Freedom of Religion - Part 2

Key point 14-06. Adults may use public property for religious purposes if the property is used by community organizations for non-religious purposes. Excluding religious speech, while allowing other kinds of speech, violates the first amendment guaranty of free speech.

Use of Public Property for Religious Purposes

* A federal appeals court ruled that a city's refusal to allow a church to use the town hall for weekly Bible studies violated the first amendment guaranty of free speech. A town owns a facility known as the "town hall." The building has a gymnasium and fifteen small meeting rooms. The majority of the building is used for town offices, but three or four of the rooms are open for community use. An organization wishing to use one of these rooms is given an application and a copy of the town's rules and regulations for use of the property. A Protestant church submitted an ...