In-Home Services Aggravate Neighbors
Monday August 25, 2008
Here's one you can run by your local homeowner's association, just for fun. In Florida, residents of a Palm Beach neighborhood called Indian Wells are getting huffy because one home is being used for Shabbat observances by Orthodox Jews. Because their faith prohibits them from driving on a holy day, they walk to the house -- about 70 of them, total -- stay quietly for two hours, and then walk home.
Neighbors don't like it, because they find it "inappropriate for a residential neighborhood."
Here's where it gets interesting. There's nothing anyone can do, because it's not against the law (at least not yet) to hold private worship services in your home. The house is not incorporated as a church or a business, so it's simply a gathering of like-minded folks getting together to observe their religious day. Some residents say they're worried that having twenty to seventy people in a house could be a safety issue -- but there's no rules against having parties or cookouts or other large gatherings.
The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), passed in 2001, prohibits municipalities from using zoning ordinances against religious groups -- which means that you're free and clear to have a religious service in your home if you feel like it. In the Wicca and Pagan communities, few of us have the luxury of having a place to meet other than members' homes. Most of the Sabbat observances I've attended have been held at a house (including my own), and not a church or commercial building. That's just the way it is in America - you're allowed to assemble and worship if you feel like it. The folks in Indian Wells are welcome to complain -- also their right as Americans. Back in June, another Florida neighborhood complained about a religious group, but in that case it was Santeria.
It seems to come down to "we're all in favor of religious freedom, just as long as it's not on my street."
Neighbors don't like it, because they find it "inappropriate for a residential neighborhood."
Here's where it gets interesting. There's nothing anyone can do, because it's not against the law (at least not yet) to hold private worship services in your home. The house is not incorporated as a church or a business, so it's simply a gathering of like-minded folks getting together to observe their religious day. Some residents say they're worried that having twenty to seventy people in a house could be a safety issue -- but there's no rules against having parties or cookouts or other large gatherings.
The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), passed in 2001, prohibits municipalities from using zoning ordinances against religious groups -- which means that you're free and clear to have a religious service in your home if you feel like it. In the Wicca and Pagan communities, few of us have the luxury of having a place to meet other than members' homes. Most of the Sabbat observances I've attended have been held at a house (including my own), and not a church or commercial building. That's just the way it is in America - you're allowed to assemble and worship if you feel like it. The folks in Indian Wells are welcome to complain -- also their right as Americans. Back in June, another Florida neighborhood complained about a religious group, but in that case it was Santeria.
It seems to come down to "we're all in favor of religious freedom, just as long as it's not on my street."
Comments
That’s pathetic. I wonder if neighbors would have complained if it was a church youth group or other similar group.
Nope Ross…I don’t think they would. It is pathetic.
“we’re all in favor of relegious freedom - just so long as it our relegion” sounds more like it. As a waitress, I hear people complaining about “how loud those methodist church bells are”, and “isn’t there a law prohibiting them from playing those chimes every three hours for like 5 whole minutes?”
Makes me glad to live out in the country and not in town!!! I can imagine what they’d say about me!
My first question to these people who are getting their feathers all ruffeled over this would be: “Why?”
Is it because some people decide to have a QUIET, non invasive religious gathering, not bothering a soul for two hours, then QUIETLY leave and go on with their days?
Or, is it because it is *Jews* who are having a QUIET non invasive religious gathering?
I wonder if they would be so inclined to get “huffy” if it were a, lets say, *Christian* group doing the same?
These people are just trying to have a peaceful gathering of like minds to honor their religious Sabbat and should be allowed to do so.
That is why men and women have sacrificed their lives and limbs to have fredom of religion in this country, and if the people of Indian Wells don’t like it, thats tough.
I’m going to try to put a coven together at some point in time… I certainly hope I dont run into this sort of problem.
Maybe it’s all those people walking around the neighborhood they object to. I mean, I’ll bet they’re not even wearing Adidas, how weird is that?
Seriously, the more exclusive the neighborhood, the less likely the residents are to tolerate any deviation from what they have collectively decided is normal behavior. It’s an example of very primal human behavior: our tribe is good, therefore anything different from our tribe must be bad, ergo, we must protect ourselves from anything different or other. Ultimately, this is what HOAs are all about. Ironically, these bastions of the civilized life are used to promulgate some very uncivilized behavior.
I live in Margate which is south of West Palm and yeah, that’s a very rich, very stuck up area, let me tell you. In my neighbourhood we JUST got rid of most of the drug dealers, hookers and have toned down on the violent crime. Then they moved in some section 8 people from a ghetto they cleared out for gentrification. You know what? Nicest damn neighbours I’ve ever had, I could care less if they park ten cars in their yard, as long as they’re not shooting at me!
But I bet those Indian Wells folks would pitch a mighty fit if you told them some section 8 people were moving in. They’d be begging for those nice, quiet Jewish people to move back.
You know what? Given the area, I’ll bet you dollars to donuts that the people who are complaining are non-practicing Jews, and Orthodox Jews gathering to worship on the Shabbat makes them feel guilty. I’ve seen this happen before.
how do I find a wiccan place close to deltona fl please let me know