Bike lane = Christian prosecution

[Eater of Worlds]

This group is claiming that having a bike lane built in front of their church is preventing freedom of religion.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/loc ... s-freedom/

[quiversR4hunting]

This group is claiming that having a bike lane built in front of their church is preventing freedom of religion.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/loc ... s-freedom/

:wtf:

[NachosFlandersStyle]

It sounds like they have a pretty standard complaint--the city wants to take away my parking space! And they've decided to dress it up as a religious freedom issue so that they can sue. Hey, at least they're not making it into an Agenda 21 thing.

[AmazonGrace]

This group is claiming that having a bike lane built in front of their church is preventing freedom of religion.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/loc ... s-freedom/

On the contrary, it allows more freedom of religion because also the bike-riding Christians can arrive to their prayers more safely.

[Black Aliss]

It sounds like they have a pretty standard complaint--the city wants to take away my parking space! And they've decided to dress it up as a religious freedom issue so that they can sue. Hey, at least they're not making it into an Agenda 21 thing.

I think the best part is that, yes, they would be losing some parking spaces, but their real complaint is that they could no longer park diagonally as they do now. Parallel parking is apparently one of Satan's ways of keeping you from coming to church.

[Purposing]

The first time I clicked the OP's 'like post' button FJ told me that the post was unlikeable. Oh, FJ, why do you persecute me so??? Growing up, my church only had a small parking lot, street parking and then an overflow lot. Good Christians get to church early enough to grift some donuts and don't have to park in the overflow lot.

[PennySycamore]

The first time I clicked the OP's 'like post' button FJ told me that the post was unlikeable. Oh, FJ, why do you persecute me so??? Growing up, my church only had a small parking lot, street parking and then an overflow lot. Good Christians get to church early enough to grift some donuts and don't have to park in the overflow lot.

"Invalid likes" happen sometimes. I don't know why, but sometimes you can try liking the post again.

[HereticHick]

On the contrary, it allows more freedom of religion because also the bike-riding Christians can arrive to their prayers more safely.

I live about a mile away. The church in question, United House of Prayer is a historically African-American apostolic church in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood that is becoming much less African-American all the time. Meanwhile, many of the congregants have moved to the DC suburbs (like much of the DC African-American middle class)

Part of this is a struggle between (mainly white) bike-riding urban millennials vs. the aging (driving their large autos in from the suburbs) congregants of many historic African-American churches in the District.

PS This is the headquarters church of the United House of Prayer denomination, founded by Bishop "Sweet Daddy" Grace: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Ho ... All_People

[Anonymousguest]

Because along with Prayer, driving a car and parking on the street is also constitutionally protected?

I'm also familiar with the area, and I understand the very real issues related to gentrification.

[snarkopolis]

Shame on you all. You know you can only park 3 Buicks at the curb but 6 if it's angled. Blasphemy!!!!! :lol:

[Cats B4 Quivers]

Well, cars are faster than any of the horses ridden by the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse. Obviously this means cars are tools of God to hamper satan's rise. Bikes only have two wheels so they are only half as useful. Yeah, that's it. :evil-eye:

[PregnantPornStar]

FFS, what a waste of time. And what jerks.

[IrishCarrie]

Err, I realise I don't know the area and I may be missing a lot of subtleties here.

But in general, in this day and age, isn't is all about health promotion? Nothing trumps encouraging people to get out and exercise and live a healthy lifestyle.

How can a church think parking is more important than health???? :shifty-kitty: :shifty-kitty:

[Guest]

If the church has a lot of older members, or people with health problems, or people who are coming from far away, losing parking could make things difficult, to the point that a sizable chunk of the congregation can't attend anymore. I don't know anything about the area, but parking in big cities can be terrible (and expensive). I agree that there must be a better way to handle this issue than crying religious persecution, though. That's ridiculous.

ETA: Someone above mentioned gentrification. If people are being pushed out of the area due to that, they might be trying anything to hold onto a piece of their neighborhood.

[Imagine20]

Looks like some congregation members will need to start using bike shares. I lived on Mass, and parking is hell anywhere in that area. It comes with the territory. The more people ride bikes or walk, the better.

[nelliebelle1197]

FFS, what a waste of time. And what jerks.

It looks like there is a larger issue there. The OP - and may posters, it seems- missed pretty much every subtlety in the argument. They are not necessarily "jerks". They are a congregation that is trying to survive gentrification. Taking away their parking lot will prevent commuting members from accessing the church because they can only get their by driving. The problem is couching it in religious freedom rather that accessibilty.

[LizzieD70]

I live in the Maryland suburbs of DC, about 1/2 mile from the DC line. A lot of neighborhoods are being redeveloped and marketed to millenials...the older residents are being priced out of neighborhoods they have lived in for years. DC is getting ridiculously expensive...anyway, yes, older parishioners who don't want to switch churches after a move to the suburbs need a place to park. Yes, there is public transportation, but the DC Metro is so darn unreliable, especially on weekends when they have track closures to do repair work. I can see the church's argument although maybe they should have framed it differently. (and don't get me started on trying to find street parking in DC that doesn't leave you with a parking ticket)

[Maggie Mae]

Err, I realise I don't know the area and I may be missing a lot of subtleties here.

But in general, in this day and age, isn't is all about health promotion? Nothing trumps encouraging people to get out and exercise and live a healthy lifestyle.

How can a church think parking is more important than health???? :shifty-kitty: :shifty-kitty:

The fight against bike lanes is truly baffling to me. I'm 100% pro bikes. So obviously I'm a little biased. However, everyone (especially city people) should be embracing protected bike lanes. First and foremost: more bikes on the road means fewer cars. For the people who still want to/need to drive, that's less traffic to deal with. It means that delivery drivers will have an easier time. The benefits to the environment (not only pollution, but sound) are amazing. Then there is the heath stuff, but that's not beneficial to the people who would drive regardless. Bike lanes are such a nice thing and I tend to view those people who are anti bikes as curmudgeonly. Because in my community, the I hate bikes crowd is almost exclusively old, white, and grumpy.

As for this church, how about they buy a parking lot if they want parking? The city is not obligated to provide free parking for anyone. Furthermore, churches get that tax free status because do community service. If the parish members live far away, what good is that for the community? Defeats the purpose of a church.

What's actually going to happen is that the city will probably let them park in the lane on the weekend. Because once you are on a bike, your live isn't worth much to most people in the US.

[TheChickWithGlasses]

I can't stop laughing at the fact that they refered to the church as "God's White House." Maybe it's lack of sleep? Also, UHOP (United House of Prayer)

There's got to be some kind of sad, sad little joke that can be made from those. "UHOP to God's White House, not UBIKE to God's White House!"

I need a nap.

[Anonymousguest]

Snip

As for this church, how about they buy a parking lot if they want parking? The city is not obligated to provide free parking for anyone. Furthermore, churches get that tax free status because do community service. If the parish members live far away, what good is that for the community? Defeats the purpose of a church.

What's actually going to happen is that the city will probably let them park in the lane on the weekend. Because once you are on a bike, your live isn't worth much to most people in the US.

Buy a parking lot? :lol: you have never been to DC have you?

The church has probably previously owned the property that they are now using for the expanded street and bike lane, it's been there forever!

[Maggie Mae]

Buy a parking lot? [emoji38] you have never been to DC have you?

The church has probably previously owned the property that they are now using for the expanded street and bike lane, it's been there forever!

I have. Way to make assumptions.

And I know that it's expensive. However, it's a church. It's not taxed. They supposedly get away with that because "community service." What services do they provide?

It's a bike lane. Transportation don't care it's a church.

[DarkAnts]

It would make sense to have a drop off zone and valet parking for those with mobility issues. They might be able to talk the city into a deal where they get a reduced fee for parking at the convention center. It takes more effort but it seems more practical then suing for religious freedom.

[Ex-Creationist]

I think the church should look into transportation for its members. It wouldn't be the first time a church has used a large van or even shuttle bus to help get people to and from services and other events. It would eliminate the need for some parking spots and provide a valuable device for people who can't or would rather not do the driving.

[Maggie Mae]

It looks like there is a larger issue there. The OP - and may posters, it seems- missed pretty much every subtlety in the argument. They are not necessarily "jerks". They are a congregation that is trying to survive gentrification. Taking away their parking lot will prevent commuting members from accessing the church because they can only get there by driving. The problem is couching it in religious freedom rather that accessibility.

It's not a "parking lot" it's on-street parking. No business has any "right" to parking. The city has a responsibility to keep people safe and to create transportation infrastructure. The church can work out a deal regarding parking with neighboring business, adapt, or move. Most likely the city will cave and the lanes will just be "unprotected" which means that people will be allowed to park in them on the weekend. Because most cities have only a passing interest in doing anything that promotes biking or safety or changing the status quo.

[nelliebelle1197]

Yeah, buying a parking is not a solution pretty much anywhere :/

Buy a parking lot? :lol: you have never been to DC have you?

The church has probably previously owned the property that they are now using for the expanded street and bike lane, it's been there forever!