Christian Fined & Sentenced to 60 Days in Jail Over AZ Home Bible Studies (http://www.theblaze.com/stories/christian-fined-sentenced-to-60-days-in-jail-over-az-home-bible-studies/)



We’ve told you before about government regulations hampering home Bible studies, but this story is even more pervasive, perplexing and complicated than the others. Michael Salman, who lives in Phoenix, Ariz., has been sentenced to a startling 60 days in jail, given a $12,180 fine and granted three years probation for refusing to stop hosting Bible studies at his home. Why, you ask? He‘s apparently in violation of the city’s building code laws.

City officials claim that he’s running an operation that is reminiscent of a home church — but without the required permits. And according to Fox’s Todd Starnes, Phoenix court documents show that he violated 67 codes. Unless the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals grants an emergency injunction, he will be jailed as early as next week.

Naturally, Salman believes the court’s findings amount to a crackdown on faith and religion. The city maintains that the penalties are legitimate based on the zoning laws he and his family have violated. However, Starnes was apparently unable to reach the Phoenix prosecutor’s office, the mayor’s office or code enforcement to obtain further comment.

“They’re cracking down on religious activities and religious use. They’re attacking what I, as a Christian, do in the privacy of my home,” he said in an interview with Starnes. “If I had people coming to my home on a regular basis for poker night or Monday Night Football, it would be permitted. But when someone says to us we are not allowed to gather because of religious purposes, that is when you have discrimination.”

Christian Fined & Sentenced to 60 Days in Jail Over AZ Home Bible Studies (http://www.theblaze.com/stories/christian-fined-sentenced-to-60-days-in-jail-over-az-home-bible-studies/)



We’ve told you before about government regulations hampering home Bible studies, but this story is even more pervasive, perplexing and complicated than the others. Michael Salman, who lives in Phoenix, Ariz., has been sentenced to a startling 60 days in jail, given a $12,180 fine and granted three years probation for refusing to stop hosting Bible studies at his home. Why, you ask? He‘s apparently in violation of the city’s building code laws.

City officials claim that he’s running an operation that is reminiscent of a home church — but without the required permits. And according to Fox’s Todd Starnes, Phoenix court documents show that he violated 67 codes. Unless the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals grants an emergency injunction, he will be jailed as early as next week.

Naturally, Salman believes the court’s findings amount to a crackdown on faith and religion. The city maintains that the penalties are legitimate based on the zoning laws he and his family have violated. However, Starnes was apparently unable to reach the Phoenix prosecutor’s office, the mayor’s office or code enforcement to obtain further comment.

“They’re cracking down on religious activities and religious use. They’re attacking what I, as a Christian, do in the privacy of my home,” he said in an interview with Starnes. “If I had people coming to my home on a regular basis for poker night or Monday Night Football, it would be permitted. But when someone says to us we are not allowed to gather because of religious purposes, that is when you have discrimination.”
A little more to than that, he built a 2000 square foot church in his back yard.

Michael Salman - Phoenix (http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/related/to/Michael%20Salman/)

A little more to than that, he built a 2000 square foot church in his back yard.

Michael Salman - Phoenix (http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/related/to/Michael%20Salman/)

Yep just a little more :killingme:killingme:killingme:killingme:killingme:killingme:killingme:killingme:killingme:killingme:killingme:

The town then decided to ignore him — that is until he and his family built a structure in their back hard. The family, having secured the proper building permits, then moved the Bible studies to this new building.


well if they got the required building permits, there would have been an inspection process .......


AFAIK - Handicap and exit signs are not required in personal dwellings


if sounds like the city decided to reclassify one of the structures on the property ......



He and his wife have been hosting Bible studies on their 4.6-acre property since 2005. The gatherings were originally attended by as many as 15 people.

In 2007, they received a letter from the city informing them that the Bible studies were not permitted in their living room because it was in violation of the construction code.

A few months later, members of the Phoenix Fire Dept. broke up the family’s Good Friday fellowship. As many as 20 people were in their backyard eating a meal when firefighters threatened to call the police – unless their guests left the premises.




I have seen plenty of parties or cookouts where more that 20 people were present

hell we used to have family reunions at my aunts house with 2x that many

sounds like harassment to me

someone does not like the Christians in their neighborhood hold 'Bible Studies'


IMHO - is this couple was rocking some heathen gathering all would be fine with the city


really 20 people on 4.6 Acres

well if they got the required building permits, there would have been an inspection process .......


AFAIK - Handicap and exit signs are not required in personal dwellings


if sounds like the city decided to reclassify one of the structures on the property ......








I have seen plenty of parties or cookouts where more that 20 people were present

hell we used to have family reunions at my aunts house with 2x that many

sounds like harassment to me

someone does not like the Christians in their neighborhood hold 'Bible Studies'


IMHO - is this couple was rocking some heathen gathering all would be fine with the city


really 20 people on 4.6 Acres

How many weekends in a row constitute having a church? Apparently he's exceeded the maximum number and was taken to task for it.

I did not see where the City claimed he was running a church ..........


maybe he was .....


then he was WRONG and should follow the RULES like everyone else

well if they got the required building permits, there would have been an inspection process .......


AFAIK - Handicap and exit signs are not required in personal dwellings


if sounds like the city decided to reclassify one of the structures on the property ......








I have seen plenty of parties or cookouts where more that 20 people were present

hell we used to have family reunions at my aunts house with 2x that many

sounds like harassment to me

someone does not like the Christians in their neighborhood hold 'Bible Studies'


IMHO - is this couple was rocking some heathen gathering all would be fine with the city


really 20 people on 4.6 Acres

It sounds like b.s. to me. I would like to see the police report ot speak to someone other than the sponsor of this information. Why is it you seem to always take these one sided stories as fact?

However, Hill said Salman has “mischaracterized the facts” of the permit. She said he was given a permit to convert a garage into a game room.

“Any other occupancy or use – business, commercial, assembly, church, etc, is expressly prohibited pursuant to the city of Phoenix building code and ordinances,” she told Fox News Radio.

On June 11, 2009, the Phoenix Police Dept. showed up with a search warrant. When they had completed the search, Salman was charged with 67 code violations.

He was charged with not having emergency exit signs over the doors. He was charged with not having handicap parking spaces and not having handicap ramps.

“Imagine everything that a public building would have or a commercial building would have,” he said. “Anything we didn’t have was a violation.”

The largest source of contention has been whether or not Salman is running a church. He insists it is not.

But his building certainly resembles a church. It has chairs for as many as 40 people. There is a pulpit. There’s a sign out front – along with a cross.

“Just because visitors come to my home three times a week and we discuss the Bible – if that’s their definition of a church then so be it,” he said.

“At what point does the government have the right to state that you cannot have family and friends over at your home three times a week?” he asked. “People have a right to gather on their property as long as parking is available, as long as they aren’t parking in the street, as long as they aren’t violating noise ordinances.”

Hill said the facts are clear.

“He built a structure that he said wasn’t a church — that is in fact — a church,” she said. “It’s a church.”

And the courts agreed — noting in a Jan. 4, 2010 ruling: “The state is not saying the Salmans can’t run a church or have worship services at the location. But the state is saying that if they do so, they must do it properly and in accord with fire and zoning codes.”



Man Facing Jail For Hosting Home Bible Study | FOX News & Commentary: Todd Starnes (http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top-stories/man-facing-jail-for-hosting-home-bible-study.html)

From Fox news, a more reliable source.

Since when is a private meeting of individuals required to register with the state as some sort of official institution?

Since when is a private meeting of individuals required to register with the state as some sort of official institution?

This happens when this private meeting which is occurring on a regular basis in your neighborhood creates a traffic problem. Sounds like this is what happened here. The neighbors complained, and this so called "pastor" lied to goverment in order to get the permits to build the building he was constructing. I love it when these "religious people" end up being common liars.

And people say lawyers are the bad ones. :killingme

This happens when this private meeting which is occurring on a regular basis in your neighborhood creates a traffic problem. Sounds like this is what happened here. The neighbors complained, and this so called "pastor" lied to goverment in order to get the permits to build the building he was constructing. I love it when these "religious people" end up being common liars.

And people say lawyers are the bad ones. :killingme

Your characterization of his statements as 'lies' is based on what, exactly? Someone else's opinion maybe? Your own bias?

Since when is a private meeting of individuals required to register with the state as some sort of official institution?

Since he tried to mischaracterize a public house as a private residence. Doesn't tha bible have some sort of rules against lying?

Since he tried to mischaracterize a public house as a private residence. Doesn't tha bible have some sort of rules against lying?

I don't believe we're talking about the residence. It was an outbuilding he did the work on when they told him he couldn't have all those folks in the residence. No lie there.

Oh, deary me. The fine folks in one California city (http://www.theblaze.com/stories/calif-city-changes-zoning-code-to-allow-home-bible-study-after-couple-was-fined/) were a little more tolerant about practicing one's First Amendment rights.

I don't believe we're talking about the residence. It was an outbuilding he did the work on when they told him he couldn't have all those folks in the residence. No lie there.

It's in an area zoned for residential use only, it doesn't matter if it's attached to the residence or not.

They lied.

However, Hill said Salman has “mischaracterized the facts” of the permit. She said he was given a permit to convert a garage into a game room.

But his building certainly resembles a church. It has chairs for as many as 40 people. There is a pulpit. There’s a sign out front – along with a cross.Game room my ass! Send him to jail.

Your characterization of his statements as 'lies' is based on what, exactly? Someone else's opinion maybe? Your own bias?

No, it's based on the fact that the guy has a pulpit and forty chairs set up in what he had said was going to be a game room. Then his neighbors are complaining that several people congregate there on a regular basis each week. The totality of all of the information brings me and the court who has heard all the facts to conclude the person has built a church.