[Vision2020] Banned From Church

[Kenneth Marcy]

On Saturday 19 January 2008 09:48, Tom Hansen wrote:
> Cops arrest and handcuff little old lady banned from church because she
> didn't like the pastor.
<snip>
> On a quiet Sunday morning in June, as worshippers settled into the pews at
> Allen Baptist Church in southwestern Michigan, Pastor Jason Burrick       
> grabbed his cellphone and dialed 911. When a dispatcher answered, the    
> preacher said a former congregant was in the sanctuary. "And we need to, 
> um, have her out A.S.A.P."
> 
> Half an hour later, 71-year-old Karolyn Caskey, a church member for nearly
> 50 years who had taught Sunday school and regularly donated 10% of her
> pension, was led out by a state trooper and a county sheriff's officer.   
> One held her purse and Bible. The other put her in handcuffs. (Listen to 
> the 911 call)

Since when should the local property-tax-paying residents be obligated to 
provide sergeant-at-arms services to non-property-tax-paying congregations? 
Should income-tax-paying state residents be obligated to pay for otherwise 
laudable inter-agency cooperation through such a church-state veil of 
separation that is not penetrated by income taxes?

Should the local constabulary send a bill for a service call to the pastor?

Yes, officers respond to lots of planned organizational activities, but 
parade permits, for example, can have fees attached to them that are 
collected in advance. Pastor Burrick knew in advance that he didn't like 
his long-time parishioner, and should have made arrangements to privately 
handle her appearance rather than ask the tax-payers for assistance in a 
non-threatening, non-emergency, non-riot situation. Absent such 
arrangements, or their feasibility, the pastor deserves service charges.


Ken