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Illegal to Feed the Homeless? City Rule Sparks Religious Freedom Showdown

CBN

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Jesus told believers to feed the hungry but that simple command is now the center of a major legal showdown.  

Houston leaders passed a city ordinance in 2012 that makes it illegal for volunteers to feed more than five homeless people at once without a permit. On top of that, volunteers are required to get food safety training and written consent from property owners before they are allowed to hand out food. 

Citizens tried getting rid of the ordinance by collecting 75,000 signatures on a petition but to no avail. 

Phillip Bryant is taking the battle to court, saying the city is violating his religious right to follow Jesus' command to give food and water to the needy. 

"What we are saying to the city of Houston is do not trample on people's religious freedom," said Randall Kallinen, one of the lawyers representing Bryant.

"Let's get this law changed, and let's get it out of the courts and let's get the people having the right to feed those that are needy and hungry in our community without government intervention," Houston City Councilman Michael Kubosh said.

Other critics of the law say giving food and water to homeless people does not pose a legitimate safety threat. 

"It's not safety. It's not a safety issue, I've yet to have one person come to me with food poisoning. It's just really, downtown district just does not want to see the homeless community at this point," Shere Dore with the Homeless Advocate Program Houston said.

Whether it is about religious freedom or safety, the issue is on its way to the courtroom. 
 

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