A Phoenix man has been sentenced to 60 days in jail after he refused to stop hosting Bible studies in the privacy of his home – in violation of the city’s building code laws.
However, the Phoenix city prosecutor’s office said the violations have nothing to do with religious freedom — and everything to do with public safety.
“It came down to zoning and proper permitting,” said Vicki Hill, the chief assistant city prosecutor. “Any time you are holding a gathering of people continuously as he does — we have concerns about people being able to exit the facility properly in case there is a fire — and that’s really all this comes down to.”
“They’re cracking down on religious activities and religious use,” Salman told Fox News Radio. “They’re attacking what I as a Christian do in the privacy of my home.”...
Colyer wrote: Lurker, by any chance do you work for a local authority institution? Are you (were you) a bureaucrat?
Nope and nope.
My working career was in construction and real estate development. I've dealt with the codes and ordinances Salman is confronted with for many years. Semi-retired now but still doing some RE development.
It matters little how all the local building codes and regulations came to be. If they're on the books they will be enforced if violations come to light.
It can be tedious at times when a residential street is full of cars. Sounds like he needs to start a van service. It will be interesting if the city is found to be over-regulating religious activity, which I think they are. Many start up churches in Lincoln rent out business properties, so they don't run into the problem this fellow has.
Lurker wrote: it simply demonstrates either his ignorance, or defiance, of the codes and regulations which are in effect for most all incorporated communities enacted for the safety of its citizens. The best thing he could do would be to cooporate with the local officials to bring his property into compliance for the purpose he has been pursuing.
Lurker, by any chance do you work for a local authority institution? Are you (were you) a bureaucrat?
"A few months later, members of the Phoenix Fire Dept. broke up the family’s Good Friday fellowship. As many as 20 people were in their backyard eating a meal when firefighters threatened to call the police – unless their guests left the premises"
Eating in the backyard? Now THAT is dangerous to the public. When did it become a bureaucrat's right to determine how much risk an American should be willing to take? I suppose they do know best how safe one should be, being experts in such matters as ones choice to "risk" going to a picnic or not.
Anyone who thinks "code" is code for safety, only need look at plumbing codes, electrical codes, etc, to see how they vary from place to place. Somehow what is safe in one city is dangerous in another. But obey the codes, and don't forget to pay for the permits, which we mustn't think are there as permission bribes. Your safety is their first consideration.
Codes are in place primarily because influential unions got them put there. "Public safety" is the cover
"Hill said the facts are clear.
“He built a structure that he said wasn’t a church — that is in fact — a church,” she said. “It’s a church.”
Now here is real ignorance. A building is a church. But hey, she's the expert.
At first glance this headline screams of religious persecution but upon reading the article coupled with my personal experience with local governments (city and county); it appears Salman has been in violation of local codes from the onset of his home bible study group.
”Salman told Fox News Radio. “They’re attacking what I as a Christian do in the privacy of my home.”"
While he may believe his statement is true, it simply demonstrates either his ignorance, or defiance, of the codes and regulations which are in effect for most all incorporated communities enacted for the safety of its citizens.
The best thing he could do would be to cooporate with the local officials to bring his property into compliance for the purpose he has been pursuing.
This is Satan's worldly bureaucrats harrassing the Christian doing something that in all probability is being done by non-Christians all over Phoenix; Namely gathering together for community events. Of course Satan's aim and motive are different in that he tries to destroy churches usually by the pollution of Liberalism and false witness. Plain old schism is still working in many churches too, but now the reprobate secular world of bureacracy is activated against the church and religion in a new way. Setting up politicians and bureaucrats in society Satan has mobilized a new army of reprobates to carry out his attacks to further the dissolution of God's witness across the nations. In previous times these bureaucrats would have left well alone. As for looking for violations of local bylaws - this is just an excuse!!
4.6 acres? Sounds like plenty of room to build a 2000 sq ft structure to me. It's not like they're living in a subdivision on a 1/4 acre lot. The land/building belongs to Salmons and they have the right to use as they wish.
Wow that sounds like communist Russia to me I wonder what the backlash would be if they did that same thing to a bunch of Muslims I hate the way the country is going this would have never happened 50 years ago.
seems like a jail-happy culture. pretty eveident why US has largest incarceration rate. I mean, good thing the streets were cleared of this "dangerous" bible study teacher. statism on steroids.
with economy and social issues, expect more ministries to be on private property, home groups, etc, with less money and less fancy megachurches....
In this case he is in the wrong. Simply because he built a church and didn't get the right building code for it. He pretty much lied by the sounds of it when he got consent for a "gaming room".
Had he kept the meetings inside his house then the issue of building permits wouldn't be much problem. That's what got him convicted, not his beliefs.
Not everyone is equiped to raise a man from death after he falls out of a window in a bible study in an overcrowded room. That's why we have restrictions on how many can be in particular places at one time. It's a safety issue.
That said, he only had at most 20 people originally so it souldn't have been a technical problem. Firefighters were called because of safety issues but aparrently they were only warned and then ignored for a further 2 years until he built his church building (complete with signs out front).
Dr. Joel Beeke | 1/3/2010
COMMENTS | 
john uk from wales: "
brassitude
1. does not follow.
2. the baptys recognised..."
