Got your permit to study the Bible?

Image via WikipediaSomehow this reminds of something I read before. A permit to study your Bible. Hmmm? Oh wait, it's in the Bible. As they murdered the Christians for believing in Jesus Christ instead of following Roman Catholics Doctrines. As Christians in America. This should be fought. Question is will they?
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=99738
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 precedent of what's to come.
Are you prepared for a future in which you might someday hear the question, "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 assemblies" or they would face fines up to $1,000 weekly (or more). Two days later, the county delivered a citation claiming that the Joneses were guilty of "unlawful use of land," 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.
Attorney 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?"
(Column continues below)

Read more: Got your permit to study the Bible? http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=99738#ixzz1MXwUW6qu

 

California: Christians Arrested for Reading the Bible in Public

http://answersforthefaith.com/2011/04/29/california-christians-arrested-for-reading-the-bible-in-public/
Three Christians were recently arrested for reading the Bible out loud on public property in front of a California DMV office while waiting for it to open.
Mark Mackey, an assistant pastor along with two leaders from Calvary Chapel of Hemet were in front of a California DMV office and began to read from the Bible aloud. They were approached by a security guard who demanded that they stop.
Then ten minutes later, a California Highway patrol officer showed up and grabbed the Bible from Mackey hands and put him under arrest. When the two men with the pastor protested and asked what law was broken they too were arrested.
Their attorney Robert Tyler of Advocates for Faith and Freedom said that the arrests were a direct violation of the First Amendment of the US Constitution:

"What’s disturbing about this case in particular is that a person with a badge and a gun, who has been trained by some of the finest police forces here in California, [thinks] that it is appropriate to arrest somebody because they are reading the Bible aloud in public, on public property."

The three men were later released when the district attorney declined to file any charges. ‘Officially’ they had been arrested for "impeding an open business" but the DMV office was actually closed at the time and the men were at least 50 feet from the entrance.
However, Tyler’s law group has filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of pastor Mackey and his friends challenging their treatment.
Response: This is a chilling example of a new trend in America. The First Amendment was designed to protect the freedom of religion and religious practice in this country. However, lately the ‘separation of church and state’ has come to mean to many in authority that religion is to be restricted when it comes to the public square –exactly opposite of the original intent of the writers of the Constitution.

 

 

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