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This really catches my attention - most churches I know now, hold small groups in their homes. I wonder how far this will go???
from rap-con.com
Arizona Pastor Arrested, Jailed for Holding Bible Study in Home; His Wife Says It 'Defies Logic'
Bible study leader Michael Salman is sitting in jail today after his home was raided earlier this week by more than a dozen Phoenix, Ariz. police officers and city officials. His offense? The city says people aren't allowed to hold private Bible studies on their own property.
Salman was sentenced to 60 days in jail, three years probation and received a $12,180 fine for "the crime."
His wife Suzanne spoke with Fox and Friends this morning to express her shock and disbelief at the entire situation. According to Suzanne, the city told her that her husband was essentially arrested because the Bible study was at a private house .. and that essentially, it's a church. Since they weren't zoned for church, they were told they were breaking the rules.
"It defies logic, honestly. I don't understand ... that something so small got so large like this," Suzanne said. "People do it all over the United States all the time."
I had seen this also and was dumbfounded. First we have religious freedom, supposedly. Second this was a group of people with the same interest having a discussion and learning from each other. It is clearly an attack on Christianity and the pastor himself. I believe this is only the beginning and we will start to see more of this. There is a war on against Christians around the globe but is only now starting for us in America.
Praying for him and his family.
That is just a tiny taste of what happens in other countries. May he and his loved ones stay strong in Christ Jesus.
I just wonder how far persecution will go in America until we go home.
I got something in my email about this. I just remembered. That's how a lot of churches are overseas. If you don't get permission from the gov. you can't have church. and the churches the gov. allows overseas are fit for an agenda [like in Lenen's Russia back than]. The Russian churches had to get permission and those that got it were politically correct. That still happens in different places to this day.
This caught my attention and does make me angry. He needs a good lawyer. Having friends over for fellowship in your home does not constitute a "Church"..unless there is more going on than meets the eye. Complaints from neighbors? Too many cars in the area? Seems unbelievable almost.
There will be persecution..something to keep an eye on if there is any more of this. Sad to see this coming in our country.
All,sorry. I should have also mentioned that it's illegal to hold in a lot of places overseas home Bible studies. That's why a lot of the brothern go underground. That is what this reminds me of.
I had done some research on this case awhile back when it was in the news. I think there may be more to this than the pastor would have us think. I am eager to stand by a brother, but some things I've read make me question his motives and actions. It's hard to find unbiased news on this, though.
EDIT: To add this: (I deleted one swear word which is in the original. Use discretion when following the link:)
Fair use for educational and informational uses.
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2013/02/pastor_michael_salman_guilty_o.php
Salman pleaded guilty to felony theft and felony forgery last week, as Salman, his wife, and his brother admitted to defrauding AHCCCS, the state's Medicaid program, of more than $118,000.
New Times has been writing about Salman fairly extensively since 2008, as Salman's urge to build a church in his backyard drew the ire of his neighbors. Last year, his story went national, as he cried "religious persecution" to many media outlets, and a lot of them bought it, including Fox News.
Since we spent a few minutes looking into Salman and what he was actually doing -- breaking the law -- we called b***s***, and others followed suit. Some still weren't convinced that Salman was scammin', until he was indicted by a grand jury in the AHCCCS fraud case.
According to Attorney General Tom Horne, Salman lied about his household income on applications for AHCCCS benefits, and lied in a statement to the state Department of Economic Security. Salman's wife Suzanne Salman, and his brother Frank Salman, were also accused of lying on applications.
Due to those alleged lies, AHCCCS paid out $73,000 for medical coverage for Salman, his wife, and his children. AHCCCS paid out $45,000 for Frank Salman and his children.
If you wonder how needy Michael Salman and his family were, then get a load of this -- Horne's office says today that Michael and Suzanne Salman paid back the $73,808.92 they had scammed out of AHCCCS. That probably means the Salmans weren't even close to qualifying for AHCCCS, if they just happened to have 73-grand sitting around.
Michael Salman was sentenced to three years of probation for this felony. Salman served nearly six years in prison for a drive-by shooting he carried out in the summer of 1992. He was also caught with LSD while serving this sentence.
More recently, Salman served a couple months in Tent City after being found guilty of 67 misdemeanors related to an illegal building he constructed in his backyard and his unwillingness to comply with the City of Phoenix's zoning rules.
I remember this gy. There is more to the story. It wasn't just a small group meeting in his living room. They had built a building on their property and were holding services. They were also having large numbers of people on their property regularly, disrupting the neighbourhood and violating bylaws. So this guy is crying persecution but it's simply not the whole truth.
That's very interesting to know. Too bad it initially makes it look bad for all Christians 
