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Question
Am I allowed to invite people to church or other religious activity in the state of PA verbally and/or in written form. Is there a restriction from doing that door-to-door verses in a mall on public streets, etc.
Hi Howard,
Please keep in mind that I cannot provide specific legal advice in this forum. For that, you would need to speak with an attorney licensed in your state.
I will say generally, that unless someone is a government employee, people are generally free discuss religion, evangelize, or whatever else they wish. On private property such as a mall, of course, one would have to abide by the policies of the owner. If they prohibit such activities, they may remove anyone who does not abide by the owner's rules. Similarly, government can place certain restrictions on any speech. For example, you cannot simply walk into a school or library and begin preaching. But to the extent one is on property open to the public and is not being disruptive or otherwise violating general laws, one would be free to engage in religious speech.
I hope this helps!
- Mike
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Thank you very much for your response. I thought from information that I have read that there shouldn't be a problem with letting people in my neighborhood know about a Bible Discusssion group we're starting. By the way - If you're ever looking for a great church to visit we have sister churches in most large cities and many smaller ones around the nation. Take care, Howard 55savanna@gmail.com | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Michael Troy
Expertise
I will answer general questions regarding freedom of speech, petition, or religion. I specialize in cases involving public employment or education, as well as issues related to campaign finance. But I can`t give specific legal advice involving specific cases you might have.
Experience
As an attorney for the Center for Individual Rights, I worked on a number of free speech cases, including Rosenberger v. Univ. of Virginia, in which the Supreme Court upheld my clients' right to run a student newspaper without discrimination because of its religious conent. I also worked on White v. Julian, which protected the right of people to protest against a homeless shelter in their neighborhood.
I also worked for the Federal Election Commission on several cases regarding the right to participate in the election process.
Organizations
Former Attorney for Center for Individual Rights.
Publications
Washington Post
Washington Times
Education/Credentials
J.D. from Univ. of Michigan Law School
Awards and Honors
Truman Scholar
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