Are Church Bells a Freedom of Religion or Disturbing the Peace?

Submit News News

Are Church Bells a Freedom of Religion or Disturbing the Peace?

Posted November 05, 2009 00:20:12
Read all 70 comments
+5 raves

Recommend This

blogs.abcnews.com - After opening in a new location, The Cathedral of Christ the King, a local Charismatic church affiliated with the Anglican Church in North America, started playing a recording of church bells every half hour -- every day -- from morning to night. To neighbors, it was a rude shock interrupting the peace and quiet of the community. To the church, it was a way to worship God.

Inevitably the case ended up in court where the judge sided with the neighbors -- she ordered the bells silenced except on Sundays and church holidays. The church leader, Bishop Rick Painter, was given a 10 day jail sentence, which was suspended, and three years probation.

What do you think? Is chiming church bells daily on the half-hour outrageous? Or are the neighbors overreacting? Is this a case of religious freedom or disturbing the peace? ... Read full article »

Related Discussions

by You

Be the first to add a related discussion here! Ask a question Blog this News

Top Comment

+7 raves Big Jim November 05, 2009 00:39:06

Oh Good Grief!!!!! If the Neibors or Judge think bells noise is bad try volunteer Fire department siren that goes off twice for each fire. They want quiet let them move to somewhere like Benton, Calif. - Then they would gripe about the Coyotes howling.
View thread

Sort By

Most Raves
Least Raves
Oldest
Newest

text size

Comments

beda November 06, 2009 13:03:39

OH MY GOD, every half hour!!! That's far too much! I understand that once in hour or not even that much and in the city you don't even hear it well. And during the night it is very disturbing. Since the church is worshipping God they shouldn't do it to make others hate church and God as they're annoyed of the bells (and i don't wonder why!). But the leader was given a 10 day jail sentence? .....i don't know what to say! Stupid? Why not first try to give warn to church or talk with this Bishop or something.. huh!
Edie November 06, 2009 06:36:00

When I lived in Europe where I lived we could hear the church bells it was such a peaceful feeling. However, they did not sound every half hour.
۩Osiris۩ Loves Isis forever November 06, 2009 04:30:53

What's wrong with Church bells? Sounds like folks there are just a wee bit touchy!! It is certainly freedom of religion and there is NOTHING wrong with them!!
seathanaich November 05, 2009 22:23:36

In this example, this is clearly annoying and unacceptable. If Christians do this, how can they refuse Muslims the "right" to do the same?
+4 raves
nerdyjen November 05, 2009 19:56:15

I love the sound of church bells as well, but these weren't church bells. It was a recording of church bells. I have lived near a church that played a recording and it does not sound good. To hear a tinny, distorted version of church bells every half hour would drive me mad.
The church should have worked with the community, anyway. One of the major reasons religion has stopped being relevant to the majority of Americans is a lack of churches that are active in the communities.
+3 raves
wpsark November 05, 2009 17:20:51

well every thirty minutes it's a little much I think. Giving the Bishop a CRIMINAL charge is excessive and beyond my comprehension of reasonability. WTF
+3 raves
tewaz1 November 05, 2009 17:14:25

I think church bells are rather nice. Every half our, every day of the week is a bit excessive, though.
+3 raves
Shigyrl_7 November 05, 2009 16:53:49

Yes but no worse then the muslim call to prayer that is heard in deerborn, MI.
+6 raves
Marlow ~ Let There Be Light November 05, 2009 16:26:40

Every half hour every day? That sounds ridiculous to me. Why? There are sound laws that everyone must obey. This would irritate me too. I'm sympathetic to all religions but this is beyond reasonable.
American Volcano November 05, 2009 16:09:52 (edited)

When the Fringe State Controlled Media speaks....is it disturbing the peace?
+1 raves
Jersey-Gurl November 05, 2009 16:02:59

freedom of religon.

its not like its abunch of ppl going around town and yelling "GO JESUS CHRIST!! WHOEVER DOESNT BELIEVE IN HIM CAN GO TO HELL!!"
+3 raves
dublin9 November 05, 2009 15:25:20

How is it that Christian bells might be considered annoying but nobody says anything about the five times daily garrish Muslim call to prayer? Just a thought.
wpsark to dublin9 November 05, 2009 17:23:54 (edited)

Oh I will definitely say something about it that call to prayer if I hear it. I'm just waiting to bitch about something like that. Luckily we don't have that problem in Arkansas, at least not yet. But I think that every 30 minutes is a little whacko and I can see how it would be very annoying.
texasred to dublin9 November 05, 2009 20:03:28

I think I could handle 5 times a day versus every half hour. That does sound a little excessive.
+1 raves
dublin9 to texasred November 05, 2009 20:07:43 (edited)

Can you handle substituting Islamic Sharia Law for the U. S. Constitution? Can you handle being an oppressed non-Muslim with the option of second class status or death? Can you handle the not very occasional killing of non-Muslims? Can you handle no freedom of speech? I'm not keen on bells going off every half hour either, but I do feel you should think twice about giving Muslims a slide. Be carefull what you wish for. Be well.
+1 raves
texasred to dublin9 November 05, 2009 20:10:47

I'm not making excuses for Muslims - I just know that my ears could take 5 times a day much easier than 48 times a day. It has nothing to do with being a Muslim or a Christian. And I'll be the first to stand up for Christianity and the fact that it is being denigrated by too many people, just because we believe in turning the other cheek!!
dublin9 to texasred November 05, 2009 20:14:32

Good for you. We're on the same side. I'm Jewish and feel that in contemporary America, Christianity is all to often, given a raw deal.
+1 raves
texasred to dublin9 November 05, 2009 20:18:22

I'm with you. I'm so sick of being told this isn't a Christian nation. Granted we're a melting pot. And we are and should be tolerant of others' beliefs. But this nation was founded on Christianity and without it, people who want to come here and live peacefully, would not be able to do so.
dublin9 to texasred November 05, 2009 20:22:27 (edited)

You are so right. If it weren't for the great Christians of America, I wouldn't be alive right now. Americans of Jewish background owe their very existence to the bravery and idealism of their wonderful Christian brothers and sisters. I will always support the Christian heritage of America. Every Jewish person should. Be well.
texasred to dublin9 November 05, 2009 20:34:16

And I will always support my Jewish counterparts. "As America Has Done to Israel," so God will do to America. We are tied together by God's blessings, and our President had better not forget it.

1 2 3 4 Next » Last »