Churches suck! This one turned away a guide dog.

[SarahD]

It seems churches don't have to comply with ADA. I guess they figure if your faith is strong enough, Jesus will restore your vision. The article refuses to identify the church, but I wish they would because these people are about the most un-Christian asshats I can imagine.
https://www.kbtx.com/2024/06/06/handler-shares-concerns-sadness-after-guide-dog-denied-entry-brazos-county-church/?outputType=amp

[Ocelot II]

1. According to the article, the church uses "a band and flashing lights."

That suggests it's evangelical.

[Wonder Why]

2. Or a Police Church on July 4th?

[Bayard]

3. Yeah, with that wagging tail and smiling face,

Betty looks like a real rabble-rouser.

Guide dogs are trained to ignore distractions.

[Diamond_Dog]

4. Unbelievably ignorant.

If I were this woman I’d find a different church.

[CurtEastPoint]

5. story says all relig institutions are exempt from ADA regs so any church could deny them

[Diamond_Dog]

7. If it's up to the individual church whether they allow service animals or not

she could always call ahead and ask what their policy is.

[waterwatcher123]

6. Churches are Not Exempt from Federal Law

Federal, state and local agencies may given too much deference to the requirement that government not burden someone's exercise of religion in the Religious Freedom Act. There is every bit as strong of an argument on the other side to say government has a duty and and responsibility to provide access to an event or structure used for religious purposes (part of that access for a blind person could easily be a guide dog).

There are some real problems with what constitutes a religion as well. It seems like anything can be a religion, including cult like organizations.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/2000bb-1

[zeusdogmom]

8. Flashing lights as part of a worship service???

I prefer flickering candles thank you very much. (FWIW - old white Lutheran 🤣🤣🤣🤣

For a church to not permit a service animal speaks volumes about the congregation and its values. Certainly not a congregation I would want to be part of. My guess Jesus would be none too thrilled either.

[wryter2000]

9. For a long time we had a blind parishioner

He was a musicologist with perfect pitch who sang in our choir. His dog had her own name tag.

Unless you know this is a standard practice in churches, you can't really conclude churches suck based on this datum alone. You are right, though, that refusing to allow guide dogs is unchristian.

[Ocelot II]

10. I remember an old guy who showed up for church services (Episcopal)

with his dog - not a service dog, just a pet. Nobody had a problem with it.

[Marcuse]

11. It's optional.