So much for Freedom of Religion?

[Joe Biden 2020]

http://foxnewsinsider.com/2012/07/11/arizona-pastor-arrested-jailed-for-holding-bible-study-in-home-his-wife-says-it-defies-logic

If this indeed is true, EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the United States of ANY faith should be outraged.  The city should be fined and the city leaders thrown in jail themselves for breaking the Constitution.  The city has absolutely zero right to not allow assembly for religious purposes on private property.  Everybody should be outraged, because this could happen with their religion.  The fire concerns are just cop outs, nothing more.

[Lief 🗽]

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2012/07/12/despite-what-fox-news-tells-you-michael-salman-is-not-going-to-jail-for-hosting-a-bible-study/

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[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Bushie, not having the relevant facts = fail.

[7,052,770]

Every single story like this turns out to be either grossly exaggerated or just false.  When will people ever learn?

[Link]

http://foxnewsinsider.com/2012/07/11/arizona-pastor-arrested-jailed-for-holding-bible-study-in-home-his-wife-says-it-defies-logic

If this indeed is true, EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the United States of ANY faith should be outraged.  The city should be fined and the city leaders thrown in jail themselves for breaking the Constitution.  The city has absolutely zero right to not allow assembly for religious purposes on private property.  Everybody should be outraged, because this could happen with their religion.  The fire concerns are just cop outs, nothing more.

Once again right wing fanatics are above the law.

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http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2012/07/michael_salman_is_not_in_jail.php

Awesome.  This "christian" either lied and said it was a game room or lied and said it was a church to get a tax break.

Don't you just love organized religion?

This is an old story and the guy has already be tried, convicted, and sent to jail.  Why is someone wetting their bed about this crook now?

[memphis]

This is an old story and the guy has already be tried, convicted, and sent to jail.  Why is someone wetting their bed about this crook now?

Because Fox News is not journalism. It's right wing agitprop theater.

[Joe Biden 2020]

In my OP, I put IF this indeed is true.  I put IF because it is Fox News, so I gave myself an out in the post.  I agree, cramming 145 people into a small house is dangerous even if there are sprinklers.  The fact that he lied about it being a game room also is disappointing.  If he's not ashamed of the gospel and just for human decency, why didn't he just tell the truth of what he was hosting?  The authorities would be way less harsh on him if he were to have just told the truth and tried to find a larger venue.  I was a little skeptical of the article in the first place since it was from fox news, but I still posted it anyway to confirm my suspicions.  So, I'm glad Lief posted a countering article that seems more believable.

[Torie]

In my OP, I put IF this indeed is true.  I put IF because it is Fox News, so I gave myself an out in the post.  I agree, cramming 145 people into a small house is dangerous even if there are sprinklers.  The fact that he lied about it being a game room also is disappointing.  If he's not ashamed of the gospel and just for human decency, why didn't he just tell the truth of what he was hosting?  The authorities would be way less harsh on him if he were to have just told the truth and tried to find a larger venue.  I was a little skeptical of the article in the first place since it was from fox news, but I still posted it anyway to confirm my suspicions.  So, I'm glad Lief posted a countering article that seems more believable.

You don't think churches should be exempt from the zoning laws do you? 

[Keystone Phil]

In my OP, I put IF this indeed is true.  I put IF because it is Fox News, so I gave myself an out in the post.  I agree, cramming 145 people into a small house is dangerous even if there are sprinklers.  The fact that he lied about it being a game room also is disappointing.  If he's not ashamed of the gospel and just for human decency, why didn't he just tell the truth of what he was hosting?  The authorities would be way less harsh on him if he were to have just told the truth and tried to find a larger venue.  I was a little skeptical of the article in the first place since it was from fox news, but I still posted it anyway to confirm my suspicions.  So, I'm glad Lief posted a countering article that seems more believable.

You don't think churches should be exempt from the zoning laws do you? 

...where in his post did he even hint at that?

[Torie]

In my OP, I put IF this indeed is true.  I put IF because it is Fox News, so I gave myself an out in the post.  I agree, cramming 145 people into a small house is dangerous even if there are sprinklers.  The fact that he lied about it being a game room also is disappointing.  If he's not ashamed of the gospel and just for human decency, why didn't he just tell the truth of what he was hosting?  The authorities would be way less harsh on him if he were to have just told the truth and tried to find a larger venue.  I was a little skeptical of the article in the first place since it was from fox news, but I still posted it anyway to confirm my suspicions.  So, I'm glad Lief posted a countering article that seems more believable.

You don't think churches should be exempt from the zoning laws do you? 

...where in his post did he even hint at that?

He didn't, which is why I asked. It was not meant to be a rhetorical question. I mean, without reading any other sources, and just Bushie's, it was obvious that there was a zoning violation. If so, other than the penalty (did the guy ignore a cease and desist order?), what is there to be outraged by - even if true as written?  That is what puzzles me, and thus the question.

[Keystone Phil]

In my OP, I put IF this indeed is true.  I put IF because it is Fox News, so I gave myself an out in the post.  I agree, cramming 145 people into a small house is dangerous even if there are sprinklers.  The fact that he lied about it being a game room also is disappointing.  If he's not ashamed of the gospel and just for human decency, why didn't he just tell the truth of what he was hosting?  The authorities would be way less harsh on him if he were to have just told the truth and tried to find a larger venue.  I was a little skeptical of the article in the first place since it was from fox news, but I still posted it anyway to confirm my suspicions.  So, I'm glad Lief posted a countering article that seems more believable.

You don't think churches should be exempt from the zoning laws do you? 

...where in his post did he even hint at that?

He didn't, which is why I asked. It was not meant to be a rhetorical question. I mean, without reading any other sources, and just Bushie's, it was obvious that there was a zoning violation. If so, other than the penalty (did the guy ignore a cease and desist order?), what is there to be outraged by - even if true as written?  That is what puzzles me, and thus the question.

"I agree, cramming 145 people into a small house is dangerous even if there are sprinklers.  The fact that he lied about it being a game room also is disappointing."

I think it's very clear that he thinks churches should be subject to zoning codes. If anything, he takes it a step further saying sprinklers aren't enough.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Just as Phil is saying, I believe all organizations, religious or not, are subject to zoning codes.  If this is all about a safety violation, then the authorities are perfectly justified in their arrest.  If this had anything to do with the activity that's where I would have a problem.  It sounds like, though, this was about safety and nothing more.  People can meet for prayer and Bible Study wherever they want within reason, but ignoring safety codes and the willful violation of said codes without even an attempt to change the venue is criminal.  If something were to have happened to the 145 attendees, this man could have been in a lot more serious trouble than what he is now.  The reason for the sprinklers not being sufficient is there is something known as claustrophobia.  What if someone in that group were claustrophobic and fainted because of the close proximity of all the bodies with little or no fresh air allowed into the room.  As far as I know, he could be held liable for their medical bills.

[Torie]

No, holding gatherings of 150 people engaging for such a function is itself a zoning violation, irrespective of safety. Safety issues involved building and safety code violations. Zoning has to do with land use.

[Keystone Phil]

No, holding gatherings of 150 people engaging for such a function is itself a zoning violation, irrespective of safety. Safety issues involved building and safety code violations. Zoning has to do with land use.

Safety issues or not, Our Dear Friend still said it was wrong.

[dead0man]

Is there a set number of people a single dwelling can contain before it becomes a fire hazard/needs to be checked by the local FD?

[memphis]

No, holding gatherings of 150 people engaging for such a function is itself a zoning violation, irrespective of safety. Safety issues involved building and safety code violations. Zoning has to do with land use.

Safety issues or not, Our Dear Friend still said it was wrong.

He changed his position. In the initial post, he seems to think that people can do whatever they want in the name of religion. And that was a principled stance. When it was pointed out that having over hundred people in a small house was a fire hazard, he conceded that there was a problem. The problem is reconciling the principle with the reality. We all like having freedom of speech and religion and so forth as a matter of principle. And in nearly all cases we do. But there are obviously extreme situations where it's not practical. FOX does a good job of deliberately creating outrage by failing to make the distinction.