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?