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Originally Posted by TripletDaddy
Is Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association an organized religion protected under the First Amendment?
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The article identifies it as a Methodist organization. Not sure specifically what legal relationship that has to the actual United Methodist Church, but it's clear the beliefs of the church played a role in the enforcement of the rules for the pavilion.
An imperfect analogy is perhaps the easement that was under dispute in Salt Lake a few years back.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TripletDaddy
Also, if you read about the state's Green Acres Program, you will see quickly that, once again, this involves a group that was on the take for government money. They used muni bonds to finance the development of their land for public access.
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Is the pavilion private property or not?
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Originally Posted by bluegoose
I guess I am not uncomfortable with it. Again, this is a privately owned area that applied for federal subsidies in the form of tax breaks, on the provision that it be open for public use. They chose not to keep it open for public use, thus they lose their tax exepmt status. Whats the big deal?
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I believe the extend to which a private organization can define the rules of public use of its private land are exactly what the case revolves around.
What do you think the boundaries should be?