Posted on 09/22/2007 8:35:41 PM PDT by monomaniac
By John Jalsevac
OCEAN GROVE, N.J., September 19, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced on Monday that it was stripping the Methodist Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association of its tax-exempt status for part of its property. The Methodist camp made the news earlier this year after it refused, for religious reasons, to allow a lesbian couple to hold a "civil-union" ceremony at a pavilion on the camp's property.
The pavilion, said Scott Hoffman, the camp's chief administrative officer to LifeSiteNews, "is a facility we have used exclusively for our camp meeting mission and worship celebrations since 1869."
Until recently the camp held tax-exempt status on its entire boardwalk property under a New Jersey program that gives tax-breaks to organizations that open up their property to the general public.
In June, however, Harriet Bernstein and Luisa Pester, a lesbian, filed a complaint with the state attorney general's office on the basis of sexual orientation discrimination, after Ocean Grove refused to allow them to hold their "civil-union" ceremony at the camp's pavilion. A second lesbian couple has also sued Ocean Grove. New Jersey's anti-discrimination laws currently forbid those who "offer goods, services, and facilities to the general public" from "directly or indirectly denying or withholding any accommodation, service, benefit, or privilege to an individual" on the basis of sexual orientation.
"It is clear that the pavilion is not open to all persons on an equal basis," DEP Commissioner Lisa Jackson, wrote to the camp on Monday, in announcing the DEP's decision to revoke the camp's tax-exempt status.
"When people hear the words 'open space,' we want them to think not just of open air and land, but that it is open to all people," Jackson continued. "And when the public subsidizes it with tax breaks, it goes with the expectation that it is not going to be parsed out, whether it be by activity or any particular beliefs."
Currently, however, there is some confusion over just how much of the camp's property no longer has tax-exempt status. As such, one homosexual advocacy group is threatening to appeal the DEP's decision, saying that it doesn't go far enough, reports the AP. "We're looking for a bigger victory here," said Steve Goldstein, the chairman of Garden State Equality. "We have the symbolic victory of the state telling Ocean Grove they're wrong, but there is a bigger victory to be had by having the entire tax-exemption removed. We're happy, but there's a lot more happiness to be had."
According to the Neptune Township tax assessor, the revocation of the tax-exempt status on the pavilion will only cost Ocean Grove about $175/year, although Scott Hoffman has reportedly issued a statement claiming that the DEP's decision in fact appears to revoke tax-exempt status for "over 99 percent of the land." Hoffman said that Ocean Grove's lawyers are currently reviewing the decision.
In August, the Christian camp preempted the complaints currently pending against it by itself suing New Jersey state officials. According to the Alliance Defense fund, which is representing the camp, the attorney general's office is violating First Amendment protections by investigating Ocean Grove. "Religious groups have the right to make their own decisions without government interference," said Brian Raum, senior legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund. "The government can't force a private Christian organization to use its property in a way that would violate its own religious beliefs."
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Methodist Camp Meeting Association Sues New Jersey for Civil Union Investigation
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/aug/07081501.html
Lesbian Couple Files Complaint against Church for Refusing Civil Union Ceremony
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jul/07071011.html
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
“”We have the symbolic victory of the state telling Ocean Grove they’re wrong, but there is a bigger victory to be had by having the entire tax-exemption removed. We’re happy, but there’s a lot more happiness to be had.”
That sums it up right there. These are not happy people. Their “happiness” in this case is that another entity which opposes their destructive lifestyle is now being punished. Pitiful. The Founding Fathers must be up to about 23,000 RPM by now.
That's about it. First, force the state to legally accept and protect it as normal then force the churches to de-sin the practice. Next thing you know they'll be banging on the gates with petition in hand.
gates = golden gates.
This is what happens when unelected bureaucrats are allowed to write law, enforce the law and judge the law. You get a dictatorship that cannot be voted out of office by the people.
The Gaystapo cannot create anything (most of all, Life itself) so they are driven to destroy.
Exactly. The issue is not one of religion at all. Even property held by religious organizations is subject to property taxes in NJ. The church opened the park to public use to save on property tax expenses, then didn’t follow through and wanted to pick and choose who could use it instead of it being open to all the public.
Accepting special treatment from the government always has consequences. If you want to maximize your control over your property, then accept no special treatment. You’ll be limited enough as it is with zoning laws, noise ordinances, public nudity restrictions, alcohol laws, etc. Why give the government even more say-so ?
I’m sure if the Methodists just offered them some outdoor restrooms to play in, the Gays would go away.
All peopel are equally discriminated in this situation. NOBODY is allowed to use the pavilion for celebrations of ANY form of recreational sex.
That nuance said.
It is going to be sad but a protection law will have to be passed.
Also this is the government violating the first amendment free exercise clause because it is identifying which parts of a religion will be acceptable and which will not. The government is establishing religious acceptance.
Coming soon to a secular theocracy near you!
Too late. They already slept with dogs.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.