ignored. If it goes beyond that intense suppressive fire and violence of action without remorse or hesitation.
Anyone had this thought..? Why didn’t the guy build a church where it was permissible?
Why not become a full-time pastor and get a church already??
There is a lot more to this story than meets the eye and most of it is not showing that this “preacher” is an upstanding minister of the Lord.
Don’t fall for this fraud.
How many people are attending these bible studies? If it is 10 or 20, the government reaction is outrageous. However, a 2,000 square foot room could probably seat over 200 people, and if that many were showing regularly showing up it could create a nuisance for the neighbors.
Did neighbors complain about problems caused by the gatherings or did the government simply come in for no real reason?
What if a neighbor actually converted their garage to a 2,000 square foot game room, and made it into an unofficial “youth center”, where dozens of teenagers were coming frequently for regular events?
I guess the fundamental question was, did the meetings have the impact of the neighborhood of having an active, house of worship or business, in a residential zone?
Regardless of any of that, I think the 60 day jail sentence is outrageous. There are real criminals who need to be locked up. At worst he should have had to pay the fines.
The more I learn about the “Pastor”, the more I think he is in the wrong.
Other articles described him as an “ex-gangbanger” who served time for a drive by shooting.
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2011/05/michael_salman_in_fight_with_p.php
Also, looking at the statement of beliefs on his website, he denies the Trinity, and preaches the heresy of Modalism (3 “manifestations”, not 3 Persons of God).
“We believe in the trinity with respect that 1 God who is spirit who is holy thus is the Holy Spirit is manifested in 3 persons. Father, Son, and Comforter. That God creator of Heaven and earth is the Father. Father in Creation, Son in Salvation, and Comforter in Humanity. Not 3 person but 3 roles and 1 God.”
http://www.hcfaz.org/Whatwebelieve.html
this is against the first amendment in 2 ways: freedom of religion and freedom of assembly.