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Author Topic: Open a House of Worship? Not If It's Pagan  (Read 3766 times)

Altair

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Open a House of Worship? Not If It's Pagan
« on: June 19, 2014, 03:30:28 pm »
Yee-haw!

Arkansas town bans pagan temple after finding out it’s not Christian: Your ‘God isn’t my God’

"The high priest of an Arkansas temple said that the city of Beebe ordered him to close after finding out that his religion was pagan, not Christian."

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/06/18/arkansas-town-bans-pagan-temple-after-finding-out-its-not-christian-your-god-isnt-my-god/
The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

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Re: Open a House of Worship? Not If It's Pagan
« Reply #1 on: June 19, 2014, 04:46:19 pm »
Quote from: Altair;150474
Yee-haw!

Arkansas town bans pagan temple after finding out it’s not Christian: Your ‘God isn’t my God’

"The high priest of an Arkansas temple said that the city of Beebe ordered him to close after finding out that his religion was pagan, not Christian."

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/06/18/arkansas-town-bans-pagan-temple-after-finding-out-its-not-christian-your-god-isnt-my-god/


 
Shame they did not check the local zoning laws before opening shop. While not quite at the level of 'they brought this on themselves', it was a pretty bonehead move on their part.

Heavens forbid you have your paperwork all squared away before doing something like opening a temple in a potentially problematic location.
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Re: Open a House of Worship? Not If It's Pagan
« Reply #2 on: June 19, 2014, 04:56:12 pm »
Quote from: Allaya;150477
Shame they did not check the local zoning laws before opening shop. While not quite at the level of 'they brought this on themselves', it was a pretty bonehead move on their part.

Heavens forbid you have your paperwork all squared away before doing something like opening a temple in a potentially problematic location.

 
""We hadn’t even unpacked. We aren’t even open — how are we getting this,” Dahl asked."
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Re: Open a House of Worship? Not If It's Pagan
« Reply #3 on: June 19, 2014, 05:08:00 pm »
Quote from: Allaya;150477
Shame they did not check the local zoning laws before opening shop. While not quite at the level of 'they brought this on themselves', it was a pretty bonehead move on their part.

Heavens forbid you have your paperwork all squared away before doing something like opening a temple in a potentially problematic location.



Except for the fact he checked and was not given the correct information:

"High Priest Bertram Dahl told KARK that Beebe Mayor Mike Robertson had initially supported his plans to open a Seekers temple and spiritual good shop in the garage behind his home.

'When they knew we were going to open a church, it wasn’t an issue,' he explained. 'We explained to [the mayor] the house had a building that we could open the church in, and he had no problem."

then later on in the article:

"Dahl, however, pointed out that properties that were zoned R-2 were allowed to have places of worship and private nonprofits, according to the city’s code.

He said that he had asked the mayor’s office for permit applications, even though he was told it would never be approved.

'I haven’t seen any of that [permit application] paperwork. My understanding is he has not asked to be given the paperwork,' Rogers said. 'Had he asked for the paperwork it would have been provided.'

When KARK asked Mayor Robertson about the paperwork, he said that 'there was no permit he could apply for.' Robertson declined to be interviewed on camera."

This sounds more like a blockage than they-didn't-do-it-right.

MadZealot

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Re: Open a House of Worship? Not If It's Pagan
« Reply #4 on: June 20, 2014, 02:57:29 am »
Quote from: Allaya;150477
Shame they did not check the local zoning laws before opening shop. While not quite at the level of 'they brought this on themselves', it was a pretty bonehead move on their part.

 
This.  I don't think getting an attaboy from the Mayor is as good as a permit.  

But if there really is a blockage, he should go into the city offices and request the permit, in person, with a camera running.  If he's already in an area zoned for a house of worship, then he needs to have that verified by a city official in person on camera.  

If they refuse or impede him in any way, then maybe it's lawsuit time.
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Re: Open a House of Worship? Not If It's Pagan
« Reply #5 on: June 20, 2014, 11:10:26 am »
Quote from: MadZealot;150525


If they refuse or impede him in any way, then maybe it's lawsuit time.


This would be my approach. I'm all for folks enriching themselves from the coffers of bigots too stupid to adhere to the most basic tenets of the U.S. Constitution.
The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

yewberry

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Re: Open a House of Worship? Not If It's Pagan
« Reply #6 on: June 20, 2014, 12:23:11 pm »
Quote from: MadZealot;150525
This.  I don't think getting an attaboy from the Mayor is as good as a permit.

But if there really is a blockage, he should go into the city offices and request the permit, in person, with a camera running.  If he's already in an area zoned for a house of worship, then he needs to have that verified by a city official in person on camera.  

If they refuse or impede him in any way, then maybe it's lawsuit time.


There's a video linked in this HuffPo article.  The situation looks pretty gray until the final quote...which seems pretty pointed.

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Re: Open a House of Worship? Not If It's Pagan
« Reply #7 on: June 20, 2014, 12:28:48 pm »
Quote from: yewberry;150546
There's a video linked in this HuffPo article.  The situation looks pretty gray until the final quote...which seems pretty pointed.

 
Talkin' to myself here.

Went to have a look at the church's website.  Their "Teachings" page is full of persecution-ready jargon.  It feels a little like they were spoiling for this fight, which isn't to say they're in the wrong.

Brina

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Re: Open a House of Worship? Not If It's Pagan
« Reply #8 on: June 20, 2014, 02:14:26 pm »
Quote from: yewberry;150547
Talkin' to myself here.

Went to have a look at the church's website.  Their "Teachings" page is full of persecution-ready jargon.  It feels a little like they were spoiling for this fight, which isn't to say they're in the wrong.

Brina

"As we try to live our Pagan life, we dream of a day when the local store clerk will not back away in fear at the request for Bats Blood Ink or an Athame."

Does anyone actually use bat's blood ink? And most people who aren't some flavor of pagan don't know what an athame even is, from my experience.

I was all ready to defend this guy until I read that page. Sure, we all dream of a day when we don't have to hide in the broom closet, but I don't think we're as oppressed as he seems to make us out to be. And I feel like he's using the word "pagan" far too loosely to really strike a chord with me.
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Re: Open a House of Worship? Not If It's Pagan
« Reply #9 on: June 20, 2014, 05:39:17 pm »
Quote from: missgraceless;150559
Sure, we all dream of a day when we don't have to hide in the broom closet, but I don't think we're as oppressed as he seems to make us out to be.

 
Yeahhhh. There's 'more persecuted than thou' syndrome going on here. My heart isn't going out for their plight.
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Re: Open a House of Worship? Not If It's Pagan
« Reply #10 on: June 20, 2014, 05:54:28 pm »
Quote from: Sage;150583
Yeahhhh. There's 'more persecuted than thou' syndrome going on here. My heart isn't going out for their plight.

 
In fairness, when one is dealing with a situation like that, it's really easy to get a persecution complex.
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Re: Open a House of Worship? Not If It's Pagan
« Reply #11 on: June 20, 2014, 06:07:04 pm »
Quote from: Jack;150584
In fairness, when one is dealing with a situation like that, it's really easy to get a persecution complex.

Only if the person already has a "holier than thou" complex.
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Re: Open a House of Worship? Not If It's Pagan
« Reply #12 on: June 20, 2014, 06:13:58 pm »
Quote from: missgraceless;150585
Only if the person already has a "holier than thou" complex.

 
Perhaps we are working from different definitions of "persecution complex" because I understand it to mean that one sees oneself as constantly under attack or potentially under attack, which has nothing to do with seeing oneself as better than one's theoretical persecutors.
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Re: Open a House of Worship? Not If It's Pagan
« Reply #13 on: June 20, 2014, 06:14:25 pm »
Quote from: missgraceless;150585
Only if the person already has a "holier than thou" complex.

 
No, I wouldn't say so.  Their version of the story was that hte mayor was all enthusiastic about them moving their church to his town until they applied for a permit for a pagan event.

Meanwhile, apparently the church across the street was shining its spotlights in their windows.

One doesn't have to be 'holier than thou' to recognise that, y'know, these people are being total assholes to one on the basis of religion.
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Re: Open a House of Worship? Not If It's Pagan
« Reply #14 on: June 20, 2014, 06:45:47 pm »
Quote from: missgraceless;150559
"As we try to live our Pagan life, we dream of a day when the local store clerk will not back away in fear at the request for Bats Blood Ink or an Athame."

Does anyone actually use bat's blood ink? And most people who aren't some flavor of pagan don't know what an athame even is, from my experience.

Yes, bat's blood ink is something that is still used, but it rarely, if ever (was it ever?), made with actual bat's blood. The statement does seem more inflammatory, I agree, even though they do have a point. Then again, I don't live in the area, and I can only assume.
« Last Edit: June 20, 2014, 06:46:04 pm by Nyktipolos »
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