Ok, below you’ll see the story from FoxNews.com. This is madness. Since when has it been illegal to hold bible studies in your home? Seriously. This isn’t a joke. In fact, I wish it were a joke. This is disturbing. It’s just another way got the government to get more into our private lives. Now, I could see if he was open to the public, but a private group studying the word of God doesn’t need to be thrown in jail.
A Phoenix pastor who was jailed for holding a Bible study group on his private property is now holding one behind bars.
Michael Salman is serving a 60-day sentence in Maricopa County’s notorious Tent City jail for allegedly violating his probation by holding religious services on his property in violation of zoning and building codes. He was arrested July 9, after authorities charged the one-time gang member hosted Bible sessions for as many 80 people on his 4-acre property, which he tried to claim as a tax-exempt church.
”And I’m sure he’d do it all over again,” attorney John Whitehead, president of the Rutherford Institute, told FoxNews.com.
In a sense, he is. Salman has assembled a Bible study group on site that has been attended by as many as 30 inmates, according to Whitehead. On Thursday, he was chosen to lead inmates in prayer for the anniversary of the Tent City jail, just before they dined on moon pies, according to a report.
The married father of six is an ordained pastor of Church of God in Christ and founder of Harvest Christian Fellowship. He and his family believe he has the right to worship at home on his private property.
“The only people who came to our home were family and friends,” Salman said in a video posted online before he reported to jail this week. “Our home was not open to the public; it was private.”
His wife, Suzanne Salman, said her husband’s constitutional rights have been violated.
“Christians deserve the right to gather at their homes privately just like every other American has the right to gather for their reasons,” she told FoxNews.com.
But the city rejects the idea that Salman is doing time for saving souls.
“The case is about the building that is used for regular assembly does not meet construction and fire code requirements for assembly,” Phoenix officials said in a statement.
The outdoor facility where Salman is now being held was incorporated with the county jail in 1993 in order to house a growing number of inmates. Whitehead said the conditions are hellish.
“It’s like a Guantanamo facility,” Whitehead said. “It can get up to 140 degrees out there … putting someone in Tent City for violating zoning laws is insane.”
Salman has done hard time before. The former gang member was arrested for a drive-by shooting as well as being charged with impersonating a police officer. His neighbors say the physically imposing Salman makes them nervous, despite his status as a changed man.
Homeowners Association President Mike Simms told FoxNews.com Salman applied for a permit to build a game room on his property, but installed pew-like seats and a pulpit. Salman has responded by saying “game room” was the best description available for what they were building.
Salman is scheduled to be released Sept. 9, but Whitehead hopes to win an early release for his client.
Zoning codes? What? Seriously? Zoning codes??? This guy went to jail for violating zoning codes? Ok, I can see that. He’s claiming tax exemption as a church. Wait, there’s more. The guy doesn’t open his home church up to the public. It’s a private group! It’s not like he’s molesting children and planning a mass suicide, is he? He’s holding bible studies in his private home!
However, he probably shouldn’t have told the HOA he was building a game room and then put pews in it. That wasn’t smart.
I read what appeared to be a more complete account. The authorities have been after him to shut down his non-church church for maybe 6 years. He advertises, he has as many as 80 people there, it is set up like a church, including “pews” and platform/pulpit, he takes up tithes, and they meet maybe twice a week. This guy appears to be just trying to play the system. If it needs to be called a church, then his home apparently viiolates building regulations, and possibly zoning ordinances. I think he’s now out for notoriety. Not questioning his devotion, but he’s had plenty of time to “make it legal”, and he won’t. At least that’s how I read it.
So what you’re telling me is that this guy is just a con man trying to get over on the system? I can see that.
I really do not want to question his devotion. He could be a guy who wants to serve God AND get a lot of attention. I just don’t think we should hold him up as a beacon of religious intolerance by the government.