WND A Phoenix, Ariz., Christian who has held Bible studies in his house for years, often in the face of city threats not to do so, will remain in jail for having those studies, after the state Supreme Court today refused to intervene.
Officials with the Rutherford Institute today announced the court had denied a petition for a writ of habeas corpus that had been filed.
Michael Salman is serving a 60-day jail sentence and was ordered to be fined some $12,000 for using his private residential property to hold a weekly Bible study. The city said his offenses involved city building codes, but his defenders have pointed out that those codes are for commercial properties, and the city does not apply them to football parties, social gatherings and other events that are held in homes.
A statement from the Rutherford Institute said attorneys were “are undeterred and will continue their legal efforts to challenge Michael Salman’s detention in Tents City Jail in Maricopa County as a violation of his First Amendment rights to religious freedom and assembly.”
Salman’s defenders are challenging city claims that if a person holds Bible studies or other forms of religious worship at his residence, he is required to comply with all local laws relating to an actual church that is open to the public.
“Since the time of this nation’s birth, the right of habeas corpus has been the basis of American freedoms,” said John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute. “Each day of Michael Salman’s imprisonment is one more day in which the civil liberties of all Americans are being trampled by overzealous government agents. However, we are resolved to continue to challenge his detention in and out of the courts.”
Since 2005, Salman and his wife Suzanne have held Bible studies for friends and family. But neighbors complained and in 2007 city officials told the Salmans to stop holding the Bible studies.
The couple then built a 2,000-square-foot building on their property, with city permits, to hold up to about 40 people to use for the weekly Bible study.
In 2009, nearly a dozen police officers, accompanied by city inspectors, raided the Salmans’ property. The city decided to call the weekly study times a church, and blasted the couple for not meeting commercial building codes involving emergency exit signs, handicapped parking spaces and such.
But the Rutherford Institute, in challenging the city’s case, alleges the real motive was revealed when the city told the couple, “Bible studies are not allowed to be conducted in your residence or the barn on your property as these structures do not comply with the construction code for this use.”
The Institute argues “that Salmans’ religious gatherings should have been treated as accessory uses under the regulations governing residential property. However, city officials claim that they can treat the Bible studies differently than family reunions, football parties or Boy Scouts solely because they are ‘religious worship,’” the group said.
City code officials in Phoenix did not respond to a WND request for comment, and officials in the city prosecutor’s office declined to respond to a message requesting a comment.
Salman had raised the issue in his interactions with city officials in court. “The state is stating … that this is an A3 Occupancy because it is a religious use. They’re basing the occupant load on use and square footage. So, my question to them is – and where I’m – where this is all going is, if this can be used as a home theater without being – without having to have an A3 Occupancy, why could this not be used as a religious use without having an A3 Occupancy?”
He got no answer.
The filing cited violations of the First Amendment, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, the Arizona Free Exercise of Religion Act and other laws.
The Rutherford Institute warned if such a precedent stands the city could require that the homes of homeschooling families, those who have dinner parties, or those who watch movies with friends to have sprinkler systems, handicap-accessible restrooms, exit signs and parking spaces.
“If families may not gather with fellow believers on their own property to worship God according to the dictates of their own consciences, then religious freedom in its most basic sense is dead,” Rutherford noted.
…what was the stated purpose of the new building according to the permits that were granted…and is that relative to it’s current use? If I decide to hold a weekly dance group in my garage, or barn…perhaps a knitting circle on my front porch…who’s business is that? Nice neighbors…they must be connected to the corrupt core of the local government….along with the idiot judge who refused the HC…
…these people are little tyrants who are going broke and are going to screw the American people out of every last natural right… (I’m agnostic)…every last penny, nickle and dime….we’ve tried to tell you how corrupt it has become…
….but we were called “conspiracy theorists”….
…Hows that conspiracy feeling right now, with this poor dude sitting in jail for the use of his own property… and his own spiritual (religious) goals…welcome to Amerika…
Regards,
RJ O’Guillory
Author-
Webster Groves-The Life of an insane Family
It is the ordinary people that are the enemy of the State.
Notice how the legal line is to put we the people in the same legal category as they the corporations and yet when it comes to the status quo corporations are given preferential status above the law because it is the corporations that write these laws and bribe the whore politicians.
Revolution means returning power back to the people.
To do this we as individuals need to join in church groups, help organize, help motivate and share our combined talents. Become the force rather than the victim.
It is up to you to become part of a group and act as a counter balance to the zionist corporates. United we win, divided we fail.
“Since 2005, Salman and his wife Suzanne have held Bible studies for friends and family. But neighbors complained and in 2007 city officials told the Salmans to stop holding the Bible studies.”
Neighbors complaining? That’s the problem with the world today. Neighbors can’t mind their own damn business. Everyone wants to spy on everyone else and be the whole “Neighborhood Watchman” guy in order to prove his worth to everyone on the street because he has none. These neighbors are usually the Paranoid Schizophrenic kind that just report on you if they don’t like you, if you smell bad or if your grass is too high. I had a next door neighbor just like that in NY. Wanted to kill him after more than 5 years of his incessant torture and badgering to prove his worth in the neighborhood and as head of the “Neighborhood Watch” whom he nominated as himself to be the head of, and he himself was a bum who barely worked a day in his life and got off on his power that was delegated to him by the local police office when the majority of the street didn’t approve nor care for the need of a “Neighborhood Watch”.
“But the Rutherford Institute, in challenging the city’s case, alleges the real motive was revealed when the city told the couple, “Bible studies are not allowed to be conducted in your residence or the barn on your property as these structures do not comply with the construction code for this use.””
Oh boy, here we go again with the Penis codes. If we can’t make a Constitutional case out of it, we have to resort to the infamous Penis codes. Unbelievable!! POWER, POWER, POWER. That’s all they want. More power and control over you. Don’t they ever have enough? Don’t they know that all Kings fall and that they can never take that power with them in the next life? I guess not since most of the politicians like to worship and do human sacrifices to please those who they believe control the afterlife and to facilitate their transportation into the afterlife. And people think I’m crazy. Sheesh!!!….
The penis code?, I call it the little dick sindrome.I just wonder how the hollier than thou cop feels now that he locked up a religous leader for 60 days? Think he will have to do a few more hail maries. I`m not cristian but I try to respect every religion ya know. I hope the guy keeps the/his faith and never comprimises his ways!!! Yea NC people think I`m crazy too. But they still ask for advise. hahaha. geeez. smile.
Little dick syndrome is good, too. Also, people still ask you for advice? I guess I’m not that special, yet. LOL
This guy should do his jail time, refuse to pay the fine, and resume his Bible studies. This time with his property guarded by heavily armed citizens. As for the stasi neighbor who complained rather than talking to the guy first, burn his house down.
Heavily armed guards? Aren’t those called “The Watchmen” or “The Crusaders”? lol
“As for the stasi neighbor who complained rather than talking to the guy first, burn his house down.”
According to Diggerdan, it’s his little dick syndrome and who am I to argue with Diggerdan. LOL