City Fines Couple for Holding Bible Study in Their Home - Page 1

is this going too far?

California City Fines Couple for Holding Bible Study in Their Home
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/california-city-fines-couple-for-holding-bible-study-in-their-home/ 


A southern California couple has been fined $300 dollars for holding Christian Bible study sessions in their home, and could face another $500 for each additional gathering.

City officials in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. say Chuck and Stephanie Fromm are in violation of municipal code 9-3.301, which prohibits “religious, fraternal or non-profit” organizations in residential neighborhoods without a permit. Stephanie hosts a Wednesday Bible study that draws about 20 attendees, and Chuck holds a Sunday service that gets about 50.

The Fromms appealed their citations but were denied and warned future sessions would carry heftier penalties. A statement from the Pacific Justice Institute, which is defending the couple in a lawsuit against the city, said Chuck Fromm was also told regular gatherings of three or more people require a conditional use permit, which can be costly and difficult to obtain.

“How dare they tell us we can’t have whatever we want in our home,” Stephanie Fromm told the Capistrano Dispatch. “We want to be able to use our home. We’ve paid a lot and invested a lot in our home and backyard … I should be able to be hospitable in my home.”

According to the Dispatch, the Fromms live in a neighborhood with large homes and have a corral, barn, pool and huge back lawn on their property, so parking and noise aren’t a problem.

“There’s no singing or music,” Stephanie said. “It’s meditative.”

The Dispatch reported a code-enforcement officer gave the Fromms a verbal warning about the meetings in May, then returned to issue citations in June and July. According to the paper, the city’s code-enforcement department is reactive, meaning they only respond to complaints.

Yes, if this is as reported here, it's gone too far, but... I have a sneaking suspicion that there's more to the story

Sad how a group of 50 who are worshipping....and I don't even think were singing if I read right.... get a fine for that.  When we all know that if it was a party of 50 people getting drunk and running around half naked no one would say a thing.  Sure there may be more to the story, but sadly, this is going to be more and more common place in the future in this country.

It's a zoning issue, really, and they are not in compliance. Probably want to deduct their mortgage for iincome tax purposes. Who knows what kinds of liabilities and nuisances they create for their neighbors on a weekly basis. I wouldn't want to be living next door and have to fight 50 cars on the curb. They should just rent a space and follow the law, or get the zoning changed. This is what happens when people are always looking for loopholes.

If it were a one time thing, people would put up with it, yes, we all have parties, but this is a weekly thing! It gets old and annoying. They ban people from having weekly tag sales, too, for this type of reason. It also becomes a business. And this is a residential area, don't forget that. Some people just have to push the limits, and they do so at the annoyance of their neighbors who are following the zoning laws.

Ok, didn't it say 20 people on one of the nights and 50 on the other? I don't know about any of you guys and if you go to church, but where I go we might have.....220 people on Sundays......and many of them are families of like 5 or 6 who come in one car. So I doubt even with 50 people that it would be 50 cars at someones house.  In Bowling Green, KY I have friends who host bible studies on a weekly basis at the same house.....and have for literally years.  No one complains there, though there are probably 30 vehicles there.   Now move it to a different city where Christianity isn't accepted and it gets a complaint.  Regardless of what anyone says, I think in my life time (as far fetched as this may sound to some) that religion even in a building (since there really isn't a "church building" if the church is the people) will be out lawed.  Then people will have to worship in their homes in secret.