Got Your Permit To Study the Bible?
by Chuck Norris
06/02/2009


Recently a California pastor and his wife were required by San Diego County officials to obtain a permit to hold a Bible study in their home.

"What?! Is this a joke?" I wondered as I heard the news for the first time. It was no joke. Rather, it's a First Amendment nightmare and possibly a foreshadowing of what's to come.

Are you prepared for a future in which you hear, "Got your permit to study the Bible?"



On April 10 (Good Friday), a county code enforcement officer visited the home of David and Mary Jones after receiving a complaint about their Christian gatherings. The Jones' attorney, Dean Broyles, president of The Western Center for Law & Policy, conveyed in disbelief, "The county asked (Mrs. Jones), 'Do you have a regular meeting in your home?' She said, 'Yes.' 'Do you say "amen"?' 'Yes.' 'Do you pray?' 'Yes.' 'Do you say "praise the Lord"?' 'Yes.'"

The officer then warned the family to "cease and desist" the "religious gathering" or they would face weekly fines. A few days later, the county delivered a citation claiming that the Joneses were guilty of "unlawful use of land" and mandating them to "stop religious assembly or apply for a major use permit."

At first, I thought, "They must have a large congregation meeting in their home to warrant this type of citation and prompt this type of commotion, right?" Actually, according to their lawyer, the Joneses have been hosting weekly Bible studies in their home for about five years, with an average attendance of only about 15 people.

Broyles appropriately responded, "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, this past weekend, barraged by hundreds of complaints after WorldNetDaily broke the news to the international community, San Diego County officials informed the world that they'd backed down from requiring the Joneses to obtain a permit. Despite their retraction (based solely upon public pressure, I might add), however, I am appalled at how far the county's enforcement and encroachment crossed the constitutional line and became a flagrant disregard for Americans' right to exercise their religious faiths. And I'm concerned that we will see far more of these overreaching governmental actions in years to come.

As Mary Jones shared with Fox News: "The implications are great because it's not only us that's involved. There are thousands and thousands of Bible studies that are held all across the country. What we're interested in is setting a precedent here -- before it goes any further -- and that we have it settled for the future."

I'm not expecting county officials to be constitutional lawyers, but they should be aware of these basic precepts of America's makeup. For example, prior to the San Diego officials' recanting their position regarding the Joneses' Bible study, Chandra Waller, the general manager of the county's Land Use and Environment Group, declared, "The Bible studies are one that's probably in a very gray area."

"Very gray area"? Is there anything "very gray" about the First Amendment?

I agree again with Broyles, who explained further to Fox News: "The government may not prohibit the free exercise of religion. I believe that our Founding Fathers would roll over in their grave if they saw that here in the year 2009, a pastor and his wife are being told that they cannot hold a simple Bible study in their own home."

Part of the genius of America's Founding Fathers was to provide and secure a foundation for our freedom of religious belief. The First Amendment simply reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Could it be any clearer that government may not prohibit "the free exercise thereof"?

Now more than ever, we need to be like the Joneses! Fight for the First Amendment and your freedom to exercise your religion.

I hate when local government officials get "drunk" with power and over step their boundries!

The government should not be able to say what people can or cannot do in their own homes. This is ridiculous. I go to a Bible study at a friend's house every week. I hope their neighbors don't decide to report us. This is crazy!

The government should not be able to say what people can or cannot do in their own homes. This is ridiculous. I go to a Bible study at a friend's house every week. I hope their neighbors don't decide to report us. This is crazy!

I went to a weekly Bible study 10 years ago. It was held by a man I worked with at the time. That was when I first started to become interested in religion again. Even though I go to church every Saturday or Sunday and still read the Bible, I am very interested in getting back into a Bible study again. I think that I'll get even more out of it now then I did then since I have a much deeper faith now and I am also 10 years older and I hope a little more mature and a little more wise.

...you have GOT to be kidding me.

I am not a super religious person although I believe in God. I also think its very important to have separation of church and state. But to go and bother people who a peacefully exercising their religious rights in the privacy of a home is just awful. Glad they got a lawyer and the police backed down. I may not personally be big on relgious study but nobody should be precluded from peaceful exercise of this activity. "Religious freedom" works both ways.

That is beyond ridiculous!! How dare the government tell them what they can and cannot do in their own home - wasn't freedom of religion one of the foundations this country was built on?? :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Looks to me like someone was sore about the Prop 8 ruling and decided to get back at their CHristian neighbors.

I wonder who filed the complaint?

I think it's dumb that the neighbors complained and that the pastor has to get a permit. I think maybe they complained because maybe people were parking in the wrong spots. But whatever reason it was it was stupid to complain about a couple holding a Bible study group for 15 people.

If ti were me, I'd take not only San Diego County to court, but also the people who reported me! How DARE they interfere with me exercising a basic right guaranteed not only by the U.S. Constituion, but by many State constitutions as well.

The complaint originated over parking issues, it wasn't an issue of discrimination or any sort of revenge.

http://www.10news.com/news/19650728/detail.html

"The county initially told Jones he had to obtain a permit to hold the meetings at his Bonita home because a neighbor had complained about parking and traffic congestion."

From the looks of things I think some people wont be satified until its seperation between church and home.


This is our country, not the governments.

From the looks of things I think some people wont be satified until its seperation between church and home.


This is our country, not the governments.
AMEN!!! :clap :clap :clap

That is ridiculous. They're not forcing people to participate. They should be able to meet in their home. I also think that students should be allowed voluntary prayer groups and Bible studies on school property.

That is ridiculous. They're not forcing people to participate. They should be able to meet in their home. I also think that students should be allowed voluntary prayer groups and Bible studies on school property.



Me too