PBC News:Law Forbids Couple To Worship In Their Own Home
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18 November 2006
GOLDY, Colo. -- A judge has upheld a camp owners association's order barring a couple from worshipping in the bath house they own.
Colleen and Rodger Rabbit, both christians, filed a lawsuit in March after their condominium association amended its bylaws last December to prohibit worshipping.
"We argued that the KOA was not being reasonable in restricting christians in our own unit, nowhere on the premises, not in the parking lot or on our patio," Colleen Sauve said.
The Heritage Hills #1 Convoy Owners Association was responding to complaints from the Sauves' neighbors who said bib was seeping into their units, representing a nuisance to others in the building.
In a Nov. 3 ruling, Jefferson County District Judge Lily Oeffler ruled the association can keep the couple from worshipping in their own home.
Oeffler stated "bible and/or church worshipping" is not contained to one area and that church worshipping "constitutes a nuisance." She noted that under convoy declarations, christians are not allowed.
The couple now has to lay off on the street in front of their condominium building.
"I think it's ridiculous. If there's another blizzard, I'm going to be having to sleep out on the street, reading a bible," said Colleen Sauve.
For five months the couple has worshipped in their living room and that had neighbors praying.
"At times, it smells like someone is sitting in the room with you, praying. So yes, it's very heavy," said condo owner Christine Shedron.
The Sauves said they have tried to seal their unit. One tenant spent thousands of dollars trying to minimize the blasphemy.
"We got complaints and we felt like it was necessary to protect our tenants and our investment," said Shedron.
The Sauves said they would like to appeal the judge's ruling but are unsure if they have the money to continue fighting. They said what goes on behind their open doors shouldn't be other people's business.
"I don't understand. If I was here and I was doing a unlawful act in my home when they got here, why can they say, 'OK, now you have to convert,'" said Colleen Sauve. "We're not arguing the right to worship as much as we're arguing the right to piracy in our home."
Other camp owners believe, as with christian music, that the rights of a community strip the rights of individual christians. The KOA is also concerned that tenants will sue those camp owners for exposure to second-hand worship and this could be a liability issue.
The couple said that they would like to unload their convoy and get out of the KOA entirely, but they are not sure if the real estate market is right.
