The city of Salinas, California, is forcing an evangelical Christian church to sell its downtown property, saying it does not fit in with the new look of the town.
New Harvest Christian Fellowship bought the building in early 2018 after its congregation outgrew a space the church had been renting for more than 25 years. A new city ordinance, however, prohibits houses of worship from occupying the first floor of downtown buildings, the Christian Post reports.
The Pacific Justice Institute (PJI) filed a lawsuit on behalf of the church, arguing that the City’s zoning code and denial of New Harvest’s proposed use of its property “treat New Harvest on less than equal terms with nonreligious assemblies and substantially burden religious exercise, in violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).”
A northern California U.S. District Court ruled in favor of the city of Salinas, declaring on May 29 that churches generate limited interest, do not draw tourists, and therefore detract from the city’s stated goals.
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“Since the lower court’s decision, ironically downtown Salinas has experienced a lively pedestrian street scene in the form of protests,” Snider added. “Those types of assemblies may not be the fun City officials were hoping for to replace churches.”
The Church knew about the restrictions prior to buying the property. https://www.thecalifornian.com/story/news/2020/06/13/oldtown-church-loses-suit-against-salinas-move-across-street/5346467002/
Telling half the story is called a lie. Check what the Bible says about lying
What is missing from this article, is the fact that the property they had for 25 years, is not the property they will be forced to sell. They purchased the “Beverly Fabrics” location, across the street from them. They were told BEFOREHAND that the ground floor could not be used as a church. But, they went ahead and did it anyways. They full well knew that this was not going to fly. To comment about the Bible or bash establishments that sell alcohol, based on this poorly written article, is par for the course.
It is high time to re-establish the moral code that western civilization learned from the Bible.
Hostility toward Christians across the globe must end.
It’s up to us here in Ventura County to show them the way, not least because we live in this special location so close to Him, and we will.
PWR
Big mistake forcing the church out because it does not fit in what does that mean they dont serve alcohol. The church has been downtown for a long time there was no complaints all of a sudden it does not fit in how what does that statement say some one explain that to me.