An Assault on the First Amendment

Courtesy of Fox News:

“Pastor David Jones and his wife Mary have been told that they cannot invite friends to their San Diego, Calif. home for a Bible study — unless they are willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars to San Diego County.
"On Good Friday we had an employee from San Diego County come to our house, and inform us that the Bible study that we were having was a religious assembly, and in violation of the code in the county." David Jones told FOX News.
"We told them this is not really a religious assembly — this is just a Bible study with friends. We have a meal, we pray, that was all," Jones said.
A few days later, the couple received a written warning that cited "unlawful use of land," ordering them to either "stop religious assembly or apply for a major use permit," the couple's attorney Dean Broyles told San Diego news station 10News.
But the major use permit could cost the Jones' thousands of dollars just to have a few friends over.
For David and Mary Jones, it's about more than a question of money.
"The government may not prohibit the free exercise of religion," Broyles told FOX News. "I believe that our Founding Fathers would roll over in their grave if they saw that here in the year 2009, a pastor and his wife are being told that they cannot hold a simple Bible study in their own home."
"The implications are great because it’s not only us that’s involved," Mary Jones said. "There are thousands and thousands of Bible studies that are held all across the country. What we’re interested in is setting a precedent here — before it goes any further — and that we have it settled for the future."
The couple is planning to dispute the county's order this week.
If San Diego County refuses to allow the pastor and his wife to continue gathering without acquiring a permit, they will consider a lawsuit in federal court.”

If this story is true, and I have no reason to believe that it is not, then we have entered a new era in the assault on Christianity in this country as well as the assault on the First Amendment to the Constitution. For your edification, dear reader, here is the first Amendment:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

To my mind, it seems that San Diego County is clearly in violation of the second and fifth clauses of the first Amendmant. I am sure that if this goes to court then the county will be forced to reverse their position, however this won’t be the last time that action such as this is attempted to stop people from peaceably assembling to worship. I hold that it is in no way under the government’s perview, at any level, to dictate what people may or may not do in their own homes so long as those actions do not willfuly or negligently endanger others. Now San Diego County may argue that they are not trying to prohibit peaceful gatherings of Christians in private homes, they are simply attempting to insure public safety by requiring the proper permits; however requiring permits for small peaceful gatherings in a PRIVATE citizens homes goes well beyond reasonable and is an undue impediement to the excersise of First Amendment rights. If they are going to require permits for Bible studies in homes, then they also should reqire permits for Labor Day barbecues, Super Bowl Parties, and your first grader’s birthday party. Do you see the absurdity? My thoughts and prayers are with that pastor in this fight. This should serve as a warning to us all. It should be a wake up call to the fact that our most precious liberties are under assault and that it is time to make a stand. If we don’t, the free country that we have known will die with a wimper, and the beacon of hope that is America will fade quielty into the night.
Note: Please excuse any misspellings, my spell check died….again.