Man still in Jail for Bible Study

[revelarts]

A Phoenix, Ariz., Christian who has held Bible studies in his house for years, often in the face of city threats not to do so, will remain in jail for having those studies, after the state Supreme Court today refused to intervene.
Officials with the Rutherford Institute (http://www.rutherford.org) today announced the court had denied a petition for a writ of habeas corpus that had been filed.


Michael Salman is serving a 60-day jail sentence and was ordered to be fined some $12,000 for using his private residential property to hold a weekly Bible study. The city said his offenses involved city building codes, but his defenders have pointed out that those codes are for commercial properties, and the city does not apply them to football parties, social gatherings and other events that are held in homes.
A statement from the Rutherford Institute said attorneys were “are undeterred and will continue their legal efforts to challenge Michael Salman’s detention in Tents City Jail in Maricopa County as a violation of his First Amendment rights to religious freedom and assembly.”
Salman’s defenders are challenging city claims that if a person holds Bible studies or other forms of religious worship at his residence, he is required to comply with all local laws relating to an actual church that is open to the public...

...

Since 2005, Salman and his wife Suzanne have held Bible studies for friends and family. But neighbors complained and in 2007 city officials told the Salmans to stop holding the Bible studies.
The couple then built a 2,000-square-foot building on their property, with city permits, to hold up to about 40 people to use for the weekly Bible study. In 2009, nearly a dozen police officers, accompanied by city inspectors, raided the Salmans’ property. The city decided to call the weekly study times a church, and blasted the couple for not meeting commercial building codes involving emergency exit signs, handicapped parking spaces and such.....


...Salman had raised the issue in his interactions with city officials in court. “The state is stating … that this is an A3 Occupancy because it is a religious use. They’re basing the occupant load on use and square footage. So, my question to them is – and where I’m – where this is all going is, if this can be used as a home theater without being – without having to have an A3 Occupancy, why could this not be used as a religious use without having an A3 Occupancy?”...


http://www.wnd.com/2012/07/bible-study-leader-to-remain-in-jail/?cat_orig=us

Seems it doesn't matter if you followed the rules we'll change the game and shut you down.
It's a Crime to hold a bible study, at your big house without permission.

[KarlMarx]

That's the problem, lawyers and bureaucrats always stretch the meaning and intent of the law. That's why we oppose things like gay marriage, eventually, lawyers will apply the law to men marrying chimps

[Nukeman]

http://www.wnd.com/2012/07/bible-study-leader-to-remain-in-jail/?cat_orig=us

Seems it doesn't matter if you followed the rules we'll change the game and shut you down.
It's a Crime to hold a bible study, at your big house without permission.
I am gong to start by saying that I agree that the man should be able to hold a prayer group at this house if he wants the problem that has arose from all this is NOT the religous use but the PARKING for 40 people weekly, that is what turned the neighbors against this guy in the first place.

He is in a residential area with limited parking and once a week this guy is bringing in 20-30 cars parking in a already congested area, so since they can't stop people from parking on public streets they went after him another way to stop the congestion on the roads and his neighbors inablility to park near thier own houses....... He has his rights but he also has to have respect for his neighbors as well, you can't demand someone respect you and your rights than shit on theirs......

[Missileman]

That's the problem, lawyers and bureaucrats always stretch the meaning and intent of the law. That's why we oppose things like gay marriage, eventually, lawyers will apply the law to men marrying chimps

It really isn't hard to make a slippery slope out of a mountain of bullshit.

[fj1200]

http://www.wnd.com/2012/07/bible-study-leader-to-remain-in-jail/?cat_orig=us

Seems it doesn't matter if you followed the rules we'll change the game and shut you down.
It's a Crime to hold a bible study, at your big house without permission.

No, it's a crime to have a church (for all intents and purposes) on your property without meeting the proper requirements. There are quite a few unanswered questions and spin that I would expect WND to put in just the right way for their purposes.

[jimnyc]

Imagine someone holding a Bible study in Iran or other Sharia led countries! Jail would be considered a relief!

[revelarts]

I am gong to start by saying that I agree that the man should be able to hold a prayer group at this house if he wants the problem that has arose from all this is NOT the religous use but the PARKING for 40 people weekly, that is what turned the neighbors against this guy in the first place.

He is in a residential area with limited parking and once a week this guy is bringing in 20-30 cars parking in a already congested area, so since they can't stop people from parking on public streets they went after him another way to stop the congestion on the roads and his neighbors inablility to park near thier own houses....... He has his rights but he also has to have respect for his neighbors as well, you can't demand someone respect you and your rights than shit on theirs......

so if you were a neighbor would you recommend jail for your inconvenience?
I wouldn't, part of what gets me in issues like this is that people don't try to solve the problem they get pissed and call the cops off ta jail for you.
Ok
if the problem is i don't like someone parking in front of my house every week then put up a sign saying no parking. if they don't obey the sign then the park-er gets a ticket or towed. after a while folks will get the message. but putting the guy in jail is overkill IMO.

As far as having a "church" on his property that's a matter of opinion, the size of the structure is for personal use with guest, others can have football parties every week does that make it a sports bar, maybe maybe not. ethier way you guys know i don't like all kinds of picky regulations and ordinances for homes or small biz anyway.

[red state]

I don't like a lot of regulations and such either BUT, it does seem that this guy was not getting along well with his neighbors and it is quite a hassle when you're wanting to come home from a hard day only to find someone sitting in your drive or blocking your drive. They should have carpooled as much as possible or broke the study down to different groups and at different times. Still, "disturbance" should have been the offense (not religion). Hard to say who to side with on this one without knowing the facts. If they weren't causing any trouble and the neighbors didn't like or agree with the doctrine...I'd have to side with the Bible study group for sure. Either way, AZ is opening up a big, bad can of worms on this issue and I hope it is resolved. Would be nice to know more.

[PostmodernProphet]

It really isn't hard to make a slippery slope out of a mountain of bullshit.

well said....and in this instance the city has certainly provided a mountain of bullshit....

[Nukeman]

so if you were a neighbor would you recommend jail for your inconvenience?
I wouldn't, part of what gets me in issues like this is that people don't try to solve the problem they get pissed and call the cops off ta jail for you.
Ok
if the problem is i don't like someone parking in front of my house every week then put up a sign saying no parking. if they don't obey the sign then the park-er gets a ticket or towed. after a while folks will get the message. but putting the guy in jail is overkill IMO.

As far as having a "church" on his property that's a matter of opinion, the size of the structure is for personal use with guest, others can have football parties every week does that make it a sports bar, maybe maybe not. ethier way you guys know i don't like all kinds of picky regulations and ordinances for homes or small biz anyway.Rev.. This is NOT a NEW occurrence this goes back to 2005 that is 7 years in the making, I am quite sure the neighbors approached him first before the police were involved.. You cant just put a no parking sign on the street its not legal for you to do that, its not illegal for someone to park in front of your house but if they disrupt your lifestyle and access to your home than there is a problem and the root of the problem must be found and stopped.

Take religion out of the equation and the guy has a "party" every wed evening with 40-50 of his closes friends for 7 years every Wed. so you have difficulty getting in your drive or just getting down your road would that be acceptable to you than?? You are getting in a tizzy over this being religious in nature when in fact that is the smallest part of this whole mess....

[gabosaurus]

Being in jail will bring the guy closer to Jesus, who was also imprisoned for his beliefs.

Of course, Jesus didn't have the option to lawyer up and sue everyone he can think of for his inconvenience.

[revelarts]

Rev.. This is NOT a NEW occurrence this goes back to 2005 that is 7 years in the making, I am quite sure the neighbors approached him first before the police were involved.. You cant just put a no parking sign on the street its not legal for you to do that, its not illegal for someone to park in front of your house but if they disrupt your lifestyle and access to your home than there is a problem and the root of the problem must be found and stopped.

Take religion out of the equation and the guy has a "party" every wed evening with 40-50 of his closes friends for 7 years every Wed. so you have difficulty getting in your drive or just getting down your road would that be acceptable to you than?? You are getting in a tizzy over this being religious in nature when in fact that is the smallest part of this whole mess....

here's my thing it's not illegal to put a sign in front of your house. If this is a Christian Bible study folks should be decent and not park if they see a sign. If they do and find a wheel lock on there tires when they come out , "my my i wonder how that got there. that's a shame."
OR if they want the city involved they can request that the street be designated no parking -with specifics- to fit the case. There are ways to get people to move without jail for the neighbor.
I don't know what transpired in the past 5-7 years but what's posted. maybe you know more. But even if it was a party every week i still wouldn't want the guy in jail. the fact that it's a Bible study and probably quiet whichmakes me even less inclined to do so.