The core issue will be whether religious groups should be given variance from content-neutral local zoning and safety regulations simply because they are religious, and more specifically, the extent to which individuals can ignore neutral laws in the name of religious freedom.
Tag: Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act
Why Using “Landmark Status” to Block the NY Mosque is a Threat to Religious Land Use Rights
I recently received a message from Jay Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) calling on Christians to protest plans to build a mosque in Manhattan near Ground Zero. (http://www.aclj.org/TrialNotebook/Read.aspx?ID=973 ) Although the ACLJ, not to be confused with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), does not try to hide the fact…
Why Using “Landmark Status” to Block the NY Mosque is a Threat to Religious Land Use Rights
I recently received a message from Jay Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) calling on Christians to protest plans to build a mosque in Manhattan near Ground Zero. (http://www.aclj.org/TrialNotebook/Read.aspx?ID=973 ) Although the ACLJ, not to be confused with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), does not try to hide the fact…
Landowner Of Proposed Muslim Community Site Files Suit Against Town
In Walkersville, Maryland, a landowner who wanted to sell his farm to a Muslim group is suing the town for religious discrimination because they have refused his right to do so. This is a classic case of “NIMBYism” (Not in My Back Yard) where city officials used what sounds like neutral language to carefully make…