The Michigan town where only Christians are allowed to buy houses

The Guardian ^ | February 9, 2018 | Rose Hackman

[TBP]

Tucked away in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, somewhere along the winding roads that hug Great Lakes shores, is an idyllic town named Bay View. For more than a century, generations of “Bay Viewers” have congregated here to share in summer activities.

What started out as a modest camping ground for Methodist families 140 years ago has quietly developed into a stunning vacation spot for people who can afford the upkeep of a second home. Streets named Moss, Fern and Maple are dotted with impeccably maintained century-old gingerbread cottages. Over the horizon, residents can watch lifelong friends sail their boats across the water.

But this paradise is not open to all.

In Bay View, only practicing Christians are allowed to buy houses, or even inherit them.

Prospective homeowners, according to a bylaw introduced in 1947 and strengthened in 1986, are required to produce evidence of their faith by providing among other things a letter from a Christian minister testifying to their active participation in a church.

Last summer, a dozen current and former resident members filed a federal lawsuit against the town, its ruling Bay View Association and a real estate company, claiming the Christian litmus test was illegal and unconstitutional.

[cgbg]

My wife’s mother is a practicing Lutheran who lives in the middle of an Amish community.

They treat her like a part of the family—and since she is elderly they help her whenever she needs it.

(They probably don’t want to advertise what great neighbors they are... :-) )

[lightman]

Can non-Amish buy into Amish farmlands without shunning?

...However, people who never were Amish - so-called "Englische" - are treated hospitably

Quite correct.

If the Amish community decides they want to purchase a non-Amish farm at a public sale no "English" will be able to touch it.

They will pool their money to outbid--and pay in cash.

The Amish are quiet neighbors. Since they operate their own schools their large families do not put any strain on the public school system.

Enough families have moved into my neck of the woods to sustain two schools. Better than any gubbmint program for "farmland preservation".

[gaijin]

In Muslim areas surrounding Israel it is I believe a capital crime to sell property to Jews.

I think in some cases they actually kill you.

[Buttons12]

It sounds like Ocean Grove, NJ. Originally a Methodist camp meeting. I believe they had a curfew on automobiles even in the 1990s, don’t know about now, what with all the demographic changes lately.
My family album shows a photo of the folks standing by an enormous gate that shut out the world every night.

[ptsal]

Gingerbread houses on Martha’s Vineyard....Yep, Massachuetts.

[I want the USA back]

Good. And what about the areas where only m*slims are allowed? (who would want to live among them - rapes and neck slicings).

[miss marmelstein]

It appears to be a Methodist Camp Ground. I lived in one for ten years: Ocean Grove, NJ. All I was asked when I “bought” (you can’t buy in OG, you can only lease for 99 years) was to pray for the Church.

What’s of interest, is the 900 or so frothing hatred expressed by readers. Again, The Guardian is Der Sturmer for Christians.

[Telepathic Intruder]

To each his own. Liberals can keep their diversity. I’ve never found it too terribly important.

[ptsal]

How is this different from a muslim only “no go zone”?

---

    Good point.
    Going anywhere that has "that [fill in] part of town."

Borders and bias and the inner sense of differences are part of human nature.

We are in a post-Genesis 11 world. However, there was a major water-event that preceded that tower, starting in Genesis 6 continuing onto Genesis 10.

[Sooth2222]

Ocean Grove in NJ was a similar community.

They lost a suit several years ago.

There are similar Christian camp meeting communities up and down the East coast. We don't live in OG, but my father lived there after WW1 (!), we're close enough that I go there most days to walk or jog, my wife sings in the summer choir, and my daughter plays (occasionally now) in the summer band. One reason that we've never purchased a house there is that the town is mainly 100+ year old wooden houses that are all built a few feet from each other. Another is that the streets were planned before the invention of the motor vehicle and so parking is an issue every summer. But for all its quirks and quirky residents we still love the place.

Some years ago the Camp Meeting Association required all motor vehicles removed from the town on Sunday and eventually the state's SC ruled that unconstitutional. A newspaper deliveryman sued claiming that his business was hurt because of the restriction and the court agreed. You can still see the iron loops from the chains that they used to block the entrances on Sundays. They still close the beaches on Sunday until Noon.

I imagine that there are still deed restrictions -- property "owners" actually have a 99 year lease and the land is technically owned by the Camp Meeting Association.

But I don't see how community deed restrictions that discriminate could possibly be enforceable now in 2018 -- or could have been for the last 50 years.

[miss marmelstein]

Do you have info on that suit? What I remember as a resident there is that they had to unlock the gate facing Rte 35 which was locked on the Sabbath til 12pm. All cars had to be removed on Saturday night. The courts shot that down.

Today, you still can’t go onto the beaches until 12pm on a Sunday. We also erected a gate on the lake facing Asbury Park to stop thieves from breaking into houses in OG. That got the little town in trouble with the libs too but when crime was cut way down, they gave up.

When gays starting taking over the joint in the 2000s, they wanted to get married on the beach. The Methodist Association then proceeded to ban marriages on the beach altogether which is why we can’t have nice things.

[miss marmelstein]

Does Ronald Naldi of the Met still sing in the choir? We sold our OG home because of property tax hikes and an annoying neighbor. It is my Lost Horizon. I belonged to so many clubs in that town and on a hot summer Sunday, to sit in the back, and listen to the choir, was heaven on earth.

[wally_bert]

The wun would use nuclear weapons in the name of diversity and eeo on a place like that.

Commie news people couldn’t salivate enough in worshipping extreme social justice.

[bk1000]

“Are we really going to destroy everything from our history due to liberal group think?”

As long as liberals are willing to do it, and we are willing to let them. Without consequences, why would they change? When things start happening to a few rabble rousers, or activist judges, or ACLU types, they may begin to question their own motives. As it stands now, they do as they please. What will be the last straw?

[Neoliberalnot]

Yes, but that’s different, they’re special. Christians are not Semites like Jews and Arabs. Is it strictly for those practicing Judaism?

[Neoliberalnot]

are foreign funded. Saudis and others export hate.””

Just like Hillary’s and Obama’s campaigns.

[DaveA37]

“Don’t tell the liberals”.........

A bit late for that now that the media has put the story out for all the world to see. The lawsuit may go all the way to the SCOTUS for a ruling. I see a major problem with their ultimate decision claiming discrimination.

There goes the neighborhood!

[Josa]

Plan. Since groups can’t discriminate by religion or race let’s pack the membership of CAIR and NAACP and bring them around to majority ideas

[aumrl]

You have more knowledge than I.
Still try to visit yearly but the view of the Tabernacle from the biergarden across Wesley Lake is pleasing.

[Chengdu54]

If you own something then you should have the right to sell it to anyone. Otherwise, you don’t really own it.