Click to read full Story from World Net Daily
By Bob Unruh
© 2010 WorldNetDaily
Officials in the city of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., who had ordered participants of a home Bible study either to purchase an unobtainable city permit to meet or shut down, now are relenting a little.
City officials have said the Bible study targeted earlier for banishment can continue to meet, but they are reserving the right to shut down other Bible studies.
WND reported when the dispute was developing.
Brad Dacus, whose Pacific Justice Institute is working on the case, said then it appeared city officials were deliberately choosing to close down the study, which had been ordered to cease by Good Friday.
But the institute now has confirmed Rancho Cucamonga has dropped its pending enforcement action against the group, although the way is not yet clear for others to meet.
Pacific Justice reported the mayor and other city officials even visited the Friday night Bible study last week.
Rancho Cucamonga officials had demanded that the small home Bible-study group stop meeting or apply to purchase a Conditional Use Permit that also would be required for a full church operation. Dacus said the study group has been meeting Friday nights and averages about 15 people. Members are affiliated with Shiloh Tabernacle, which rents a community center for Sunday services.
The city's letter insisted the study is not allowed because it is a "church," Dacus said. In the city, churches are required to obtain a Conditional Use Permit in residential areas.
"The city has also indicated that no CUP would be granted and the gatherings must cease by Good Friday, April 2," PJI said.
"However, while the city has dropped its enforcement action against the Bible study group, the city has indicated that it did so only because it determined that the Friday night group did not appear to be a 'church,'" according to a new Justice Institute report.
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