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Title: Home Bible Study Threatened in Bonito, Calif.
Source:
The New American
URL Source: http://www.thenewamerican.com/culture/family/1230
Published: Jun 14, 2009
Author: Selwyn Duke
Post Date: 2009-06-14 02:47:39 by farmfriend
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Keywords: None
Views: 305
Comments: 7
Written by Selwyn Duke If the Chinese need any help with their crackdown on the Falun Gong religious group, perhaps they should try to recruit San Diego County bureaucrats. Because if a recent attempt on the municipality’s part to stifle Bible study in a private home in Bonita, California, is any indication, there are at least some in its employ who have missed their dark calling. Reporting on this, The Washington Times writes: For five years, the Rev. David Jones and his wife Mary have held Bible studies at their home in Bonita, Calif. With the impeccable timing of a soulless bureaucrat, on Good Friday morning, a San Diego County Code Enforcement officer appeared at the Jones residence, taking photographs and subjecting Mrs. Jones to a sharp interrogation. Did they sing at their meetings? Did they say amen and "praise the Lord"? After Mary responded in the affirmative, the officer declared that these were illegal religious gatherings which must stop immediately. On April 14, the Joneses received a citation warning them to "cease/stop religious assembly on parcel or obtain a major use permit." Obtaining the permit could cost tens of thousands of dollars, and failure to do so would result in fines starting at $100 and escalating to $1,000. After that, the county official reportedly had warned, "it will get ugly." How much uglier it could get without going full Chinese I’m not sure, as the bureaucrat actually subjected the family to a full line of questioning. Can you imagine asking, "Do you say, ‘Praise the Lord'?" It much reminds me of a Gestapo official in 1940 asking "Are you a Jew?" or the second-century Romans asking Justin the Martyr at his trial, "Are you a Christian?" Given that the very first sentence of the First Amendment reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . . ," we have to wonder if these bureaucrats have ever read our founding document. Perhaps they never got past the preamble. Yet, just to be precise and consistent, an accurate interpretation of the establishment clause informs that it restricts Congress, the legislature of the federal government, not state and local governments. However, the courts have ruled that the restrictions in the First Amendment apply not only to Congress but to the states, based on their interpretation of the 14th Amendment. Now, let me be clear, I think their legal theory, which is known as the "Incorporation Doctrine," is bunk; it is a legal rationalization that serves as a pretext for increasing federal court control over the states, which have their own state constitutions and protections against the abuse of basic rights. But today it is applied to parts of the Bill of Rights and largely unquestioned, and it has been used to denude the public square of historically present religious sentiments and symbols on the basis that localities may not “establish” religion. Thus, it certainly follows that localities may not prohibit the free exercise thereof. Regardless, the Bonita case has a somewhat happy ending. After all the media attention focused on the event, the county backed off and said they would no longer require the Joneses to obtain the major use permit. Yet I call it a somewhat happy ending for good reason. Where is the accountability? The transgressing bureaucrat should be identified, shamed and punished, not allowed to simply slink away and live to oppress another day. Moreover, if this apparent anti-Christian attitude exists within the local government, we have to wonder, is this really the first time it tried to stifle religious practice? Or is it just the first time it was exposed? This case also illustrates the cowardice and absence of principle that characterizes militant secularists. If the county’s actions against the Joneses were legal and just, why did they back down in the face of media pressure? It’s a rhetorical question, of course, as it’s hard to believe this government intrusion was motivated by anything but anti-Christian bias. After all, will San Diego County apply their standard to other gatherings? As the Joneses’ lawyer Dean Broyles pointed out, “If the county thinks they can shut down groups of 10 or 15 Christians meeting in a home, what about people who meet regularly at home for poker night? What about people who meet for Tupperware parties? What about people who are meeting to watch baseball games on a regular basis and support the Chargers?” Well, I don’t know about the Chargers. But if it were the Raiders, it might evoke feelings approaching those the bureaucrats felt upon hearing about Bible study. However happy you consider the ending of this story, the big picture doesn’t appear to be one of living happily ever after. Faith has been under assault for quite some time now, and we have transitioned from Nietzsche’s “God is dead” to Nero’s God is dangerous. Incidentally, one of the accusations the Romans hurled at Christians was that they were “haters of humanity.” Sound familiar? And, of course, it isn’t only anti-Christian sentiments that our secularists share with those ancient pagans, but also what attends them: a desire to persecute. The Bonita case is just another ill wind in the gathering storm against Christianity. And in the not-too-distant future, we just may find that government control of business isn’t the only area in which we will surpass China.
Home Bible Study Threatened in Bonito, Calif.
Friday, 12 June 2009 08:30
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#1. To: farmfriend (#0)
On April 14, the Joneses received a citation warning them to "cease/stop religious assembly on parcel or obtain a major use permit." Obtaining the permit could cost tens of thousands of dollars, and failure to do so would result in fines starting at $100 and escalating to $1,000. After that, the county official reportedly had warned, "it will get ugly." How much uglier it could get without going full Chinese I’m not sure, as the bureaucrat actually subjected the family to a full line of questioning Sieg Freeking Heil to the Fourth Reich. AmeriKa is dead..
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
'After that, the county official reportedly had warned, "it will get ugly."' It's already pretty ugly. The statists stink to high heaven! What a bunch of absolute twits. Lord have mercy.
from a worthless code enforcement officer. That family should have kept their mouths shut and not answered any questions. .
Click for Privacy and Preparedness files
I have a terrible temper when dealing with people like this. I would have not answered any questions, told him to leave, then probably punched him. Then I would have called the police and told them he attacked me. The people in my house would back me up. Generally, the person who calls the police first gets the other person arrested first.
In a perfect world I'd agree completely with this take on things. However, since we live in a commercial paper jurisdiction the CONsti-stupid means little if anything when it comes to court rulings. As soon as they (Govt.) veered from the usage of REAL MONEY (Article 1 section 10: unconstitutional to this very day) we forfeited our rights and accepted their ever changing privileges. Whenever enitities operate "business" through the usage of a private currency, the owner of that currency is entitled to a cut of the action (TAXES paid to the IRS) and actually dictates policy. That's why I call it the FEDERAL (reserve bank) GOVT. (And I imagine that's why they do too without pissing everyone off by continually mentioning the banks as the true owners of the govt). You seldom hear the term "National" Govt. used, because federal doesn't mean national, it means federal.
Resolve to serve no more, and you are at once freed. I do not ask that you place hands upon the tyrant to topple him over, but simply that you support him no longer; then you will behold him, like a great Colossus whose pedestal has been pulled away, fall of his own weight and break in pieces. De La Boétie
Here is what you do. I didn't read who the individuals involved on the city side are. You find out where they live. You go to their house and use roundup on all of their flowers. Hell kill their lawn too. You save all your urine and go dump it in their yard discretely (for weeks or months). If they have any windows throw a rock through it. Super glue in locks would also be nice. If you can find out where they take a shit at in public. Gorilla glue their ass to the seat.
Aint that the truth. I was working for some sand niggers. They didn't like the job my guy did for them. It wasn't a bad job but the sandniggers always want to change the terms or try to negotiate after the fact. They called the cops. The cops called my house. I called the guy the next day wanting my money. About 20 cops came to my house and told me not to call him anymore. It's ok. I will have my revenge in a few months. I hope he likes the red paint that will be on his roof come halloween night. I wont mention any other deeds I have planned.
the officer declared that these were illegal religious gatherings which must stop immediately.
#2. To: IndieTX, farmfriend (#1)
Home Bible Study Threatened in Bonito, Calif.
#3. To: IndieTX (#1)
#4. To: farmfriend (#0)
Dancing Turtles and Bouncing Boobs
...that's Turtle Island.
#5. To: farmfriend (#0)
I think their legal theory, which is known as the "Incorporation Doctrine," is bunk; it is a legal rationalization that serves as a pretext for increasing federal court control over the states, which have their own state constitutions and protections against the abuse of basic rights.
#6. To: farmfriend (#0)
#7. To: Turtle (#4)
Generally, the person who calls the police first gets the other person arrested first
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