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Signs say plaza private property
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Now where are both roller skaters going to go?
There is likely to be some backlash because people think that the LDS Church needs to explicitly state what behavior is and isn't allowed on the property but that list would be to long to post and wouldn't be all-inclusive of every possible behavior which would be considered inappropriate.
Church security should make it clear in future interactions that people can cease inappropriate behavior and remain on the property or leave and that they are exercising their right as official representatives of the property owners.
To make it clear that they are reserving the right to refuse access to anyone for any reason makes it clear that they aren't going to get into debates about why someone is being asked to leave.
It is unfortunate that this sign had to be placed as a result of the recent criminal activity of a couple who felt they could refuse to leave private property but it is good that the rules are clarified before the LDS General Conference this weekend.
"The church reserves the right to refuse access to anyone." My goodness, how welcoming is that?
Salt Lake City should post a sign visible to those leaving the plaza that reads, "Welcome to Salt Lake City. Everyone is welcome. Please leave your bigotry behind."
The church need not be explicit, but the members should be in the comments here. How else we the rest of know how to behave? The churches of Italy require modest dress, does Temple Square expect the same? Please
claify so we will not inadvertently offend our dear LDS
neighbors.
The LDS Church did legally buy the property at above market value. That should have settled the issue of ownership and property rights, but this is the LDS Church afterall. As your and others perceived doormat, thay were required to go the extra mile and cave in to Rock Anderson's extortion and "give" an additional 2.1 acres to the city in order to appease the dissidents.
The "Mormon Mall" as you call it, is financed by the church, but is a commercial, not a religious venture, as you well know.
Were it not for you and others like you who cannot seem to respect the rights of others to govern their private property, the signs on the plaza were installed to accomodate the city. The LDS assumed (falsely) that people would respect the plaza. It is you and those like you who have forced the position to be taken. When you point fingers Anonymous, point them at yourself.
I was thinking of getting a few thousand friends of mine together. We were wondering if we could come over to your house and just hang out. Don't worry if you can't be there. We will just come over; check out your home and property; walk around, maybe help ourselves to what you have; stay as long as we want; and not worry about the mess we leave-(you can clean up after us). And to think you paid property tax to maintain your own private property!
Mormons indeed welcome you with open arms.
Seriously, I live in CA. I see many same sex couples each day. Rarely are they engaged in liplocks in public places. And the same can be said of heterosexual couples.
The LDS Church would have frowned on kissing between the two gentlemen, regardless. But I'm sure prolonged open-mouth kissing by a hetero couple would have also elicited a response by the security personnel to please take it somewhere more private.
My wife and I, though affectionate, would never consider kissing passionately outside the grounds of a Catholic Church, Jewish Synagogue or at a pizza parlor for that matter. The two men in question were not caught up in the moment. The agenda was clearly to take on the Mormon Church and create controversy - and 15 minutes of fame for themselves.
It's sad that a sign HAD to be posted. But please also note it was the CITY, not the Church, that recommended the sign be put up with that specific language.
Don't like it?
Stay on your own property!
Please. Learn the history. The Church thought when they bought the peoperty that they could control behavior on the plaza. After LOSING THE COURT BATTLE over the easement, Rocky turned on US and sold the easement to the church.
The LDS church had to buy the rights to control the behaviour of all who cross the plaza. Now they own us if we go there.
Dear Anonymous,
"I was thinking of getting a few thousand friends of mine together. We were wondering if we could come over to your house and just hang out. Don't worry if you can't be there. We will just come over; check out your home and property; walk around, maybe help ourselves to what you have; stay as long as we want; and not worry about the mess we leave-(you can clean up after us). And to think you paid property tax to maintain your own private property!"
If I had a sign posted that said, "VISITORS WELCOME" and my property used to be a thoroughfare (and still is), yes, you'd be welcome.
"How exactly does anyone establish a market value for a block of Main Street? There is no record of anyone else purchasing a block of Main Street."
A major street in Houston, Texas sold for $373,000 after being appraised as being worth $629,000. Now compare that to the $8.1 million the LDS Church was willing to pay for a similar piece of land.
You determine market value based on the value of the land and not the infrastructure on it. The street is not worth anything but the land is. No city would pay a landowner that much money to buy a piece of land to build a road on it because the land isn't worth that amount.
Roads are bought and sold on a fairly regular basis in this country and I have yet to hear of a case where $8.1 million exchanged hands.
The church has always welcomed non members and are willing to share with those who want to learn more and willing to let people choose not to learn more.
As in any home, we have a right to establish standards, no smoking, no swearing, no behavior that is offensive to some.
So, the church has the right to ask gays or straights to not show extreme affection on their grounds.
I would not go into a gay bar and ask everyone to please refrain from holding hands, so don't go onto a church ground and hold hands if you are gay.
But to you people who feel that this is so terrible, you need to grow up and realize that you will be just fine if you don't get to kiss or hold hands for that brief five minutes while you are on someone else property.
Also, Christ did forgive the sinner, but he also said "go and sin no more" he did not say "go and sin some more"
To the person that claim tithing money was being spent on this. The church stated that no tithing moneys have been spent on the Plaza. They have plenty of funds which come from nemerous investments which pay for projects like this. ANd why should you be concerned about tithing funds anyway? You have probably never paid tithing, to the lds church or any other for that matter, in your life.
Read the paragraph below, and aside from the OTHER obvious transgressions by the LDS Church, read the
Public Property" sentence.
Someone please explain this, and I DON"Y mean a church attorney Mike in Sandy
Sec. 4. [Religious liberty.] The rights of conscience shall never be infringed. The State shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office of public trust or for any vote at any election; nor shall any person be incompetent as a witness or juror on account of religious belief or the absence thereof. There shall be no union of Church and State, nor shall any church dominate the State or interfere with its functions. No public money or property shall be appropriated for or applied to any religious worship, exercise or instruction, or for the support of any ecclesiastical establishment. No property qualification shall be required of any person to vote, or hold office, except as provided in this Constitution.
And to all the anonymous writers above, use your real name or at least think of a clever pseudonym. If you aren't smart enough to do that, then I'm not going to waste my time reading what you have to say.
Do you suppose I could go to the headquarters of a gay activist organization and stand on their private property preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, including the Bible's condemnation of homosexuality? Would they "welcome" me? Or would they "discriminate" and have me thrown out on my ear?
How about if I went to the private campus of Google, Inc. in the Bay Area (a strong supporter of "gay rights") and protested loudly against homosexual immorality? Would they welcome me as a visitor, or would they "discriminate" and throw me out on my ear?
Why should the church as a private landowner be treated differently than other private landowners? Only because you disagree with, or hate, the church, right?
The most significant religious sites that we have visited all have restrictions on the behavior of visitors to their sacred spaces. There are likewise frequently restrictions on dress. This has been true of places that are Hindu, Moslem, Buddhist, Catholic, Orthodox, and Native American. This has proven to be consistent in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, southern and eastern Asia, Latin America, as well as nearby places like New Mexico and Arizona.
Taking umbrage at dress and behavior restrictions by the LDS Church at their world headquarters is provincial. It also smacks of hubris and religious bigotry. The personal price paid for this mind set is a substitution of a narrow secularism that cuts people off from experiencing the religious foundations and that are central to understanding the living history of civilizations all over the planet.
I challenge you:
Sec. 4. [Religious liberty.] The rights of conscience shall never be infringed. The State shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office of public trust or for any vote at any election; nor shall any person be incompetent as a witness or juror on account of religious belief or the absence thereof. There shall be no union of Church and State, nor shall any church dominate the State or interfere with its functions. No public money or property shall be appropriated for or applied to any religious worship, exercise or instruction, or for the support of any ecclesiastical establishment. No property qualification shall be required of any person to vote, or hold office, except as provided in this Constitution.
Personally I served in a community position for a number of years and not once did the LDS Church, The Catholic Church or the Baptist Church appear before our group asking for any "special" consideration. There were building permits etc., but the same rules applied to all. Members of various faiths served together to represent the community.
As far as the Plaza is concerned, I am sure you are just as welcome to enjoy the area just as much as I am. If either you or I have inappropriate behavior you will be asked to cease or leave.
My desk was paid for by public money and was on public property and if you came to my office and wanted to act inappropriately, security would have asked you to cease or they would have escorted you off the PUBLIC property. If you persisted, you might half to talk to a judge. Freedom of speech does not mean you can say anything you want anywhere you please whether it by my home, my office, private property or public property.
2. To those of you who are using the "capital 2" sign (the "@") to indicate "To [someone]", please be advised that the "@" is meant as, and pronounced as, "To". For instance, "@Anon" actually means "To Anon", and "@@3x..." actually means "To To 3x...", (which, I assume, means "To To Three Times".
3. And, I would greatly appreciate it if a lot of you fine folks (including some newspaper reporters) would proofread your posts for spelling and grammar. It is extremely irritating to try to read posts where words are mis-used and misspelled, and makes it nearly impossible to determine your exact meaning.
4. And, for my vote from here in Tarpon Springs, Florida, "If you don't like the heat, get the heck out of the kitchen!" IOW, make your own rules (within the law) for your own property, and allow other property owners (i.e., in this case, the LDS Church) the same rights and privileges!
5. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANTICIPATED COOPERATION!
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