# Bible study arrest **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 16, 2013, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-study-arrest/663618 "2013-07-16T00:33:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-study-arrest/663618/1 "2013-07-16T00:33:50Z")
Ok I need to help getting actual factual non fox type info on this [Fox News Flash | Fox News](http://foxnewsinsider.com/2012/07/11/arizona-pastor-arrested-jailed-for-holding-bible-study-in-home-his-wife-says-it-defies-logic?fb_comment_id=fbc_502365173146046_5341092_537246109657952#f373ef4de4) > [@](#): > > 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 Speaking as a Christian - my bullshit meter is pinging ---
**Author:** ![Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/77aa72/32.png) [@Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fluffy_PickleSniffer)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-study-arrest/663618/2 "2013-07-16T00:37:32Z")
Well, this is a blog post, but it might help a bit? [Salman NOT in jail for bible study](http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2012/07/michael_salman_is_not_in_jail.php) ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-study-arrest/663618/3 "2013-07-16T00:46:31Z")
Zoning violation for a group of people at a home? The Fox article practically screams the relevant detail by not mentioning it at all. [Spoiler alert](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/16/michael-salman-phoenix-pastor-jailed-bible-study-video_n_1677943.html): > [@](#): > > According to the city, Salman regularly had gatherings of as many as 80 people, and the noise and traffic from the gatherings prompted regular complaints from neighbors. > > In 2010, he was found guilty of 67 Class 1 misdemeanors for code violations, such as not having lighted emergency exits, fire doors or sprinklers, in the “game room.” He appealed his conviction, but the court upheld them, and he began his jail term on July 9. You want a permit for a church, get a permit for a church. You want to go to jail… get a permit for a ‘game room’ in a residential zone and then cram it with 80 people for other-than-gaming purposes. It’s just wrong, and it doesn’t matter if it’s bible study or a high school keg party. That’s what really always sticks in the craw of evangelicals… they can’t handle being treated like everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-study-arrest/663618/4 "2013-07-16T00:47:48Z")
See what happens when you create joinder? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-study-arrest/663618/5 "2013-07-16T01:34:19Z")
As soon as I saw the headline I knew what the story would be. The guy was too cheap and too ornery to do some simple things. I’m always happy when someone goes to jail for being a jerk. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-study-arrest/663618/6 "2013-07-16T03:11:59Z")
I’m surprised the bible studies didn’t get shut down by the Fire Marshall. He could probably get his homeowners insurance cancelled or premiums raised very high for this sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-study-arrest/663618/7 "2013-07-16T03:45:29Z")
This is kind of an ongoing thing for the Christian right-wingers. They’ve been protesting the non-exemption of “home churches” from zoning laws for over a decade. ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-study-arrest/663618/8 "2013-07-16T05:37:32Z")
That the [Powers of Darkness](http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2012/08/pastor_michael_salman_fraud_indictment_tom_horne_ahcccs.php) will not prevail over our persecuted brother Michael Salman: > [@](#): > > Attorney General Tom Horne just announced that a state grand jury indicted Salman, his wife, and his brother for defrauding AHCCCS – the state’s Medicaid program – of more than $118,000. Oops.