Rev. Rik Fire has been able to change the zoning laws for his house in order to offer grief counseling to those who would need it for no more than 10 hours a week. Sounds simple right? Some neighbors applaud his decision to spread goodness, but the majority of others have started up a witch hunt.
Rev. Rik Fire is an Interfaith Minister. As such, the townspeople are trying to force the local government to shut down his grief counseling for his own home. They are creating fear mongering and hatred towards his interfaith standings and want the local government to take away his zoning. He could have simply done it with no one knowing, and said friends and family were coming over. However Rev. Rik Fire is a law abiding family man, and went through the proper channels to obtain a permit.
The comments on blogs I have seen are terrible. One blog a lady commented that b/c there is a bus stop at the corner they are afraid for the children. The absurdity and single minded mob mentality has rendered me speechless. You would think in this day and age people would not say and do such things. Rik is offering counseling in the privacy of his own home. Should it be the concern of his neighbors what he does? I say not.
"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."As anyone who believes in freedom of ALL religions as promised us by our Constitution, I urge you to sign this petition and send to your friends. If one mob group focused on hate wins this, it will only embolden others to try to stamp out religious rights across the globe. Please help.
Read more about this on
http://www.wildhunt.org/2008/08/paganism-not-in-our-neighborhood.htmlWe the undersigned believe that Rev. Rick Fire should be able to offer grief counseling and any other religious services he likes in the privacy of his own home. He is not imposing on public space. He is not opening up a convenience store. He is giving the community something that few people do these days - his service.
Because this is in his own home, we believe that Rev. Fire should be able to do as he pleases without interference or retaliation from his neighbors. We urge you to support him in his endeavors and support religious freedom.
Thank you for taking the time to read our letter.
