Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Government greed, or just plain stupidity


A San Diego area preacher has been told by county officials that he could face fines of as much as $1,000 unless he gets a government permit for the weekly Bible-study sessions he hosts in his home. Officials are demanding that David Jones comply with county codes that prohibit the holding of religious assemblies without a "major-use permit." This sure doesn't sound like a "major use." Jones says as few as five and at most 27 people attend the Bible studies. His attorney says the county is infringing on Jones' right to exercise his religion, and that the county regulations are aimed only at synagogues, churches and temples. If county officials are smart (and that really seems unlikely at this point), they'll drop this ridiculous persecution of Jones and his parishioners. They'll get that chance next Tuesday, when the two sides are supposed to sit down for a discussion of the case. Unless Jones and members of his church are causing a disturbance or creating traffic hazards in his neighborhood, the government has no business telling him what he can do inside his home. Would they try to levy fines on someone who invited 30 people to a backyard cookout, or to watch the Super Bowl? Of course not. So what difference does it make that these people just happen to be reading their Bibles?

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12 Comments:

Blogger Ellipses said...

Defend someone's right to hold a prayer session in their house and get 0 comments...

Call a spade a spade (or a nutcase a nutcase)... and you get a hat full of two cents

June 3, 2009 at 8:01 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I recall that in "1984," Orwell made it a crime to be caught reading in your own home. Actions such as banning Bible study are one step away from proclaiming your religious beliefs "thought crime."

June 3, 2009 at 9:15 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great common sense response to a stupid situation.
Ellispes, those of a more conservative or even church going perspective have left the blog after feeling being under assault. So few left to care, but kudos to Brant for writing the truth.

WR fan

June 4, 2009 at 12:20 AM  
Blogger Brant said...

Sometimes people would rather run away than try to defend their positions. Oh well.

June 4, 2009 at 8:40 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Brant it is not the defense of their positions, but instead the honestly juvenile way they are treated by some of the posters.
Snarky comments only serve to inflame and I must state that you are not so guilty of this, but some of the frequent posters are. They anger rather than inform and that is the problem for this blog and so many other sites on the web. The goal must be to create discussion and interest not inflame.
All elections and political decisions are a public argument, whether we are civil and intelligent in our comments remains to be seen.

June 4, 2009 at 12:27 PM  
Blogger PRIguy said...

"They'll get that chance next Tuesday, when the two sides are supposed to sit down for a discussion of the case." Will they need a permit? Seems like a double standard. He's not allowed to discuss God in his home, but it's okay to discuss his discussing God?

This is pure idiocy. Next thing you know, the NFL will start sending goon squads out to homes where the people gathered are discussing a football game...WITHOUT express written consent of the NFL.

It's bad enough that our country is becoming a nanny state. But this is intrusion.

June 4, 2009 at 12:30 PM  
Blogger Ellipses said...

We were sitting around the house last night NOT worshiping Jesus... Which, I guess would count as an atheist prayer group... It was only the three of us... which means there were only two atheists in attendance (my wife is not an atheist, my son is... so far)... but that should be enough, right?

I wonder what the response would be if I called the township building and requested a permit to "go about my business as usual...?"

June 4, 2009 at 12:48 PM  
Blogger Brant said...

To the anonymous poster, I would just say that anytime I ask someone to speak about the framework of their faith and how it has led them to, say, oppose gay marriage, they disappear in a sudden hurry.

June 4, 2009 at 12:57 PM  
Blogger PRIguy said...

Ellipses, can an atheist have a prayer meeting? Isn't that counterproductive?

June 4, 2009 at 2:17 PM  
Blogger Ellipses said...

Yeah... it's a stretch, Priguy...

But I figure there is some kind of logical progression there...

June 4, 2009 at 2:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The stupidity of politicians strikes again. If I were a voter in San Diego, I would be anxious to get rid of these idiots. But before I do, I would make my feelings known on blogs, letters to the editor, etc. When these single-cell brainiacs are brought more out into the open, then things suddenly change. This si also something television news would jump on.

June 5, 2009 at 10:29 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Government greed, or just plain stupidity" pretty much summarizes installing taxpayer turf at the Washington professional ballpark.

June 5, 2009 at 10:59 AM  

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