Government loves to make it difficult for people to use their Constitutional Rights. In many cases a technicality is created, then used against a person, church or business. Then you have to spend tens of thousands of dollars to get back your rights—while the government uses your tax dollars to fight you. In Oroville, this is how a church was abused.
“Brad Dacus, who heads the Pacific Justice Institute, explained that the property owner soon ran into trouble with local officials.
“The people there who own the property basically had a church service – not only for the homeless,” Dacus informed. “They have about 80 or 90 people at a time coming there to worship, and it’s been very successful in ministering. The neighbors have no problem with it.”
The church provides clothing and other essentials to the homeless people who attend the services.
However, county representatives told the owners that they could not meet any longer in the barn. They vetoed the gatherings again when they took place in an open pasture.
You got it—government said neither a barn nor open pasture could be used as a Church. Thankfully the Pacific Justice Institute intervened, pro bono, and got the County to repeal its original decision. In the meantime the people of the area learned a lesson: government is not your friend.
Calif. county ended church services, now allows them |
Charlie Butts, OneNewsNow.com, 12/27/17
Officials in a county in northern California have learned a difficult lesson on religious freedom.
Just outside Oroville, California, Christians have been holding meetings in a barn so that a diverse congregation could come together and worship under one roof.
Brad Dacus, who heads the Pacific Justice Institute, explained that the property owner soon ran into trouble with local officials.
“The people there who own the property basically had a church service – not only for the homeless,” Dacus informed. “They have about 80 or 90 people at a time coming there to worship, and it’s been very successful in ministering. The neighbors have no problem with it.”
The church provides clothing and other essentials to the homeless people who attend the services.
However, county representatives told the owners that they could not meet any longer in the barn. They vetoed the gatherings again when they took place in an open pasture.
“Then the county also said you can’t meet here because it’s zoned for agriculture – it’s not zoned for church services,” Dacus recounted. “What was the real rub here is the fact that the county allowed other groups and other things to take place – entertainment performances in these places – and yet they were putting their foot down on the church.”
Attorneys with the Pacific Justice Institute subsequently intervened by sending a strong demand letter to the county explaining that religious events cannot be barred if non-religious ones are permitted.
After reviewing the legal information, the county quickly reversed its policy and has issued a lawful conditional use permit to the church.
About Stephen Frank
Isn’t church all about planting seeds of faith and nurturing saplings?
Christians around the land are facing strong opposition from government. We need to stand up!
The bureaucrats who perpetrated these decisions should be prosecuted by the feds for violating the civil rights of the those attending the church services. Maybe some time in the pokey would give them a different perspective.