Where is the humility of Christ in RLUIPA? Since the tower looks like a flag pole, they could put a cross bar a few feet from the top and crucify the neighbors.

These churches are like any group, any sniffing of power and privilege has them cruelly abusing that power and privilege at the expense of people they're suppose to care for. There's a little bit of Catholicism in every church.

The Supreme Court respects traditions too, though you may be right about how they'll decide.

billnewbie: The secular arena is where issues of community can be wrangled with in a civil manner no matter any person's personal philosophy. The value (or not) of religion(s) will forever be disputed and never reach a unanimous concensus. Conversely, the issue of equity of all under the U.S. Constitution was once nearly indisputable. When slavery became an issue, laws were changed to make the legal playing field more equitable. RLUIPA reversed that trend making 2 totally separate and unequal levels of law. The forefathers and mothers sought sanctuary in the New Land specifically because of the omnipresent oppression of religion trumping civil law. Today because of RLUIPA churches, and only churches (not secular nonprofits), can evade laws that ALL others must obey. THAT impacts how the law is applied from property rights to for profit business operations to taxation. THAT is why cities have become impotent to the wishes and whims of churches regardless of common sense and community consideration. Secular or religious, in the U.S., all should be held to the same legal standards and RLUIPA will surely fall in the Supreme Court someday.

"Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. The mere Politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connexions with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle." - George Washington from his farewell address
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RLUIPA opponents and atheists such as Gazettefan have a lot of tradition to overcome in their efforts to stamp out religious influences in the public domain. Given a choice between the eloquence and wisdom of Washington and the shrill anger of religion's opponents, swaying our representatives in their favor leaves the atheists with a difficult task indeed.
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Aside from the handful of upset neighbors and the "tax the churches league", this cell tower does benefit the surrounding community.

RLUIPA shows that religion is just another capitalist enterprise that requires the crutch of socialism. RLUIPA especially reveals that despite the "beneficence" of the church, it cares nothing for the community around it.

I,m glad that everyone can get a signal.To bad it's not a wind mill for solar power that we could use more than cell tower. put a wind mill on top of all the cell towers,that might help with some of our problems.

within ten years, land lines will be obsolete. gone the way of pay phones.

The City Council had no choice but to approve given, under RLUIPA, church-owned property is exempt from all laws any other property owner (residential or business) must abide by. A vote to deny the tower could possibly have lead to years of litigation should the church have pursued their desire for the tower and tax-payers would have been outraged. Just another example of the completely discriminatory 2-tier level of law under RLUIPA giving completely unlimited advantage to churches and no real recourse to others. This act MUST, and will, someday be overturned by the Supreme Court after years of causing chaos and destruction to communities nationwide.

Rats. Now I bet they won't want one in my backyard. My US Cell doesn't work good where I live. Maybe the new one will help.

Wow.......That's a big surprise!!

Amen!