Publisher's Note: One of the most significant things you can do to promote Liberty is to support our mission. Please make your gift to the 2024 Year-End Campaign today. Thank you! —Mark Alexander, Publisher

March 12, 2018

Bible Study, Christian Music Banned by Florida Condo Association

The sign was not very hard to miss: “ANY AND ALL CHRISTIAN MUSIC IS BANNED.”

The sign was not very hard to miss: “ANY AND ALL CHRISTIAN MUSIC IS BANNED.”

That message was posted on an organ located in a commons area of Cambridge House, a condo building in Port Charlotte, Florida.

Residents could belt out the theme song to “Frozen” or Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger,” but they were not permitted to sing “Amazing Grace.”

Residents were also allegedly told they could no longer host a weekly Bible study in the commons area, according to a Fair Housing complaint filed with the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

On Feb. 6, Cambridge House passed a resolution “regarding religious observances on the common elements.”

“Prayers and other religious services, observations, or meetings of any nature shall not occur at meetings of the Association (Owner meetings, member meetings, committee meetings, or, otherwise) and shall not occur in or upon any of the common elements,” the resolution read.

According to First Liberty Institute, a law firm that specializes in religious liberty cases, the resolution led to a religious cleansing of the entire condo association. Residents removed decorative crosses from their doors and a decorative angel fountain was removed from a courtyard along with a statue of St. Francis of Assisi.

The statue had been donated by a resident in memory of a dead family member, First Liberty Institute noted.

But perhaps the most egregious allegation involves Donna Dunbar, a devout Christian and a lay minister in the Seventh Day Adventist Church.

First Liberty Institute filed the Fair Housing Act complaint on her behalf. They tell me residents were not given a reason for the crackdown.

Dunbar hosted a weekly Bible study for ladies in the condo’s social room. They sang songs, prayed and most recently were studying a book called Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby.

Other groups of similar size used the room for thrice-weekly card games and movie nights.

However, Dunbar was ordered by the condo association’s treasurer to obtain insurance in order to continue her meetings, the complaint alleges. Nevertheless, Dunbar obtained the insurance policy and continued the Bible study meetings.

But all that changed in early February when the condo association passed what First Liberty Institute called a “discriminatory resolution” without prior notice.

If true, that would constitute a violation of Florida law.

On Feb. 7, Dunbar and her husband received a letter from Gateway Management ordering them to cease and desist the Bible study.

“The result of this resolution prohibits Bible Study meetings in the Social Room effective February 16, 2018,” the letter read.

So why not just host the Bible study in her home?

According to First Liberty Institute, the participants would not be able to fit comfortably in Mrs. Dunbar’s 919-square-foot condo.

Regardless, First Liberty Institute and Greenberg Traurig, P.A. contend the Bible study group has every right to use the social room for their weekly gathering.

“The Cambridge House Resolution, both in text and in application, is discriminatory and violates the Fair Housing Act because it prohibits Mrs. Dunbar and other Christian residents from accessing common condominium areas for any religious activity, while allowing other residents to use those same facilities for similar non-secular purposes,” attorney Adam Foslid wrote in the complaint.

Neither the condo association nor its management company responded to my telephone calls.

It seems like a slam-dunk case for the religious residents. If management allows residents to play poker in the social room, it should also allow folks to hold a Bible study.

I’m putting my money on the church ladies.

Who We Are

The Patriot Post is a highly acclaimed weekday digest of news analysis, policy and opinion written from the heartland — as opposed to the MSM’s ubiquitous Beltway echo chambers — for grassroots leaders nationwide. More

What We Offer

On the Web

We provide solid conservative perspective on the most important issues, including analysis, opinion columns, headline summaries, memes, cartoons and much more.

Via Email

Choose our full-length Digest or our quick-reading Snapshot for a summary of important news. We also offer Cartoons & Memes on Monday and Alexander’s column on Wednesday.

Our Mission

The Patriot Post is steadfast in our mission to extend the endowment of Liberty to the next generation by advocating for individual rights and responsibilities, supporting the restoration of constitutional limits on government and the judiciary, and promoting free enterprise, national defense and traditional American values. We are a rock-solid conservative touchstone for the expanding ranks of grassroots Americans Patriots from all walks of life. Our mission and operation budgets are not financed by any political or special interest groups, and to protect our editorial integrity, we accept no advertising. We are sustained solely by you. Please support The Patriot Fund today!


The Patriot Post and Patriot Foundation Trust, in keeping with our Military Mission of Service to our uniformed service members and veterans, are proud to support and promote the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, both the Honoring the Sacrifice and Warrior Freedom Service Dogs aiding wounded veterans, the National Veterans Entrepreneurship Program, the Folds of Honor outreach, and Officer Christian Fellowship, the Air University Foundation, and Naval War College Foundation, and the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. "Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15:13)

★ PUBLIUS ★

“Our cause is noble; it is the cause of mankind!” —George Washington

Please join us in prayer for our nation — that righteous leaders would rise and prevail and we would be united as Americans. Pray also for the protection of our Military Patriots, Veterans, First Responders, and their families. Please lift up your Patriot team and our mission to support and defend our Republic's Founding Principle of Liberty, that the fires of freedom would be ignited in the hearts and minds of our countrymen.

The Patriot Post is protected speech, as enumerated in the First Amendment and enforced by the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, in accordance with the endowed and unalienable Rights of All Mankind.

Copyright © 2024 The Patriot Post. All Rights Reserved.

The Patriot Post does not support Internet Explorer. We recommend installing the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, or Google Chrome.