The mormons often have religous meetings in homes. Will they be next?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2170007/Father-faces-60-days-bars-hosting-Bible-study-OWN-home-city-rules.html

I think it comes down to was he running a Bible study/social gathering, or a church? The courts are coming down on the side of he was running a defacto church. Given that Arizona is largely conservative, it sounds to me that the courts might have the right of it. But if someone helps him to appeal to a higher court, he may get another opportunity to plead his case.

The headline is misleading, not a surprise coming from the Daily Mail.

This guy is just another "christian" who thinks rules and laws don't apply to him because of his mighty religion shield.

From *14 years* ago:

"On June 11, 2009, Salman was charged with having no emergency exit signs over the doors, no handicaps parking spaces or handicap ramps."

Then from *13 years* ago:

"A January 4, 2010, ruling made it clear that the Salmans are not prohibited from running a church or hosting worship services on their property, but if they do so, they must be in compliance with fire and zoning codes."

All he had to do was bring the building up to code. He had well over a decade and refused.

Here are a couple of additional stories about him from local-area papers:

From 2012:

https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/michael-salman-committing-crimes-or-victim-of-religious-persecution-6637280

And he's already guilty of multiple felonies, including forgery, fraud and a drive-by shooting:

https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/pastor-michael-salman-guilty-of-felonies-in-health-care-fraud-case-6654550

This jagoff is a real piece of work.

Was the drive-by shooting over brass plates? Maybe he was trying to save a nation from dwindling in unbelief.

This happened in 2012, not sure what point you are trying to make. If you build a 2000 foot out building you are not meeting in your home.

Good catch, I missed that detail. The court system is slow, but not that slow.

So they are targeting him for his past record? How is a study meeting of around 15 people any different from large extended families meeting together regularly at a parent's house different? Puzzling story on its surface.

It sounds like he edged over the border between informal gathering and "church." IMO the courts probably made the correct call.

Zoning regulations and safety laws? Those fall squarely in the "time, place, and manner" exceptions to the First Amendment.

And what does the fact that he is the father of six have to do with the price of tea in China? He’s running a church that violates building codes and has viable sperm. I’m not seeing the connection.