Church in Chattanooga trying to shut down a local haunt there.

[bdot]

I am not from there but someone sent this to me.
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_72221.asp

A local church opposed to a Halloween-themed haunted house has asked Red Bank city officials to shut the annual attraction down.

"We believe this is an illegal use of the property," writes Lyndon Avenue Baptist Church Senior Pastor Neal Resue in a letter sent to Red Bank City Manager Chris Dorsey. "If we have not had a response from you by Tuesday, September 6, 2005, we will start legal proceedings against the City of Red Bank."

The Little House of Horrors is located at 101 Culver St., immediately adjacent to the church in a dwelling that is zoned residential, according to city records. Church officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, also cited concerns over lack of parking and disturbances coinciding with the operation of the haunted house at the same location in 2004.

"We opposed this last year," said the church leader who verified the existence and content of the letter authored by Mr. Resue. "Then we relented, and that was a mistake. But we are not judging anyone. The simple fact is the property in question is not designed to be used for this type of activity. We are merely insisting the city enforce the applicable law."

Mary Fugate, who is listed in public property tax records as the owner of the home, and attraction operators Jeff and Susan Stringer and Joe and Donna McKeel could not be reached for comment. The organizers have publicly said the event is a charity fund raiser for Pennies For Vicki, a local relief fund for women stricken by breast cancer. Court records reflect no legal action taken by any of the parties to the dispute as of the close of business Thursday.



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They have a poll on http://www.chattanoogan.com/ about it.

[thecrow]

1. It's a truth

Fundamentalists hate Halloween. They will do anything to try to shut it down.

[murielm99]

2. There is a church in my community that used to run its own

haunted house. The kids loved it, and they raised lots of money for their youth group.

They stopped doing it when they got a new pastor. I think the old pastor is doing this activity at his new church.

[MadHound]

3. Lord, these people have no compassion,

And absolutely no sense of fun. What, they think that the little kiddies will become pagans after going through a simple haunted house? Then they have very little faith in their own religion, and even less in the influence of the kid's parents.

And taking away money from breast cancer charities:eyes: I'm just stunned by the desication of their souls.

[bdot]

4. It's baffling.

I went to a Christian school 4 years when I was young. It was an extremely strict Independant Baptist Church in central NC. Even they had a Haunted Trail.

[CottonBear]

5. I grew up in Chattanooga. Lots of RW fundies there.

It seems that the haunted house is allowed as a temporary use in the residential zone by the planning and zoning code. The City must go by the code when giving permits for temporary uses.

[Bridget Burke]

6. That local church needs to attack the holiday!

Here's how other Christians have fought against Satan's birthday:

www.landoverbaptist.org/subjectarchive/halloween.html

www.chick.com/seasonal/halloween/tractsuggestions.asp

Question: One of these sites is satirical & one is dead serious. Which is which?