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June 1, 2009 | 9:17 am

Got a permit for that Bible study?

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

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Bible studies are a common feature of Christian life. They supplement what is learned each week in church and facilitate closer communal bonds. And they typically meet in a member’s home. A Bible study is an informal gathering, like a book club or a weekly poker game. It’s not the kind of thing that would need government approval.

At least, you wouldn’t think so.

But a San Diego County code enforcement officer would disagree. On Good Friday he visited a Bonita home where 15-20 people attend a Bible study each week hosted by David Jones, a pastor. WorldNetDaily reported:

“Do you have a regular weekly meeting in your home? Do you sing? Do you say ‘amen’?” the official reportedly asked. “Do you say, ‘Praise the Lord’?”

The pastor’s wife answered yes.

She says she was then told, however, that she must stop holding “religious assemblies” until she and her husband obtain a Major Use Permit from the county, a permit that often involves traffic and environmental studies, compliance with parking and sidewalk regulations and costs that top tens of thousands of dollars.

And if they fail to pay for the MUP, the county official reportedly warned, the couple will be charged escalating fines beginning at $100, then $200, $500, $1000, “and then it will get ugly.”

Geez, I wonder what this guy would think of the House Church movement.

The Bible study story, which got picked up by CNN, led to international outrage. Damage control from county officials followed. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported Saturday that the county wouldn’t force the Bible study to obtain a permit:

“No one respects the right to free religious expression more than I do, and no one would find the infringement of such rights more abhorrent,” county Chief Administrative Officer Walt Ekard said in a statement.

Chandra Wallar, the county’s general manager of land use and environment, said the county has re-examined the situation and decided that the Joneses don’t need a permit after all.

Religious assembly, under the county land-use code, is defined as “religious services involving public assembly such as customarily occurs in synagogues, temples, and churches.”

Wallar said that definition, which doesn’t spell out specific thresholds on when a religious gathering becomes a religious assembly, probably needs to be clarified and that more training may be warranted for code enforcement officers.

She said the county was not targeting the Joneses because they were exercising their religion, but rather it was trying to address parking and traffic issues.

“We’ve advised the pastor he has the authority to continue to hold his meetings just as he’s held them,” Wallar said. “My hope is we will be able to resolve the traffic concerns.”

Wallar said the person who filed the complaint alleged that Bible study was drawing 30 to 40 cars.

In an interview yesterday, the pastor said at most, there are six additional cars on Bible study day. Jones, pastor of South Bay Community Church in National City, said he has visitors park in a lot that he owns beside his house.

“We’re in trouble if they are going to go with a parking issue, because that means that thousands of people in Bible study groups could be cited for a parking violation,” Jones said.

“What about people who gather to play Texas Hold ‘Em, Mommy and Me, ‘Monday Night Football,’ Boy Scouts, Alcoholics Anonymous? Everyone has a right as a homeowner to the quiet enjoyment of their property. They’re trying to take that away. We’re not going to let it go.”

9 Comments — Leave your comment

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Heres the really sad thing for as much international outrage this story was surpose to cause im the only one here leaving a comment.  That goes to show the true nature of the state of religion as we all know it today.  If people in the christan community were more organized in the first place something like this would have never happened.  Not to mention the fact that Pat Robertson’s Show Im sure has not mentioned anything about this story.

Comment by Jeremy Floyd on 6/01/09 at 11:44 am

I want to thank our Jewish Brother and Sisters. You have always warned that “No one stopped them when they came for you”. This is a warning to all in the Christian Judeao world.

Comment by George Van Valkenburg on 6/01/09 at 11:03 pm

Interesting thought experiment: if this story had just been reported on WorldNetDaily.com and was not picked up by CNN, would it have the impact of a tree falling in the forest or be as loud as one hand clapping?

If so, would the actual event have been different or the nature of the civil liberties issues involved be different? Would we be reading about it on The God Blog? Any other juicy bits and low-hanging fruit out there on WorldNetDaily.com? (hint - yes, lots)

Comment by Ben Plonie on 6/02/09 at 3:14 am

Mr. Plonie

Love your on hand clapping post. I’m sure CNN fouled up when they ran the story. But like the proverbial Jeanie out of the bottle , it is now out there for all to see.

Best to you

Comment by George Van Valkenburg on 6/02/09 at 3:26 am

What is most telling is the utter silence of most of the major media outlets on this blatant attack of the First Admendment.  I first heard about it from our local CBS news station yesterday June 1.  Since then, I have searched the internet news search engines (LA Times, New York Times, Washington Post and CNN….) none of these news agencies seem to have any reference to this story and this happened back in April!  This “Black Out” is very disturbing as is the lack of response from supposed watch dog groups like the ACLU.  Not a peep!!

Comment by T. Wathen on 6/02/09 at 12:07 pm

Thanks, George VV. Nice to know I do not toil in vain. I next got to wondering if there any traffic concerns around the San Diego Crips or Hell’s Angels headquarters, or if the San Diego chapter of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance has to get a license to hold a bake sale.

T., the ACLU was never about principle, only about agenda.

Comment by Ben Plonie on 6/02/09 at 7:41 pm

Mr. Plonie,

I think Americans are getting tired of government run amuck. The Unions own GM and the Employees have no jobs soon. There is something wrong here.

Bureaucrats run around like this all the time and hide in the “LAW”.

Best to all reading this.

Comment by George Van Valkenburg on 6/02/09 at 8:52 pm

Let’s start with “county Chief Administrative Officer Walt Ekard” and “Chandra Wallar, the county’s general manager of land use and environment”.

Comment by Ben Plonie on 6/02/09 at 9:07 pm

Scary that it took months for this story to surface; however, praise God that it did.  Had this story not surfaced, I wonder where this would have gone?  China has no freedom of faith at all - Christians are in prison, in that country.  Let us continue to pray for those in China and other countries with no religious freedom, and pray for our country to keep those freedoms. Thanks “Jewish Journal” for sharing this story with us all.

Comment by NewYorker on 6/03/09 at 6:26 am

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