Posted on 08/05/2012 9:40:35 AM PDT by Zakeet
A Phoenix pastor who was jailed for holding a Bible study group on his private property is now holding one behind bars.
Michael Salman is serving a 60-day sentence in Maricopa County's notorious Tent City jail for allegedly violating his probation by holding religious services on his property in violation of zoning and building codes. He was arrested July 9, after authorities charged the one-time gang member hosted Bible sessions for as many 80 people on his 4-acre property, which he tried to claim as a tax-exempt church.
[Snip]
The married father of six is an ordained pastor of Church of God in Christ and founder of Harvest Christian Fellowship. He and his family believe he has the right to worship at home on his private property.
"The only people who came to our home were family and friends," Salman said in a video posted online before he reported to jail this week. "Our home was not open to the public; it was private."
His wife, Suzanne Salman, said her husband's constitutional rights have been violated.
"Christians deserve the right to gather at their homes privately just like every other American has the right to gather for their reasons," she told FoxNews.com.
But the city rejects the idea that Salman is doing time for saving souls.
"The case is about the building that is used for regular assembly does not meet construction and fire code requirements for assembly," Phoenix officials said in a statement.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Sounds like they need to be studying Romans 13:1-10.
As a Phoenix resident I can attest that there are neighborhoods that have lots that big. There are many horse properties inside Phoenix and in neighboring communities. It isn’t just the periphery of the towns either.
Read the article AND the FR posts.
Most of us realize that this had nothing -ZERO- to do with religion. It had to do with causing a public nuisance.
BTW, it occurs to me to ask, are you a dog owner?
No,not for Bible Study.....but for trying to claim it as exempt status as a church....
Well stated.
That, and most people will gladly give up their freedom for the right to mind their neighbors' business.
It's got to be very easy to host 80 friends and family members on four (4 !) acres without bothering neighbors, even with their cars.
I own 0.5 acre in a small town and have had forty people at a time with very few cars on the street.
Something is very wrong here, either in the reporting or in the attitude of the city.
Its getting tougher to get permission to build churches these days. The whole planning process, with neighbors turning out to complain about traffic patterns and the like.
I know of a church that bought adjoining land years ago to expand on to. When they got ready to use the land, the city and county planners refused to give them permission. They’ve been trying for years, and the land is essentially worthless to them. Strip malls, shopping centers, thats fine. Church building, forget it.
My experience with dog owners whose dogs are a public nuisance.
What part of EIGHTY PEOPLE don’t you understand?
On the side of evil, as usual.
All zoning and building codes that restrict “the free exercise thereof” are obviously unconstitutional.
>> “The case is about the building that is used for regular assembly does not meet construction and fire code requirements for assembly” <<
.
Vomit!
.
I see that your “principles” are antichristian, as usual.
His “neighbors” have no right of petition against his worship.
NIMBY is the term.
>> “ it doesn’t seem like the pastor lived up to that command.” <<
.
He lived up to it just fine, but his neighbors were not inclined to peace in their hatred of Christ.
Not his worship of course but if that worship is causing problems they sure do....
Are you saying all 60 of his neighbors who signed the petition are all wrong and have an axe to grind against people of faith? I think not. The guy was a total jerk to his neighbors if you read accounts of him.
Face it ES, if you have 60 of your neighbors ganging up on you, might YOU might have something you are doing wrong? Kinda like the person that has been divorce 6 times always blaming the divorce on their spouse.
There are hundreds of thousands of people having Bible studies in their homes across this country without any problem. You sticking up for this guy against insurmountable evidence against him just makes Christians look bad.
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