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this county the authority to regulate, in any manner, the erection of houses of worship or the religious use of such structures”.
It should be noted that nothing in the foregoing suggests that churchgoers have, or ought to have, any immunity from the general laws and police powers which non-church-goers or even atheists do not have. (The Pentecostal group has never questioned this caveat). The suggested wording leaves each appropriate agency to enforce those laws and regulations within its own legal scope of authority: the Health Department-the health laws; the School Board-the school laws; the Fire Marshal-the fire regulations; the Commonwealth’s Attorney and the Sheriff-the general police powers of the State and County.
Each agency can carry out its duties without having to make judgements on, or interferring. with, religious activities. To say, as has been said, that only the Zoning authorities, with their permits requirements, can enforce the regulations and laws of these other agencies, which they, themselves, are duty bound to enforce, is tantamount to saying that we need to put new people in these agencies who WILL carry out their lawful duties.
But none of these agencies, or any other agencies has the power and authority to “prohibit the free exercise” of religion on any acre, anywhere. under the American flag-directly or indirectly.
ROBERT W. EASTHAM Flint Hill
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