The city of Gilbert, Ariz., has ordered a group of seven adults to stop gathering for Bible studies in a private home because such meetings are forbidden by the city's zoning codes.
The issue was brought to a head when city officials wrote a letter to a pastor and his wife informing them they had 10 days to quit having the meetings in their private home.
"The interpretation and enforcement of the town's code is clearly unconstitutional, " said Daniel Blomberg, a member of the litigation team for ADF. "It bans 200,000 Gilbert residents from meeting in their private homes for organized religious purposes – an activity encouraged in the Bible, practiced for thousands of years, and protected by the First Amendment."
"This ban is defended based upon traffic, parking, and building safety concerns. However, nothing in its zoning code prevents weekly Cub Scouts meetings, Monday Night Football parties with numerous attendees or large business parties from being held on a regular basis in private homes," the ADF said.
This article was emailed to me by a great blogger friend of mine, Brian Ray Todd of http://www.briantodd.blogspot.com
Is this where we are headed? With an increasingly growing secular society who hates God, His Word, and loves darkness, how long will it be before the study of God's Word is effectively outlawed?
Zoning regulations, hate speech concerns, proselytizing prohibitions, assembly and safety concerns, church/state concerns, religious and iconic displays, and blatant attacks have been used in attempts to shut down witnessing efforts, preaching of the gospel, and private bible studies in various locations across our land.
Is this where we are headed? With an increasingly growing secular society who hates God, His Word, and loves darkness, how long will it be before the study of God's Word is effectively outlawed?
Zoning regulations, hate speech concerns, proselytizing prohibitions, assembly and safety concerns, church/state concerns, religious and iconic displays, and blatant attacks have been used in attempts to shut down witnessing efforts, preaching of the gospel, and private bible studies in various locations across our land.
12 comments:
Why should bible studies be banned from private homes? I can think of alot worse things going on behind closed doors such as child abuse which goes undetected most of the time.
Yvonne.
All I have to say is WOW!!! Some of these small towns forget that they are also part of the U.S.A. and need to keep their city ordinances in line with the U.S. Constitution and Federal Law. Blessings, Lloyd
Is this where we are headed?
Sad to say, YES! We've been heading that way for a long time now and with the liberal judges in control it's not looking good.
The only word that comes to mind is OUTRAGEOUS!
I thank God that there are Christian Law Firms out there like the Allience Defense Fund. the Pacific Justise Institute, the American Center for Law and Justice, and many more that are fighting for the Rights of Christians in this nation. They allow you and I the opportunty to lawfully assemble as Christians and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus (the Savior of the world) to a world in darkness and sin.
Yvonne - That is the age old question. Satan wants to shut down all efforts and means to preach the gospel including prohibiting believers from teaching the Scripture from their own homes.
Lloyd - I think the publicity on this one will change some things at Gibert's City Hall. But some other city somewhere else will pull the same drill. Sinners hate both God and the Word and will shut it down by any and all means.
OG - You, unfortunately are absolutely right!
KB - yes, I agree it is outrageous. This isn't the first time nor will it be the last. The enemies of the gospel are from Ceasar down to the lowest clerk.
Brian Ray Todd - Yes, thank God there are Christian Law Firms to tackle these issues. This is why Paul told believers to pray for those in governmental positions so that we can live godly, peaceful, quiet lives preaching the gospel.
Hi Pastor Gregg,
Unfortunately, this is exactly where the world is headed. Our freedoms as Christians are slowly but surely being taken away. They took the bible and prayer out of the schools in 1962; we can't utter the words Jesus in schools anymore; remember they fired the judge for not taking down the 10 commandments monument in Alabama a few years ago; our children aren't allowed to bring in christmas stories that discuss Jesus to schools. And the list goes on.
Just yesterday, I heard that there is criticism against Franklin Graham's organization to have Christian concerts in the military to bring people to Christ.
Remember, there will come a time when persecutions of Christians will escalate in this country and the great tribulation will ensue. It's just a matter of time.
Blessings,
Judy
Hi Pastor Gregg,
Unfortunately, this is exactly where the world is headed. Our freedoms as Christians are slowly but surely being taken away. They took the bible and prayer out of the schools in 1962; we can't utter the words Jesus in schools anymore; remember they fired the judge for not taking down the 10 commandments monument in Alabama a few years ago; our children aren't allowed to bring in christmas stories that discuss Jesus to schools. And the list goes on.
Just yesterday, I heard that there is criticism against Franklin Graham's organization to have Christian concerts in the military to bring people to Christ.
Remember, there will come a time when persecutions of Christians will escalate in this country and the great tribulation will ensue. It's just a matter of time.
Blessings,
Judy
Hi Pastor Gregg,
Unfortunately, this is exactly where the world is headed. Our freedoms as Christians are slowly but surely being taken away. They took the bible and prayer out of the schools in 1962; we can't utter the words Jesus in schools anymore; remember they fired the judge for not taking down the 10 commandments monument in Alabama a few years ago; our children aren't allowed to bring in christmas stories that discuss Jesus to schools. And the list goes on.
Just yesterday, I heard that there is criticism against Franklin Graham's organization to have Christian concerts in the military to bring people to Christ.
Remember, there will come a time when persecutions of Christians will escalate in this country and the great tribulation will ensue. It's just a matter of time.
Blessings,
Judy
Hi Pastor Gregg,
Unfortunately, this is exactly where the world is headed. Our freedoms as Christians are slowly but surely being taken away. They took the bible and prayer out of the schools in 1962; we can't utter the words Jesus in schools anymore; remember they fired the judge for not taking down the 10 commandments monument in Alabama a few years ago; our children aren't allowed to bring in christmas stories that discuss Jesus to schools. And the list goes on.
Just yesterday, I heard that there is criticism against Franklin Graham's organization to have Christian concerts in the military to bring people to Christ.
Remember, there will come a time when persecutions of Christians will escalate in this country and the great tribulation will ensue. It's just a matter of time.
Blessings,
Judy
O.K. so I'm late to the party. These types of ordinances have been on the books and selectively enforced in L.A. for over 35 years. Enforcement actions were even taken against a small Orthodox Jewish congregation that did not drive cars on Shabbat, so did not cause any traffic nor parking issues in the neighborhood.
I have observed a trend against churches in residentially zoned areas for the past 30 years along with blocking churches from commercially zoned (business district) areas (because of the loss of tax revenue on commercial properties to the city).
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