Last Sunday, Pastor Dimas Salaberrios of Infinity New York Church in The Bronx ended a 24-day hunger strike—with tuna salad. He said he was both in relief and in pain.
Pastor Dimas leads movement with his hunger strike. With daughter in hand rallies the city.
The pastor intended that his hunger strike would continue until the city changed its plan to evict religious groups from worshiping in public school buildings during the off-hours. However, he started to experience chest pains last weekend. Medical doctors suggested that he was facing grave dangers. “I was pretty much forced to, my heart rate went up,” he said during a telephone interview with A Journey through NYC religions.
The pastor’s hunger strike is one of the many efforts by Christian groups this month to overturn the city government’s policy. One protest resulted in the arrest of 43 pastors and church members during Mayor Bloomberg’s State of the City Address in the Bronx.
On Sunday protestors from many denominations, races and ethnicities as well as local elected officials will gather at 3:30 pm in Cadman Plaza and march across the Brooklyn Bridge (organizers suggest participants travel on the A train to the High Street stop in Brooklyn). Announced speakers will include the hunger striker Pastor Dimas, Gabriel Salguerro of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, Seungho Yang of the Korean Council of Churches, and Lilian Roberts of Cathedral of Christ Community Ministries.
The outcry is paying off. Councilman Fernando Cabrera, D-Bronx, and State Senator Martin J. Golden, R,C-Brooklyn are leading an effort to withdraw the exemption from free speech rules that New York City schools currently enjoys in state law. This week the NY Senate education committee unanimously passed a bill that would force NYC schools to meet the same free speech standards that schools in the rest of the state are required to meet. Current law allows any NYC community education board to deny usages of schools and school grounds even if it contradicts the free speech provisions of state law. The amendments to the state education law specifically mention that the state’s free speech standards for public schools include the freedom to conduct worship services. Next, the legislation next must meet a vote by the full Senate and the Assembly.
Leaders of the movement are continuing to press for reform of NYC government’s new policy against churches use of public schools for worship services on the off- hours. Now that Pastor Dimas has ended, for health reasons, his attention-getting hunger strike, protest leaders say that the movement will start to emphasize their love for the city and its freedoms through fasting and prayer.
Pastor William Devlin of Manhattan Bible Church in Inwood Heights, is leading the church protestors in fasting. Devlin, who is a co-organizer of the protests, entered the tenth day of his fast last night at 9 pm. Drinking only water, Devlin is now experiencing sleeplessness and “mental fuzziness.” However, as a veteran of fasting, he is prepared to receive regular check-ups from Jeffrey Bado, a doctor specializing in internal medicine.
His reasons for a fast and not a hunger strike are rooted in a theological and political understanding that sees the protest movement as entering a reflective, long-term phase.
Pastor Bill Devlin of Manhattan Bible Church at a prayer rally
He takes inspiration from British devotional works like God’s Chosen Fast by Arthur Wallis and The Intercessor by Norman Grubb. The pastor says, “Fasting changes the world—and it changes me.” He gives four reasons for fasting: to support Pastor Dimas’ example; a demonstration of city-wide solidarity on this issue; spiritual discipline; and to honor God.
Pastor Dimas’ influence on the movement is unmistakable. Devlin says, “I think it’s important to advance Pastor Dimas’ original vision.” However, there is an interesting evolution of the movement’s reasoning as represented by a change from a hunger strike to a fast.
Hunger striking is a confrontational approach rooted in union strikes and political conflicts. Fasting is rooted in religious devotion to limiting one’s anger and promoting one’s ability to love and show compassion.
Pastor Dimas fashioned his hunger strike as a very public demonstration of his sorrow for the religious groups who are due to be kicked out of the schools on February 12th. The hunger strike got the attention of religious people around the world. Now, the movement wants to knit together the disparate groups into one united movement. Devlin says his and other protestors’ fast is a call for spiritual unity. “From a personal perspective, I receive more of God’s power here on Earth [when fasting]. I want to stay focused [on] that this is a fast.”
Devlin takes his inspiration from the Jewish scriptures, particularly the Book of Esther. This story is well-known as the inspiration of the Jewish holiday of Purim. The book depicts the story of Queen Esther who called for a fast of solidarity to prevent a plot to slaughter the Jews in Persia. Devlin believes the fast of Esther indicates that a fast strengthens people’s hearts and their link to God. It appears that the movement is uniting its forces and preparing for a long battle.
Pastor Dimas and Devlin are busy working on the next big event, a mass march across the Brooklyn Bridge. Over 1,000 people are expected to attend. But what does this prayer march really hope to achieve?
According to Pastor Devlin, there are two objectives for the event: to pray that hearts and minds of influential people will be changed; and to see that God’s people worship together in unity. It is a message of both activism and spiritual development.
When A Journey through NYC religions asked how many people are confirmed for police detainment this Sunday, he replied, “We believe that part of our strategy is complete. No one will be arrested.” But the pastor says that this stage of the protest will emphasize their love for the city. He hopes that this is one demonstration that will cause city hearts to feel the love and be changed.
Good article.
I like this article.
GOD WE NEED YOUR HELP
HELP US TO HELP OTHERS
GOD BLESS AMEN
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We like this.
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OK PEOPLE WE NEED EVERYBODY WHO CAN, COME OUT TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT!! THIS IS “NOT” JUST A MARCH FOR CHRISTIANS!!! IT IS A MARCH TO ENSURE THE RIGHT RENT A PLACE TO WORSHIP IN PUBLIC SPACES!!! MEET ME THERE AT CADMAN PLAZA WHERE WE WILL MARCH ACROSS THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE TO CITY HALL FOR OUR RIGHT TO WORSHIP!!
Go NYC !!! ;-}
Unable to afford to build or buy their own facilities in which to meet, the multiethnic faith-community of NYC is rising up in peaceful ways. Fasting may be deeper than a hunger strike…
S6087A-2011: Authorizes the use of school buildings and school sites for religious meetings and worship when not in use for school purposes
Authorizes the use of school buildings and school sites for religious meetings and worship when not in use for school purposes or when such service or worship is deemed not disruptive of normal school operations.
——————————————————————————–
Sponsor: GOLDEN
Law Section: Education Law / Law: Amd S414, Ed L
S6087A-2011 Actions
Jan 24, 2012: 1ST REPORT CAL.126
Jan 13, 2012: PRINT NUMBER 6087A
Jan 13, 2012: AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO EDUCATION
Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO EDUCATION
Education: Jan 24, 2012
Floor Calendar: Jan 30, 2012
VOTE: COMMITTEE VOTE: – Education – Jan 24, 2012
Ayes (11): Flanagan, Farley, Lanza, Marcellino, Maziarz, Ranzenhofer, Robach, Seward, Addabbo, Avella, Huntley
Ayes W/R (6): LaValle, Saland, Oppenheimer, Breslin, Serrano, Stavisky
Nays (1): Montgomery
S6087A-2011 Memo
REVISED 01/27/12
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to authorizing religious
meetings and worship in school buildings and school sites
PURPOSE:
The purpose of the bill is to authorize the use of school buildings
and school sites for religious meetings and worship when not in use
for school purposes.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends the opening paragraph and paragraph (c) of
subdivision 1 of section 414 of the education law, the opening
paragraph as amended by chapter 369 of the laws of 1977 and paragraph
(c) as amended by chapter 345 of the laws of 2009, are amended to
include:
The City of New York and community school boards and;
A provision that prohibits the adoption of restrictions to exclude or
limit speech, during non-school hours, including speech that
expresses religious conduct or viewpoints.
JUSTIFICATION:
This bill would prevent school districts from excluding groups from
meeting on school property because of the religious content or
viewpoint of their speech, including allowing religious worship
services.
Currently, State Education Law allows for social, civic and
recreational meetings and entertainment on school property, as well
as other uses pertaining to the welfare of the community. State law
further holds that such meetings, entertainment and uses shall be
nonexclusive and shall be open to the general public. However,
certain groups or organizations are not always allowed to hold the
types of meetings seemingly envisioned herein, including those with
religious content or viewpoints.
For example, several years ago, a U.S. Appeals Court ruled that the
Bronx Household of Faith church (“Bronx Household”) ( based in New
York city, was not permitted to use space in a Bronx public middle
school for its Sunday morning worship service. Since then, however,
the United States Supreme Court ruled in Good News Club vs. Milford central
School that it was unconstitutional for a public school district in
upstate New York to exclude from its facilities “a private Christian
organization for children, and the Supreme Court further held in the
Good News Club case that “by denying the club access to the school’s
limited public forum on the ground that the club was religious in
nature, Milford discriminated against the club because of its
religious viewpoint in violation of the free speech clause.
In light of Milford, Bronx Household re-petitioned the U.S. appeals
court, which again upheld the school’s policy banning the use of its
space for religious worship services, reasoning that “While the
conduct of religious services undoubtedly includes expressions of a
religious point of view, it is not the expression of that point of
view that is prohibited by the rule.
Prayer, religious expression of devotion to God, and the singing of
hymns, whether done by a person or group, do not constitute the
conduct of worship services. These activities are not excluded”.
Groups like Bronx Household should be allowed to hold and conduct
such meetings, even in the event that such meetings include religious
content or views in their speech, so long as these meetings are open
to the general public. Some school districts have excluded groups and
have thereby acted to regulate free speech and the conduct of such
members of the public, potentially in violation of the First
Amendment to the Constitution of the united States. This bill seeks
to protect such organizations from these actions.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
S6087A-2011 Text
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
Introduced by Sens. GOLDEN, DeFRANCISCO, DIAZ, GALLIVAN, GRIFFO, GRISAN
TI, KENNEDY, LANZA, LIBOUS, MAZIARZ, O’MARA, RIVERA, SAMPSON, SMITH,
ZELDIN — read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be
committed to the Committee on Education — committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit
tee AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to authorizing religious
meetings and worship in school buildings and school sites
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
EXPLANATION–Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
Section 1. The opening paragraph and paragraph (c) of subdivision 1 of
section 414 of the education law, the opening paragraph as amended by
chapter 369 of the laws of 1977 and paragraph (c) as amended by chapter
345 of the laws of 2009, are amended and a new subdivision 3 is added to
read as follows:
Schoolhouses and the grounds connected therewith and all property
belonging to the district shall be in the custody and under the control
and supervision of the trustees or board of education of the district.
The trustees or board of education, OR IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK THE
COMMUNITY SCHOOL BOARD, may adopt reasonable regulations for the use of
such schoolhouses, grounds or other property, all portions thereof, when
not in use for school purposes or when the school is in use for school
purposes if in the opinion of the trustees or board of education use
will not be disruptive of normal school operations, for such other
public purposes as are herein provided.
[DELETE: ; except, however, in the city of New York each community school
board shall be authorized to prohibit any use of schoolhouses and
school grounds within its district which would otherwise be permitted
under the provisions of this section].
Such regulations shall provide for the safety and security of the pupils and
shall not conflict with the provisions of this chapter and shall conform
to the purposes and intent of this section and shall be subject to
review on appeal to the commissioner of education as provided by law.
The trustees or board of education of each district may, subject to
regulations adopted as above provided, permit the use of the schoolhouse
and rooms therein, and the grounds and other property of the district,
when not in use for school purposes or when the school is in use for
school purposes if in the opinion of the trustees or board of education
use will not be disruptive of normal school operations, for any of the
following purposes:
(c) For holding social, civic, RELIGIOUS and recreational meetings and
entertainments, and other uses pertaining to the welfare of the communi
ty; but such meetings, entertainment and uses shall be non-exclusive and
shall be open to the general public. Civic meetings shall include, but
not be limited to, meetings of parent associations and parent-teacher
associations.
3. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL AUTHORIZE THE TRUSTEES OR BOARD OF
EDUCATION OF THE DISTRICT TO ADOPT OR INTERPRET REGULATIONS FOR THE USE
OF SCHOOLHOUSES, GROUNDS OR OTHER PROPERTY, PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE
OF THIS SECTION, THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF
SPEECH, DURING NON SCHOOL HOURS, EVEN WHERE STUDENTS MAY BE PRESENT,
INCLUDING SPEECH THAT EXPRESSES RELIGIOUS CONDUCT OR DISCUSSES SUBJECTS
FROM A RELIGIOUS VIEWPOINT.
S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Thank you for this informative article on two points: 1) that the ability of NYC to exclude worship services is actually based on an exemption from state law (it would be interesting to understand how that came about) and 2) the explanation of difference between a hunger strike and fasting, and the thoughtful elaboration on the latter.
Thanks to the great work they is doing with A Journey through NYC religions and for their latest report on the efforts of pastors and churches to continue renting space for services from the public schools. Mayor Bloomberg and his administration have said that they will stop this practice.