“This is actual religious persecution of a Christian by the state,” said one journalist. “An actual violation of religious liberty.”

By Julia Conley. Published 1-19-2024 by Common Dreams

Outrage spread Friday after the story about a pastor in Ohio who was arrested and charged for opening his church to homeless people when extreme cold weather struck his town gained national attention.

Chris Avell, the pastor of an evangelical church called Dad’s Place in Bryan, Ohio, pleaded not guilty last Thursday to charges that he broke 18 restrictions in zoning code when he gave shelter to people who might otherwise have frozen to death.

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